Former Cotton Bowl Athletic Association staff member David Waller penned a powerful piece taking a reflective look back at the career and impact of retiring CBAA President & Chief Executive Officer Rick Baker. This piece was published in the March 26, 2026, edition of the Albany News. Waller is the owner of the Albany News and Western Trail Design.
Living in the DFW area for more than 10 years, I was an avid listener of The Ticket. If you have lived there and you are any kind of sports fan at all, you probably were too. It was one of those things that became part of the daily routine. You got in the car, headed to work, and The Ticket was already on. My favorite show was always The Musers with Craig Miller, George Dunham and Gordon Keith.
Recently, the three of them stepped into the podcast world with The Musers: The Podcast, which, I have to say, is about the most straightforward podcast name of all time, but I think that was the point.
On a recent episode, they talked about the people who played major roles in shaping who you are. Not the easy answers like your parents or grandparents or siblings, but the people you meet along the way who influence you deeply and leave a mark on your life. A teacher. A coach. A pastor. A boss. A friend. Somebody God puts in your path at the right time, who helps shape the person you become.
That conversation got me thinking about who those people have been in my own life.
I have been blessed with many. I had wonderful teachers growing up, and I could write future columns about several of them. There were people who encouraged me, challenged me and believed in me before I fully believed in myself. But when I really stopped and thought about the question, one person came to mind almost immediately.
Rick Baker.
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