20TH ANNIVERSARY SANDLOT TOUR - 4.12.2013 - DAY 6

PRESS & PUBLICITY DAY - PHILLY, PA

Dear Reader,

After a good night's sleep, I'm up at 5AM.  I head down to the gym, go straight through the locker room and into the sauna.  It is nowhere near hot enough (you're supposed to sweat like a proverbial pig in a sauna, not lounge in a pleasantly balmy cedar closet), and, of course, there is the mandatory warning sign: "Do Not Pour Water On The Rocks!"

Check.

I fill up 5 plastic cups of water and dump them on the rocks.  The temperature rockets up to about 160 degrees and I find myself suddenly inside a large pressure cooker.  Bliss.

I hit the treadmill for a while, then back in the sauna.  Back in the room at 6AM I get dressed and head to the lobby to meet my publicity contact, Dave Cowden.  Dave's a sharp young guy and I instantly feel in good hands.  The plan is to hit a whack of TV and Radio stations and flood the airwaves around PA, NJ and NYC with as much press about the screening tomorrow night as possible.

We have an SUV for the day at our disposal and our fine Irish driver is Danny.  Irish.  Danny.  Of course his name is Danny.  And Danny's been in Philly for about 1,000 years and there is nothing he doesn't know about the history of the place.  And he's not boring about it either - I loved listening to him tell stories all day about this or that building or place.

The great fountain downtown Philly

Here's the line up we had to hit:

DATE:                                                      Monday, April 15, 2013

SUBJECT:                  THE SANDLOT – PUBLICITY TOUR

Thank you for participating in publicity activities on behalf of “THE SANDLOT”. Below, please find your tentative p.a. schedule as well as all pertinent contact information and confirmations. Please let us know if we can assist you with anything else.

Please note Fox Representative TBD will be traveling with you throughout the Tour; contact info is noted below. Thank you!

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2013

7:25AM                   Grooming

                 

7:45AM                  Fox representative Dave Cowden will meet you in the hotel lobby. 

7:50AM                  Depart for WPSG-TV (CW)

         

                                                                 

8:00AM                  Arrive WPSG-TV (CW)

8:15AM                  EYEWITNESS NEWS - Live
                               Journalists: Ukee Washington

8:30AM                  Depart to WTXF-TV/Fox Good Day Philadelphia studio

                                                                       

                                                                       

8:45AM – 9:00AM                FOX GOOD DAY – Live (PENDING)

                                                Journalists:  Mike Jerrick and Sheinelle Jones

9:05AM                                  Depart for WMMR-FM (AOR)

                                                                                                                       

9:30AM – 9:40AM                WMMR-FM (AOR) – Live

                                                Journalists:  Preston & Steve Morning Show

9:45AM                                 Depart WMMR and proceed down the hall to BEN-FM

9:50AM – 10:00AM              BEN-FM (Hot AC) – Taped

                                               Journalists: Marilyn Russell Morning Show

10:05AM                               Depart for WMGK-FM (CL ROCK) (Same building; different floor)

10:10AM – 10:20AM           WMGK-FM (CL ROCK) – Taped (PENDING)                                                                                                               

10:25AM                                Depart WMGK-FM and proceed to WOGL-FM (Oldies)

10:40AM-10:50AM               WOGL-FM (Oldies) – Taped (PENDING)

                                               Journalist: The Breakfast Club

10:55AM                                Depart WOGL-FM and proceed to WBEB-FM (AC)

11:10AM – 11:20AM            WBEB-FM (AC) – Taped (PENDING)

                                               Journalist: Jen & Mike

11:25AM                                Depart WBEB-FM and proceed to Clear Channel

11:40AM – 11:50AM            WISX-FM (Hot AC) – Taped

                                                Journalist: Logan & Nicole

11:55AM                  Depart for Metro Networks/Beasley Broadcasting

12:05PM – 12:15PM    WRDW-FM (CHR) – Taped (PENDING)

                                       Journalist: Chico, Shila, Tingle

                                                                       

12:20PM                        Depart for WXTU-FM (COUNTRY)

12:25PM – 12:35PM     WXTU-FM (COUNTRY) – Taped (PENDING)

                                        Journalist: Doc & Andie

12:40PM                          Depart for Metro Networks

12:55PM – 1:05PM         METRO NETWORKS (Syndicated) – Taped

                                         Journalist: Paul Perrello, News Director

1:10PM                           Depart METRO NETWORKS and proceed to TBD Hotel

1:30PM                            Lunch Break

2:30PM                            Depart TBD Hotel for WPVI-TV (ABC)

3:00PM – 3:15PM           WPVI-TV (CBA) ACTION NEWS – Taped (PENDING)

3:20PM                             Depart WPVI-TV for TBD hotel.

3:25PM                             WPST-FM (HOT AC)
                                          Journalist: Chris Rollins

3:40PM                                                      END OF DAY

Yikes. Right?  But we got it all done, and every single interview was great.  All the journalists were big fans of The Sandlot and even though I was asked the same sorts of questions a bunch of times, it was a pleasure to answer them over and over again - it just never gets old.

Here's the inside of the studio of the most popular Radio Show in Philly - Preston & Steve:

Here's a link to the Comcast SportsNet interview with Michael Bakaan:

Comcast SportsNet Interview with Michael Bakaan

After a long day, took a walk to a dollar store to pick up some new tennis balls for Captain Maverick -- he goes through 6 or so a week.  We ran the Captain on a grassy section outside the hotel.

Captain Maverick has an "after run" snack:

After that it was off for the end of day beer at a great place called Public House about 100 yards from the hotel.

End of Day 6 beer, Guinness once again

I was told the weather had been pretty crappy for the last few days in Philly and that worried me - because having to cancel the very first screening on the 20th Anniversary Sandlot Tour was going to royally piss me off, and disappoint many thousands of people.  So, in the sauna, I asked the Big Man for some help.  Directly after that, as I went to get something out of the Tour Truckster I found a lucky penny.  Check.  Request granted.  I hoped.

We hit the sack and set the iPhones for 6AM, it was a short drive to Arm and Hammer Park, home of the Trenton Thunder, but early is always better, and I had an interview (perhaps the biggest of my life) with Matt Gagne from Sports Illustrated at the ball park before the game and screening.

With Captain Maverick zonked on the sofa - he had had a massage down in the day spa early and it just put him right out - it was lights out for the night.

Check back soon.

Best,

DME