C.J.: Chapman's buddies help him tackle health

WCCO-TV reporter Reg Chapman is crediting a couple of colleagues for his 30-pounds-and-counting weight loss since September.

"I thank God for Bill Hudson intervening with me," said Chapman. "No telling what would have happened."

Hudson was apparently first to call Chapman's attention an extreme Mountain Dew habit by mentioning another d-word: diabetes. "Six 20-ounce Mountain Dew drinks a day," Chapman told me he was drinking. "I only attribute 18 [of the 30] pounds to the soda. It came off quick."

With the encouragement and support of some other 'CCO colleagues, who joined Lifetime Fitness with Chapman and now hold each other accountable, more weight may be falling off of Reg.

"Don't give me too much credit. Reg is doing all the work," said Hudson. "He's really sticking to it. We just had a little discussion about blood glucose and diabetes and weight, and he took it to heart and I give him all the credit. I care about that guy and want to see him around for a long time."

So apparently does political reporter Pat Kessler, who couldn't remember any part he played in helping Chapman see the light.

After double-checking the facts with Chapman, I gather Kessler played the role of "Amen Corner, Drive-by Man." As Chapman recalled, he was in conversation with Hudson when Kessler walked by and simply said, Listen to Bill.

Hudson's wife has "always been very much into nutrition," said the woman who'll be identified here only as Mrs. Hudson because she likes her anonymity. "So I guess he [Bill] must have listened to me after all these years. He has kept me posted about his conversations with Reg and how wonderfully he's doing and the whole diabetes thing. It's a huge concern. It's not that hard. Just don't drink pop."

As for Reg's success and new dedication to exercise, Mrs. Hudson sounded like her husband: "I am certain we don't deserve the credit."

Chapman doesn't mind not Dew-ing it anymore. He's getting up more easily in the morning, "moving around better and getting in and out of the live truck better." Only drawback may be the few derisive looks from women colleagues at the station who resent how much more easily men lose weight.

Foreseeing Rubio's injury?National Enquirer astrologer Maria Shaw Lawson was off by a few months, but it could be argued that she saw Ricky Rubio's injury coming.

The rookie point guard for the Timberwolves suffered a season-ending ACL injury Friday during a loss to the Lakers. In February, I asked Lawson, who returns to Roseville March 30-31 to teach "Developing Your Own Psychic Abilities," to look into the stars of some local notables, among them Rubio.

I played the video clip from Lawson for a friend Sunday to see if it sounded as though the astrologer had been right and my chum said, "You could argue with this weather we're having that it's summer." Well, somebody less literal could argue that; seems a stretch for me. But since Lawson has so many millions of readers, I thought I'd throw this out there for you guys.

Lawson also saw Rubio possibly "getting depressed over a relationship if he doesn't stay focused on his career in 2013." Lawson agreed with me that as such a young man, there'll be plenty of time for Rubio to find romance.

If you care to devote 1 minute and 15 seconds to Lawson's unabridged star-gazing, go to www.startribune.com/a1118.

Back from the bottomDepression was reportedly an underlying cause of former Vikings QB Sean Salisbury showing off a cellphone photo of his privates at a bar and then suing deadspin.com when it reported that Salisbury was showing off photos of Mr. Winkie.

According to the New York Daily News (www.startribune.com/a1117), Salisbury had been in an emotional free-fall since 2006 when he showed off the essence of himself to ESPN colleagues in a Connecticut bar. He was suspended (ultimately, ESPN did not renew his contract in 2008), but apparently pretended the incident never happened when Deadspin.com reported it. After threatening to sue, then being taunted by Deadspin for not suing, Salisbury filed a lawsuit even though he knew the website was telling the truth.

After being treated by a New Jersey medical group that caters to retired athletes, Salisbury found out he was a borderline diabetic and that repeated NFL blows may have damaged his brain's ability to manufacture testosterone, which might also explain his low-t, fatigue and other issues.

Now over his feud with Deadspin, Salisbury, a divorced father of three, is ready to write a book with the working title, "Rock Bottom is a Trampoline." As Salisbury told the Daily News: "If I'm going to be the poster boy for getting beat up by Deadspin, then let me be the poster boy for helping people, too. I want to show people you can survive depression and physical pain, that you can hit rock bottom and bounce back."