This picture is from this morning at the seawall on Galveston Island. Not moments after this picture was taken, the surge slammed into the barrier behind where I was standing and drenched me.
Over the past 25 years, I have worked over 35 Hurricanes. This one has some serious potential to be very nasty. 14 Hours before Hurriane Ike was scheduled to make landfall later tonight--the storm surge had already inundated West Bay Galvestion, Jamaica Beach and Tiki Island. At this point in time we are hunkered down and waiting to ride out the storm.
Flashlights, Battery Powered Radios, Protein Bars, Bottled Water and Baby Wet Wipes--the must needed provisions. Yes, Baby Wet Wipes. One of the greatest inventions of all time. When you have no water and you can't clean yourself--for days at a time--Baby Wet Wipes are a God Send. Believe me, I know, I went through Hurricane Katrina. And not many storms have been worse than the disaster that storm became--just over three years ago.
Talk to you on the other side--power willing--which is probably unlikely.
Go Nats!! Beat Those Fish!!
I really hope you aren't in one of the "low-lying coastal areas" that are being evacuated. I know you (and other cameramen) have a duty to report the news, but PLEASE don't do anything suicidal!
ReplyDeleteIf only the Nats were hit by Hurricane Ike then we could get a real team! Be safe SBF, if not Stan and the Lerner's would have to pay a mouthpiece to report positively on the team!!!!
ReplyDeleteLet me translate the only thing you need to hear from our friend Annie:
ReplyDelete"Blah...blah...blah...blah...Be safe SBF...blah...blah...blah...!!!"
Stay safe and our prayers are with all the people down there...
ReplyDeleteFar less important, but nice, Congratulations to the Mills Cup Champion Potomac Nationals!
EJC....please it is true how else does SBF get the access that NO other blogges get, heck even the beat reporters get less access to the front office than SBF does!!
ReplyDeleteSBF -- hope the waters recede and you'll be back at Nats Park on Tues.
ReplyDeleteI just saw on the news the destruction in Galveston. I pray you are safe and hopefully the AQ can Post that you and your group are well.
ReplyDeleteGreat news!!! SBF was able to call me that he is safe which is most important. He is at his hotel with no power and no gas for their vehicle though.
ReplyDeleteHe has no computer access and it was coincidental that he called shortly after I posted at 6:49PM.
As we were talking Hanley Ramirez just homered....ouch....
What I didn't want to tell him are the ridiculous ANONYMOUS posts on this thread because why upset a man who can't respond so I will do it for him. GROW UP! If you want access, get it yourself. Start your own Blog or buy the Naming Rights to the Stadium or volunteer for the Nationals Dream Foundation or maybe just be a good person as good people have good things happen to them.
Your 2 infantile posts are downright disrepectful and for most it is getting old.
A wave drenched YOU? What about that camera? Is the camera ok?!??!?!
ReplyDeleteI don't think Annie deserves the attention, but the fact that he cannot bring himself to turn off his sarcasm and vitriol at a time when the other people responding to this blog are worried about SBF's safety tells me his posts should be deleted.
ReplyDeleteSBF, if what Andrew tells us is true, I'm delighted to hear you are OK! I look forward to seeing you at next Saturday's picnic!
Edward J. Cunningham said...
ReplyDeleteSBF, if what Andrew tells us is true, I'm delighted to hear you are OK!
EJC - Of course what I posted is true. Do you think I make up stories?
I don't get some of you.
Andrew
I hope SBF is ok. Somebody posted on here that he had a dream SBF was fine. I hope that is true.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteSomebody posted on here that he had a dream SBF was fine.
Anon - You are pathetic. Are you jealous that SBF called me and not you?
Maybe if you signed with your real name and stopped hiding in your anonymity we could all thank you for your ensightful posts and then SBF would have your contact info so he can call you the next time he wants to let everyone know he was OK.
Your 3 infantile posts are downright disrepectful and for most it continues to get old. GROW UP!
Hope to see you Posting again soon SBF and thanks to Andrew for the update!
ReplyDeleteBoth airports in Houston are still closed. Power crews are making good progress. Hopefully SBF can make it out of Texas soon and get to tomorrow's Nationals game and back to the African Queen.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6000749.html
EJC - Of course what I posted is true. Do you think I make up stories?
ReplyDeleteI apologize if you took offense. I would rather be careful when I quote people. It's better to be cautious and use an "if". I assure you, if SBF posted some hint on this blog about some scoop, I would have referred to it by saying "If what SBF has told us is true..."
Good job putting Annie in his place. When he gets back, I hope some of his posts get deleted.
I apologize for not posting up sooner but I was also on assignment and this has been a very busy week for both SBF and myself.
ReplyDeleteI want all of you to know that SBF AND HIS ENTIRE NEWS TEAM are OK and DOING FINE! I THANK YOU ALL for thinking about SBF and thank you for your prayers for our fellow Citizens in Texas and all along the Gulf Coast.
Their biggest problem right now is lack of power and SBF says that they only have a little bit of gasoline to move about tomorrow. I will not worry because SBF is very resourceful and they have considerable experience covering disaster relief.
The difficult part is watching people loose everything they’ve worked for their entire lives, that’s sometimes hard to take but someone has to tell the story, so that gets them going. I think that WE SHOULD ALL REMEMBER that behind those moving pictures of the massive destruction are people with families who now have nothing!
The biggest challenge for the news crews now is getting out of Texas, as you well know, all the Huston area airports are still closed so they would have to drive all the way to San Antonio to catch a flight out of there. I am sure that SBF will find a way to get home even if he has to walk all the way from Huston to Washington.
By the way Keith, the Camera is fine. SBF takes care of that Camera like it is the most precious thing in the world!
Thank you all and see you at New Nationals Park!
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI did not wish to include you in the above post for obvious reasons but I will address you for the LAST TIME!
You seem to always want to take some DEMENTED pleasure to insult us on our own Blog. If you have such DISDAIN for us why do you bother reading?
First you question our profession and professionalism and now you ask how SBF can go from the Democratic Convention to the coverage of Hurricane Ike in Texas.
How do you think?
Let me enlighten you, we have been covering the News and World events LONGGGG before there was a Baseball Team here and it is from this experience that we draw to write THIS BLOG THAT YOU ARE SO ENTHRALLED WITH.
So you can stop complaining about how we get access to THIS or THAT! It is through hard professional work, networking and our sincerity that we make friends.
Let me save you the trouble and give you a rundown of what’s coming, after the Hurricane coverage, comes the Election Campaign coverage and the Elections and any major breaking story in between, all the way thru the Inauguration and the Inaugural Balls.
Just so you know we will also continue to cover the team and everthing surrounding the team on this blog even when the Season's over... you got that!
And by the time the new Administration gets settled in the White House we will be ready for Spring Training.
You’ve questioned our integrity many times and now you are also implying that SBF is been paid by the Mr. Kasten and Mr. Lerner to write positive stories about the team.
I guess you are just a MISERABLE COWARD, because if you are going to call SBF a liar you can at least make your self known to us, come see us face to face.
Anonymous, SINCE YOU NEVER ADD ANYTHING TO THE DISCUSSION IN THE FORUM THAT WE PROVIDE, DO US ALL A FAVOR AND DISAPPEAR
Let me be blunt about this, YOU ARE NOT INVITED HERE!
Despite how you feel about SBF, HE WILL BE BACK!
YOU ARE THE ONLY INCONSIDERATE VOICE who could not even think of our Fellow Citizens in Texas and the Gulf Coast who were directly in harms way. Somehow, that doesn't surprise me.
DO NOT BOTHER TO RESPOND BECAUSE IT WILL BE DELETED!
The African Queen, thanks for the update! I'm glad that SBF is OK, but I have to keep in mind that whatever inconveniences he and his news crew go through this week, SBF's home is in Virginia. My prayers go out to the Texans whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Ike. Considering the magnitude of the storm, it's a miracle the death toll was so low...
ReplyDeleteWhat EJC said...Glad to hear that SBF is okay (and his camera protection reflexes are in order). My thoughts and prayers go out to those who will be trying to rebuild after the hurricane.
ReplyDeleteAQ - Based on the time stamp of your posts, I can tell you were up late last night typing.
ReplyDeleteIf you need anything, feel free to call me any time!
You go girl!!!!I concur "SINCE YOU NEVER ADD ANYTHING TO THE DISCUSSION IN THE FORUM THAT WE PROVIDE, DO US ALL A FAVOR AND DISAPPEAR" Hopefully that is clear enough for the anonymous (a) to know nobody wants to here his trash.
ReplyDeletePP
Glad to know SBF is well and he's making due.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update, Sohna; be well,