Terry Foster: We Are A Sports Station But We Are Also A Station That Is For Our Community

I could not sleep. I could not think.

That was my mindset Thursday night as I watched the tragic Dallas shootings unfold on national television. Six officers were killed and it bother me deeply just as it bothered most of you.

I felt I had to unload and I drove into the 97.1 studios and did a 2-4 am shift with Dan Leach. I wanted my voice out there and I wanted a pulse of the community. It was that big of a night.

The last time I was on the air that late at night was during my WDFN days following a Red Wings Stanley Cup victory. It was important to be on the air then and I believed it was important to be on the air in the wee hours of the morning.

We are a sports station but we are also a station that is for our community. Dan and I did not talk sports last night. We talked about the tragedy that claimed six police lives. I was not thinking Tigers or Calvin Johnson or anything else.

I was an angry and confused United States citizen.

It also helped that I was jet lagged from my western trip to Arizona and California with the family.

I will be back on the air for my normal 2-6 p.m. shift with Mike Valenti. I know we will talk about this tragedy again. It is something we did not want to do but this is our responsibility.

It is Friday and we wanted to have a fun and happy show. I am hoping that we can have some fun, but I am not in a fun mood right now. And I am afraid what type of phone calls we will take.

I know others are angry and want to be divisive.

I don't know what to expect but I will be on the air where I belong.

(Foster can be reached at Terry.Foster@cbsradio.com.)

Detroit