wdaw's Blog

Hi guys...

Just back from vacation...freshed, relaxed and looking forward to those 2:30 a.m. wake-up calls...(ha ha).

Seriously, I didn't go anywhere this time, but I had the opportunity to meet many of our viewers, and it was a great experience.

First of all...kudos to the "Distinguished Gentleman". This group of inner-city youngsters shed light on growing-up in the hood through the vehicle of the Spoken-Word.  These impressive students were on a Fatherhood program at Michael R. White school at which I was the keynote speaker.  The young man gave excellent insight on the daily struggles of being a young black man and living in the city amid the drugs, violence, poverty and hopelessness.  These young men are "lights" shining in the darkness...and I hope to eventually share their story on Fox-8.

Also...I had the honor of being the master-of-ceremonies for the Society of Black Academic Surgeons at the InterContinental Hotel.  The keynote speaker was Ian Smith M.D....the host of the Celebrity Weight-Loss Challenge...and who as also appeared on "The View" and various network news programs.  This impressive young man challenged the black-surgeons in attendence to give-back to the community and to be role-models for healthy living.

And I'd like to give a shout-out to the folks at the Perry Church of God in Perry Township...I delievered the message on Sunday and we had a wonderful time of praise and worship.  Good luck to Pastor Kevin has he undertakes the leadership of this flock.

Finally...Good Luck Cavs...let's beat the Washington Wizards and move on to face the Boston Celtics...if we lose to the Celtics I won't be disappointed  because Boston is stacked.  With all injuries and the changes this year, the Cavs would be doing good just to make it out of the first round.

Go Cavs...

Don't forget to watch Fox 8 News In The Morning...

Wayne....

WOW...

      As a loyal season-ticket holder that's my reaction to the Cavaliers big three-way trade with the Chicago Bulls and the Seattle Supersonics. 

     Unlike alot of fans I'm saddened to see Larry Hughes go.  Even though he was often injured and he didn't live up to his billing as the "Robin" to "Batman" Lebron James...he seemed to be coming around with several nice ganes of late, shooting had improved and he seemed to finally be living-up go his potential as the player we signed from the Washington Wizards a three years ago.

      Drew Gooden will also be missed, yes I know he was hot and cold performer, and he often didn't appear to be focused on the game, he's still a young player and I believe his best days are in front of him.

     The departure of Donyell Marshall and Ira Newble, although nice guys, doesn't bother me much, but I did want to see more of more of Shannon Brown because I believe this kid can play.

On the flipside I'm somwhat excited to see what Ben Wallace can do..he's getting older and some say he's a shell of his days with the Pistons, he "Z", the newly aquired Joe Smith and the "Wild Thing" should give us a formatible frontcourt, the problem is who's our starting shooting guard..?

     It will also be interesting to see what forward Wally Szczerbiak has left...he's basically been ineffective for the past several seasons...but he's a good jump-shooter and Lebron thrives on getting guys good open looks.

    But perhaps the key to this deal could be point guard Delonte West.  At 6'3"' he has the height Coach Mike Brown likes in his guards, and although he was sitting on the bench in Seattle, perhaps all he needs is alittle playing time.

    In the final analysis the Cavaliers were not going to win the NBA title or even repeat as Eastern Conference champions with the team they had...but are they a better time now..?  Only time will tell. The bottom line is with Lebron...all things are possible and thankfully that's something that hasn't changed.

     The key will how quickly this "new" team can mesh...because there are less than 30 games remaining before the playoffs.

    WOW.

HI EVERYONE...

MANY THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO SHOWED UP FOR THE BOWLING EVENT LAST SATURDAY, EVERYONE SEEMED TO HAVE A GREAT TIME.

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALLTHE CHURCHES, BUSINESSES AND OTHERS WHOSE GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS HELPED TO MAKE THE EVENT A SUCCESS.

ALSO MANY THANKS TO THE FOX-8 CELEBS WHO STOPPED BY TO SUPPORT US.

ONCE AGAIN THE PROCEEDS WILL GO TO HELP INNER CITY STUDENTS TO PURSUE THEIR EDUCATION.

PICTURES ARE ON THE WAY...

THANKS AGAIN...WAYNE

Hi everyone...

The 1st annual Wayne Dawson Celebrity Bowling event is coming up this Saturday November 24th...and everything is coming together nicely.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated items to be auctioned or raffled-off during the event, and many thanks to those who have already purchased tickets.

Stefani Schaefer, Kenny Crumpton, Stacy Bell and several of my friends in the media will be joining us as we attempt to raise money for college scholarships for Shaw High students. 

Once again the event will be held at the Freeway Lanes of Wickliffe located at 28801 Euclid Ave from 5 till 8 pm.  The $25 dollar cost of admission will include bowling, shoes and food.  There will also be several giveaways  and a silent auction.

If you're interested in attending the number to call is 216-585-1294...and ask for Judy.

This event is sponsored by the Annie L Dawson Foundation, an effort by my brother Attorney William Dawson  and I to honor our late mother. 

She firmly believed education was the key to success.

Also...a big thank you to everyone who took part in the 17th annual Celebrity Chefs Auction sponsored by the March of Dimes on Monday Night...it was a tremendous success.

It was great working with Sharon and Mike Hargrove, (Sharon was a hoot).  Hopefully we were able to raise alot of money for this wonderful cause.

Finally...thanks for watching Fox 8 News In The Morning...and have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving...

Peace....Wayne

Hi gang...

Its been awhile since my last blog, but here I go again.

These have been busy times for me because I'm planning my first celebrity fundraiser, the Wayne Dawson Celebrity Turkey Bowl which will take place the Saturday following Thanksgiving Nobember 24th.  Its amazing how much work these events entail...my family and I are working on getting everything in place...from getting the tickets printed to securing the bowling alley...to getting the prizes for the raffle and the silent anction.

Anyway, the event is going to be held at the Freeway Lanes in Wickliffe Ohio...and the proceeds will go to offer college scholarships to inner city students. The tickets are $25 dollars which include bowling, shoes and food.

I've invited several folks from  Fox 8 and I'm praying this event will be a success.

stay tuned...more info will be forthcoming...

Be blessed...Wayne

Enough is enough...its time out for the foolishness.

Alot of people are upset about Councilmen Michael Polensek's letter to Arsenio Winston the deliquent young man who's been arrested several times in his ward.

In his letter, Polensek called the african-american teen "dumber than mud"...a "thug"...and he said he would "go to jail or to prison...and frankly I don't care which one you get to first..."

First of all I believe Polensek was wrong, not in writing the letter to a young man who is without question heading the wrong way...but in using a negative personal attack.

Yes unfortunately Winston represents what's wrong with Cleveland's inner city, a young man who lacks respect and is seemingly out of control...but Polensek must remember who he is and what position he holds...and to write the letter on city letterhead is even more inappropriate.

On the other hand...Winston's mother should redirect her energy away from attacking Polensek and crying racism...and instead focus on working to save her son who is without question headed down the wrong track.

In his own way Polensek was trying to give the teen a wake-up call...but his words left a lot to be desired. Both Arsenio and his mother should take a TIME-OUT. Arsenio needs to wake-up and get his life together...and his mother needs to redirect her attention away from attacking Polensek...and instead direct her efforts in saving their son.

Sadly the reatlity is...at his current rate Arsenio "is" headed for the funeral home..or jail.

    Its been awhile since my last blog, I've been on vacation in addition to my daughter getting married, but I'm back at it again.

   This week I'm bidding a not-so-fond farewell to the "n-word".

   Goodbye and good ridence.

   For too long African-American comedians and rappers have thrown this word around like a old dollar bill...and young people have used the word as a term of endearment.

   How ridiculous.   I'm a child of the 60's...I remember when the n-word had nothing but negative connotations and to hear it hurled your way was the ultimate insult.

    If we can call each other the n-word...what's stopping others from doing it..?  Yet when someone from another race uses the slang...we're ready to fight.  Unfortunately we can't have it both ways.  I say let's bury the n-word for good and let's make sure it stays buried...

   That's my opinion...what's yours...

   Wayne

Let's not get to down on the Cleveland Cavaliers...dispite our performance in the N.B.A. finals the future is bright.

Forget about the national writers who say the Cavs are the worst team to ever play in the N.B.A. finals, this team was never expected to make it this far in the first place.  They are a team of overachievers who's best days are ahead of them.

Lebron is signed on for the next three years which insures us an extended run in the playoffs, its now up to Cavs G.M. Danny Ferry to get the right pieces around the King...so he won't be double and triple-teamed as much.

Here's my suggestion...Donyell Marshall...Damon Jones...and perhaps even the Wild Thing and Larry Huges should be shipped-out.  Marshall and Jones have proven they can't be counted on to hit the clutch shots...Hughes is a big disappointment...and the Wild Thing is just that...wild.

Let's get Lebron some serious help...let's face it, he carried this team into the playoffs and into the finals...but until he gets some help...he'll never win the big prize...at least not here.

Remember Shack had Kobie...Wade has Shack...Michael Jordan had Scottie Pippen...and even Tim Duncan has Tony Parker...unfortunately Lebron is basically a one-man show.

Being a great team-player he certainly won't admit this...but I'm sure deep down inside he knows it.

Danny we have three more years...and the clock is ticking...but thanks for the memories this year 

I'm outraged.

How can a man with a history of violence...a history of asssulting his family and even police officers...and a history of mental problems be allowed to roam the streets, eventually shooting and killing a police officer..(allegedly).

As we've seen in the video during his court appearance earlier this week, Timothy Halton Jr has some serious problems.

The man was a ticking time-bomb,  even his mother says she feared the day he would assult a police officer and be shot and  killed.  Well he's still alive, but he shot and killed a police officer. (allegedly)

It seems the system has failed.

Why wasn't Halton on his medication...and why was he not committed to a mental institution..?

Its the because the state has closed those facilities, leaving the mentally ill to fend for themselves, sometimes at our expense.

Unfortunately nothing can bring Officer Jason West back to life...but this tradegy should put us on notice.  How may other Timothy Halton's are out there just waiting to explode..?

Who else is at risk..?

Something needs to be done to not only treat the violentally mentally ill...but to get them off of the streets.

This task should not just rest with the families.

That's my opionion...what's you're...?

   Flashback to last season and you see Browns wide-reciever Braylon Edwards  on the sidelines in the face of quarterback Charlie Frey...or flying to Ohio State watch the Buckeyes play his beloved Michigan, even though there was a Browns game hee in Cleveland the next day...or was it dropping a catchable pass over the middle.

    But that was last year...this is 2007, and apparently there's a new Braylon.

    On Wednesday he did what no other Cleveland athlete has ever done...pledging one-million dollars to the cleveland public schools to provide scholarships for 100 inner city school children.

    Wow, Braylon you are "The Man".

    You've shown a side no one knew existed..you're image as just another selfish and self-absorbed professional football player has been forever squashed...the reality is you care about the city and more importantly you can about the least among us...giving them the resources and the incentive to change their lives by going to school.

    Once again...Braylon you're the man.

    The challenge now is for other professional athletes to follow your lead and give something back to the community.

    Who cares how many passes you catch this  year...well, that's going too far...we "do" care how many passes you catch this year, but if you drop a few, I'll remember how you helped 100 students to "catch" the dream of pursuing a college education.

    You go #17....

ITS ABOUT TIME.

FINALLY COMMUNITY-LEADERS HAVE SHOWN SOME BACKBONE AND HAS RESPONDED TO A HORRIBLE SITUATION ON CLEVELAND'S EASTSIDE.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE MAN WHO SHOT AND KILLED A TEENAGE BOY WHO HAD PULLED A GUN ON HIM IN AN ATTEMPT TO ROB HIM.

THE MAN HAD A PERMIT FOR THE GUN AND THE SHOOTING WAS RULED IN SELF-DEFENSE...BUT FRIENDS OF THIS  YOUNG THUG RALLIED TOGETHER TO VANDALIZE THE MAN'S HOME, SENDING HE AND HIS FAMILY FLEEING FOR THIS SAFETY.

THE THUG ELEMENT IS STRONG IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND, AND THESE ACTIONS LEFT MANY WONDERING IF IN FACT THESE MISGUIDED YOUNGSTERS ARE TAKING OVER THE CITY.

A COMMUNITY PROTESTED, BUT NOTHING WAS DONE...JUST LIP-SERVICE..THAT IS UNTIL THIS WEEK.

THE NAACP AND THE POLICE UNION HAVE JOINED TOGETHER TO PROTECT THE MAN AND HIS FAMILY UNTIL THEY FEEL TOTALLY SAFE IN THEIR HOMES.

FINALLY SOME ACTION.

HERE'S THE DEAL, WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN NOT SIT BY AND ALLOW THE THUGS AND THE DRUG-BOYS TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE STREETS OF THE INNER CITY...WE MUST SEND A MESSAGE THAT WE'RE MAD AS HELL AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE...THIS STEP BY THE NAACP AND THE POLICE UNION IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

ITS ABOUT TIME.

FINALLY COMMUNITY-LEADERS HAVE SHOWN SOME BACKBONE AND HAS RESPONDED TO A HORRIBLE SITUATION ON CLEVELAND'S EASTSIDE.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THE MAN WHO SHOT AND KILLED A TEENAGE BOY WHO HAD PULLED A GUN ON HIM IN AN ATTEMPT TO ROB HIM.

THE MAN HAD A PERMIT FOR THE GUN AND THE SHOOTING WAS RULED IN SELF-DEFENSE...BUT FRIENDS OF THIS  YOUNG THUG RALLIED TOGETHER TO VANDALIZE THE MAN'S HOME, SENDING HE AND HIS FAMILY FLEEING FOR THIS SAFETY.

THE THUG ELEMENT IS STRONG IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND, AND THESE ACTIONS LEFT MANY WONDERING IF IN FACT THESE MISGUIDED YOUNGSTERS ARE TAKING OVER THE CITY.

A COMMUNITY PROTESTED, BUT NOTHING WAS DONE...JUST LIP-SERVICE..THAT IS UNTIL THIS WEEK.

THE NAACP AND THE POLICE UNION HAVE JOINED TOGETHER TO PROTECT THE MAN AND HIS FAMILY UNTIL THEY FEEL TOTALLY SAFE IN THEIR HOMES.

FINALLY SOME ACTION.

HERE'S THE DEAL, WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN NOT SIT BY AND ALLOW THE THUGS AND THE DRUG-BOYS TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE STREETS OF THE INNER CITY...WE MUST SEND A MESSAGE THAT WE'RE MAD AS HELL AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE...THIS STEP BY THE NAACP AND THE POLICE UNION IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

Happy days are here again for Cleveland sports fans...all of our major teams are thrieving.

First the Indians..winners of ten of their last 11 games...they're on top of the American League's Central Division, this despite the fact some of our hitters are slumping..ie Grady Sizemore and Josh Barfield...and our starting pitching his been hit by injuries.  This team has a swagger that reminds this reporter of those great teams of the 1990's.

My prediction is the Indians are going......ok, I don't want to junk things.

And what about "YOUR" Cleveland Cavaliers...the stars a lining-up for a wonderful play-off run...we should defeat the Nets in a hard-fought series...and then defeat Chicago...that's right the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Lebron and the boys are on a roll...by the way...what a nice bunch of guys...I had the pleasure of hanging out with them during the shooting of some recent Wardrobe Wednesday Segments...the piece on Damon Jones ran last Wednesday...and Lebron's we'll run this coming Wednesday during the 8 o'clock hour of the morning-show, so don't miss "The King" styling and profiling.

Finally...who can argue with the direction the Browns are moving in...Joe Thomas and Brady Quinn are wonderful additions...(even though I kinda wanted the running-back Peterson)...but no complaints...the Browns should be vastly improved this season especially on the all important offensive line.

So fans...sit back and enjoy the ride...who knows how long its going to last...

bye for now....Wayne.

AS DRAFT DAY, NEARS HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS ABOUT WHO OUR BELOVED CLEVELAND BROWNS SHOULD SELECT WITH THE NUMBER THREE PICK TOMORROW.

INITIALLY I WANTED THE TEAM TO GRAB ADRIAN PETERSON THE RUNNING BACK FROM OKLAHOMA, BUT NOW THAT ITS BEEN REVEALED HE RE-INJURED HIS SHOULDER IN THE FIESTA BOWL...I CONSIDER HIM DAMAGED GOODS...AND TOO RISKY OF A CHOICE CONSIDERING THE BROWNS RECENT STRING OF BAD LUCK.

EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT CONVINCED CHARLIE FREY IS THE ANSWER AT QUARTERBACK..I DON'T WANT THE BROWNS TO DRAFT NOTRE DAME QUARTERBACK BRADY QUINN.  I'M STILL HURTING FROM THE FAILED TIM COUCH EXPERIMENT.. AND I BELIEVE THE BROWNS SHOULD PURSUE A VETERAN Q-B...BECAUSE LORD KNOWS I CAN'T HANDLE ANOTHER ROOKIE QUARTERBACK TOUTED AS THE SAVIOR, BUT WHO ENDS UP RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE BEHIND A SUBPAR OFFENSIVE LINE.

WITH THAT IN MIND THE SAME GOES FOR JAMARCUS RUSSELL...HE SEEMS TO HAVE A TREMENDOUS UPSIDE, BUT HE'D BE DEAD MEAT IN A SITUATION LIKE CLEVELAND'S.

THAT LEAVES ME WITH THE CHOICE OF JOE THOMAS...THE LEFT TACKLE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN...NOT A SEXY CHOICE...BUT ITS A SAFE ONE, AND I BELIEVE IT WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN IMPROVING A WOEFUL OFFENSIVE LINE.

LET'S JUST HOPE HE DOENS'T GO DOWN WITH AN MAJOR INJURY...(HOPEFULLY HE DOSN'T RIDE MOTORCYCLES) WHICH WOULD BE JUST OUR LUCK...

THE CURSE CONTINUES...