Open to Work

Dec 20, 1998: Defensive lineman Reggie White of the Green Bay Packers wave to the crowd during the Packers 30-22 victory over the Tennessee Oilers in the snow at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI. It was White's last game at Lambeau Field as a Packer before retiring.

Now, look over Reggie’s left shoulder. That kid with the scowl holding the camera. Yup, that’s me! (Photo by John Biever/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

I didn’t see it coming and didn’t know it existed.

One Sunday afternoon in November of 2019, I was sitting at home watching a Green Bay Packers game. They were taking on the Carolina Panthers and, being the late game on Fox, there was a rather large television audience.

The 2019 season was marked by the National Football League as its centennial. So, there were these little vignettes going to and coming out of commercial breaks, showcasing great moments and players in NFL history.

Then, I saw it.

One of the spots showed legendary defensive end Reggie White waving to the crowd. He’s saluting the tens of thousands of people at Lambeau Field who just saw him play in his final home game with the Green-and-Gold. But, that’s not what I saw. It was this person directly over his left shoulder.

“WHAT THE … ?!” I yelled, nearly choking on my snacks and drink.

I scrolled back the video with an app on my phone and grabbed a still image. Was that …? Is it …?

It wasn’t until I did a search online and came upon a full color version of the image.

There, confirmed to me for the first time, was a much-younger and much-skinnier version of myself. I’m holding a video camera from a by-gone era, wearing a gaudy stocking hat, a faux-leather jacket and grass-stained blue jeans.

I had told the story many times of being there in December of 1998. Yet, I never knew this photographic evidence ever existed. I mean, there was once on an NFL Films segment where I thought I saw me - or, at least that purplish stocking hat - behind the late-Minister of Defense. This, however, was me, top to bottom - grass stains, and all.

Through all this, it was the look on my face which offered true confirmation. I had seen variances of that look on my parents growing up and I had crafted my own intense scowl.

That is the look of work. That’s someone who is in game mode and will not stop until the job is finished. Mind you, this was when I was just 23 years old. However, even then, I knew what it meant to work hard and strive for the top.

A candid shot of me during my days shaking off the rust in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Right before airtime, there’s that focus in my demeanor.

As the years have progressed, that look has manifested itself more and more into results. I know that look can intimidate some young people coming into this business. You see it and you think I’m angry. 

Most times, however, that’s far from reality. I just realize what’s at stake every day I get to the office and I don’t waste time. If I’m on-the-clock, I make sure I end each day with the feeling of truly and honestly earning my paycheck.

Not long after that moment on the hallowed Lambeau Field turf, I was at the Augusta National Golf Club, covering the 2000 Masters. There were many cerebral snapshots I took away from my work week at the course - the egg salad sandwiches, my unobstructed view of Amen Corner, talking with Vijay Singh before he won that year’s Masters.

One memory, however, captures this facial intensity. It was Thursday - the first day of the actual tournament. As we walked in, we could see the elevated tee at No. 1 and a huge group of people around the practice green.

“Go on up. I’ll watch your camera,” my reporter said, probably knowing this would be the only time I’d ever take in Masters memories. Somehow, I shimmied my way to the pathway between the practice green and first tee - just in time for Tiger Woods to walk by.

As he strode his way to start his first round, so many were cheering and offering support. I must admit, even while I was wearing a station-branded polo shirt, I let out one “Go get ‘em, Tiger!”

Despite the cheers, Tiger Woods sported a look that’d scare most people. His intensity was sharp and in-focus. I’ve rarely seen that in anyone since and it’s a sight I’ll never forget.

This look is one which says “I’m ready to work. Let me at it.” As my years increase, the moments seeing that look have decreased. The look of enticement is being replaced nowadays with a look of entitlement. It’s as if too many don’t want to enjoy the journey in reaching for those high watermarks - and, in some cases, there’s a desire to skip the steps needed to even partake in the journey.

My mother took that photo of me capturing Reggie White’s victory lap and had it framed. It sits near my very-old laptop - the one where I have to prop a fan next to it and blow air so it doesn’t overheat. That image serves as a reminder that my journey has been a long one, but also with some levels of success. 

Yet, even more than two decades after that picture was taken, that look remains. I may not be as skinny as I was on that December day in 1998. The cheeks are a little puffier and there’s less hair under any goofy stocking hat I’ll ever wear. However, that look is there.

Right now on the professional social networking site LinkedIn, they use a hashtag called “Open to Work.” It’s meant to act as a bit of an alert for employers to find people ready to hit the ground running. Well, take a good look at that face. That is the look of someone who’s always been open to work.

Here’s me, taken recently. Even after all these years, there’s still a look in that face which will always be open to work.

The other day, I tried to have some fun with my phone. I wanted to take one of those artsy-type portraits that you’d see with a Vanity Fair or GQ cover story. The winning image contained so many contours. In one way, there’s a look of someone who’s aged 10 years in just 18 months. The bags under the eyes, the receding hairline, the level of sadness and exhaustion which that photo contained was striking.

However, there’s still that look.

It’s a little different than that younger version of that scowl I sported more than two decades ago. This version of that look shows a confidence in what he can do, what he knows in getting the job done, and is hardly afraid of anything. Rest assured, a hard work ethic exists within the creases within that face and you’ll be happy to see that look coming your way.

Right now, my job search continues, with minimal success. As we are about to enter into the summer, the trick is to have my experience countering a young pedigree. I’ll spare you the details on why this isn’t an easy sell. However, I’ll put my experience out on the table and have it outweigh the recently-purchased piece of parchment. As a former news anchor for several top markets once told me “You can learn all you want from a textbook, but it doesn’t mean anything unless you can do the job.”

I’m open to work and that look proves it. I see it and I hope you will, as well.