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Occupation:  Photojournalist, KTBS-TV 

Hometown:  Washington, D.C.

Worked at stations in Monroe, Memphis, Detroit, San Antonio, Dallas and Mississippi

Favorite thing about your job:  “I get exposed to a lot of different things everyday.”

Nicknames:  Jamesmurphy, Murfdog

Poker, dominoes, golf

Hidden Talent:  You want to be around when James is BBQing. 

Food:  Steak

Movies:  “Coming to America”, “Hunt for Red October”

Quote:  “If you’re not first, you’re last.”

Challenge:  Staying sane in this business

Inspired by:  GSU Professor James Penny

Goals:  Win an Emmy or AP award; get masters degree in communications

Click here to see a story shot and edited by James.

The Easter Bunny apparently has some sort of wack sense of humor to put  creepy babies in my son’s Easter basket.

Happy Easter! 

One of our commenters, HRB, has the flu.  He told me his wife brought him an Icee and Cracker Jacks, which is what our dad used to bring him when he was a little boy.

Is it just the act of someone bringing you something when you feel bad?  Or is it what you’re brought that helps make it all better?  What works for you? 

Feel better, HRB! 

  

Every Wednesday, KTBS announces the Athlete of the Week.  This is Fletch with the two winners this week.  These are students who excell, not only on the field, but off the field, in the classroom.  

My sources tell me both of these claims are true. 

Okay, they told me that, but they’re not reliable sources.  

I buy tabloids for sick friends (the ones who are at home with a physical ailment).  And yes, I’m a tad embarrassed to check out with them (the friends and the tabloids).

Once, I sensed a person staring at me, with his mouth open and his hands on either side of his face, was appalled that I would buy one of these publications.  So, I turned to the person and said, “What?  Where do you think we get the news?”

What are some of your favorite tabloid headlines?       

What are you doing to me? 

I’m in training.  I’m trying to eat healthy, yet am way too easily swayed by commenters’ suggestions on how to run my life.  First, Tommy suggests I eat a cheeseburger as part of my fitness regime.  Try getting that out of your mind.  The first picture is proof of my order.

The second picture is my son, on the cover of the Natchitoches Meat Pie box in the freezer section of your grocery store.  Someone else took that bite out of that meat pie for him because he and I were vegetarians at the time.

Until…. 

…then KTBS producer (current commenter) Colleen Spillane and I were working one of those Earthlink satellite tours, where we report from the road.  Jim Lee, the sat truck driver, is known worldwide for his ability to sense the best places to eat in any given town.  So, we find ourselves in this dive with unbelievable smelling BBQ.  And there’s Colleen, “C’mon, Sherri, it’s not going to kill ya to take a bite!”  

Colleen could make Hazel and Jimmy eat steak.  And they don’t even have teeth.

  

Opening Day.  The official game is Arizona at Cincinnati on March 31 at 1:20 p.m. ET. 

Questions:  Has the steroid scandal fouled up your anticipation of this season?  Why don’t more people go to Shreveport Sports games?  What do you like about the sport?   

I still love the aesthetics of baseball.  I like the smell of the park, the sound of the bat, the way the breeze feels at Fair Grounds Field. 

Although I’m no expert on stats and steroids, I (bragging alert!) can identify many MLB parks by the color of the dirt and the way the grass is mowed.  I like Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix (Chase Field now?), with it’s seven blends of grass and high-speed retractable roof.  There’s nothing like being in Wrigley Field.  I like the way Jacob’s Field is angled.  I like the simplicity of the Yank’s uniforms and the passion of their fans.   But I love the Braves! 

My son is an Orioles fan, but I forced the Braves on him one 4th of July.  There’s just something about John Smoltz closing.  This summer, he’ll be the club house manager for The Shreveport Sports.  Not John Smoltz, Casey Allen.  :) 

When I was a kid, I kept score for $8.00 a game at American Legion games.  Sister Suzie was the only girl to make the Little League All-Star Team.  That’s when I became a fan.  You?  

Occupation:  Media Account Executive, KTBS

Band:  Brand New Strings (mandolin, guitar, vocals)/Acoustic Bluegrass, Americana and Irish music/Events and festivals across N. Louisiana

Certified Executive Chef for 20-years

Food:  Prime rib, extra rare, with straight horseradish

Book:  Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala

Biggest challenge:  “1) Staying strong after burying my daughter, Sara Elizabeth, in 1996.  2) Kicking cancer’s ass.”

Family:  Wife Mona (married 17-years), daughter Rebecca, son David Mark II

Hometown:  Arlington, TX

What might surprise people about you?  “I love chick flicks.”

Movie:  Fried Green Tomatoes

Craziest thing you’ve ever done:  Gone 60 mph down a ski slope on a snow shovel

The broadcast industry refers to those of us on the air as talent units.  But the real deal is what goes on behind the scenes. 

On Mondays, look here for profiles of people in the industry…the personalities you don’t see.  You see their work, why not meet them?

You’ll get to know photographers, tape editors, internet developers, account execs, producers…fascinating, talented people from all over the country.  One Monday, we might even get to know Sparky!     

In our media fitness competition on May 10th, we’ll be asked to do as many pushups (the male version) as we can in one minute.  I can do about two.  That’s two more than I could do last week.  Not exactly Demi Moore in G.I. Jane.  Go see how many you can do and tell us.  Onward!