Friday, May 30, 2014

Why Are We Fighting? Mick, I Have No Idea


What are we to make of this fracas over The Fan ripping off The Ticket?  I confess (of course), I'm amused and puzzled by the whole thing.

I personally have not heard any of this thievery, but the accounts I've read from Confessors' comments is pretty persuasive that the Fan is nakedly copying more than a couple of Ticket bits.

Now, let's acknowledge that The Ticket itself may have been, um, inspired, in some cases, by historical bits from gag-based radio.  I personally don't know of any, but it would be surprising if some of those items don't have broadcast antecedents.  I don't think that's very important.  Clearly, The Ticket has owned the bits in question in this market for a long, long time, and their sound and structure must be counted as The Ticket's Own.

This has several aspects.

First, there's the copying itself.

My first thought was anticipated by a commenter to the previous thread, which is that this avalanche of plagiarism may be a deliberately provocative "mass bit" to get some attention, get The Ticket's goat.  If so, it must be considered a success.  Guy's Night Out, today's BaD Radio.  The Fan hasn't had that kind of publicity since RaGE and Greg Williams's perambulations kept us all fascinated by the slow, but inevitable, train wreck.

Second, there's The Ticket's reaction.

Is it wise to let anything about a station as seldom visited as The Fan get under the hosts' collective skin?  I suppose a little well-placed outrage isn't going to improve The Fan's fortune very much.  I'll confess (again), though, when Mike's Mind today was going to be about a current event, instead of checking out Cowlishaw and Mosely (or whoever was subbing for Matt today), I tuned in The Fan.  (It was a segment on Ben's, I think, trip with his family to a drive-in in Ennis.  Of some interest.)

On balance, though, I think I'd let it go.  It can't be a smart competitive move to rip off a rival with bits which, by all accounts, are hugely inferior to the original.

Third, and only tangentially related, there's the suspected invasion of this site by Fan operatives.

We have welcomed Kevin Turner here for a long time, and I personally continue to do so.  I find his contributions credible, and they're always restrained and within the spirit of the site.  As to various other non-named interlopers, I have no evidence other than anonymous accusations that The Two Gavins (Spittle and Dawson) are posting.

Gavin Spittle preparing to open his laptop to compose a comment
for My Ticket Confession
My self-interested reaction is to be somewhat flattered, on my own behalf and that of the Confessor.  I am encouraged in this by Anon 232 from the last thread, who wrote:  "Oh, and why, pray tell, would The FAIL mess around with MTC? Because, and this is a testament to you commenters and to Plainsman, they know the CTO and Ticket personnel DO pay attention to MTC."  While I know that what is written here is sometimes reflected in on-air adjustments, those influences are extremely minor and extremely rare.  (Other than the move to 96.7 FM, for which I still have not received a commission check.)  Some hosts fly by.  Cat checks in maybe once a quarter.  Some of he JV and off-air staff read it with some regularity, I think.  (Long ago I heard from a Ticket employee who said that in walking through the station he would see My Ticket Confession displayed on laptops.)  Most hosts -- no.  I think maybe two check it from time to time, the others only if someone emails them a link.  But The Fan guys?  Maybe more.  Kevin, certainly, and others looking for evidence of interest in their offerings.

Gavin Dawson fortifies himself for the burst of creativity
required for the drafting of a standout comment for
My Ticket Confession
(Side note:  I've noted in the past that the fact that  I so seldom hear from Ticket insiders via email -- really, pretty much never, maybe once every few months -- tends to suggest that whatever the intensity of the politics at the Ticket workplace, it's a tight-knit, loyal, satisfied group.)

Come to think of it, though:  Other than the occasional radio message board and Reddit, this site remains maybe the only regulated swap-meet for views on DFW sports radio.  Guess I should speculate more responsibly.

Self-interest aside, I've said it before:  If Fan enthusiasts want to be heard, I don't have any strong objections to that and won't unless they threaten to take over the comments, which they are far from doing.  As far as who the commenters might be  .  .  .  I will say that I haven't heard privately from anyone denying that Fan luminaries are posting here.   If I were one of The Two Gavins, though, I think I would let the speculation and accusations fly even if I weren't commenting.  As Oscar Wilde famously observed, "There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about."

I oughta know.

The inventor of Gay/Not Gay
*     *     *

ThePlainsman1310@gmail.com
@Plainsman1310

130 comments:

  1. BREAKING NEWS..

    THE UNTICKET is becoming a pay site effective June 1st at least in terms of the entire show replays.. Next we will here that the Plainsman is making MTC a pay site. I will either have to pony up $13.10 a month or experience a reduction in my quality of life. At least he is not charging $96.7

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dang it. I meant hear not here. Sorry for the inconvenience my misspelling may have caused.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is there any place to hear replays of the fan? I'm interested in the Ennis drive-in segment.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yeah I think it's called the unfan.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rhyner is losing it. I started switching over to B&S after bad radio when ben & skin hit the fan.

    The Hardline is a dying show and will change dramatically once Rhyner finally retires.

    I'm not happy about it but there is no way Snake carries a show by himself and I seriously doubt that the next host will want to tolerate him.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The next host will be Jake Kemp.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Agree with Anon 9:52

    I bet they team Jake with Danny and Corby for an updated Hardline when Rhynes retires. Perhaps it wont be called the Hardline? The couple of times they have had the threesome of Jake, Danny, and Corby has been very good IMO.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Not so fast for Jake...

    If there is a former Ranger or Cowboy player who is easily available and can bring advertisers, like Jason Witten, some former OL or even the balsa wood body of Sean Lee, he will be brought in quickly because they will bring in ad $$$ more than any JVer will for the first 6-24 months.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I guess the concerns about Danny leaving to run the bar are unfounded - so far.

    ReplyDelete
  10. For everyone complaining about TSJ having The Orbans on in studio on Memorial Day: guess who their bassist is.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Shaggy -

    I googled and found the name of Cliff Wright as the bassist. However, this means nothing to me.

    Can you provide some background on your comment.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It's Danny.

    front and center

    http://www.fwweekly.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Cover02_26_14-933x1024.jpg

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wow. I was streaming while the Orbans were on but not really listening as I am not familiar with their music.

    Was anything said about Danny being the bassist?

    ReplyDelete
  14. How about a re-do on letting Nelson Cruz walk. More HRs than any 5 Rangers combined. Wow

    ReplyDelete
  15. The only thing about this site that I'm certain of is that "So Anonymous" is legit.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I don't know if they mentioned Danny. I punched out for the whole time The Orbans were on.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm not too hip -- not hip at all -- to the local music scene. The foregoing comments prompt questions: (1) Is Danny still with this band? (2) Are we thinking he was present, anonymously, in the studio? (I did not hear the segment in question.)

    ReplyDelete
  18. That FW weekly article is only 3 months old.

    Danny's Facebook says this:

    Owner at Twilite Lounge, Bassist at The Orbans and Bassist/Vocals at Calhoun

    The Orbans
    Bassist · 2013 to present

    ReplyDelete
  19. Danny is not a touring member of The Orbans or Calhoun. He also plays with other solo artist like Doug Burr and Trey Johnson.

    ReplyDelete
  20. They did mention Danny wad in the band but I dont believe he was there.

    What makes you think the Ticket would bring in a former athlete to replace Mike or anyone else? There are no other former athletes in the Varsity lineup...why start then?

    ReplyDelete
  21. P-Man, any thoughts to maybe eliminating the "Anonymous" Identity option? I know it's the Internet and you can be as anonymous as you want, but I think making people AT LEAST create some sort of identity, even if it is fake, kind of assumes just a smidge of accountability to what they say.

    Your blog/forum is like one of the few remaining places where you can still post whatever you want without being held accountable to your identity.

    It's not a big deal, but just something I was thinking about as I was reading the 22 comments on this post and only 4 of them were from proven "identities."

    ReplyDelete
  22. By the way, here's the link to the GNO Roundtable where they discuss the FAIL's rip-off tactics...which I am still holding firm to is a big bit.

    http://www.theunticket.com/gno-last-roundtable-5-29-14/

    ReplyDelete
  23. Bob at the very end: "You should do a party at Sneaky Pete's... unless it gets too big."

    That shows the hosts pay pretty close attention to the kinds of things with which we waste our time on this site.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I don't know how else to convey to you "it's a bit" folks that it isn't. Again, this is what Gavin Spittle does. He tried to do it his first go around as The FAN's PD. He failed. He was then hired on in Houston and went as far as to call one of his shows BaD Radio. He took Ticket lingo and concepts, verbatim, to the station. The station IS Ticket South. Of course it's a pale and pathetic imitation. But it is an imitation of the highest order nonetheless. Gavin is giving this strategy one more spin his second time as The FAN's PD.

    Does KT have a directive to maintain a presence here at MTC? He says he doesn't so I'll take him at his word. Like BBQ, deezy, and others have said: I'm not sure what he's getting out of his constant correcting of what he says is misinformation. Sean Bass finally wised up and stopped going head to head with every troll and every person who has a (legitimate, not trolling) opinion that runs contrary to his own. He realized there's no "winning" in such an endeavor. KT would do well to take a cue from Sean.

    I will say that there is a certain commenter who has way too much industry insider data and info in general to be merely an enthusiastic FAN Fan who wants to spread the word/defend his or her favorite station. This person (or is it persons?) most definitely is associated with The FAN. And the nearly systematic way in which s/he goes about commenting appears to be strategic. The timing, the release of info moments before, the moment of, or one moment after the info is released publicly could only be done by a FAN employee. And a FAN employee in the know.

    Too bad about the monetizing of The Unticket. I could be wrong, but I think, much like what happened to Whitt's blog when he tried the same thing, ap and dywpp will find out rather quickly that they misread the market.

    I agree that Jake will be Mike's replacement when he (Mike) retires. Not that this is in any way proof of such a thing, but did anyone catch Friday's WTDS? Mike started busting Jake's balls in that special way he does. Where you can't tell if he's genuinely pissed off or not. Jake was audibly nervous. Mike then did something that in 20 years I've never once heard him do: he told Jake, and in a very warm, paternal tone, "you know I'm just kidding…you're my boo…you know that." It wouldn't surprise me at all if Jake is Mike handpicked successor. Will it still be called THL? I doubt it. How could it be. All the original HLers would be gone.

    ReplyDelete
  25. The unticket guys are not trying to make money. They're trying to not lose thousands of dollars a month in bandwidth charges.

    ReplyDelete
  26. and don't worry. The Hardline will live forever

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BpIuNoFCUAA80-Y.jpg

    ReplyDelete
  27. And the unticket guys put up a poll asking what people would rather do, loose it, pay per month, pay once, etc... and they explained that they just can't do it anymore out of their own pocket. Both with storage of all the files and maybe faster better internet.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I wasn't implying they were trying to make a living off of it. My Whitt anecdote was to point out that it's very difficult to give away a product for years and then begin charging for it. No matter how much the product is enjoyed. And yes, Whitt did have a lot of customers over the years. Just to head that one off at the pass.

    So, I wouldn't begrudge ap and dywpp for trying to make a shekel, if that was their intent. I certainly understand why they want/need to charge. I'm only saying that I hope they're not disappointed when they don't meet their goals. Many will claim they have no qualms with paying. Most of them, when it comes time to pay, will not. Or if they do, they'll pay once, and only once. They'll realize they can do without. Of course, the sad thing is that The Unticket will then do the way of the dinosaurs.

    ReplyDelete
  29. If the Unticket guys find they have collected more money than they need for operating costs will they do the right thing and give all the money back and tell everyone they should be ashamed?
    Give it all back..

    ReplyDelete
  30. My favorite bit of Fail copying is when they try to fire off drops. They aren't funny and the drops just create audio pollution. It's like they're mucking about in a pool of their own vomit trying to do something they simply don't understand.

    ReplyDelete
  31. The Unticket has become an integral part of The Little Ticket ecosphere.I don't think it's going away no matter what. They might just have to stop offering entire shows. The problem isn't storage, it's bandwidth. Apparently a lot of people just listen to entire shows, and that costs a lot to serve. If people want to use it as their personal Ticket streaming service, they should cover the bandwidth cost.

    ReplyDelete
  32. As much as the UnTicket does for the station and the ownership, it's in Cumulus' best interest for it to stick around. I'm surprised that someone in CTO Land hasn't realized that subsidizing it would help everyone. There's no competing service offered by Cumulus, so it's not a case of poaching, people get actual value from it and will even hear some of the ads. Hell, they could even add some spots to the beginning and end of the clips. We'll just skip over those, but nobody will know and everyone ends up happy.

    Wait, what am I saying? I'm presuming that the CTO would make a reasonable, intelligent decision. The minute they realize it exists, there will be a cease and desist filed and AP and DP will end up in jail.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Where did you hear that The UnTicket was going to be a paid site for entire shows on June 1? It's not on their site and it's now June 2.

    ReplyDelete
  34. http://www.theunticket.com/usave-it/

    It's right there in the introduction to the post (maybe the paywall hasn't been erected yet, but there's the official statement.)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Which will happen first?

    Corby will have something nice to say about gun owners or Corby will pronounce Maleficent correctly.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Actually Corby doesn't have anything bad to say about your average gun owner but instead he has consistently bashed the gun lobby and the open carry demonstrators. I realize in the South if you don't skew conservative you aren't American. God bless America and our guns

    ReplyDelete
  37. Couldn't the Unticket just offer each show as a download rather than a stream? Seems like that would save them a lot of bandwidth. I'd rather have to save the files locally than have to pay to listen.

    ReplyDelete
  38. I'm with Birq on this opinion...The Unticket has given a lot to The Ticket over the years, including saving their but with a lot of lost drops from the move. They should pony up for server costs. It makes us stronger P1's in reality. ..but yes, that would never happen at a place where Cumulus cares about the almighty dollar.

    ReplyDelete
  39. "Couldn't the Unticket just offer each show as a download rather than a stream?"

    You don't understand how bandwidth works.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Well tell us how it works.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Stream vs download doesn't make a difference because in both cases their server is uploading the file to your device.

    I do think they are making a mistake by going to a subscription model vs. kick starter project. I don't stream from there often so I have no reason to pay a monthly fee, but wouldn't mind kicking in a few bucks to a kickstarter to keep them out of the red.

    I also wonder if this will change Cumulus view of their site. It now looks like a for profit site (though I realize it won't be a money maker) on content they don't own. Cat may be cool with it, but will the suits in Atlanta?

    ReplyDelete
  42. Saw the UnTicket thing coming. I don't know how much it would take to keep the ball rolling. I'd pitch in for a one shot deal, but not sure I would get 13 bucks a month worth out of it. But, I hear most of it. Said it before and I'll probably say it again some unforeseen time, we be spoiled, fat and lazy.
    IIRC the Unticket hands said their bandwidth overlords told them it was gonna start costing them. If they skim some off, whatever, but what am I getting for my 1310? It will be sad to see it go if it comes to that.

    If Gavin Spittle is hanging out here listening to us rant and ramble then he already lost.

    I did think it was cool George Disomethingoranother took the time to comment as ramblerific as it might have been. Can somebody parse that please? I still have a hard time figuring out what the hell he was trying to say? "I do as best I can man with what I got! and stfu!" Ok maybe. Calm down George. this is not a throwdown.


    and welcome back TC

    ReplyDelete
  43. I'm out on a monthly fee. I'm in on a kickstarter contribution.

    ReplyDelete
  44. You always could download the complete Ticket shows from the unticket by subscribing to the Podcasts on your Phong.

    ReplyDelete
  45. I will say one last time, I am not the Gavins, I was not the Richie, I guess I'll have to contact P-Man directly and drop the anon or just stop coming around. Try, if you can, not to make the Fan out to be a cellar dwellar. Top 10 in M25-54 is no such thing. The fact of the matter is we have 3 sports stations in DFW that people listen to, and love. But...you all are right, there's no reason for us Fan confessors to be here, so enjoy your Ticket, it's well deserved, just try not to be so closed minded about the rest of the landscape.

    I've listened to the Ticket my whole life, I've loved the Ticket for a long time...I've just grown more passionate about something else that's come in to the fold.

    ReplyDelete
  46. TC is doing tickers right now during Norm. Guess he didn't burn too many bridges as some might have thought

    ReplyDelete
  47. Yeaaahhh! Young Mister Thomas Charles is doing tickers this morning.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Pman is right, Cat is a saint. After pulling even half of the immature crap TC did on his way to Fla. most bosses would've have said don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya. I bet Letche is thrilled.

    Have to think that Cat or someone had a come to Jesus talk with TC before rehiring him. Have to think our little man has leant himself a lesson or 4 in public relations, interpersonal relations, and about himself.

    Good luck to ya this time 'round, TC. #humbleblessed

    ReplyDelete
  49. What did TC say about Letche?

    ReplyDelete
  50. from the TC AMA. Interesting quote if anyone missed it--that's why I'm including the whole thing. Joe Letsche reference in last sentence.

    "All of the hosts are nice. It's my opinion that the way I was framed on air at times had an adverse impact on the public opinion of me. And this is a job where public opinion determines job performance. I didn't think that was nice, and I think that going forward if I'm ever in that position, I hope I don't frame someone else similarly. But they're paid to entertain, and I wouldn't deny that people are entertained by the jokes made. I understand that.
    Also there is a definite divide in the way they behave on air and the way they behave off of the air. Off air, the hosts showed a genuine interest in my future and did plenty to look out for me and get me opportunities. They have all been real friends.
    As far as the rest of the on-air staff, I rubbed a lot of them the wrong way. I wouldn't say any of them were day-in, day-out assholes though. It's not like there was someone who wouldn't talk to me or anything. We were all professional. The thing that stands out is a meeting I had shortly before I was hired to do the Top 10. In the meeting, I was told that my coworkers had given negative feedback and that was causing the bosses to have reservations about giving me the job. I wasn't given specific names, and though I'm tempted to guess out loud, that would probably be over the line. I did end up with the job, and I think I performed pretty well. My tickers sucked balls, but I was reasonably happy with the Top 10 itself on most nights. Given that, I think it was pretty fucked up that people tried to use their personal animus against me to block me from a job that I was qualified to perform well in. That was the big example, but there were others. Based on stuff like that, I think a lot of the non-host personnel were assholes.
    I think I'll probably end up sounding like an asshole myself here, but this should give insight into the dynamics. If I saw someone above me, and they did something that I thought was dumb, I didn't try to hide that I thought it was dumb. I see it as trying to engage with the situation and be a problem-solver. They see it as me having a high opinion of myself and not knowing my place. I did not really agree with the idea of someone having a place. I think we're all people and our ideas should be measured by their own merit, not by how long someone has been working somewhere. When it comes to someone like Jake who generally has pretty good ideas, we were friends and got along fine. When it was someone who didn't have as good of ideas, we tended not to get along. And having Jake also going through a lot of the same situations was a tremendous learning experience because he's a lot better than me about navigating those things. I learned a ton about how to do better on those things from talking with him and watching how he did things. But most relationships I had with coworkers were pretty well cemented by then.
    I don't really want to call out anyone specific except for Joe Letsche. That guy's the worst."

    ReplyDelete
  51. I'm sure Brogan, Fahey and One-legged Intern Justin are super psyched to have fah-fa-fuh back. I was beginning to enjoy the new Ticket JV lineup, but they just took a wrong turn.

    TC brings a big bag of nothing. The next time he does a solid, professional job will be the first. I actually used to root for the guy, but when he got comfortable enough in his own legend to open up, he showed what he really is - a smug, entitled now-it-all with far less talent than attitude.

    Just go to The Fail, fah-fa-fuh - you'll fit in perfectly there. It is your destiny...

    ReplyDelete
  52. I was told that my coworkers had given negative feedback and that was causing the bosses to have reservations about giving me the job ... I think it was pretty fucked up that people tried to use their personal animus against me to block me from a job that I was qualified to perform well in.

    Personal animus? Maybe you were doing a crappy job and - as co-workers should - they told management when they were asked. That's how it works in the big-boy world.

    I did not really agree with the idea of someone having a place.

    But you do. That's how it works. You have to earn your place. You don't get to tell 20-year veterans how to do something you just started in. Of all the stupid things TC has ever said, this has got to be the most tone-deaf and infuriating. How Cat could give him another chance after that is beyond me. If this kid were on my team he would be gone.

    I don't really want to call out anyone specific except for Joe Letsche. That guy's the worst.

    Stay classy, TC.

    Jeeze, what an idiot.

    ReplyDelete
  53. TC just advertised for a new job while he's on the air at the job that gave him a second chance. I'm not sure that's a bright move.

    ReplyDelete
  54. I wasn't listening. Explain, please.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Agree with Anon 1:27pm. TC has a lot to learn if he thinks the real world of business doesn't work this way.

    I've never liked the guy and I'm disappointed Cat gave him another shot. This quote of his is a big reason why.

    ReplyDelete
  56. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Anon 3:01, BaDD radio was talking with TC and catching up, TC then basically announced on the air during the segment that if anyone wants to hire him, they can contact him through email.

    I'm a TC fan, and I'm just disappointed that it's really come to this. I'm hoping good things for him.

    ReplyDelete
  58. Dan: "What else have you learned?"

    TC: "...I think that most of the last six years of my life have been spent learning how much of a a-hole I was six years ago, and, you know, four years ago, and, last month..."

    Giggles all around at that one.

    He then made it clear that he was brought back part-time (the jobs comment that cpatterson mentioned), and right at the end of the segment he said something about "send me your jobs". I don't see what's so bad about that - he's not trying to leave again, he just needs full-time work.

    ReplyDelete
  59. *not NECESSARILY trying to leave again, I should say.

    ReplyDelete
  60. So glad to TC mumbling his way through tickers back.

    ReplyDelete
  61. It definitely was pretty cool of Cat to bring TC back if even on a part time basis. On the flip side TC does provide ready fill-in talent as he knows the board op job very well.

    ReplyDelete
  62. Who does the latest arrangement of how will you feed? I support it.

    ReplyDelete
  63. Jiggity McDiggityJune 4, 2014 at 2:12 PM

    TC brought absolutely NOTHING the last time he was there. He is a worker bee. Nothing more. Why oh why do some of you (not just this site) act like he was some irreplaceable legend? He was a SPARE. S.P.A.R.E. I'm glad he is employed, because I wouldnt wish unemployment on anyone. But tap the breaks, TC lovers.

    ReplyDelete
  64. Jiggity McDiggityJune 4, 2014 at 2:16 PM

    The FAIL stealing Ticket bits is laughable. I know some people that work there. They claim to be the "young, hip station". They also claim that they're just firing back at The Ticket because they're quote "scared of us". Seriously? They couldn't even fill up Sneaky Pete's so they went to a spare brewery. The Ticket will gladly take Sneaky Pete's and destroy it with how many will show up.

    ReplyDelete
  65. Jiggity McDiggity, I agree with your assessment of TC. On The Ticket reddit page, it's a full-on lovefest for the self-important little dweeb. I can only assume it's because reddit's demo skews younger, and the idea of success without paying your dues or possessing notable talent is attractive to them.

    I don't want him (or anyone) unemployed either, but I don't want him on The Ticket. Let him find work elsewhere (blogging for a sports site would be good. Oh, wait, that requries a lot of work.) or even go to The Fail. They'd hire him. If he is as good as he thinks he is, he can succeed there, and maybe even get some ratings revenge. But that will never happen.

    ReplyDelete
  66. Where has anyone acted like TC is an irreplaceable legend?

    I thoroughly enjoy IJB (I've listened to every episode) and I think he's an interesting character. It's okay if you don't like him. I'm not offended by that opinion. It's odd that you're offended that others don't share your opinion though.

    ReplyDelete
  67. I also look forward to TC's upcoming White Sox blog.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Why would The Ticket be scared of The Fail, they can't even beat Espn.

    ReplyDelete
  69. Jiggity McDiggityJune 4, 2014 at 2:45 PM

    Im not offended, shaggy. I just dont get how "fa fuh fuh fuh fa" has so many fans. He spares people to death. And I post on other pages/forums as well where anyone who doesnt bow down to tc is obviously an idiot.

    ReplyDelete
  70. Wow, was the author on Bad Radio like nails on a chalkboard, or is it just me? Two segments?

    ReplyDelete
  71. The Fan is firmly ahead of ESPN outside of Rangers...don't know where that misnomer comes from...and G-Bag Nation is knocking on the door of BADD Radio...just keep watching your Barry Horn articles...or you could, ya know, actually look at the ratings.

    In any event...why knock the Fan if it's in the top 10? People are listening to the radio station, regardless of what place it's in the sports radio game.

    ReplyDelete
  72. Jiggity McDiggityJune 4, 2014 at 5:06 PM

    Hey Gavin. How you doing?

    ReplyDelete
  73. Where can I look at the ratings?

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  74. Do your math, Corby. A 75-year-old doctor could not have served in WWII.

    ReplyDelete
  75. I think, 5:43, you're forgetting about Doogie Howser, M.D.

    ReplyDelete
  76. Corby doesn't do math. Quite evident in the fact the whole crew didn't seem capable of differentiating between median and average when discussing the "median" age of various names. Of course 9 out of 10 US Americans without maps probably don't know the difference.

    ReplyDelete
  77. Particularly in South Africa and the Iraq.

    ReplyDelete
  78. I'm a supporter of those who think TC is put on a pedestal. I know a couple of young peeps who think the world owes them a thing or two and thing with the new technology they've figured out things way quicker than those who've earned it. I'm not trying to bag on TC but just hate seeing those who champion him for being nothing but what I've described.

    BTW, my captcha was "135"...sweet!

    ReplyDelete
  79. For those Day 1 P1s of IJB it is interesting to see how much Jake has matured and grown up, become self reflective of his own flaws and things he can improve on and has just bottom line shown personal growth whereas Mr. TC Flemming is a self absorbed and cocky and doesn't seem to learn the slightest thing. What a dichotomy. You almost feel like Jake is still friends with him out of a sense of commitment and/or pity. Come on TC grow up..

    ReplyDelete
  80. All right, Confessors, we've all had our fun pretending that various Fan-positive commenters can only be Fan executives or employees. Let's dial that back for now.

    We've seen anonymous posts that seem quite likely to be from, for example, Richie Whitt, or perhaps someone close to Greg Williams. But I'm reluctant to impugn the motives of all anonymi who post with something positive to say about a competitive station. So let's declare a moratorium on that for the time being.

    ReplyDelete
  81. When I heard that T.C. was back doing stuff at The Ticket, I had the feeling it might be a temporary thing Jeff Catlin made available as a courtesy to a long-time employee without ready opportunities. The guy is getting married, right? Has had the expense of two moves in the course of less than a year. A very nice gesture by the Pan-Am Catman.

    Whether he's really "back" with the same Ticket prospects he seemed to have when he noisily departed remains to be seen. I'm skeptical but have no idea. I kiiiiiiind of doubt it.

    For the record, this site has admired certain aspects of T.C.'s efforts to ascend in the radio world. You have to give him credit for improving his on-air stuff, his hard work, his preparation. Those are things I thought would make him successful in radio. He was a ground-floor guy who by sheer persistence made himself visible, not an easy thing for a ground-floor guy to do. I thought he would be successful in Pensacola.

    There were always indications of some troubling issues behind the scenes. He was clearly not a favorite of some hosts, although some seemed to take to him. We would get intimations that perhaps his peers were leery of him. He cruised into trouble which he chose to bring his employment issues directly out from behind the scenes via interviews, It's Just Banter, Twitter. I thought he'd awaken to the unwisdom of these initiatives, but as many commenters have pointed out, his challenges -- which go by many names, one of the more frequent being "a sense of entitlement," what I prefer to think of as "a lack of self-awareness" -- are so visible by his own promotional efforts that it's now difficult to separate his agreeable-enough on-air persona from the oh-christ-not-another-self-overvalued-pretender impression he leaves via his voluminous autobiographical utterances. The dawning awareness of How the World Works that most early-career professionals experience seems not yet to have arrived, and it colors the way I, at least, now hear him. Not fair? No; fair.

    It remains to be seen whether his new-found humility will serve as the foundation for a comeback.

    ReplyDelete
  82. On the topic of the FAN copying the Ticket's bits...

    At first, I thought it was a bit to rip off everything in an effort to irritate the Ticket to the point that they were rattled. But after thinking about how their current PD has don't this at every stop and how there are several former Ticket employees over there now, I think they are just that pathetic and desperate. Which got me to thinking this morning, not only is the PD pathetic and desperate, but the hosts would have to be completely pathetic and unsure of their own talents as well to go along with his demands to rip off the ticket. You would think at some point, at least one of their hosts would say, "I have enough talent on my own not to have to copy somebody else!"

    And in order for Spittle to think that just ripping off segment names and ideas would work, he would have to be completely dismissing the fact that the whole reason the Ticket is successful in the first place is they have always given off the sense that everything is honest and "real." You always get the feeling listening to the Ticket that it is organic and legitimate.
    By copying somebody else, you are by definition doing the opposite of the Ticket.

    Why can a station full of supposed radio professionals not grasp that?

    ReplyDelete
  83. Well said, Pmeister. You put a fine point on the state of TC.

    I like to take people at their word. It's easier than being cynical. Though I have to say there's at least one of the FAN anons that has access to an awful lot of info that us die hard Ticket and radio fans don't. Seems to have it at the ready and in some detail. Which leads me to to think there might be a FAN employee of some status sniffing around here. If so then we should all be flattered. One last bit on this is I was a regular visitor of the old radio-info.net Dallas board (been revamped as radiodiscussions.com, but not nearly as active). During Spittle's first run as The FAN's PD and upon his return and during the period of his firing of RaGE, it was no secret that he would often post pseudonymously on the board. Always defending his work, throwing out data before it hit the "newsstands" so to speak. Very reminiscent of a certain anon who keeps posting certain things on this site. As the kids are want to say, "just sayin'."

    On another note, I'm digging watching Jake mature. It's sort of amusing to see him struggle with the inherent contradictions between some of his formerly held immature, only a person with a graduate degree could hold, absolutist views and his burgeoning Jake, Meet The Real World perspective.

    ReplyDelete
  84. Epic Dan meltdown on WTDS just now. Pulling back that curtain about the ESPN/Cumulus shotgun wedding. Awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  85. Spot on, 10:17!

    ReplyDelete
  86. "the whole reason the Ticket is successful in the first place is they have always given off the sense that everything is honest and "real." You always get the feeling listening to the Ticket that it is organic and legitimate."

    So true. Who else would create a new segment called "How Will You Feed?" based on one dumb wireless utterance? Hell, they went and made three intros for it!

    Copy that one, Fail!

    ReplyDelete
  87. What exactly is being copied?

    ReplyDelete
  88. Staying in my stance...

    ReplyDelete
  89. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  90. *sigh* That last attempt didn't go so well. Trying again:

    The ideas/bits that The FAN has copied are pretty well-documented on this site. One that I think has been missed, however, is the "Midnight Snack" (their version of KTCK's Top Ten).

    Not why I'm here at the moment, though - anyone else recall last year's Summer Bash jingle, and all the talk around its glaring omission of mention of a particular host (IIRC it was contract renewal time for said host, which made for perfect timing of the discussion?)

    Well, who does this year's jingle feature?

    Coincidence?

    ReplyDelete
  91. Who else are you going to get to do a send up of "Happy"?

    Dan?

    ReplyDelete
  92. Not to mention the fact that he absolutely nailed it.

    ReplyDelete
  93. Danny tweeted:

    This is the best WTDS ever.

    ReplyDelete
  94. I love it when Doocy fills in on The Little Ticket. I think he brings some great analysis and entertainment.

    ReplyDelete
  95. Greggo posted a tease on his Facebook page - will copy here:

    Hey there facebook buddies of mine....I MIGHT have a semi-important announcement coming up later...as they say....we're dotting and I's and crossing T's.....I hope I'm not over-selling it.......just check back in a few........here's somethng.........try and guess what it is...this is your chance to get creative..........

    Some of the numerous guesses are funny. However, I have to wonder: is it possible Greggo is going back on the air? He's certainly burned his bridge with all three sports stations in DFW. I await his news and hope it isn't an over sell.

    ReplyDelete
  96. Where did Jake go to grad school? Hasn't he been with the ticket for five or so years now? Just wondering where he found the time to get his graduate degree while working every day.

    ReplyDelete
  97. UNT. Did it while interning. Newsflash. Most people getting graduate degrees do so while also working full time jobs. Many have families as well.

    ReplyDelete
  98. @ 2:12
    Where is your evidence that it's "no secret" Spittle posted here? It's always been me. I'm the guy people thought was Richie, thought was Dawson, and now think is Spittle...I'm the only one that I know of besides KT.

    None of those people, to my knowledge have ever posted here.

    On another note...why does everyone always assume that if the Fan does something, it's a ripoff of the ticket. SO MANY sports radio stations do "best of" segments, the Ticket was not the first, nor were they ever the only. It's a very popular content filler.

    Anyone can get a Nielsen account and check the ratings on their website. It costs a few bucks, but that seems like a worthwhile investment considering the amount of chest-puffing that goes on around here.

    The Fan may never beat the Ticket, noone at CBS expects them to...the goal is to be a top contender in the landscape, and the station is (based on the Ratings, event creation, and revenue) on the way.

    ReplyDelete
  99. I'm not seeing anywhere on the Nielson site that will give me access to data like M25-54 or hour-by-hour breakdowsn.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are not supposed to as it is not for the public

      Delete
  100. Forget all this bickering about the Fail lets discuss instead the brilliance that was the June 5th, 2014 WHY TODAY DOESNT SUCK!!!!!
    Perhaps the finest WTDS of the past several years. Fricking Classic. In case you haven't heard it is posted as a standalone over on the Unticket is so fricking brilliant. Fricking enjoy.

    ReplyDelete
  101. "Do you have legs?"
    -L4G

    "Now let me in!"
    -Snake being Snake

    Also, I too enjoy some Musing Dooce. If Junior ever decided to bail, I might not hate Doocy taking his spot (though I doubt he would leave the TeeVee).

    ReplyDelete
  102. @1238 aka Gavin Spittle

    Give it a rest, turbo. No one cares about you or your station. This is a site about the Ticket, not The FAIL. Go start your own fan site. CBS has deep pockets, I'm sure they'd front the cost. And by the way, if you read 212's comment it doesn't say you are Gavin Spittle, it says he's been known to post comments on sites using false names. The inference being you or someone else might possibly be GS. It's not out of the realm of possibility.

    Since you protest so much and so often, I think you are GS.

    Shaggy the reason you can't find the hour by hour ratings break downs is because you have to be a subscriber to the service to get that info. Hmmmm, someone like a PD. A certain me thinks the anon protests too much seems to have such info.

    Wazzup, Gavin?!?!?!

    ReplyDelete
  103. Corby:

    Please, please, PLEASE stop referring to D-Day as the most important day in western culture. The release of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is the most important day in western culture.

    Don't you perhaps mean the most important day to western civilization?

    ReplyDelete
  104. Oh sweet Lord. If you guys don't know the difference between Utah Beach and Omaha Beach, maybe you should have kept talking about ripping off Spirit.

    Corby even talked about what a great movie Saving Private Ryan is, and I don't think Utah Beach is ever even mentioned.

    ReplyDelete
  105. I kept waiting for him to correct himself, but he never did. I knew that segment was going to end bad.

    ReplyDelete
  106. I just don't understand how Corby (and to some extent Danny) can be so ill informed about something he knows he is going to talk about on the radio with thousands of people listening.

    Hell, I'll go on the radio and be wrong - and I'll do it for a lot less money. And I won't ask for time off to go to golf resorts and festivals.

    ReplyDelete
  107. I don't think I have ever posted a comment here before. But I have to get something off my chest and I don't know any other forum.

    Is there any other person who has a more inverse relationship between their knowledge of a topic and the confidence with which they are willing to pontificate on said topic, then Corby Davidson?

    ReplyDelete
  108. I posted that without reading the comment directly above.

    I've honestly gotten to the point where I can hardly listen to the Hardline. It's not just Corby's ignorance . . . it's the utter lack of humility or any kind of sign to indicate that he's at all aware of his ignorance.

    ReplyDelete
  109. I actually heard 45 minutes or so of Dan-free BaD today. Does anyone know whether the reason for his absence was mentioned at any time during the show.

    I didn't hear his analysis of Cumulus's management agreement with ESPN for 103.3 on yesterday's WTDS, but I gather it had about it a spot of intemperance. Guess I need to visit The Unticket. . . . OK, now I heard it. It wasn't as much of a twistoff on Cumulus as I thought. Although not terribly complimentary of his ESPN neighbors. I gather some phone did not come out of it too well. Didn't hear anything that sounded suspension-worthy.

    I was reminded, though, why WTDS is my least favorite half-hour of The Ticket Broadcast Day. Same reason that the NFL pre-games with an entire phalanx of ex-jocks gets turned down in my house in favor of Diane Rehm podcasts ("It's Just Droning").

    ReplyDelete
  110. I did, however, appreciate the reference to Gentleman Jim Corbett, whose bioflick "Gentleman Jim" starred Errol Flynn, who bore a startling resemblance to Your Plainsman.

    ReplyDelete
  111. During Flynn's rape trial(acquitted), which took place right around the time of the release of "Gentleman Jim," one of the doxies testified that Flynn kept his socks on during the act. A wag of the day suggested that the film should be retitled "Jim."

    ReplyDelete
  112. "Does anyone know whether the reason for his absence was mentioned at any time during the show."

    I didn't hear the show today. But, yesterday, Bob announced that Dan was taking today off and that Dan was not being forthcoming as to why. He pressed Dan on it and he just kept saying he was going to run errands.

    ReplyDelete
  113. I thought it was interesting that Dan was absent the first day of the Rangers' series with Cleveland. But the game didn't start until 7.

    ReplyDelete
  114. This will make a select few happy, many groan, and many more say meh.

    http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/130329/dallas-stars-the-ticket-ink-five-year-renewal

    ReplyDelete
  115. money for nothing, chicks for freeJune 7, 2014 at 1:06 PM

    Yo 1238 Gavin

    The FAIL is on its way???? After how many years, how many reboots, how many PDs, and how much untold dough spent it's now on its way???? You act like it's a new station just trying to stretch its legs and get the feel for the market. Actually you sound like either a PD or some bro schmo in sales. Like someone else said, go start your own friggin' FAIL site and stop with nonsense around here. KT's cool. He's a Ticket alum, let's us know it's him, what he's up to, why he's giving us a holler. KT's a straight up dude. You're just clowning. Take your circus somewhere else. No don't do that, cuz you'll probably call it Cirque du Gavin.

    ReplyDelete
  116. Enough with the Fan shaming already. Let's move on to something more important, if in fact there is anything.

    I, for one, fall into the "meh" camp about the Stars announcement. I don't listen to the games on the radio and it's annoying to miss out on the Top 10 that many days in a season. Other than that, it doesn't move my needle in the least.

    ReplyDelete
  117. It was strange hearing Corby's voice on 103.3 (commercial of a company I don't know right now).

    ReplyDelete
  118. Sorry to be off-topic, but does anyone remember hearing Dan talk about a lady needing help paying for her child's funeral? I think it was her 2nd one to commit suicide. Any info would be welcomed. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  119. It was Danny. New info on twitter says the other son died of heart attack. Still tragic to lose two children.

    https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/qqt4/scott-scza-lastowski-s-memorial-fund?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=fb_share_stream.share&utm_campaign=ui_frshare_vanity&og_action=hug&t=3&fb_ref=2347631

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Anon Ron. That's exactly what I needed.

      Delete
  120. C'mon, don't begrudge noted Hitlerphile Dan taking bereavement leave on the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

    P1Rick

    ReplyDelete
  121. Jake is 28. He got his grad degree whilst doing tickers, board stuff and top 10 at night. He is industrious.

    ReplyDelete
  122. They put the epic WTDS on the BaDD radio weekly podcast. I never listen to WTDS anymore because of all the chaos, but this was the most epic one ever.

    ReplyDelete
  123. Plainsman, really dude? WTDS is the best part of the Ticket day, by far...unless the one of the mixes with Norm goes off the rail, nothing else is close.

    ReplyDelete