The autopsy reports that Kidd Kraddick died from cardiac disease related to an enlarged heart.  This confirms what we have known for years, his heart was too big.

Kidd Kraddick passed away today.

I'm not normally sad when a celebrity passes, but I have listened to him for a long time and feel like he is a part of my life.

When I read Mark Cuban's tweet, it was a punch in the gut.  When I was able to get confirmation online, it hurt like a lost family member.

I've been a long time listener.  I moved to Texas in 7th grade and have listen to him ever since.

When I moved here in 7th grade, it took me a good 3 years to make any friends, and often the only constant for several year was my family and Kidd.  He could make you laugh, cry, and yet he was clean enough everyone from age 5 to 65 could listen to him and be entertained.   

After High school, I commuted to UNT in Denton and it was like having someone riding shotgun the  whole way.  He rode shotgun for me in middle school, high school, college, and the first 7 years of my real job.

In 2006, Trista and I went and watch a show in Las Colinas and really enjoyed it.

I always loved his rants about #peopleyouareputtingtoomuchweightonchip or being #gluttenfree

17 years, one almost becomes part of your family.  As you grow and change from 12 to 30, you see him change, from married with a young daughter to divorced and a 20 something daughter.  Even just last night, Trista, Brittany, Magen, and I were talking about how we have listened for so long and how we all still listen.  

 He has done so many good things for our community and he will be GREATLY missed.

I'm not sure if the show will go on or not, but I know it won't be the same.  

 In his true spirit, we should all just "keep looking up, because that's where it all is". 

RIP Kidd.

It may have taken a year or two, but Ryan Braun was finally suspended my MLB.  

I'm a little sad how this played out, because basically, this was a slap on the wrist.  A 2.8 million slap, but a slap none the less.  

How so?

Lets assume that his 65-game suspension would have been longer, had he worked out a deal with Bud Selig.  Based on stories it would have been between 100 and 150 games.  Had he fought this, they could have appealed this into next year, would have lost in the offseason and ultimately lost during the off-season, he would have lost between $6.2 and $9.3 million next season. 

   Also, after reading a few articles on ESPN.com, it sounded like Bud had some goods on him, and it sounds like the odds were not with him this time.  

Next season, Braun will be hated by fans everywhere. He already was after the 2011-2012 offseason. I hope he starts off apologizing to a lot of people in private and public.  Starting with the test collector, whose name he ran into the ground a in 2011-2012.  

Good Riddance Ryan Braun.   

The 1st Annual Brian Ketcham Premorial Game is nearly sold out.  Tickets are $50 a piece unless you use the promo code: Premorial.  If you use that, the cost drops to zero.

The game is on Thursday, July 25th from  6-8 PM. It will be played at the home of YOUR Fort Worth Cats, LaGrave Field.  Gates open at 5:45.  Show up if you want to watch.

You'll be watching the Premorial at the same exact spot where people have watched Hall of Famers play at such as: Hank Aaron, Sparky Anderson, Bob Feller, Stan Musial, Yogi Berra, Brooks Robinson, Rogers Hornsby, Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Ralph Kiner, Brian Ketcham (see what I did there), George Sisler, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays, Paul Waner, Don Drysdale, Willie McCovey, and Ted Williams.

Seriously, though, this should be a fun game to attend and hang out at.  I just ask if you come to watch that you pick up your trash on the way out.  I'm guessing there will be a Sweet Sammies or Food Truck after the game.

After several weeks of sweating and not drinking enough water, I finally bought a new Nalgene water bottle today.  Correction: I bought two Nalgene bottles today.  

    One little known fact about Coach Ketcham is that I am incredibly indecisive.  If I'm making a big purchase (Furniture, Saw, TV), (or even a small one, water bottle, headphones, backup cell battery) I usually spend a week just reading all the reviews I can on the item(s) in question.  I use and abuse Amazon for reviews.  If something has a single one star review, I will agonize over that one star review.  I eventually tell myself that it must be just a cranky person and the product is good.  This takes a while for me to get to this point.  This is stupid, but true.  

Anyway, I couldn't decide between the Nalgene Tritan and the Contigo AUTOSEAL Kangaroo Water Bottle with Storage Compartment.  So I bought both of them.  Guess what? I still can't decide.  I guess I’ll have to decide when I go on my next bike ride or run.  The decisions I face every day.  

We all have vices.

Look.  I‘ve never done drugs.  Ever.  I don’t know if it was the fear of my parents, the cost, or if I just knew I would be hooked very easily.

Well, Dole Whips is my new drug of choice.  The dangerous narcotic that my taste buds demand.  How can something of only 80 calories taste like a party in my mouth?

What is Dole Whip?  Dole Whip is tasty pineapple soft serve.  It only sounds kind of exciting when you first think about it, but trust me, it's amazing. 

On my tour, my guide suggested trying a Dole Whip.  I thought, eh, they can’t be that good.  Boy, I was wrong.  I bought one last Friday and then quickly bought another.  Now back in Texas, they aren’t available.  I begged and pleaded with Wendy’s today for them to dump the frosty in the name of Dole Whips, but no success.  

I really need another Dole Whip.

So the family went to Disney last week and it was a fun trip.  We spent a lot of time at Magic Kingdom and Epcot.  I was lucky enough to miss the Animal Kingdom because I decided to go rogue and spend the best money I have ever spent at any theme park.  I took the “Key’s to the Kingdom” tour.  This tour was something I read about online when I couldn’t sleep one night.  On Wednesday night I called the 1-800 number to book it, but they told me I couldn’t book “same day”.    So the next day I woke up early, and headed straight to the Magic Kingdom on Thursday, but they told me all the spots were full.  I was a little discouraged they couldn’t squeeze me in, but I understood.  I called later that day and paid my $70 some dollars to take the 9:30 on Friday, June 12th.  It was probably for the best as it was some of the best money I ever spent and our guide was tremendous.

            I’ll start at the beginning of the tour.  We walk up and they have our names already on name plates and tell us to grab a bottle of water.  It’s fairly hot outside, and we are greeted by our guide Jessica.  At first, I just wanted to cry for her.  She appeared to be a very nice, sweet girl, but for some reason WDW hates her because they make her rock what appears to be the hottest clothing attire you could her to wear.   Just imagine some sweat shop combo of a wool skirt, a puff sleeve shirt, and a thick vest.  I was in shorts and a T-Shirt and was hot, I can’t imagine.  Poor guide.  With that being said, she never complained, kept us dry from the rain, and you could tell she really loves Disney. 

            Now tours in general.  They quality of a tour starts with a good guide.  As someone who has given tours and been on many, I know what good looks like and what crappy ones look like.  Our group is about 20 people, and it’s a hard thing to get a handle on the personalities of any group.  This group is people from all over the country, some married, some single, some nice, some crazy.  You have the mother and daughter from Mississippi, a husband and wife from Nevada, and then you have the larger lady who has to pull out her collapsible seat from her backpack every chance she gets, and then must pull her sweat covered cell phone from her bra, and it literally drip.  This same lady is rocking her “Just Engage” button with her fiancée and when someone asks how long they’ve been engaged, her answer was, “15 months”.   Yeah.  Just engaged…

            Anyways, Jessica started out by making everyone participate in answering questions about Disney’s 4 worldwide work philosophies...SAFETY, SHOW, EFFICIENCY, AND COURTESY.  She was able to get everyone involved and made the trip not just fun, but we were able to learn a lot.

We started out walking down Main Street USA and she pointed out all sorts of little things you would never notice as you walk down the street.  How walking down the street is like going to a movie.  From the popcorn smell as you walk in, to the “credits” on the windows of people who made this park happen.  From Roy Disney, to M.T. Lott, to Walt Disney, they all lead up to the big show. 

            I thought "M.T. Lott" was pretty darn clever. (Empty Lot? (rim shot))  Under that there was some others such as the "Latin-American Development and Managers Corporation" and the "Reedy Creek Ranch Corporation".  Walt used those fake companies to purchase swampland and old cattle pastures.  Jessica told us that Walt bought about 95% of the park for around $180 per acre.  After it was discovered, the price jumped, and the last 5% cost about the same total amount as the first 95% cost.


            Another thing she pointed out was a technique heavily employed at Disney World, which is "forced perspective." This is the construction of buildings with smaller details on top, resulting in the impression of height without imposing an overbearing sensation. The first floor of Main Street structures are full size, the second floors are 7/8 in size, and third floors are 5/8 in size.  They also add a lot of fancy, ornate trimmings get smaller the higher they go.

            She talked a lot about the park being clean and pointed out this and that about the core 4...SAFETY, SHOW, EFFICIENCY, AND COURTESY. 

            She later walked us through a subtle change from one “land” to another.  How the music fades, the plants are subtly different and ever the trash cans change.  It was a definite “Ah ha” moment as she walked us through that. 

            We rode the Jungle Cruise and learned a lot about Walt and the jungle cruise.  I particularly liked the “bottomless-potamus”.  We walk around and got to go “back stage”.  We saw the electrical parade floats (Even Elliot from Pete’s Dragon – so underrated) and how the trash is moved in the park.  It may sound lame, but it was interesting to see how it works.  We walked through frontier land and then went to eat at Columbia Harbor House.  Food was on our plates, and ready to go.  Pretty nice touch.

            We then walked towards the Haunted Mansion and she spent a good amount of time talking about Roy Disney and then several other cool guys you may not have heard of.  Marc and Alice Davis, Ollie Johnston, Thurl Ravenscroft, (famous as Tony the Tiger’s voice), and of course Leota Toombs and  Eleanor Audley.  Seriously, look em up.

            After riding the ride, we walked back towards the front, and went backstage.  Behind all the “show” in Disney, is a lot of plain looking buildings.  She then took us to the in the Utilidors.  Once again, not part of the show, but allows the show to go, while pumping that safety and efficiency.

            Long and the short of it is this.  I gave you only a small amount of what we saw and talked about.  The tour was great and better than any Disney souvenir I could buy at a store.  Yes, even better than getting a photo with that ridiculous upstart “Duffy Bear.”  (Who the heck is he?)  Tour was extraordinary.  Our guide Jessica was phenomenal.  If you are going to Disney, check it out.