If you can't tune in at 5:30 you can miss some
cool stuff on the Muser show.
This
morning, Craig was reporting on his viewing of Ken Burns's documentary on The
Dust Bowl, the climatological disaster that overtook portions of Oklahoma, Texas,
Colorado, New Mexico, and Kansas in the 1930s.
The drought affected other states as well, but the Texas and Oklahoma
Panhandles got the worst of it.
As it
happened, Mrs. Plainsman and I also saw the show.
As we watched it, Mrs. P and I remarked on how
good we have it these days. It did indeed remind me to be thankful for what I
have.
And, as that holiday approaches, I am thankful for
all of you supporters and readers, yes, including – perhaps especially – those
of you calling for my abandonment of this site for one or another P1 litmus-test
failure (see comments two posts back). I
really do appreciate the time each one of you takes to read the site, and to give
the blogosphere your usually well-considered thoughts on The Ticket.
Have a wonderful holiday, and please drive with
care and otherwise conduct yourselves in a civilized fashion. I don't want to
lose any more readers.
When Craig was talking about this this morning, I could've swore I had seen this last year, but it premiered a couple of days ago, so I must've seen another documentary. Either way, it was very interesting back then and it will be again when I watch this one on PBS.
ReplyDeleteBackhanded shout out from The Sturminator circa 12:25 today. Never mentioned the name of the site...but a reference none-the-less.
ReplyDeleteHear the shout-out. Talked about how there is this website dedicated to the Ticket, and the his did not know about Motorcycle Greggo. It was Dan who came to your defense and brought up how long ago it was and it is possible for people to listen daily for years and not know some of the older stuff because of how long the Ticket has been around.
ReplyDeleteI heard Bob's (almost) mention of the site as well. He said someone sent him a link to the MG post but he couldn't remember the name. I don't think he'd be classified as an MTC P1.
ReplyDeleteRich Phillips was out this morning because he was "sick."
ReplyDeleteI guess we all know what THAT means . . .
@Anon Ron
ReplyDeleteGood one!
Don't believe that Bob just happened to get some link to this site. Not for one minute. Those guys know about this place. Furthermore, they visit it from time to time. Some more than others. Bank on it.
Oh man. I just hate to hear this news about Digger, Mike's dog. I can't believe she was going to turn 15 years old next month. I can clearly remember when Mike first got her as a little pup. Damn. Breaks my heart. Stay hard, Digger, R.I.P.
ReplyDeleteContrary to realnsdr, I don't know if Mike reads this site. But if he does: Mike, I'm real sorry.
Weird. Just took Rhyner's suggestion and flew by his FB page to see a picture of Digger (RIP). Saw a pic of his daughter (pretty). Also saw on his favorites was one Gregg Williams. Went to that page and yup it was the one and only Hammer. I can't imagine Rhyner listing Hammer as a favorite as a joke. I thought he didn't care enough to be snarky like that. So what's the deal then? A behind the scenes reconciliation of sorts? Anyone out there have any skinny on this?
ReplyDelete@T4 - you probably did see this documentary before....when it was called "Surviving The Dust Bowl" from 2007 as part of PBS' American Experience series. I watched part of the Ken Burns version the other night and was disappointed at how similar it was, even down to some of the same people describing the same things. The interviews were so similar I wondered if they were cut & pasted into Burns' version, but I'm too lazy to verify.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/dustbowl/
I think Grubes was recalling that Motorcycle Greggo was from around 2001 or thereabouts.
ReplyDeleteBefore my time. Thanks, Dan.
Thanks blergoyen. I won't waste too much time when I scan through it now.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone hear Jake Z yesterday talking about him, Sirois and McClearin doing Thanksgiving morning together?
ReplyDeleteI wonder what that's about? Taking Sirois away from his brother and McClearin away from Scott...maybe something else is in the works for these guys?
I gotta be up early to get the turkey ready tomorrow so I'll have it on and see if it's an interesting mix.
nothin in the works. had family trip planned out of state for T-giving. should be cool tomorrow morning though. love all those guys!
ReplyDelete$10 says that the Rolling Stones will once again be the topic of What's On Mike's Mind? today.
ReplyDeleteIf you are a fan of Rolling Stones talk this is the greatest day ever.
ReplyDeleteI've come to not like The Hardline. Though I'm glad they just played "Thanksgiving Loves the White Man." See everyone, Corby was once indeed useful. I can't believe it's been 14 years since that was first aired. 18 going on 19 years I've been listening to this thing. I feel bad for all of you out there that didn't get to listen to it back in those days. It really was an us (both listener and station) against the world mentality. Damn I miss The Hardline. But like I said, I've come not to like the show anymore. Not just because of the what by now has to be some joke, some let's stick it in the listeners' eye all Stones and Young and Springsteen talk, but the closed off, bubble like, detached from the listeners' attitude it has. I no longer relate to Mike (never did to Corby), and he no longer gives a s*** about relating to me (the listener). Wasn't always that way. But it is now. And now that the toothpaste is out of the tube, there's no putting it back in. I can relate to Danny, and I feel he, me, but he's not a host.
ReplyDeleteIt's 7:27 am, he was 15 minutes late to the show, and I'm already tired of Jake. What a 20something, know it all, this comports with what sounds right to me so it must be the truth, windbag. Please stop quoting a debunked history text that contains no references and whose author even admitted that the entire thing was his own "re-imaginging" of US history. Then again, I'm talking about someone who 2 segments earlier was shocked that there are actual differences between men and women, other than their reproductive organs.
ReplyDeletePlease stick to towing Cuban's Mavs meme, board-opping, and doing a fine job on Cowboys pre-pre with Newbury. Keep your b.s., only someone who went to grad school can be this ridiculous, stuff for IJB.
Wow, the natives are restless. I didn't hear the beginning of the show, but I'm thinking the Cowboys talk is good. Being late on a day with no traffic is concededly not a good start.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the "debunked history text" you're referring to?
And, not to be picky about their man-on-the-street-Thanksgiving-questions bit, but the Pilgrims did not first land at Plymouth Rock -- it was in the Provincetown vicinity. They noodled around there for awhile, cruised over to Plymouth Rock a month later.
I actually happen to like Jake a fair bit and don't find him snotty or smarty. I feel he has been unnecessarily victimized by the "space is super gay" drop, and there is a certain cast to his voice that makes him sound more Dylan-the-Argumentative-Teen than really appears from the content of his talk. Speaking for myself, I'm fine with an increased role for him at The Ticket.
The Thanksgiving rap thing . . . perhaps bits not his strong suit.
Mitchell Kerasik Watch is back on. He remains on poor terms with ad copy. Mm.
A Happy Thanksgiving to you all. I'm out of town for the duration.
He was referring to Howard Zinn's "A People's History of The Unites States." Zinn's book was pretty much thrust down the necks of university history departments since its publication. The book is "famous" for being basically reference free. As I said in my earlier comment, Zinn publicly admitted that it was his own interpretation/re-imagining of US history. Hence the lack of references. Basically, Zinn himself was his sole point of reference. Um, solid scholarship. The book is to progressive leaning young minds as Ayn Rand is to right leaning young minds. If your of that bent, it all makes sense, is right, and anyone who disagrees "just doesn't want to know reality." Zinn was a Marxist who later became a Trotskyite/socialist activist. The book reflects his ideological grounding. Which is fine, except it's presented to college kids as Truth, when in fact it's a highly biased, un-scholarly piece of work. How do I know this? My father, my grandmother, and my brother in law all hold doctorates in history; sans grandmother who is retired, all hold tenured teaching positions at major universities; and all (including myself) are uber progressive, so this isn't some right wing rant...just to let you know. It's about being historically accurate and responsible.
ReplyDeleteI like Jake's Cowboy talk. And I don't mind that he's bought into Cuban's flexibility meme, whole hog. (Though I think it greatly bothers Bob.) I like his work as The Hardline's producer. But I don't need some 27 or somesuch year old telling me about "the real" Thanksgiving or giving me a history lesson. I can't believe he honestly thinks that the audience is so naive as to think that we all believe that the "pilgrims" and "indians" were the best of friends, and that Thanksgiving was just a typical day in The New World. Give me a break, grad school.
I'm picking up on the thread from two posts ago. If you haven't read ap's and Plainsman's comments (the last two in the thread), I highly recommend doing so.
ReplyDeleteVery very interesting stuff from ap and Plainsman. Thanks for sharing the gist of Mike's email, ap. Though only a glimpse, it offers some real insight. I have to agree with Plainsman's assessment. I too think that if that's Mike's stance, it's absolutely wrongheaded at best, disingenuous at worst. Or it shows that some commenters here have been spot on in their analysis of Mike that says he is no longer has anything in common with the listener/cares about the listener. Anyway you look at it, it's not positive. However it's now safe to say that, yes Virginia, Mike Rhyner does visit this site. If Mike visits this site, then there is no doubt (and I say this with Corby-like conviction and assuredness) that all the hosts peruse MTC. Plainsman absolutely nailed it when he said to the effect: "Mike ought to be thankful and lucky that sites like this exist. Because when the day comes that they don't, then you know that the listener is no longer engaged like s/he once was." Maybe it's all an act, but it seems like Mike doesn't appreciate what he has/has created. Or perhaps he doesn't appreciate it like he once did. The, quite honestly, comical thing here is Rolling Stones and N. Young talk, and being in at least two tribute bands: Mike claims to be amused/not understand people like us, and yet he analyzes these bands in the very same way we do The Ticket. What's more, he does so much, that he's dedicated a part of his life to imitating what some of them do to the point (and the point is to do it to such a degree) that what's being played sounds exactly like the original. Talk about over analyzing something!
To echo Plainsman, again, Mike shouldn't be amused or shake his head at MTC and the likes, he ought to be thankful that it/they exist. It means we are invested. It means we care, a lot.
One final thing: I think Plainsman stated his case in fine manner as to why he chose Babe and Brad over Cowboy Theater 1310 in that last comment. Whether you agree with it or not, he put it to bed. I also believe that if anyone thinks he's touchy or whatnot, he put that to rest, as well. The man took a lot of abuse over "The Decision." He took it in stride, deleted no comments, and after offering up his explanation, he rebutted no one. Say what you will about his "P1-ness" or "right" to maintain a blog such as this, but give the man his due. He can take it as well as he can dish it out.
My empire is hungry. Time to dish out the gruel.
Howard Zinn was a Marxist. So there's my incisive analysis.
ReplyDeleteThe 'analysis' isn't that he's a Marxist, it's that the 'history' isn't actual historical analysis. It isn't actual historical analysis, not because Zinn was once a Marxist who later became a socialist activist (the late British Marxist historian Eric Hobsbawm did excellent work; whether one agreed with it or not is a different matter), but because it wasn't an actual work of historical analysis. I'm not sure why or how you missed that in my last comment. Unless you're just trying to be snarky. If that's the case, wonderful job.
ReplyDeleteUm . . . I was not commenting . . . on your disquisition . . . at all.
ReplyDelete[From a temporary wifi source in the hills.]
My apologies.
ReplyDelete"We don't owe you anything."
ReplyDeleteThose were Rhyner's exact words to the listeners during the segment discussing the Observer article on Greggo leaving. His feelings have not changed.
I think the reason Rhyner hates blogs, any blogs relating to Ticket, is because they become forums for people to vent about the good old days, and how bad the Hardline blows today. I know I would.
ReplyDeleteI mean, the Hardline used to be a hell of a show!
ReplyDeleteStay hard Larry Hagman!
ReplyDeleteI thought today's extended Tbox was pretty good. Rosen Rosen did a bang up job. Was digging the hockey talk toward the end. He had someone on that actually knows hockey. Hopefully there's an Ebrake somewhere in there!
ReplyDeleteWell, in 1 month and 1 week we're gonna see if all of the predictions about The FAIL going through profound changes and The Ticket along with it (due to the Cumulus and CBS Sports partnership) come true. Personally I can see The FAIL getting rid of most if not all of their shows and replacing them with national feeds. I've noticed a lot of FAIL (especially RaGE) jabs from all shows except Norm's lately. Lots of on-air asides referring to embarrassing ratings/numbers (again, especially aimed at RaGE) have been said recently. Could get interesting in a few or so weeks...
ReplyDeleteNothing will happen to The Ticket. Let's just put a stop to that now.
ReplyDeleteIf you say so, then it must be true.
ReplyDelete@ Anon 8:07. There's been plenty of talk about The Fan changing gears come January, and more than likely it WILL affect The Ticket, hopefully for the good. Like a better signal!?!
ReplyDeleteYesterday's Scot-less MaSS was OK. McClearin is a weird, kind of uncomfortable to listen to guy. But he is fairly solid with the sports side of things. I'm seeing a little of what a couple of people have said here about Jake. The more exposure to him, when it's unrelated to sports, the more grating he becomes. Maybe Plainsman's right that he has some Dylan the argumentative teen voice in him, and that's why he can come off as annoying. For me, he reminds me of my cousin who's in college and comes home from Christmas break full of HSOs about everything. And he knows they're all true. Basically he has it all figured out and you're a short sighted stick in the mud. Maybe that's not the deal with Jake, but the more I'm exposed to him, it's the way he seems to be. I even sampled some IJB to see if it's just a Ticket thing. You know, maybe he's trying to prove himself, and in doing so overcompensates. Nope. He's even more unrestrained on IJB. TC's another thing altogether. I guess he's just not to my radio tastes. Yet I do like his work on the Cowboy pre pre game show with David Newbury. Probably because he sticks to sports.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with the Hardline is the lack of a feedback mechanism. They take no calls and are free to ignore any P1 criticism as long as the ratings aren't effected. That is the key: the ratings.
ReplyDeleteIf we remember back to the signal encoding fiasco, some kind of voodoo is used by the radio station to figure out how many listeners are tuned in at any given time. Combined with the stream, they figure out which times have the highest number of listeners and sell ad space to advertisers accordingly.
Here is my suggestion: The Hardline Punch-out Game. It is like the drinking game where you take a shot every time you hear certain words. This works by changing the dial or turning off the radio when The Hardline uses certain words/topics. Based on my personal tastes and the complaints in this blog, some words for the game could be:
- Neil Young
- The Rolling Stones
- George Harrison
- Steely Dan
- Pearl Jam
- Basically anything or anyone related to music or the music industry
If everyone punches out when they hear these words/topics, then the nice little plateau in the number of listeners that is recorded will start having big chasms in the middle of it, before returning back to normal when music talk is over. This will be sure to catch management attention. Griping on blogs will not work, so we have to hit them in the only place that matters: the pocketbook.
Tell your P1 friends, post it on Twitter(#HardlinePunchoutGame), etc. Mike steers the show, and the only way to prevent him from doing this for the next 5 years as he grows increasingly bored with radio is to have a higher-up force him to stop doing it.
@StealThisComment
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, pal. I'm on board.
@StealThisComment
ReplyDeleteThis will only work if you have a Personal People Meter. Otherwise, it does nothing.
Maybe I am in the minority, but I am a huge P1 of Jake. I dig that he is into so many different things - Mavs, hip-hop, the quality documentary, history, etc.. Of course, he is the agnostic Sturminator starter kit, and Bob is my leader, so I guess it is pretty predictable that I would like him.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I am a 40 y.o. P1.
I don't think you're in the minority. Just the opposite. I'm fairly sure that most people that listen to The Ticket, especially the younger ones, think like and have the same tastes as Jake does. I see both sides of the Jake coin. Some of his schtick bothers me because he does come off like a know it all 20something that thinks because his professor told him something it must be true, or at least the only truth. And some of his schtick doesn't at all. Like his love of hip hop and his trying to see sports from a more statistical and scientific point of view. Even though I find that sort of view of sports to be seriously flawed, I respect those who try to make a go of it. I also appreciate that he thinks about things. He just doesn't spout off opinion as fact like Corby does. Again, even though I might not agree with most of what he has to say about history and society, I respect that he thinks about what he says, it's not knee jerk opinion in the guise of thought.
ReplyDeleteI must say, much to my surprise, Corby is more than holding his own with Mike out. Danny is playing a good second fiddle, but make no mistake about it, Corby is in charge. The superlatives have been non-existent, the know-it-all obnoxiousness is all but absent, and he's actually being an informative, engaging host. Kudos to you, Cora Snake. I didn't know you had this in you. It's too bad we don't see this side of you on a daily basis. If so, I believe The Hardline would be a much better show than it already is.
ReplyDeleteShoopy on air tomorrow!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAs much as I hate their music talk, it was nice getting a break from the regulars and hearing something about Rush. I like Rush, and I like the others, but not when it's crammed down your throat. I know you guys read this, so keep sticking it to us P1's, like you're doing with all of that garbage you feed us.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, T4. I actually don't mind music talk, but not the same music talk day in, day out, week in, week out, and now year in, year out. If they would mix it up once in a while, it would be more palatable. It was nice hearing Rush talk, even if it was in essence let's make fun of Rush talk. I though it was kind of interesting how with Mike out, Danny took the shock jock role and Corby played the straight man. I would've expected either the opposite, or for both of them to have played it straight. Overall I thought it was a successful show. Maybe today we heard what in the not so distant future THL will sound like? I think they could do a lot worse.
ReplyDeleteCorby has been in this role many times before, and handled it fine. Why is everyone so shocked that he held his own and took charge? The only reason he isn't in that role more is because Mike runs the show.
ReplyDelete@10:15Anon
ReplyDeleteWhat are you talking about? Mike's missed 2, maybe 3 days in the last 18 years of the show. You need to be more specific.