Mr. America? KOLR 10′s Charlie Hannema goes behind the scenes from the Miss America pageant

Miss Nebraska Brittany Jeffers

Mr. America Charlie Hannema?

KOLR 10/KSFX 27 weekend sports anchor and TagSGF.com friend Charlie Hannema is currently in Las Vegas for the Miss America pageant. Why? His girlfriend is Brittany Jeffers, local TV reporter by day and Miss Nebraska by, well, all the time.

Jeffers has been in Vegas for a while now, but Hannema flew in Wednesday and delivered on his promise to keep us privy to his Miss America experience, thanks to some priceless connections and credentials.

He’s chosen to use a running diary via his Blackberry to tell his story. Keep in mind, he’s using Pacific Standard Time to keep things consistent and also remember that I’m motioning to refer to Hannema as Mr. America from here until the end of time, even if Jeffers doesn’t win.

In case you were wondering, the Miss America pageant airs at 7 p.m. Saturday on TLC. For now, here’s the diary:

9:00 AM: Arrive at KC Airport, check in at Southwest counter. This is my first Southwest experience. I’m assigned a boarding pass numbered C25. Seems fair.

9:03 AM: Through security and at gate.

9:03:20 AM: Realized all of the food and shops are OUTSIDE security checkpoints at KCI. Son of a.

Hannema was relieved to find out that former Kansas coach Mark Mangino wasn't his Southwest flight neighbor.

9:30 AM: Hour before flight, gate starts to fill up. People are eyeing each other, trying to find the “dark horse” to sit next to. I’m praying Mark Mangino isn’t taking some of his $3 million from kansas out to Vegas to party.

10:20 AM: Boarding starts. I realize how terrible my seat position is going to be, but hope for the best.

10:28 AM: If by “hope for the best,” you mean all 6-foot-3 of you crammed in a middle seat between one fat guy and an average woman as opposed to two fat guys, I’d say we got the best. This should be interesting.

10:35 AM: Pre-flight safety instructions. Much to my chagrin, not all Southwest flight attendants rap. Crossing my fingers to get that guy on the way back.

1:45 PM: Re-establish feeling in my legs. Fantastic. Plane lands, I head for the luggage.

2:10 PM: After it seems like our bags were carried in by one guy (in the rain), things finally show up. Suitcase and golf clubs arrive, we’re in business.

2:16 PM: In cab. Driver’s name is also Charlie. However, he’s in his 60s and from what sounds like Jersey. At least he has a cool name.

2:35 PM: I roll up to Planet Hollywood to a red-carpet VIP welcome. Actually, Brittany’s dad was conveniently in the lobby meeting other people, and got the door. I’ll take it.

2:37 PM: After nearly wounding a small village hauling a suitcase, golf clubs and carry-on through the lobby, I get in line to check in.

No, Miss Florida doesn't know Tim Tebow. To top it off, I'm betting Hannema looks better than Tebow this weekend.

2:45 PM: Still in line, Nurse (Brittany’s mom) hands me super-secret Miss America credential. “Charlie Hannema, NE/Family.” I’ve had credentials to a lot of stuff in my career, probably most geeked out about this.

2:55 PM: Still waiting to check in. Turns out Miss Florida’s cousin is behind me in line. No, she doesn’t know Tim Tebow. There are 2 people checking in guests out of about 8-10 windows. I know its afternoon, but did nobody tell them this was kind of a big weekend for them?

3:10 PM: Roll in to room. Floor 37, fantastic view of the Bellagio fountains and the strip. This will be a good weekend.

3:30 PM: Blondie’s Sports Bar for lunch and a beverage or two. Cool place. The waitresses dress as cheerleaders. For me, a little much. If that’s your thing, let ‘er rip.

3:31 PM: Introductions to Team Nebraska. All great people. Always fun to be the one everyone has heard of, and then get ganged up on all at once. Great pizza at this place, try it out.

3:35 PM: Talking Big 12 sports with Brittany’s dad and some of the Nebraska men-folk. Realize I’m wearing a Husker T-shirt to fit in. Yikes. At least she’s not Miss Kansas. If I were from kansas…never mind.

Here is the magic credential that makes all of this delicious diary possible.

4:45 PM: Pit stop at grocery store for some beverages and energy drinks (read: Jager Bombs). As a great hockey coach once said, “It’s not worth winning if you can’t win big.” Let’s do this.

4:55 PM: My T-Mobile Blackberry has 3G reception everywhere except on the casino floor. Gee, how convenient?

5:02 PM: Get first glimpse of Miss Nebraska as contestants are all being escorted from rehearsal to their rooms. After seeing her for the first time in a month, want to go for a hug, but realize the old women security team will have me at Gitmo faster than the guy that had a bomb in his underpants.

5:30 PM: Head back to my room, get dressed, mentally prepare for my first Miss America experience.

5:45 PM: Call (KOLR 10 Sports Director) Dan Lucy. He tells me the score of the MSU/Evansville game. I respond by telling him I’m looking at the Bellagio fountains about to go watch beautiful women in swimsuits and evening gowns. Serve serve serve serve serve.

Eat your heart out Dan Lucy (and the rest of us. Damn.).

6:15 PM: Vegas playlist hot jams ensue. Entertain the Brothers Nebraska and posse. I’m like a show pony, tricks and everything. No, I don’t do birthday parties.

7:30 PM: Head down to theater for Miss America prelims. This is the second night of three prelims. Contestants are in three groups, Nebraska does swimsuit and evening gown tonight.

7:32 PM: Mom looks nervous. Dad on the other hand, convinced like me that it’s in the bag.

7:45 PM: Find out I’ll be sitting next to Michele, a pageant coach and boutique (I think that’s a fancy word for dress store, ask a girl, or a Frenchman) in Omaha. This will be good. I’m a rube when it comes to these, she will translate.

8:01 PM: Introductions from contestants. Nebraska fires out something with regard to “Where even a 3rd grader can spell Ndamukong Suh.” Like it. Its almost like I came up–you know what, never mind. Life’s not a competition. On we go.

Here is Miss Nebraska doing her thing.

8:10 PM: The talent group starts. Texas sings opera. Sounds okay, but I wasn’t one of the first 500 that got a free Italian to English dictionary, so for all I know, she could be making it up.

8:50 PM: Former Denver Bronco Reggie Rivers is tonight’s host. His writers are b-r-u-t-a-l. “So _______ walks in to a bar….” Yikes. At this time, I announce my candidacy for future hosting duties.

8:55 PM: Swimsuit competition. From our seats, everyone looks good. This isn’t a case of 10 from far, but far from 10. These are 53 of the most beautiful women in the country, and have been working out like crazy since the summer. Nebraska looks amazing. I’m biased, what of it? You want neutral? Read TagSwitzerland.com. Miss Massachusetts also stands out. She’s tall.

9:08 PM: Back to talent. I really am a rube. Every time I think something is decent, I look to Michele, who promptly gives me a shake of the head. Fair enough.

9:32 PM: Miss Minnesota comes out to sing “Somebody to Love” by Queen. My row turns into American Idol. “No one should ever sing Queen.” My personal take? She rocked it. I know there are technical aspects of more classical songs, and opera, and dance, but I love a hot jam that the crowd has all heard of. Crowd loves it.

Here is Miss Nebraska participating in some pre-prelim charity work. Besides, don't we need more Miss Nebraska photos in this thing?

10:15 PM: Prelim winners are announced. NY swimsuit, CA talent. I start drafting a recount petition, only to find out winning prelims aren’t that big of a deal.

10:30 PM: Back to that credential I got earlier. That gets you into a ballroom where all the contestants can go after each night, for a short time. Brittany is escorted in, and tries to pull her best Suh on me. Imagine being trapped with 53 dudes for 16 hours a day for a week, and then seeing a girl. It’s the same reaction the other way.

10:55 PM: 5 minute warning for the girls to leave and go back to lockdown. Where is the shot clock?

11:00 PM: Time for the girls to leave. Sneak a goodbye hug, then large security guy gives me the staredown. These guys don’t mess around. I’m pretty sure he had picked out which tier of the prison man-pyramid I was going to be.

12:30 AM: Dinner at the Bellagio. Grilled chicken quesadilla. Fantastic.

2:00 AM: In bed. Nothing too crazy tonight, the “of age” crowd arrives tomorrow.

Charlie Hannema is the weekend sports anchor at KOLR/KSFX. You can follow him on Twitter here.