A Kodak moment with Kenny Chesney

We've been married seven weeks and already a man came between me and my wife.

Sherri's beautiful smile punctuated the moment.

It was Kenny Chesney.

The country music icon was a surprise guest at Dick Vitale's 2010 Jimmy V Foundation Gala this past weekend. We did not make the Friday night fundraiser in Sarasota -- I checked out Southeast's spring game -- but were invited to Dickie V's bash at his Lakewood Ranch Country Club home Saturday night.

Kenny made the Friday gig at the Ritz Carlton, but would he be at Casa Vitale?

We got to the the party shortly after 6 p.m., there's a cast of hundreds around the manse and who is standing off to our left, close enough to touch, talking to Lou Holtz?

Kenny Chesney.

I've had pictures taken with plenty of people over the years, but this was different.

Sherri has turned me onto country music and Kenny is my favorite. I dig the Zac Brown Band, Josh Turner and Alan Jackson, but Kenny is No. 1.

Ditto for my wife.

I would've been happy to snap a shot of him and her.

Yet every time we tried to work our way in position to ask Kenny, folks mobbed him and his "assistant," who looked like an NFL guard, moved in, said "Thank you, thank you," and ushed the star to another part of the house.

So we went outside by the pool and grabbed something to eat.

Guess who walks up a few feet away, talking to a couple of guys?

Kenny Chesney.

Hey, I said to Sherri, let's give it a shot.

She says she wants me in the picture, too.

We ask a gentleman nearby if he'd take the shot if we can get with Kenny? Sure.

By this time, he's talking to a couple of women and posing for pictures.

I take a chance.

"Kenny, can we ... "

Bingo!

The four-time entertainer of the year slips between my wife and me for not one photo, but two.

I shake his hand, thank him and tell him how much I love his music.

He's heard it a million times, I'm sure.

It was a cool, cool moment.

Sherri's smile said so.

We didn't take another picture the rest of the night.