Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Two Decades

Confessors, I feel I have let you down.

You've been kind enough to join me here for the past several years to talk Ticket.  Here we are coming up on the biggest Ticket date in forever, and I disappear.  No excuses.  Well, I have some, but who cares?  I finally tore myself away from other stuff I needed to do at least get one acknowledgment of this event up here before it passes entirely.  Thank Jah for A P1 Wasteland for throwing up some solid content for you.

I don't have a topic.  Oh, I got a bunch written down, but none of them are good for an event of this magnitude.

So I'm gong to meander a bit, toss out a few Tickety thoughts as they occur to me.

I moved to this area in 2004.  I was happy to do so, for Mrs. Plainsman's family was down here, and it's a wonderful family, and Mrs. Plainsman is wonderful.  And Mrs. Plainsman was from here, and had moved to my city Up North to pursue and marry me, a goal in which she thankfully succeeded.  And Mrs. Plainsman had job prospects down here.  And many friends.

I wanted to stress all that about the great family and great Mrs. and my pleasure in making them happy by moving down here, because I'm trying to take some of the edge off the pathos when I report that I had no job prospects, no family of my own, and no friends in this area.

But I had a car.  It had a radio.



I don't know the date of my first tune-in to The Ticket, but I know exactly where I was to within a few feet of roadway.  I believe the first voice I heard was that of George Dunham, although it took me quite a long time to figure out who was who and even the name of the damned show (was one of them named "Donovan Miller"?) -- at that time I didn't tune in at 6 AM where the Musers introduce themselves.  For some period of time measurable probably only in days, I believe I thought it was George's show, with Craig as his sidekick and Gordon as local color.  That didn't last long and eventually I sorted everyone out.

I loved the humor and the sports talk, but what really drew me in was the cadence and tone of the show.  It wasn't blustery, it wasn't announcerish, it wasn't stagey or overly bit-driven.  There were topics that served as a pretty loose skeleton for conversation, but that's what is sounded like -- conversation.  It wasn't intimate or too-inside, it just hit the right balance between holding you at distance as an audience to be entertained, and inviting you in as a friend.   It never bored.

I don't have a strong recollection of my introduction to the other shows.  I'm sure I left 1310 on in the hope that I'd actually found an all guy/sports station for DFW in that unlikely spot on the dial, and sure enough, here comes along The Hardline, and BaD, and even Norm.  That turned out to be the last good time for The Hardline, and a good time it was.  Mike was fully engaged, Greg was a native wit, and Corby filled in some gaps that needed to be filled.

I don't recall how I discovered 104.1 FM, it wasn't right off the bat -- but it was where I parked for almost ten years.

Eventually I got a job,  Got some better ones as time went by.  Family kept growing.  As you know from past reports, I've never really warmed up to the Metro, but when you spend several hours a day with The Ticket, you really don't need to be much of anywhere else.

But one thing was missing:  No one I knew listened very much to The Ticket, not even the male relatives in that great family I told you about.  Those who did know the station didn't listen to it for hours at a time like I did and so didn't have same attachment to it that I did.

And because of the nature of my job and my time commitments, I didn't really make any guy friends (more pathos) and so when I'd think of stuff that interested me about The Ticket, I didn't have anyone to talk to about it or say "hey, did you hear  .  .  .  .?"

So on  Tuesday, June 30, 2009, at 8:38 p.m., I tossed up the first post on My Ticket Confession.

And now, I have lots of friends.

Thank you.

And thank you, George Dunham, and Craig Miller and Gordon Keith and Norm Hitzges and Bob Sturm and Dan McDowell and Donovan Lewis and Mike Rhyner and Corby Davidson and Danny Balis and yes, Greg Williams, and all JV past and present, and the stout leatherlunged Tickermen and hearty and unthanked board operators, and by Jah, Jeff Catlin and, why not, the whole damned CTO.

See you at Ticketstock.

ThePlainsman1310@gmail.com
@Plainsman1310

70 comments:

  1. I work in an office that is primarily female and ethnically diverse. So "guy talk" is something I'm a little starved for and having the Ticket on in my office helps fill that need.

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  2. The Junes tweets that Coach Tom Foolery is now on twitter #LollygagCoach

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  3. @LollygagCoach

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  4. And see you there too Plainsman. This is going to be something very special this weekend. Hopefully some one is going to record the Friday night session, as we understand many won't be able to be there in person.

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  5. It is truly painful to report that my prospects of attending Ticketstock this year, of all years, are dimming. I want some reports and I want some pictures sent to ThePlainsman1310@gmail.com.

    Sorry, folks. I've enjoyed bringing you detailed reports and photos the past couple of years. But looking like I am going to have some trouble busting out of work.

    Thanks in advance.

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  6. Corby was saying tonight that the Friday night segment would be a Bob Wilonsky-hosted show about what everyone was doing prior to the launch in 1994.

    It did not sound like the "pull back the curtain" that has been promoted.

    I may share in the Plainsman affliction of not being able to get away.

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  7. If I'm not mistaken, Corby was slinging burritos, and probably what he should still be doing!

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  8. I probably should put up a new post just to make sure I've got something dated January 24, 2014, on the list but think I'll leave my little memoir up awhile longer.

    But a very, very happy birthday to my drivetime lifeline, The Ticket, and all of its servants.

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  9. Nice. P1 Wasteland got in on the 9:35 call in session and shouted out his and this website. He specifically asked how the Musers felt about these type sites. Gordo said it was a good thing for passionate fans but didn't go into whether anyone from the Ticket checks it or not.

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  10. Most failed call in on the Ticket ever. Triple strong shake voice.

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  11. Cool props to MTC and other newer Ticket blogs given out by Junes and Gordo this morning. Pman, I think it was obvious by what they said that hosts stop by. How else would Gordo know the tenor of the conversations? Besides, we know for sure personnel and hosts stop by. They've posted comments, sent e-mails to you, etc.

    I have to get back to work, but I have a little something to say about Gordo's Wendy Davis column and his discussion of it. No, it has nothing to do with Wendy Davis' politics.

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  12. Just a curious question - is the 20th birthday getting any national coverage or is its relevance only local?

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  13. This Ticket Stock kick-off of the top moments is really, really cool.

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  14. No, there is no national coverage of a sports radio station's 20-year anniversary.

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  15. Okay, this is running way too long.

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  16. this is a huge beating but can't wait for them to get it worked out and get going!

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  17. BART STAR WAS NOT THAT GREAT STOP

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  18. I now revise my previous comment after hearing it run for the 8th time. Still good, but ready for the real thing to start.

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  19. Why start this off with a total beatdown?

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  20. Guys - chill out. They've stated all week that Ticketstock officially started at 12:30, so they repeated the old commercials on a loop. Top Moment #20 was Skip Bayless signing on to The Ticket for the first time. A nice discussion of this by the roundtable. Apparently they will discuss each top moment down to #1 throughout the afternoon.

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  21. from theticket.com:

    "Doors open Friday January 24th at Noon, and Saturday the 25th at 10 AM. All your favorite Ticket guys will be on hand for their famous roundtables, plus big name guests, and the Ticket Timewasters close down the show Saturday night!

    The Ticket’s Top 20 Moments Revealed on Friday

    Friday from Noon-7 PM our Ticket Roundtables will center on the Top 20 moments in the 20 years of The Ticket!

    No BaD Radio or the Hardline on Friday. Just ALL The Ticket guys together recalling, reminiscing, and counting down the Top 20 moments in Ticket history."

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  22. awesome sauce

    http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/01/23/justin-beiberselena-gomez-text-messages/

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  23. This afternoon's radio is the best. I love the format they decided to use.

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  24. The greatest trick the ticket ever pulled was convincing it's listeners they knew anything about radio.

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  25. I'll second @3:57 that I love this format. Hearing the context through the roundtable around so many of the moments we have laughed at over the years is awesome.

    The Johnny Showtime/DRA fight recap from those in the room was awesome.

    I love quick-to-twist-off Dan.

    And while we're on Dan, I am totally going to steal his comment to Norm: "It's called, 'The way it is!'"

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  26. "convincing it's listeners"

    Really?

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  27. For those who complained about the opening loop.......imagine hearing that for a week, two weeks or more before the station actually came on the air. It was maddening. It also insured you would drop by to see what it was all about.

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  28. So who is gonna record this thing?

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  29. I want audio for 7-9. I just left and it was awesome. Podcast for before 7 will be easy to get but hopefully the unticket will have something. It was my first TS but not my last.

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  30. Hopefully someone will post up some audio. But in the meantime, say, T4, how about a recap or at least what story or stories really stood out to you? Were there any surprise guests (i.e., old hosts or personnel or... GW)? Was there anything said that pulled back the curtain and shocked you?

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  31. I was a little underwhelmed with the whole "pull back the curtain" segment. Nothing was said that hasn't been said before. If you have read the ticket book and listened to the station throughout the years, you've heard it all before. No, Greggo was not present. They did talk about him though. They said the usual stuff like they hope he gets his sh*t together but they just couldn't have him on the station anymore.

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  32. I was a little underwhelmed with the whole "pull back the curtain" segment. Nothing was said that hasn't been said before. If you have read the ticket book and listened to the station throughout the years, you've heard it all before. No, Greggo was not present. They did talk about him though. They said the usual stuff like they hope he gets his sh*t together but they just couldn't have him on the station anymore.

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  33. Does anyone know if the Orphanage is doing their show tomorrow or if roundtables start at 10:00?

    Ticketstock was dope as usual. My only nitpick is the extreme scarcity of seating for the roundtables. By 5:00 or 6:00, there were about four times as many P1's crammed around the bleachers, as there were actually sitting in them. They have plenty of space. Maybe get some more seats? I dunno, man.

    to Nancy:

    The more I've been thinking about it - and Junes and Jub have reiterated similar sentiments - the more Mrs. Plainsman's theory about giggling seems right on. Laughing at these guys laughing at (and with) one another really gets at the heart of what I love about the Little One. It elevates my mood somehow, someway, almost every single day. Sure, these guys provide valued HSOs and other obscure products, but it's the delicate flow of esoteric, yet accessible back-and-forth that keeps me tuned in. These guys have the type of conversations that I have, only their's are cooler, smarter, and funnier..... but just as much giggling.

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  34. ...And I echo Anon 12:33's comments on the 7-9 stuff.

    I was totes hoping for some more "too hot for A.M." kinda stuff, like some juicy behind the scenes and so forth.

    Yeah.

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  35. apropos to p dub's insightful quote: "These guys have the type of conversations that I have, only their's are cooler, smarter, and funnier."

    Ticket Stars--------they're just like us!

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  36. I still think we are making too much of the men giggling thing. Guys like to laugh with the Ticket hosts because most of us are in on the joke.

    No surprise about the behind the scenes talk. They pull back the curtain on the air all the time.

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  37. Mike gets all retrospective over the 20th.

    http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1s039ok

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  38. I think the thing I liked about the 7-9 segment was because every host was out there. I admit it was nothing ground breaking said except Craig dropped an f bomb and some others did similar things but it was the atmosphere.

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  39. Thanks for the reporting the gist of the spirit of the pulling back of the curtain, T4. I sort of figured as much. Once I heard Wilonsky was moderating/hosting it, I figured that nothing that hasn't already been told would be revealed. That it was going to be a controlled atmosphere.

    I thought Michael Irvin was great on the roundtable yesterday. And I'm glad they're making this TS all about The Ticket, and not the celebrity guest(s). How well attended was it?

    The Orphanage really sucks today. More so than usual. One thing they are nailing is the fact that The Rant wasn't that great. Those "classic" Rant bits they're playing aren't funny. But at that time, it was the only thing to listen to on a Saturday morning so it seemed like greatness. It wasn't.

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  40. Below is Mike's Twitlonger expression of gratitude and thankfulness. Pretty neat. Perhaps now he, finally, understands why so many P1s got upset and soured (in some cases to this day) on THL and more specifically him when he exclaimed "We don't owe the listener anything"? I hope he does.


    Mike Rhyner @theoldgreywolf
    25th January 2014 from TwitLonger

    I don't often stop down and allow myself a 'look what you guys have done' moment but today I did...and it was overwhelming...seeing all of you out there and being up there with the guys, while always meaningful, was moreso today...going back over the old times, seeing Spence, Michael Moroney, Susie, Kim, Cindy, Randy, Ted, and any of the others who were there on day 1 20--20!!!!!--years ago, hearing the stories of Junior and George and Gordon about what they were thinking about things in the months/days leading up to it, hearing what Norm had to say about it as someone looking on from the outside, and then hearing all of you tell me how we're like family to you, how Matt from Tampa came in here just for this and had a hard time explaining to the people he worked with that he was going to Dallas to watch a bunch of guys do radio, how your dads used to listen when you were in the car and you wondered what was so great about it but now you get it totally...and then when my own young daughter showed up unexpected and unannounced, even though several knew of it...I thought the day would be pretty special but was thinking it would be that way to me and not so much anyone else...and now I see how short-sighted that was--it was special to all of us and drove home once again just how this thing works and why...and it leaves me with just this one question: where did it all go?...seems like yesterday when we were ganging up on the 5th floor of the Capitol Bank Building on Mockingbird/Central to take the wraps off this thing...and now? 20 years?...really?....thank you all for a day I will not soon forget and I hope we see you again tomorrow for the Timewasters
    1

    http://tl.gd/n_1s039ok · Reply
    Report post (?)

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  41. Pretty cool to hear that from Rhyner. I did see a guy that had a leather jacket with the name Dr. Matt and a picture of a tooth on the back. I'm thinking he's a dentist and have heard him referred to in the early days. I would say the numbers were in the hundreds but for the 7-9 segments everyone was jammed as close to the stage as they coukd. I stood for nearly 9 hours so my legs were killing me. Once I got ready to leave I made my way through the jam but then you realize how big that exhibit hall is and how much room there was. I talked to Jerry Jones's bus driver, Emory. I asked him about Roosevelt and he knew him pretty well. Emory's job was to take care of the 2.5 million bus that JJ's has fully decked out. Very nice. I might upload some pics I took later on. Lots of nice boats there too (Phil Dill boats). Lots of sponsors you hear on commercials had small exhibits set up there. Oh yeah, I saw Grubes all through the day and he came up to me, after I shouted Grubes, and shook my hand and chatted with my brother and I for a quick second. Very approachable. Most hosts were too but I couldn't see myself walking up to them and whipping them down so I watched from a distance most of the day. Good times...

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  42. Donovan spares me to death. I like him but there's just not much in his bag.

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  43. runitandrunitandrunitandrunitandrunitJanuary 25, 2014 at 6:26 PM

    Thanks for the recap, T4.

    Kinda taken aback by Mike's saying he's been listening to the old GW HL audio and remembering how special it was. For him that's probably about as close to as an "I miss those days/the old GW" as we'll ever hear. I do wonder if that might be the first step toward him softening his stance on GW and maybe even an opening of the door to communication and an eventual coming to terms/peace with GW? Would be super cool. Probably be therapeutic for Mike. I was also surprised when he said "I know that will never and can never happen again, but I it was pretty neat" when talking about the old days. There was more than a hint of wistfulness in his voice.

    I thought Grubes would've been a bigger player on air. When he left, a big deal was made. And it was. I dig Jake, but it hasn't been the same since Shoops went away. The last remnant of the "we're one of you and you're one of us" mentality left the building when he flew the coop. Grubes "got it" in a way that even some of the hosts no longer do. He "got" the old school vibe and lived it.

    Yeah. I miss the halcyon days of those 1st handful of years. I also miss the way Grubes brought a bit of that magic back by hanging out with P1s, befriending them, and making a scene with them. The thing I miss the most though is the old HL. I got chills when they played the long forgotten "60 more minutes of THL" with the Zep thumping. I miss GW. And I hope some of those clips they played helped some of you who weren't around back in the old days understand why some of us still love the guy, no matter how badly he screwed up his life.

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  44. I hadn't thought of it in years, but when they played it around 4ish pm today it sparked a lot of good memories, like smelling a certain scent that brings you back in a powerful way..."Sixty more minutes of the Hardline, Sixty more minutes of the Hardline, Sixty more minutes of the Hardline..."

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  45. Here's an album I uploaded from last night. I'll apologize in advance for the blurry pics, I'm not too snazzy with the old smartphone.

    http://s84.photobucket.com/user/Tim_Duzan/slideshow/TicketStock%202014

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  46. 6:26, I could not agree more man! I caught some of the show today, and heard the old "absolutely you bitch" gag. Funny how the only time I still crackup laughing is when it involves Greggo. I didn't listen to a lot but did they play Gordo's Fake Greggo and Russel Crowe bit? People, if you havn't heard it, go to youtube and type Russel Crowe and fake Greggo! Also, was Expo there?

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  47. T4 you weren't kidding. You might be the worst camera man of all time.

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  48. T4, thanks for sharing your recollection and photos of TS. 'Preciate ya, pal. Really 'preciate ya.

    @1248
    Why don't you actually contribute something before you pop off? You d, you.

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  49. I really wish they'd have thrown in an old school, uninterrupted by Gordon I'm really shy and withdrawn and conflicted but I'm forced to put my stamp on every second of air time due to my role as the station's HL Mencken Keith, Hard Line intro by Rhyner. The full on hazed, grayed, and underway gig. Would've loved to have heard a BETTER 2 Minute Drill. The one they played was about as spare as it a 2MD could get. But yeah buddy, that 60 more minutes of THL on top of When the Levee Breaks had my Spidey Senses tinglin' like nothing else. F yeah I miss those days. Best of the best. Best of the f'n best, brutha. Greggo, miss you dude. Didn't know how much I did until this weekend. I also miss the old Rhyner. Before he died and whatnot. I miss Rhyner because Rhyner took charge of the show. That mfer was the admiral of the USS HL. Now, not so much.

    Funny how I heard some stuff that really seemed to be pointed toward this site. Laziness and yada yada yada. I honestly think it was aimed here. Thing is, it was always a Muser or a BaD guy making the statement. Funny cuz most of us on this site talk about lazy for one show only. The Hardline. Whatever the deal is, I wish that before he packs it in, Rhyner becomes Rhyner again and gets The Hardline back on track. It hasn't been in years and years now. Too music centric. Too wanna hear about my life -----see Howard Stern----- centric. Get it together, Rhyner. Come on.

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  50. Haha...it's all good. They might be bad quality but it's the least I could do for those that didn't get a chance to go out there. The commentators are the reason why I frequent this site.

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  51. watching the Grammy's and thought of Greggo. In my best Greggo voice..."now we have robots on tv."

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  52. watching the Grammy's and thought of Greggo. In my best Greggo voice..."I thought I would see who was the best musicians and instead I am treated to a gay wedding".

    Full disclosure, I am not against same sex weddings but how are they a part of the Grammy's. Really?

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  53. Now that Ticketstock is over, what promotional jingle will we be beaten to death with next?

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  54. http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/01/23/justin-beiberselena-gomez-text-messages/

    Also-great cover story on bacsik in the Observer

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  55. 1/25 6:26 - I think Grubes had a Stars gig that night and that was probably why he wasn't there more.

    I didn't get to listen to the Musers this morning, but did they announce when any audio would be played from the TimeWasters?

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  56. Shake Joint played a bunch of audio at the end of their show yesterday. Regulate with Rhynes and Donovan was awesome.

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  57. I'm very interested in hearing THL over the next few weeks and months. Specifically, Mike. A friend of mine was at the Q&A session Friday. He said Mike in particular was visibly emotional, and that as the session went on, he opened up more and more. When I couple that with Bob's similar description of the Q&A and said openness carrying over to subsequent all-skate dinner, I wonder if we'll see a reinvigorated, more appreciative (truly appreciative, not just lip-service) of his job, what he's accomplished, and perhaps most importantly, the listener and just what TheTicket and he himself has and does mean/t to the listener (?). I really hope so. Someone made the comment earlier, but I'll repeat and second it: Maybe now he knows how downright s****y it was of him to say "We don't owe you [the listener] anything." Again, I really hope so. I've no idea how much longer Mike intends on doing this. However it long it may be, may he be fully engaged, hazed, grayed, and underway. I for one can't see myself listening to him much longer if he's going to continue to broadcast the same show he's been doing for the last 5 or more years--i.e., uninterested unless it pertains to either music or musicians he likes or some other niche interest of his.

    Keep on rockin' with The Hardline. . . .

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  58. In case anyone missed it the great Unticket has posted the audio everyone wanted from Friday night:

    http://www.theunticket.com/we-pull-back-the-curtain-on-the-ticket-1-24-14/

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  59. @previous post

    Excellent. As big of a deal that they made about this being exclusive, I'm downloading before it gets pulled for some reason or other.

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  60. Recognize anybody you know?

    http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/raissman-super-bowl-radio-daze-air-thick-gasbags-valley-stupid-article-1.1593479

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  61. I've been slowly making my way through the top 20 ticket moments from Friday via the Unticket but I got to #1 and it's cut off! Anyone know where I can listen to the audio from Friday 7-7:30 (or whatever time it ended)?

    Any chance one of the Unticket guys still reads these comments and can help out?

    Thanks!

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  62. @ 10:23 AM, like that Bacsik's show on the Fan is the other featured picture there.

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  63. #1 was 9/11. Not surprising in the least, but I kinda felt it was too easy (maybe it could have been top five?)

    It was where I first heard about the attack, however, so it did take me back to that morning in the car on my way to Grand Prairie to deal with a traffic ticket.

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  64. ...and yes, I understand it was voted upon by the listener.

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  65. I'm thinking about enrolling in the masters program in finance at the University of Colorado. I doesn't appear you have to be very smart to get through the curriculum. (Of course I don't have much chance of parlaying it into a gig as a nookie girl for a radio station or sports magazine.)

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  66. @deezy
    Ditto on hearing the events of 9-11 first on the Musers.

    @643
    You just broke my brain.

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  67. BaD Radio is my favorite show, and Dan is entertaining, but Lee Corso is right...

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