I’ve worked in the media field in some form or fashion for over 20 years. This field can be downright mean, brutal, and at times nasty. Competition at times can breed a lot of tension among various networks and on-air personalities. And then other times, it can produce a mutual respect and even force you to elevate your game and how you cover the events you’ve been trusted to cover.
Warren Strain and I were never competitors, thankfully. Warren was THE WARREN STRAIN. He was an established news reporter in two mediums, both TV and radio. I was a young, bleary-eyed 20-something year old who wanted to be a media-based entrepreneur. When our paths finally crossed, I was trying to break into the world of play-by-play radio, he was the Voice of the Brandon Bulldogs and still reporting the news for WLBT. Getting to take advantage of his time and skin in the game, it was something I’ll never forget. He was always kind, generous with his time, and always greeted me with a warm smile and pat on the back.
There are a lot of people that helped shape me in my life and especially my career. I’m not a big-time media personality by any means, but I AM proud of what God has allowed me to accomplish in the last 20+ years with the help and direction of several people. My time at SuperTalk Mississippi and TeleSouth Broadcasting was invaluable, getting to be a sponge to the likes of Paul Gallo, David Ingram, Guy Austin, David Herring, Jim Fox, and many others. I’ve learned from the likes of Bill Wilson, Stan Carter, Stan Branson, and Kevin Webb at Alpha Media Group. Butch Hammack is one of the three people who told me I needed to jump out in faith on my own and form my own media company. The other two are Purvie Green-my longtime color analyst and still one of my dearest friends. The other is Warren Strain.
Warren was so giving of his time, and when he gave his time he was so complimentary of you in the process (as you’ll hear in the clip attached of him calling into our Friday Night End Zone Show a few years ago) Whether it was bumping into to him while we both worked part time gigs at Clear Channel Radio for WJDX-AM 620 or when our paths crossed on the high school football scene, he was always so kind, warm, and left you with that distinctive big laugh of his. He was instrumental in the path I’ve taken since leaving SuperTalk Mississippi so many years ago. I’m pretty sure I told him that, but, just in case I didn’t: thank you, Warren. We all miss you, buddy. I know you’re resting in the arms of your beloved Savior. See you when we all get there.
