Tuesday, October 9, 2012

I Would Like to Congratulate Myself on My 500th Post

Thanks to all Confessors for making this site Your Source for Responsible Ticket Journalism.


Putting a few topics on the table today:

(1)  I was delighted to hear Michael Gruber interviewed on (I think it was) Cirque this weekend.  He was on a football junket to Pittsburgh with Norm and, I believe, Grubes père.  He said that leaving The Ticket was the worst mistake he ever made, and while he was kidding, he was only about 82% kidding, I thought.  The best news was that he's quit drinking and has been sober for the past couple of months.  Keep it up, Michael, and continued academic success.

(2)  Junior as a chick:  Admit it guys, we've all done worse.  All I could think of esd that I wished I had a lump of sugar for him.   If Sarah Jessica Parker can be a chick, so can Junior.

(3)  Was there any announcement of why Jake Z was not twiddlin'/tweakin' on The Hardline yesterday?

(4)  I thought surely someone would have taken new Saturday AM Tickerman Mitchell Kerasik (phonetic) gently aside and assisted him with correcting some of the more dramatic errors from his debut.  Apparently not.  I don't like criticizing new guys, trying to make their way in a tough business, but  .  .  .  shouldn't someone at least advise him that what he is doing is a Ticker and not a Ticket?   Truly hoping Mitchell shakes off his Ball-State start,  MTC is always in there rooting for the JV.

(5)  I didn't hear the whole thing, but I think George DiGianni was commenting on his recent bugouts on his mix with The TeeBox last Saturday.  I didn't hear the whole thing, but I think his point was that people can't tell the difference between his joking and his not-joking, so he was just going to cut the handoff short.  May have that wrong, but he was commenting on some of the recent attention he has received. 

And again, to each of you, except the more tiresome of the mope trolls, Thank You for Shopping at My Ticket Confession.

Twitter:  @Plainsman1310

55 comments:

  1. Jake was in New Orleans for the weekend. Just a normal day off. He'll be back in the chair of fun today.

    That's really all I can comment on.

    KT

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  2. Didn't know Grubes got sober. Good for him. In truth, I had wondered what the bleep he was up to: you quit a "boutique" job of sorts to go back to school and get your s together, and then from my Twitter account, Ticket events, Ranger games, and his you own posting of your grades (Bs if memory serves), it seems as if going back to school as an older, serious, student is the last thing on your agenda... Like I said, I wondered what he was up to. I have a feeling sobriety is probably reorienting his priorities. Again, good for Sweet Grubes. And good luck to ya, pal.

    Methinks DiGianni is full of horse manure. People like him do not like being in the wrong or perceived as being in the wrong. And when they are/do the often times come up with b.s. such as the crapola he threw out. Even his explanation is telling: "Oh, you don't get MY sense of humor. MY sophisticated sense of humor is beyond your scope of comprehension." Naw. I think most people do understand you, DiGianni. A little too well for your liking, I'd say.

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  3. I'd like to join you in congratulating yourself on #500, Plainsman. It's easy to let something like this fall unattended, and it's admirable you've kept it going this long. I like to think it has a lot to do with your stellar commenters, specifically me. I don't want to take all the credit, but I guess I'll have to. You're welcome, Plainsman.

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  4. Congrats, Plainsman! Here's to 500 more posts!

    @10:10 Anon
    I think you nailed it where George DiGianni is concerned.

    I think I see your point about Grubes, but I have to say that you worded it rather awkwardly. It's a tad difficult to follow. To sort of reword and reformulate it, my thoughts are as follows: (i) If Grubes feels the need, for whatever reason, to be sober, good for him and best of luck. (ii) I made a comment soon after he left The Ticket that wondered aloud while scattershooting if whether he really knew what he was getting himself into; going back to school, studying diligently, writing papers, etc., with the idea of "this time I'm doing it for real, I'm going to be a serious student" is much much more difficult in practice than it is in theory. I know from firsthand experience. Grubes kindly replied to my comment that he did in fact know and that he would be fine. Of course I accepted him at his word. However, it appeared in the weeks and months that followed (even after his summer term began), being a serious student (one who gave up his local celebrity for it) wasn't something he was so serious about. Yes, I'm purely speculating here; I've no idea whatsoever what the reality of the situation was. But, I base this on, as 10:10 Anon pointed out, the amount of/kind of/time of the Tweets Grubes was sending out, the photos on Twitter of him partying pretty much everywhere at all times, the what seemed to be nightly Ranger game appearances, the Pepper Theft and whatnot shows, and the seemingly still being in some sense a Ticket employee (e.g., remotes and events). If you're taking your studies seriously, I'm sorry, but you have your nose in the books, not the bar/beer. To repeat, I know this firsthand. About 7 years ago I returned to school after not having been in over 15 years. My intention was to be serious as a heart attack; especially as an older student who had a specific agenda (i.e., no general studies/I'll figure out a major later), was spending his own money, and who had/has real world, adult responsibilities. Well, my first semester ended up being a mixture of Bs, Cs, and far too many trips to the bar. Thankfully I shook myself back to my senses and got down to the business of serious study, and therefore completed my studies with a very good GPA and some nice subsequent job offers in my field of interest. Perhaps something like this has happened to Grubes? I don't know and it's none of my business. But I do wish him the best. So Stay Hard, Grubes!

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  6. duckandcover- Wow, that's way too many words dedicated to me, but here goes:

    I was basically a hermit during the summer term. It was one class Mon-Thurs from 8a-10a. I would then immediately head home and study til lunch, so there was plenty of time to tweet Ranger games or do whatever else in the afternoon/evening. I didn't go out the whole five weeks, save for a friend's graduation party before the last week.

    Then, I had basically a month til the fall semester started. Since I had nothing else to do, yes, I went back into party mode leading up to the first day.

    For the first couple weeks of the fall semester, I was caught in between bookworm and study mode. My class schedule is pretty sweet: three classes Tu/Th 11:00am-3:30pm, and a night class Wednesday 6:30pm-9:30pm. This allowed for enough time to study after class (or before on Wednesdays) while still watching Ranger games and going out on the (four day!) weekends. I could handle this pretty easily because the semester hadn't really kicked into gear yet.

    But when it did kick into gear, I knew that the partying needed to be scaled back significantly. So on September 13, I declared my sobriety. There were multiple factors going into it. In no particular order: 1) I needed to start "buckling down" and get more serious about my studies, and it would be difficult to do it while still drinking regularly. 2) I've been trying to lose weight since the summer term began, and actually have dropped about 15 pounds since then, most of it during my "hermit" stage. I noticed the weight starting to creep back, and the main reason was drinking. 3) I just wanted to see if I could do it. I've been a heavy drinker for six years and haven't really tried to take a true "break" from it. Really, my hope is that this lasts for the rest of my life. But at the least, I just want to take a break from it and see what it's like.

    While I'm gone from the Ticket job-wise and, for all I know, may never find my way back, I don't think the station or myself sees me as totally "gone." I've been a P1 since age 13, and worked there from 16 to 26. It's so deeply ingrained into me, I can't put it into words.

    Regarding my relation to the station now, I don't know what the right play is, but I'm doing what I feel is right. I don't go to remotes or events (Fight Night, Summer Bash) unless someone from the station or the business owner invites me. I tweet A TON, but I try to leave the Ticket guys alone unless I feel I have something to offer them (My tweet to Corby today about the Jazz Singer is borderline). I don't ever want to feel I've overstayed my welcome, and I'd like to think I'd pick that up pretty quickly. But so far, I'm still friends with everybody at the station and the dirty P1 still seems to like me, too.

    So all of that is a long way of saying that I'm doing the best I can to be a good student while still having some fun.

    Fart.

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  7. You're awesome, Grubes. And like I said, I wish you the best of luck...in your studies, sobriety, and life as a whole. Hopefully for us listeners you'll one day find your way back to The Little One on a permanent basis.

    A fart back at you.

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  8. A Shoopalian fart drop for my 500th post! Possibly his first one since his departure from The Little One. I'm deeply honored, Michael.

    Listen, I don't think there's a single Confessor who doesn't have your best interests at heart so I appreciate you taking comments in the spirit in which they're offered. And as far as I'm concerned, you're still a Local Deity and I, for one, am interested in your comings and goings and progress through life, Ticket-related or no.

    So thanks for the informative and even-tempered report on your recent history. Stay dry, Grubes.





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  9. Don't really want to derail the 500th post so, instead, I am offering this as a tribute to the 500th post.

    Wouldn't this be great at all sporting events instead of the "traditional" version (except for Whitney's version at the SB).

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8C7i9kdEf8

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  10. Forget whether it was Gordon or Craig, but this morning one of them referred to getting in trouble with Cat if Hitler were mentioned.

    So I guess that long-promised Corby Hitler segment is off the drawing board.

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  11. Congrats on 500, even though atleast 250 of them was you falsely predicting the end of Rhyner at the Ticket, but Congrats!!!

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  12. Congrats to you Plainsman for sticking it out for 500 posts - here's hoping for another 500!

    I caught that DiGianni mix...I can't really tell if it was sincere, because it's so tough to 'get a read' on George. Then again, maybe that's why people don't get his humor. (For the record, I didn't take away that he thought he had some super-sophisticated sense of humor that nobody else could possibly comprehend; I just heard him acknowledging that he's just not a funny dude by ticket standards).

    On the topic of new weekend ticker men...Well, it's not a good start when you're nominated for an E-Brake in your first week (especially when you're not trying). It's pretty apparent that the new guy has very little understanding of the "Ticket" (not to be somehow confused with a "Ticker"), and that's something that really surprises me. I'd assumed that there was a lineup of UNT grads that would jump at the chance to put together demo tapes on the #1 station in the market. Here's hoping he sorts things out.

    *fart*

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  13. 1004: Assuming you could find a single prediction of Mike R's "demise at the Ticket" in these pages (you can't), that would be approximately 249 fewer than Mike R's own much more vivid predictions along these lines.

    ap: Well, I wasn't going to say it, but since you have . . . Gotta believe that The Ticket gets buckets of accomplished audio from guys dying for even the most menial on-air gig. Poor Mitchell -- and I do hope he improves -- seems to have grave issues with reading English copy, not to mention an unfamiliarity with the concept of "Ticker."

    Again, hate to pound on a new guy, debut nerves can be overlooked, but man -- school the guy

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  14. Just saw the photo of Shoopy and Norm on the Twitter. Looking good, McGruber! The booze-less diet is doing you well. Keep it up, and good luck to you pal.

    10:04: Whatchoo tawkin' 'bout, Willis? Ya must have the wrong blog.

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  15. While listening to the Top Ten tonight, I realized that Dan McDowell shouldn't be doing a sports-first show. I've never heard him more engaged in his entire tenure here than he was today with the comedic actor they had on as a guest. He was so well versed in the life of the comedian and the different paths to success that, quite frankly, it shocked me. Dan conducted the most serious and well prepared/informed interview while at The Ticket, period. He was invested; both intellectually and emotionally. He seemed very interested on a personal level; as if he wants to go down that road himself. Whatever the case is, I'm convinced that if Dan is to truly be Dan and thus truly be happy in what he's doing, Dan needs to find a different avenue for his talents. Be it his own show that's entertainment/pop culture front loaded with sports in the background, or being on stage himself.

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  16. Great shot, 209. Sounds like you're joining the club, of which I have long been a member, which believes that Dan has real talent and one of the best brains at the station and would be really good with his own show. I wrote a year or so ago about breaking up BaD (back when there was some uncertainty over Mike R's re-upping with the station), and the more I listen, the more I think that what seems to be Dan's innate (and unnecessary) insecurity results in interactions with Bob that slow BaD way down. But he can be terrific, as you point out -- just doesn't seem like your wish for him is likely to come true anytime soon. Too bad.

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  17. Here's an idea: Pair Bob with David Moore and let them go from 10 till 1, and pair Dan with Wilonsky from 1 to 3. First off, that either would mean the end of Norm's run on The Ticket or a shuffling of other time slots to keep him. The former, while sad to a certain degree, has its merits. He's had a long run, but perhaps it's time to give others a shot? As well, he seems to connect less and less with the greater listening audience. The latter could be accomplished by moving him to a 5am to 7 slot, with The Musers on from 7-10 (which solves the old issue of why do they have to work longer than anyone else for the same pay as, say, The Hardline?); or they could do what they used to: put Norm on for two hours following The Hardline (a la The Wild Ass Circus, The Hot Spot). Secondly, these moves would allow for Dan to be with someone who comports with what Dan does best and his interests in life in general; which could lead to Dan really flourishing. Thirdly, the same could be said of both Bob and David Moore. You would have the full-time, all of the time sportsy show (and if you kept Norm you'd have two of them) that many listeners want, and you'd have Bob paired with someone whose, at times it seems sole purpose, is to shoot his wheels off. Just a thought.

    One more thing: This morning Junior used the old Ticket lingo term "spare" a few times. It brought a smile to my face. Nice to hear that stuff every now and again; I miss those days.

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  18. Sorry, that was a bit confusing. I meant that you wouldn't have Bob paired with someone who seems to live for shooting his wheels off. Also, I'd like to add that Norm's favorite time slot to work in is early am drive. So the 5-7 shift wouldn't be seen by him as a demotion; if anything, just the opposite.

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  19. @Anon 2:51-54
    Interesting ideas. Which makes me think that this could be a fun thread. Basically a "My Ticket Lineup" thread. But using only current Ticket employees, else it could get really out there. Though I guess proposing such a thread is pretty out there as it is.

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  20. The track record of journalists with full time gigs on the Ticket is not very good.

    But I like David Moore in the small doses we get him. I'm not sure Wilonsky could devote time every day. He's too busy trying to figure out how to cram more advertising onto the Morning News website.

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  21. Small doses? He's on the air every single day if not twice a day.

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  22. D. Moore would have to become a full time employee to have a daily show, and as of now, he works for the Cowboys. I wouldn't give up that gig. Now Wilonsky could bring something if paired with Dan, or someone like minded. And let Corbles become the janitor and we'd have the lineups figured out. I kid about the Snake, but, like others, he's over exposed in his current role. I wouldn't think the Ticket would lose one loser if they were to do some shuffling of their current lineups. I do agree that BAD needs to be split up. That's the main reason I don't listen regularly to that show...because they bore me most of the time with the imcompatibility. Plainsman, start a thread on this subject. It's gaining some traction.

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  23. 5:30-10 George, Junes, Gordo

    10-12 SeaBass +1

    12-3 Jake + TC

    3-7 Bob, Dan, Corby

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  24. Weekday
    6-9: Musers
    9-12: SeaBass and Newbury
    12-3: Bob
    3-6: Hardline
    6-9: Dan and Wilonsky (and maybe a third with Danny)
    9-11: Top Ten
    11----Yahoo/FOX/CBS/Whatever national feed

    Weekend
    Sat:
    7-8: DiGianni
    8-10: Teebox
    10-12: IJB
    12-2: CdS
    2-5/6: Ticket Sports Sat. with Stu Seder +1
    5/6---National feed
    Sun: (dependent upon Cowboys football for part of the year)
    8-10: Race Week
    10-1: MaSS
    1-5: Ticket Sports Sunday with Ty Walker + 1
    5---National feed

    As you can see, no Norm, no Orphanage. I think it's time for Norm to move on, and the Orphanage is sort of sad to listen to. Norm's had an amazing career, but The Ticket needs to grow its product. IMO Norm is the weakest link in the chain. The Orphanage is painful to listen to because you have one guy who will be 45 this year and another who is either 40 or about to turn 40 talking about and in the manner of a couple of guys in their 20s. It's a bit depressing to listen to. This show should've been put out to pasture several years ago. Nothing against either guy, personally. Heck, I included Danny as a possible third to Dan and Wilonsky, so obviously I think he has something. But the days of The Rant are long, long gone and it's time to move on.

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  25. If you listen online, you may have heard the pressbox grill commercial. A depressed pre-teen girl moans about some strange exotic food called "sayamen" and can't seem to find a restaurant in DFW with "veggies" on the menu. That commercial makes me see red before I black out.

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  26. Newbury on everyday? I'd tune out for that. SeaBass is greatness on Diamond Talk and I'd love to hear him have a show with someone but I don't think Newbury would work on a daily format. I was thinking maybe a SeaBass/Jake pairing would be a good fit.

    Musers 6-9
    SeaBass/Jake 9-12
    Mass (with Danny) 12-3
    Hardline with Bob, Mike, Corby 3-6
    Dan (maybe alone) 6-8
    CDS 8-11

    I think it'd be great if they had local stuff at night. I never listen at night when I'm out because who wants to hear Yahoo? I think the CDS show would fit that late night slot perfectly and Dan by himself might get the full control he can thrive in. I think it'd be interesting to hear Mike and Bob go back and forth and put Corby back in his old yuck monkey role and move Danny to MaSS to see how that mix would go. I don't care much about the weekends, but I think MaSS and CDS could grow into strong shows if they had something everyday.

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  27. There isn't a combination that'd be any better than the current lineup.

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  28. Danny and MaSS wouldn't work. I'm sure Danny thinks those guys are fine and all--probably more so about Scot--but he's far too different a cat. The music talk alone would be painful for him. If you've ever heard the MaSS boys talk music, then you know what I mean. They're earnest about it and that's fine, but their knowledge is minimal at best compared to Danny's. And with Danny music means everything. So to not have that connection would probably mean not so good radio.

    As for the calls for IJB go, I'm not so sure about that one. I'm an IJB listener. But I'm not sure that Jake and TC have enough chops or even material to be more than a once weekly thing. Maybe it's just my age talking here. I'm 34. If I was 24 perhaps I'd think everything they say is gold and that I would listen to them everyday. As it stand, I don't think so.

    I also wish there would be more local weeknight programming. I'm hoping that Intentional Grounding is the start of a move toward that.

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  29. I don't understand the opinions that say BaD needs to be broken up. Their difference is what creates the balance. Bob alone is too much "all work and no play..."
    Dan alone would be the equivalent of a diet solely consisting of cotton candy and mountain dew
    - not enough substance to carry a show.

    Also, IJB has a little something - it's kinda the same concept...two different guys that feed off each other and create a good balance (but not too forced, which is, in a nutshell, the ticket formula)..
    However, IJB is a little too rated R and meandering for daytime. They would fit perfectly in the 7-9 PM slot...then bump the top 10 back to 9-11.

    As for Norm, if he were eliminated, we would lose a drop goldmine. That alone is justification to keep Norm around.

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  30. BaD Radio is my favorite show because my two favorite hosts, Bob and Dan, are on it. But it's not the best show because Bob and Dan are on it, at the same time. It has the feel of two different shows going on at once. Maybe a lot of people like that aspect of it, I don't. I'd love to see them split up. One of the comments said that Dan seems to live to submarine Bob. I think that comment is right. I also think Bob sometimes does the same thing to Dan. They know how to annoy each other and do so whenever possible. Again, many may like that sort of thing, I don't. At least not on a nearly segment to segment basis. Too much contentiousness. Then again, they've been around for a long while now, so obviously there not going anywhere. But if we're going with our fantasy lineups, then that's what I'd do, I'd split them up. I like Bob paired with Rhynes. I think that would infuse Rhynes with fresh vigor. Bob would be his music student- Mike seems to love turning others on to different music, and that's a rare thing to do with Danny and Corby- and Mike would get to talk more sports, and at a deeper level, which I think contrary to popular thought, he actually enjoys greatly. Dan would be best as a solo act. Dan seems to like to be the center of radio (I doubt off air, though) attention. From the way he cries about minions' loyalties to the show to the way he treats minions, he seems to have the need to be a solo act. Dan the sports comedian.

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  31. I get the feeling that Jake and SeaBass don't get along particularly well, so I don't think that would be a good pairing.

    Bob and Mike together would not be good.

    I am a strong IJB supporter, and I'm 40. Not exactly in the 18-25 demo.

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  32. That's an interesting tidbit Shaggy. What makes you think Jake and SeaBass don't get along?

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  33. Some amazing stuff here. Thanks to all for the creative suggestions. A few random thoughts:

    Bob can only be paired with a host (1) who knows more than just a little bit about sports, and (2) is willing to step up and be heard. That does not describe Mike R. Mike is a great host, but not for a high-intensity sports show. When he's a guest plus-one on the Cowboys pre-game shows, he disappears. Nothing to say, and not inclined to jump into the very small gaps where Bob is taking a breath. I like him paired with Donnie and especially with Rich.

    I have no idea how much guys like David Moore and Cash Sirois are compensated, but they have solid positions now. They don't have the radio cachet to command the mid-six-figure-or-more that the gigantic hosts now get (if they don't, they should be firing their agents), so I don't see any full-time prime-time gigs for those guys. Wilonsky even more so, he's unlikely to give up his present duties to become a sports/guy talker.

    I agree with those who see no major changes ahead. Why mess with super-top ratings across the board? I do not agree that Norm should be edged out. I like Norm's show and I've gotten to like him better over the years. He's surprisingly witty and a good on-air colleague when called upon to be one. (Behind the scenes, I understand he can be a bit of a handful.)

    But when the time comes to shuffle the lineup, I would consider breaking up BaD, for reasons I've stated and which I'm gratified to see others supporting. But again -- it's a huge success, so why would management even consider tinkering with these two talents?

    I have a question for BaD listeners, whether you're a big BaD fan or not: Do B and D have the same sincere friendship that (I believe) the Muser and Hardline teams amongst themselves? Not saying they don't -- just wondering if more intimate observers of that show can shed some light.

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  34. I think Bob and Dan do have a relationship outside of the show, if for no other reason than they have mentioned their wives and kids have gotten together in the past.

    As far as the musers, I get the feeling that while Junior and George get along OK, they are probably not as close as they once were..I think they live very different lives, and I get the feeling they rarely cross paths outside the show or station functions.
    They remind me of a great band that has been together for 20 years, like the stories you read about U2 or somebody like that...at one time they were tight, but as their families grow and their interests change, they don't have as much in common...but because of how long they've been together they can still pick up right where they left off every time the show starts

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  35. @ 9:11pm on 10/12/12

    This is an interesting comment. It's very "weird" to think about them not being close outside of the show because all we know is what we hear everyday. And, they seem like best buds. I remember reading an article in the Observer after the Greggo debacle and The Hardline admitted they had not spoke off air for years. I was floored when I read it, but it makes sense.
    I talk with the guys I work with everyday, but have absolutely no relationship outside of work. Why would it be any different for those guys? Good point.

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  36. I'm not sure about SeaBass and Jake not getting along. I think they disagree on a lot of things, but I've never gotten the impression they aren't friendly.

    I do get the impression SeaBass and TC have no use for each other.

    Loyal IJB fan here and I'm 31. Very confusing to me they don't have a weekend slot by now.

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  37. I don't think it's confusing at all as to why IJB doesn't have a regular, if even weekend, slot: They've been given at least one direct, and a few proxy, shots at stepping up to the next level. Each time was for the most part a failure. Either TC or Jake would disappear when given the chance to +1 or IJB proper would quickly devolve into a hot mess--a hot mess that was in no small part due to their callers who thought that they could say anything, no matter how scatological. Sure, Jake, especially, has become better on air due to his Hardline producer duties. And TC voice and his presentation has improved markedly from his Top Ten work. But they did get a few shots at hitting the CdS or MaSS or Intentional Grounding level. Fairly or not, they didn't do well and that most likely means it'll be some time, if ever, before they get another shot.

    Personally I think they should have the Orphanage slot. IJB, if it could keep it and its callers could manage to keep its act together, is a much better fit. They are the next Rant for the newer, younger generation of Ticketheads. I think the Orphanage demonstrated this morning exactly why it should be killed off: Davy droning on about a New freakin' Order concert. Davy seems like an intelligent guy. By his writing, I'm certain that he is. He's a good, thoughtful, writer. But he can't speak to save his life. It's awful. He sounds like an awkward teenage girl. "Um, like, um, like...and it was like all like dancey and stuff." Basically he sounds like the Generic Youth Minister except without either the hick accent or the religious talk. And Danny. He seems like he'd rather be asleep. I don't blame him. The vibe he gives off is one that wants to talk about more, I don't know, complex? or adult? things. I like that about Danny. And the thing is, Davy is more than capable of it. In fact, his self-honesty and his at times confessional nature is amazing. Some of the things he says when he's in that mode are poignant and resonant. Unfortunately those times are few and far between. I think the reason that is, is because they're both stuck in "we're the successor to The Rant" mode. But these guys are in their early middle-age, so the fabric has worn thin. Nothing to be ashamed of there. But it's time for some new blood. IJB. Actually, I'd love to hear a Danny driven show. He really relates to all of us beginning to be not so young men anymore.

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  38. I get along with all of my co-workers. Especially the very handsome and talented Jake Kemp. Also, I have known TC for a long time now and have some use for him believe it or not...

    -Sean Bass

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  39. Great hearing from you, SeaBass! So very glad you're back on air, and I hope you and your friend's family are doing as well as can be considering. I, like some others here, wish you had a regular show. I'm in the Newbury as a partner camp. Who knows, maybe one day???

    Anyway, really dig your Ticker, Diamond Talk, and Sports Saturday/Sunday work. Stay hard!

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  40. I wish Sturm was on the Cowboys postgame show instead of the pregame show.

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  41. I wish Donnie and Sturm would switch places on the pre and post. Looking forward to Fake Jerry questioning Red Ball's Princeton intelligence tomorrow morning!

    Seems to me that everyone at The Ticket follows this site. Cool. I can't imagine that only Ticker guys and board ops read this. Ok, Scott Harrison does too. But surely the other hosts must also be readers. LIke I said, cool.

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  42. >>Anonymous said...
    The track record of journalists with full time gigs on the Ticket is not very good.

    But I like David Moore in the small doses we get him.
    October 11, 2012 9:12 PM

    Anonymous said...
    Small doses? He's on the air every single day if not twice a day.

    October 12, 2012 8:04 AM<<


    Yeah, for a whole ten minutes at a time. I like David Moore, just don't see him devoting any more time than he already does.

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  43. What is this track record that you speak of? Please list them.

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  44. I don't know who 912 Anon is specifically referring to, but Todd Archer and JJ Taylor come to mind. They may never have intended to have full-time Ticket gigs from the outset, but I think Anon's point is that DMN guys tend not to stick around and never become more-than-once-a-week guys in any event. There may be others I haven't thought of, so Anon, please feel free to amend this answer.

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  45. 1018 Anon: I don't know who from The Ticket checks the site, other than the guys who post here and the very rare Ticket email correspondent. One certainly never hears (with only 2-3 exceptions I know of) any references to it, although, as I've mentioned in the past, I've heard several things on the air that reflect stuff that's appeared here.

    As a commenter said not long ago, they're unquestionably much more interested in Confessors' essays here than in my priceless insights.

    A Ticket guy wrote me a long time ago and said that "of course" all the Ticket guys check the site, because (I'm paraphrasing) all local performers want to read everything where their name is, or might be, mentioned.

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  46. Adding on to your 3:31 comment, Plainsman, I think because of the fact that many if not all Ticket personnel check in on this site, it's important that we commenters post responsibly. Meaning, if you get the impression X doesn't like Y, make sure you state that you're making a subjective statement; don't report it as fact. The same can be said about questioning the motives, intelligence, and whatnot about personnel. LIke the old Two Minute Drill: start with "I think that..." In other words, let's be careful in the subjective/objective distinction.

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  47. 331 Anon: I agree that we need to be both fair and careful what we write about motives and The Internal Life of the Ticket Employee generally, but I'm not sure we need to be policing language and phrasing. The Anon who remarked about Sean Bass and T.C. may have been right or wrong, but I felt that he was reporting in good faith about what he heard over the airwaves, and I must say that SeaBass's contribution did not entirely dispel the impression that, at one time, Sean might not have fully appreciated T.C.'s many gifts.

    I've tried to emphasize fairness on this site, and sure, I'd always prefer if Confessors would give reasons for their opinions, and I try to observe that rule myself. But when you've got a station that invites you to consider hosts as your pals, you're going to harvest some subjective impressions just like you do when you listen to your friends talk.

    So as long as things don't get too far out of hand, I'll continue to leave comments like the one described above.

    And one more thing: This is a site for people who listen to The Ticket to talk to each other, not to give messages to hosts or CTO. I don't want Confessors to get too self-conscious or misinformed about the importance of this site to The Ticket (negligible to zero). It's OK if I do it because it's my job to stir up the Nation and because much of my invaluable counsel is so clearly offered with the knowledge that there isn't the slightest chance that anyone of responsibility is paying any attention. But the comments are better if they're from the heart and directed to others who listen to the station, not talk on it.

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  48. Nothing at all wrong with subjective opinions. But I believe it is important to make sure that they're worded as such. There's a difference between saying "I think A dislikes B" and "A dislikes B." Obvious stuff, sure. Even when I'm talking to a buddy, rarely do we say "this is the way it is" unless we know why and can give a reason. Otherwise we'll say "I think..." and then offer a reason. Heck, even if we don't offer support for our assertion, we still make a distinction between the subjective and objective. I agree that this shouldn't be a place for commenters to directly address a host or think they're going to try to effect some sort of change or whatnot at the station. Having said that (and I think this is pretty cool, actually) the site has become a place where one not only can directly address certain employees, but also get a response, and even begin a brief exchange. So in light of this, and because this is a site that in many ways is dedicated to their livelihoods, I think we owe it to them to be careful.

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  49. I think Norm gets a raw deal by many of the commenters here. His sports-focused show is a nice break in the broadcast day from all the guy talk. And Norm takes the constant ribbing from other hosts perfectly, at least on air.

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  50. Gagree with you. Norm is a gem and we're lucky to be able to listen to him every day. When he does retire or die at the mic, we'll all miss him terribly. He's the last of the old school guys, and once he's gone, so will that style of broadcasting. He's more than a fresh breath of air than the anti-Norm faction knows itself.

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  51. Add Skip Bayless to the track record list.

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  52. Is Kurt Menefee considered a journalist? He didn't stick around long.

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  53. Anonymous Troll = good
    Anonymous Thoughtful and/or Repeat Poster = bad

    You repeat posters out there with something compelling to say, don't stay anonymous! Come up with a pseudonym, and use it. I like seeing repeat names, and I know the Plainsman does, too (I don't know him personally, but his "welcome to the blog, stay awhile, hope to see you around" replies are everywhere.)

    Seriously, nobody wants your real name, but names showing up frequently form a sense of "community", not a bunch of anons.

    I am well aware that this will largely go ignored, but I think about it every time I visit this blog and finally had to say something. I can't be the only one who feels this way, though.

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  54. *Anonymous Troll = "good", as in "whatever/easily dismissed", not "good" as in "not bad". I'll get back on-topic now.

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  55. Right there with you, deezy.

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