A home for those who love almost everything about The Ticket (1310 AM, 96.7 FM, Dallas-Fort Worth), and who would like to discuss -- respectfully and fondly -- their thoughts on how (and whether) to eliminate the "almost."
Monday, November 18, 2024
My Ticket Confession Calls on Ticket Management . . .
REMINDER: I WILL DELETE "ANONYMOUS" COMMENTS AND THOSE I FIND GRATUITOUSLY VULGAR, INSULTING, INCOMPREHENSIBLE, OR JUST GENERALLY ANNOYING IN MY SOLE AND UNREVIEWABLE DISCRETION.
I'm sure I'm not the first Confessor on whom it has dawned that the Kars4Kids commercials don't identify the uses to which the money will put, or any charity of any kind. I'm also probably late to the realization that Kars 4 Kids is – allegedly – something of a scam, if not an outright fraud.
Investigators, and now a class action lawsuit filed earlier this year, have alleged that the cash it generates goes overwhelmingly to an organization called:
"Oorah Inc., an organization whose stated mission is to develop orthodox Jewish children and families. The case also claims Kars4Kids, unbeknownst to donors, the vast majority of donation proceeds to fund its own and Oorah’s 'significant' expenses and investments."
"According to the Minnesota attorney general, between 2012 and 2014, Kars4Kids raised $3 million in the state through car donations. But less than $12,000, less than one percent of what was raised, went to Minnesota kids. * * * Where does the money go? Ninety percent of the monies donated go to a sister organization, Oorah, a New Jersey-based charity that operates Jewish youth summer camps in New York."
I suppose these days it's necessary to say: Nothing wrong with funding Jewish youth summer camps, or enhancing Jewish family life, okay? Everyone hear that? But the ads give the impression that the money raised is for the benefit of kids generally, and it ain't (allegedly).
So, no matter how much Matt McClearin enjoys singing the Kars4Kids theme song, I call on Cumulus management to suspend all of its ads pending resolution of these allegations.
I wonder what financial advisor firm that advertises heavily on the Ticket might have legal trouble down the road? Perhaps the one guaranteeing 12 percent returns and a 30 percent bonus.
Plainsman, I would love to hear your thoughts on the current state of affairs of each show on The Ticket. I really don't care much about people's opinions of the ads, which I never listen to.
Musers: great still in my opinion. Gordo has been killing it. The motorcycle hobby segueing into mountain lions has been good radio. I love when Gordo gets obsessed with something like this. Usually ends up funny. He will eventually have a new shiny toy I'm sure.
10-3 (I still have the least amount of time to listen during this time, but have been able to recently because of some road trips)
The Invasion: honestly, pretty good. Matt is a weirdo, most people on the show seem to make fun of him daily. All around has a good vibe for the time slot in my opinion. There's some real sports talk there too that kinda helps fill the Norm void. Matt has better sports chops than most on the station.
Sweet Spot: This is the one I was most curious about because I see the most complaining about it online. It is fine, not great, but not bad. The biggest thing about this show is that it's tiny. It's like 4 segments and some commercials. The bashing I see online is a little hyperbolic from what i've listened to. It's good enough for 2 hours when few people can listen to the radio lol.
Hate all the donate your car type advertising, figured it was s scam more than ever in these days of huge standard deductions where no one itemizes anymore. Show feedback: -The Musers, I rarely get to listen much anymore, but when I do, it sounds the same as it has for 20 years. No creativity, just doing the same stuff like clock work. It gets ratings, so why change it I guess. How long until they ride off into the sunset? -The Invasion, I like listening to Donnie periodically, and I guess Matt doesn't rub me the wrong way like he does so many? Too much beer talk I suppose? Glad Norm finally gave it up on a regular basis, nice to hear him seldomly. - The Sweet Spot, every time I am listening to this show, all I can think of is amateur hour. Not sure what it is, I know they are trying hard, but it just doesn't work for me. - WTDS, Why are they still doing this. Most of the time, it too lack's creativity. Lather, rinse, repeat. Boring. Sells ads, not going anywhere. -Hardline, I miss the old days, the real old days about 20 years ago. Miss all the stuff Corby used to do (ex. the over cusser) when he was just a yuck monkey. Now he's the main guy and taking up too much air time. I'm not a fan. What was the last creative thing he brought to the Ticket? I thought Bob fit better with Dan. These are my opinions, I don't give a damn what any of you think about them.
Gave up on TDZ several months ago, and barely listen to Ticket 12-3 (the Invasion isn't all that bad - but by noon I'm ready for a break). Those hours are now consumed by music or much more entertaining podcasts. IMHO the Dan Jake and Blake show got extremely stale, & no Jake for over a month proved he was the only reason I was listening anyway, and that barely kept me interested.
With the help of the Sports Day app I listen to the Musers beginning to end. Predictable but gets me my sports fix for the day. The rest of the day is in small doses when I am in the car, so I have no HSO's on the Invasion or the Sweet Spot. I was a Hardline P-1 until Mike left, then Corby fatigue set in. I might check out WTDS but that's all.
Musers - I still enjoy the Musers in the morning. Its comfortable, like a nice pair of jeans or an old t-shirt. Sure they are a bit worn around the edges but they still fit and do the job. Maybe the don't have their fastball anymore but they are still way better than anything else on the dial at that time of day.
The Invasion: I think it is solid during this time of year. Matt is good on the more sportsy end and having most of the major sports gooing on gives them plenty to fill up the show with. I find them much less enjoyable during the dog days when there's not as much sports content for them to work with. I am usually onto podcast outside of peak sports season
The Sweet Spot: Harmless, good for listening to when I don't have time to focus on the show. Sean drags it down for me, I've never been a fan of him as a host. If it were W.i.P with DJ I would enjoy it much more. I'm not a radio pro so I'm sure there are lots of reasons why that wouldn't work but it doesn't change my enjoyment of the show. I am not a consistent listener at this point of the day though so I can't say if they are getting better or not.
The Hardline: The ratings say they are doing great, so I'm not going ot argue with them. I'm not a fan. Neither Corby or Davey are enjoyable listens to me. If there is a big story I will tune in for Sturm but if not I only listen by happenstance.
The jewelry commercial with the guy who genuinely, really really loves his wife drains weeks off my life force every time I hear it. the douche bro loan guys are a kick in the taint.
Maybe one of the celeb P1s can buy it. Rhett Miller? According to Celebrity Net Worth he's only at only $3MM...not as much as I expected so maybe not :-/
In a recent DMN article about a new restaurant, the following was written. "....both worked with King at Twilite Lounge in Deep Ellum. After Twilite Lounge owner Jess Barr died from a heart attack at 46 in 2022,...". Anyone know when Danny sold the bar? Or was Mr. Barr a partner?
You don’t need money necessarily to open a bar (in hand), but you need it to keep it open. Opening a restaurant/bar isn’t hard. Keeping it open is extremely difficult.
Scattershooting while wondering what happened to all the hubbub over DLLS Sports and The Dumb Zone. I was promised all sorts of exciting talent additions, content, and expansion. I was promised the future, right now. Big doings were in the offing, so I was told. Instead, one is totally stagnate with a once highly motivated and energized fanbase that appears to have followed their leaders' anemic example. The other, a pale imitation of likeminded endeavors in other markets. Neither are growing. Both want my money. One has every bit as many ad spots as terrestrial radio. In several fundamental ways, it is indistinguishable from the old model. The other struggles to fill as much space as possible as often as possible with fresh content. Problem being, there is only so much fresh content to create when you have delimited yourself to a very specific parameter. While the one has taken on some of the most annoying aspects of terrestrial radio, the other is basically a stream only local sports network a la FSSW / Bally. Soon they will have a Texas-centric fishing show, tour local golf courses, and air Rangers awards banquets.
Terrestrial radio as a dominant form of entertainment might be dying. Indeed I believe that is so. The alternatives, however, appear to have much work ahead of them. At least that is the case in this market.
DLLS lasting 18mths ala 97.1 would be a shock. At least as it currently showcases itself. As for TDZ - - Jake and Blake really need to focus more on those other interests that bring income. Dan is having himself one hell of a midlife crisis.
It’s all quickly coming to its inevitable conclusion. The end has now appeared on the horizon. It was a good, albeit short run. Or was it? Not so sure about that.
Any endeavor founded on spite eventually fails. Why? Because once the juice from the you go girl atta boys dissipates, and when that initial where actually doing it / the sky's the limit / nothing can or will stop us buzz wears off, you're left sitting on a fold up chair in an empty shell of a lean-to atop of a molehill made of sand.
Any endeavor that offers up a product at a cost that is available for free elswhere, that is of the same or even better quality, and that is more easily accessed will eventually falter.
JohnJon, I too doubt DLLS will last as long as The Freak did.
I have observed from its onset the at times strange, at times puzzling, and more often than not haphazard journey that has been The Dumb Zone. I'm not sure if it is built for the long haul. I'm also not sure if the only one out of the three who at this juncture is wholly invested is Blake. If so, things do not portend well.
I don't disagree with your takes on the dumbzone but the contiuned message on the blog saying businesses "founded on spite" always fail is a fallacy. There are any number of businesses founded on spite that have succeeded.
Just to name a few: A&W Rootbeer Microsoft Burger King Lamborghini Fedex
Spite is not the reason for those companies succeeding, of course. I think what the Dumbzone and TF are lacking is the drive to go with spite.
You’re partly correct. I meant spite and spite alone. Spite with no vision ends up as I described. The Freak had zero vision and zero direction. The Dumb Zone has a blurry vision with numerous, oft changing directions.
It's the same bullshy tactic a la the commenter who wants others to "prove him wrong" or who "doesn't care what any of you think." The former is an attention seeker, the latter, flat out confused.
Quick hit. The motivated ones can hit back at this all they like, I neither care nor will I respond. What I'm about to say is real and it comes from those close to those in the thick of it. Things at TDZ/NP are not swell. It's a mess. The phrase "in over our heads" is probably the most apt description. This goes for everyone involved. Not just Jake and Dan. I do mean everyone. Rooting for them to pull it out before it lands in a ditch. Presently it's not trending that way. Stay tuned. Stay Hard.
Somewhat related. Is Rhyner still doing his Dark Companion gig? Seems like it fell of the map.
That's weird because that is almost the complete opposite of what I was told by somebody who is also close to one of the NP folks--that things are about to ramp up.
That’s weird, because I was also told the exact opposite of what you’re saying by those close to the situation. To briefly summarize what I’ve been told, I’ll quote a line sung by the inimitable Steve Perry: “The party’s over.”
Again. They care not one bit about you, much less read your sad attempts to attract their attention.
If EA is the future than there's a big problem in the Ticket's future. The show that they rolled out today was terrible. EA is currently a terrible host. Maybe he'll get better but right now he's just awful. Listening to he and whoever else they had on today arguing, very poorly, about the future of the Cowboys was one of the worst things they ever aired on the station. It was whatever the Ticket Chicks show they rolled out levels of bad.
November numbers are posted, and celebrate The Musers' big achievement https://www.reddit.com/r/theticket/comments/1h1ae71/november_2024_ratings_update/
Pretty mind blowing numbers across the board. Even though The Invasion's # dipped a bit, so too did their direct competition. So in essence, their # was static. And yes, The Sweet Spot fared very well. Great information, Peter. Happy Turkey Day to you too.
@Giant I don't have any supposedly inside baseball, but I do know what I see and hear with my own eyes and ears. Been a subbie to TDZ since it dropped. It's definitely gotten more off the rails as things have gone on. I'll ride it out for as long as it lasts. The Ticket was so much better when THZ filled middays. It was because Jake and Dan were greatness in that environment. They could just do their thing and not have to deal with all the rest. That's no so anymore and over the past 8 months or so the toll is beginning to show. I'm not just talking about Jake's personal struggles and battles. Dan too. All this to say that it wouldn't shock me if some, all or most of the NP family is starting to look at other options.
let’s discuss options. Start with Dan. You’ve got a guy in his mid to late 50s who’s worked in nothing but radio for nearly 40 years. What option does Dan have besides radio? But if you’re the GM of another radio group besides Cumulus, do you hire McDowell? Arguably, he was the 2nd banana to a more dominant sports personality (Sturm). I believe Dan testified during the trial hearing that Bennett was willing yo keep Sturm and lose McDowell at one point. Clearly DB saw Sturm as the more valuable of the 2. Would another radio GM value McDowell enough to make him an offer, especially knowing he’s willing to ignore or violate contract provisions (I.e. a non compete). And while BAD radio had good ratings, do you ascribe those ratings to BAD itself, or to TT as a whole? I did a post a while back that looked at the 3 year history of TDZs ratings. They ranged from 1st to 7th, with an average around 3. That's after 20 years of Dan in that daypart. The Sweetspot maybe be doing slightly worse, but have also been on only a few years. So is Dan a ratings draw? Yes, but TT has had some of its best ratings since TDZ left. So is Dan a draw or is TT as a whole the draw? C
Let’s turn to Jake. Less radio experience than Dan, but a little more diversified in that he’s had some outside writing gigs. But the bulk of his resume is TT, is it not? Again, does that impress the PD of the fan for example? And if his wife has a great job in DFW, is Jake willing to relocate to a different market for a job if TDZ falls apart? Jake younger, so arguably more hire able than Dan, but again has the history of breaking contract covenants. A coworker used to tell me “don’t s*** where you eat. I wonder how much Dan and Jake have poisoned the hiring well. C
Big story on Jake in today's Morning News, on the online front page right now. It's a good piece and I'm glad he's well and feeling good. Glad his marriage held together, too. I don't know why the lawsuit from Cumulus was a surprise. I've seen that elsewhere and it baffles me. Of course they were going to sue you. Doesn't make it less stressful, I'm sure. I can't shake the nagging idea Jake winds up back at the Ticket somehow, though corporate lawyers in Atlanta are probably far less sentimental than we are.
Allow me to post say that not only was the lawsuit not a surprise, they were banking on it occurring. That is, it was part of The Legal Dream Team’s master plan. Kingston basically bragged about the stratagem during one of their lawyer round tables. Either Jake is being duplicitous on this point or it’s a coping mechanism. In charity I choose the latter explanation (I also choose energy). As to a potential return to Ticket: Never say never, stranger things have happened. If not for The Legal Dream Team’s true aim (landmark labor law changes), I’d be inclined to think the odds down the road a piece aren’t too steep. I could see fences mended between he and Cat, Cat convincing Cumulus, and the Prodigal Son returning home with a hero’s welcome. Too bad their counsel had their own best interests in mind, as opposed to their clients’. Sure, DnJ got what they wanted, but a price. The way things come back to bite us in life often take long and twisty routes, and in even twistier forms.
I don’t see where he says it was a surprise. “Worst experience of his life”, but not a surprise. And him saying that harkens back to “I didn’t think the leopards would eat my face “ said the lady who voted for the Leopards eating peoples faces party. I feel like Jake thought I’m a radio personality at one of the most popular sports stations in America, in a top 5 market, surely they wouldn’t enforce a non compete clause against ME. No dude, you’re exactly who they’re going to sue. C
White Elephant Day always drives home how much of a beating unregulated Gordo and Corbie can be. They are both extreamly talanted but they need someone to keep them on task and keep the Rant from breaking out. YMMV
I think EA and TC have some common qualities, namely a much higher opinion of their talent than there is evidence to support it and a level of arrogance out proportion to their accomplishments in their chosen filed.
I feel like the station needs to scrub drops / audio / mentions of anyone who has left since the great traitor purge starting from 2020. That’s Rhyner, Dan, Jake, Sirois, Danny, Julie, ect. Norm is an exception because he had respect for Jeff Catlin and the station and the P1 but the other guys need to be scrubbed from history for what they did to the home that sheltered them.
It’s kinda odd to me that the dunbzone subreddit is basically defunct at this point. It gets some posts and comments here and there but for the weekly thread this week, there are 2 comments. Is there somewhere else fans comment about the episodes?
@Ed was robbed 2:43 Nobody hates the ticket more than the people who listen all day and come to Reddit to whine about the ticket. For a station and content that is so hated by them I don’t see how it occupies their time so much.
just thought I'd point out that The Musers have gone on their now annual extended holiday vacation - and you know what hasn't happened?
Any sort of annoucement on the future of their show.
Which online types have spent a lot of effort trying to predict would come to an end before 2025. Would any of you here that has been pushing this idea in this space, care to elaborate what's up?
well that is dissapointing - I was genuienly curious to hear from those that have made some range of claims that The Musers were done at the end of this year. My inquiry was not snark, for all I know they'll come back from their enternal vacation and announce an end date. But there was so many here that were making statements and promises that I assume one or more of them actually know what's going on.
Went back and watched the last 20 minutes of dumbzone livestream from last night. As a once radio man previously stated "I guess I just don't get it". The spares. The cringe. The overall sadness. Rough den scene over there.
BIngO was his nameO. An utterly joyless scene. Happy that Jake Z is sober and faring better. But holy cow Batman is that thing the OED definition of "inmates running the asylum." Makes The Freak's short and shitty run look like a well-oiled, we say what we want machine. I guess Dan has fashioned himself after the 1980s iteration of Stern. Geez Louise. No Puppet, my ass. All Puppet is more apt. Too farkin bad, because THZ was such a perfect midday show.
One more thing. Pretty damn funny how these now not so newish and supposed liberating platforms (for both the talent and the consumer) have in a blink of an eye become exactly like the old ones. Shit, they have more ads and in multiple forms, and you gotta pay and then pay even more if you want less ads. Notice I didn't say zero ads. No thank you very much.
You know what the similarity is between all the failed experiments of people going outside the ticket? No Jeff Catlin! Let’s show some respect and props for this man for knowing what talent is and getting rid of the spares who can’t quite cut it. I call for a Plainsman post honoring the Catman or something like that!
Meanwhile, Jcat has had and continues to have a successful career. Even his not so spectacular decisions have at the very least maintained status quo ratings. So you keep your sarcastic little bit going, Cat will keep doing a fine job, and Your Boys will continue to never see, nor care one whit if they did, your efforts.
I worked at the station for a long time in many roles and I will say that Cat was a horrible manager of people and did not care about the growth of anyone that wasn’t the Musers or the Hardline. He also only did things if they were his idea and did not listen to feedback. He not a good boss.
I have worked at the station for a long time and I will say that Cat is a perfectly good manager of people and cares about the growth of anyone in as so much is possible in the reality of FM sports talk radio. He also does things if they were his idea or someone else's and listens to feedback. He is a good boss.
^^^^^^^ Nice deployment of the good old refutation by analogy. It's always sure to sink a stupid captain's ship.
As for Former Ticket Employee: Sorry, chief, your bit is stale. No one believes you. What's more, no one cares. Specially those Special Ones you so desperately wish to please. They don't see this. They don't give a rat's ass. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
According to that one guy, the Musers were going to announce their retirement in the middle of Ticketstock like two years ago. Maybe they’ve retired and we just don’t know it! Ask that one guy.
https://www.tiktok.com/@devon.shae?lang=en Devon Shae Kessler is beyond absurd as a 19 year old college student. This is an addendum to the Plainsman girls posted on these pages.
1. I'm not one of the lunatics who dominated this site for the better part of two years. I am, however, one of those who claimed The Musers would go 30 years and retire. My claim wasn't based on a hunch or created out of thin air. Rather, the info came from a family member who still works in the building (though not for TT in particular). This family member has passed on info in the past and it's nearly always panned out exactly as they said. I inquired about The Musers last night. Here is what I was told (as they say, YMMV):
The plan to go 30 years then hang it up was legit. Sometimes due to unforeseen circumstances and their consequences / fallout, plans are either aborted, changed, or put on hold. In this case the last option is what occurred. The unforeseen circumstances and consequences here pertain to the departure of Dan and Jake. No need to rehash that soap opera. Sufficed it to say, not only The Musers, but also The Hardline, Donnie, and really, the entire station were completely reenergized and refocused by an event that blindsided them all. There hasn't been a circle the wagons / bunker mentality like this up at TT since the Halcyon Days of yore. The OG thinking was that with Donnie and (at the time) his soon to be cohost Sirois (talk about bad decision, coach) followed by the ever growing stronger HZ followed by a rebooted, reinvigorated powerhouse of a Hardline, they could go off into that goodnight knowing what they helped to build was in good hands. When Dan and Jake bolted, how they bolted, and the ensuing made for tv movie that happened, they knew they had to stick around longer to ensure they leave the thing in good health. Upshot: It's going to go down, but not just yet. To that, the tightness between all hosts, non hosts/jv, and management is now very strong. Until Dan and Jake's move, it is true that for many years show interaction (on and off air) was relegated to mandatory all skates like GNO, Super Bowl, management "suggested" guest segments on other shows, etc. Unlke the old days, there wasn't a lot of comraderie. No animosity, but each show was its own bubble. Not anymore.
2. TDZ/NP is not in a good place. Their paid subs across all platforms have not increased to the required numbers. I have been told by this same family member that they're hearing the paid numbers do not exceed 8k. They have substantially increased their operating costs in every category and have not increased revenue to match. Presently they still have healthy financial backing. Presently. Fissures are beginning to show amongst consumers and creators alike. The ever evolving tiered sub system has turned off many. Ditto the increased ads, pay for play access for subs willing to fork over additional money (access that allows for airtime, something most subs don't care for, and engenders an air of exclusivity, which is the antithesis of the OG stated vision), seeming attitude shifts by certain hosts, and an over all sense of ennui.
Not sure how much longer this goes on. I guess it depends on those financially backing keeping it afloat in its current state. All the best to them. One more thing, no I'm not one of those who said Dan would be working in Dayton by now. I hope they succeed. Just unsure if it will. Presently, signs and signals don't portend well
The DumbZone is showing exactly what it was to be all along - a short detour to keep a fanbase and stay relevant. Once their New Home (the Freak) blew up, they had to scramble & have been, as one would do to justify that drastic decision to leave TT.
I'd bet a crisp $5 bill that there is a strong to quite strong correlation to the demise of 97.1 Say What We Want - - and a Hill Country Rehab Campus.
If D&J leaving did indeed keep the Musers around a few years longer though.....well, 'preciate ya, pals!
This is all good fodder and a lot makes sense but why would 3 very self made millionaires who don't depend on a non existent Cumulus pension work additional years to ensure the corporate well being vs their own if that is indeed what they did? They also have the ability to monetize their talent and notoriety in their terrestrial radio retirement through podcasting.
Are you telling me the breath of fresh air and infectious laugh of Julie Dobbs hasn't increased sub numbers? I was told many, many times that she was radio gold and should have her own show. Guess incels like me (who is married with kids) can be right sometimes.
There is a world of difference between WiP's fill in for the Musers last week and whatever this thing is today. Ham can't do the 8:40 bit to save his life but the rest of the WiP show was pretty entertaining. Whatever this is with Baldy, Ryan and Zach is just down right awful. The JV is as weak as its ever been.
Is there a station in the country, specifically one like the Ticket, that has strong JV these days? Blasting these guys, who are all trying their best, isn't exactly insightful commentary. It's essentially an unrated month, listenership is low - if you're going to give people a shot and find out what you've got, now is the time.
I'm not sure that if the station had an endless well of contract/PT budget and could pay big bucks of money to fill these slots it would result in a strong JV. Is there is big interest in being radio talent in 2024, especially with individuals who possess the historical understanding of the station and actual broadcast skills?
Sure, it's concerning that a station like this struggles with its bench, but if the Ticket can't stock one, I think that more a sign of the industry as a whole than something specific to this station.
They've had a Saturday show for at least a year. I'd have thought they would have more to offer. Sure they are trying their best. Why should I care? If there best isn't an enjoyable listen to me I don't care how hard they are trying. Yes Monto and Miney have improved, I have not seen any improvement on these guys over their time on the weekends. YMMV
Seems like you care. A lot. Irvin Kares, too. Took M&M several years to gel to the point that they could hold their own in a daypart. Lighten up, Francis.
Once again, KDF, you miss the forest for the trees. Other than a rare bird like Sturm or Norm (btw, he and Monty were ab fab today), most personalities are chemistry/cohost dependent. Take Monty and Mino. Monty was on with that gasbag, Machine, for a couple of years. While Monty was decent and showed promise, he was mostly a JAG. That is, until he teamed up with Mino. Suddenly chemistry entered into the picture and Monty began to blossom. From there he gained genuine confidence and was able to partner with most anyone and deliver top shelf shit. Mino too was a JAG until WiP. Like Monty, he became interesting. Compare that with his work on TSS. Totally different. He's a JAG. It's all about chemistry. Now Monty has a bit of that intangible that can't be bought. Mino doesn't. That's why Monty is better. Still. When together, they're damn good to outright golden. Upshot is I don't know if this current crop of JV is a bust. Some will be for sure. That's the way it's always been. But some, put in the right situation, might shine.
As to Lamb's exit. You might wanna look into it a bit deeper. Just saying.
Know what? I'll go one better. Biggest example in Ticket history. Mike Rhyner. He had must-hear, daily appointment stuff. THE most compelling voice in DFW radio. That is, until Greggo started clamming up (drug use, etc.) and a year and change later was canned (drug use, absenteeism, lying). Mike went from being everyone's leader, the coolest guy you knew.......to a mostly whisper of a voice who only piped in when he had a named segment (see: management "suggestion" in attempt to force him to participate) that would consist of something that interested him and only him. That or a punchline for Corby and Danny, or making a doddering, gaffe prone, fool. Oh, and he totally checked out. You saw his pods. Awful. The Freak? He redefined the way most in the industry viewed him, and not in a positive way. A monumental failure. HIS failure. He was abysmally lazy and had not a damn thing in his bag. Sorry. It pains me to say it but it's true. The SINGLE few hours of radio since Greggo left his side that made you go "oh whoa, I remember this guy" was the stunt he pulled getting Greggo to reunite on TF. If you've listened too his latest endeavor, which is more of the same, you'll also know that the Greggo guest spots are the only thing that has teeth. (Even those got weaker as they grew in number, tbh.)
Yeah I know, that was grammatically and syntactically all over the road. That's what happens when you dictate a text while driving in traffico traffico.
The thing that bothered me the most about Mike was he went from the Anti-Cowboys Faction and sarcastically predicting the Cowboys would go 16-0 every single year to being just another Cowboys slurper in his later years and unironically being part of a segment called 'analyzing the enemy'. This market desperately needs something like that back. I guess that free Nobu every year at the press party in Malibu eventually buys off everyone.
@everywhere the lack of chemistry is the key issue I have with the college football kick around. They all seem to be cut from the same cloth. When they are talking football on Saturdays, its not an issue but when they move away from the sport page it is noticeably worse. In fairness, I and probably a lot of other listeners were spoiled by the high water mark of the Ticket JV when it had Jake, Mino, Monty, Mike S, Cash, Bruce and a few others that for a fillin show could be really entertaining. They weren't the Musers but they were a descent listen for a couple of weeks. I think the Ticket also used to do a better job of not having everyone out at once. So you had fewer hours to fill with the JV. Given the lengthy tenures of most of the host I'm sure that's not possible now. The lack of JV strength isn't going to kill the Ticket be any means.
Naw. The Thinnest of Skinned One Who's Not a Skinlannen. None other than Dan "Why am I always treated differently?" McDowell. Jake will be fine. The Aging Party Doll has and will always have a pit in his stomach, but he'll also continue to convince himself it was THEY who made the mistake in not recognizing his brilliance (akin to the trick TC plays on himself on a daily basis). Copium is a helluva drug. But The Sports Fuhrer (oh how funny, how edgy... now do the same thing but with a shibboleth from the oppo spectrum.... then we'll see how Kaufman you are), the root is bitter and deep. HE was the one that made BaD flow. HE was the one who shaped the thing into Ticket shape and flew The Ticket flag. And HE was the one who was told, "sorry, buddy, we think you're killin' it right where you are." The angst. The nightsweats. It was all just a dream. Then the sun also rises.
Is it possible that they are all happier now than they were when they were at the Ticket? We tend to dismiss they expats reasons for leaving because we would consider working for the Ticket to be a dream job. Whatever issues, real or imagined, were bad enough that they left that dream job so maybe they are happier with their lives outside the ticket.
When you. consider that damn near every one of them spends most of their on-air and sosh time either directly or obliquely talking about or referring to TT, I'd say they're not so happy with their sitch. Else TT would be a distant memory, and not something very very very present to mind. YMMV
You have me confused with someone else buddy. I have no story. You may have a point though, so good decision Sea Cow. Enjoy your 2 years of good salary, and whatever it is you do now.
It is correct that Sirois was not guaranteed a hosting gig because Cat Thought he was not enough of a team player. He never did postgame shows or filled in other places he deemed not worthy of his time.
I am not sure if Sirois would have ended up getting a hosting gig or not, but the guy seemed to take off about as much as he worked. Not usually what people do who are trying to get promoted.
. . . to reject any future ads for Kars4Kids.
ReplyDeletePartly because they're obnoxious beyond words.
But mostly because:
I'm sure I'm not the first Confessor on whom it has dawned that the Kars4Kids commercials don't identify the uses to which the money will put, or any charity of any kind. I'm also probably late to the realization that Kars 4 Kids is – allegedly – something of a scam, if not an outright fraud.
Investigators, and now a class action lawsuit filed earlier this year, have alleged that the cash it generates goes overwhelmingly to an organization called:
"Oorah Inc., an organization whose stated mission is to develop orthodox Jewish children and families. The case also claims Kars4Kids, unbeknownst to donors, the vast majority of donation proceeds to fund its own and Oorah’s 'significant' expenses and investments."
Cite: https://www.classaction.org/news/kars4kids-lawsuit-accuses-charity-of-using-deceptive-ads-to-solicit-donations-for-misrepresented-purposes
These allegations are not new. From 2017:
"According to the Minnesota attorney general, between 2012 and 2014, Kars4Kids raised $3 million in the state through car donations. But less than $12,000, less than one percent of what was raised, went to Minnesota kids. * * * Where does the money go? Ninety percent of the monies donated go to a sister organization, Oorah, a New Jersey-based charity that operates Jewish youth summer camps in New York."
Cite: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kars4kids-charity-misleads-donors-report/
I suppose these days it's necessary to say: Nothing wrong with funding Jewish youth summer camps, or enhancing Jewish family life, okay? Everyone hear that? But the ads give the impression that the money raised is for the benefit of kids generally, and it ain't (allegedly).
So, no matter how much Matt McClearin enjoys singing the Kars4Kids theme song, I call on Cumulus management to suspend all of its ads pending resolution of these allegations.
I wonder what financial advisor firm that advertises heavily on the Ticket might have legal trouble down the road? Perhaps the one guaranteeing 12 percent returns and a 30 percent bonus.
DeletePlainsman, I would love to hear your thoughts on the current state of affairs of each show on The Ticket. I really don't care much about people's opinions of the ads, which I never listen to.
ReplyDeleteMusers: great still in my opinion. Gordo has been killing it. The motorcycle hobby segueing into mountain lions has been good radio. I love when Gordo gets obsessed with something like this. Usually ends up funny. He will eventually have a new shiny toy I'm sure.
ReplyDelete10-3 (I still have the least amount of time to listen during this time, but have been able to recently because of some road trips)
The Invasion: honestly, pretty good. Matt is a weirdo, most people on the show seem to make fun of him daily. All around has a good vibe for the time slot in my opinion. There's some real sports talk there too that kinda helps fill the Norm void. Matt has better sports chops than most on the station.
Sweet Spot: This is the one I was most curious about because I see the most complaining about it online. It is fine, not great, but not bad. The biggest thing about this show is that it's tiny. It's like 4 segments and some commercials. The bashing I see online is a little hyperbolic from what i've listened to. It's good enough for 2 hours when few people can listen to the radio lol.
Hardline: killing it, only improved.
Hate all the donate your car type advertising, figured it was s scam more than ever in these days of huge standard deductions where no one itemizes anymore.
ReplyDeleteShow feedback:
-The Musers, I rarely get to listen much anymore, but when I do, it sounds the same as it has for 20 years. No creativity, just doing the same stuff like clock work. It gets ratings, so why change it I guess. How long until they ride off into the sunset?
-The Invasion, I like listening to Donnie periodically, and I guess Matt doesn't rub me the wrong way like he does so many? Too much beer talk I suppose? Glad Norm finally gave it up on a regular basis, nice to hear him seldomly.
- The Sweet Spot, every time I am listening to this show, all I can think of is amateur hour. Not sure what it is, I know they are trying hard, but it just doesn't work for me.
- WTDS, Why are they still doing this. Most of the time, it too lack's creativity. Lather, rinse, repeat. Boring. Sells ads, not going anywhere.
-Hardline, I miss the old days, the real old days about 20 years ago. Miss all the stuff Corby used to do (ex. the over cusser) when he was just a yuck monkey. Now he's the main guy and taking up too much air time. I'm not a fan. What was the last creative thing he brought to the Ticket? I thought Bob fit better with Dan.
These are my opinions, I don't give a damn what any of you think about them.
Gave up on TDZ several months ago, and barely listen to Ticket 12-3 (the Invasion isn't all that bad - but by noon I'm ready for a break).
DeleteThose hours are now consumed by music or much more entertaining podcasts. IMHO the Dan Jake and Blake show got extremely stale, & no Jake for over a month proved he was the only reason I was listening anyway, and that barely kept me interested.
With the help of the Sports Day app I listen to the Musers beginning to end. Predictable but gets me my sports fix for the day. The rest of the day is in small doses when I am in the car, so I have no HSO's on the Invasion or the Sweet Spot. I was a Hardline P-1 until Mike left, then Corby fatigue set in. I might check out WTDS but that's all.
ReplyDeleteMusers - I still enjoy the Musers in the morning. Its comfortable, like a nice pair of jeans or an old t-shirt. Sure they are a bit worn around the edges but they still fit and do the job. Maybe the don't have their fastball anymore but they are still way better than anything else on the dial at that time of day.
ReplyDeleteThe Invasion: I think it is solid during this time of year. Matt is good on the more sportsy end and having most of the major sports gooing on gives them plenty to fill up the show with. I find them much less enjoyable during the dog days when there's not as much sports content for them to work with. I am usually onto podcast outside of peak sports season
The Sweet Spot: Harmless, good for listening to when I don't have time to focus on the show. Sean drags it down for me, I've never been a fan of him as a host. If it were W.i.P with DJ I would enjoy it much more. I'm not a radio pro so I'm sure there are lots of reasons why that wouldn't work but it doesn't change my enjoyment of the show. I am not a consistent listener at this point of the day though so I can't say if they are getting better or not.
The Hardline: The ratings say they are doing great, so I'm not going ot argue with them. I'm not a fan. Neither Corby or Davey are enjoyable listens to me. If there is a big story I will tune in for Sturm but if not I only listen by happenstance.
The jewelry commercial with the guy who genuinely, really really loves his wife drains weeks off my life force every time I hear it. the douche bro loan guys are a kick in the taint.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThe Unticket now has a note on the front page, declaring he intends to shut down the site unless someone(s) purchases it.
ReplyDeleteThat will be a sad day. It has been a great resource for Ticket fans. Hopefully someone will buy it and keep it going.
DeleteMaybe one of the celeb P1s can buy it. Rhett Miller? According to Celebrity Net Worth he's only at only $3MM...not as much as I expected so maybe not :-/
ReplyDeleteThere’s an update: https://www.theunticket.com/little-update/
ReplyDeleteIn a recent DMN article about a new restaurant, the following was written. "....both worked with King at Twilite Lounge in Deep Ellum. After Twilite Lounge owner Jess Barr died from a heart attack at 46 in 2022,...". Anyone know when Danny sold the bar? Or was Mr. Barr a partner?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.dallasobserver.com/music/jess-barr-twilite-lounge-owner-and-slobberbone-guitarist-died-last-week-15470299
DeleteCo owner.
Danny didn’t have anywhere near the amount of money it took to be any kind of significant actual owner
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteYou don’t need money necessarily to open a bar (in hand), but you need it to keep it open. Opening a restaurant/bar isn’t hard. Keeping it open is extremely difficult.
DeleteScattershooting while wondering what happened to all the hubbub over DLLS Sports and The Dumb Zone. I was promised all sorts of exciting talent additions, content, and expansion. I was promised the future, right now. Big doings were in the offing, so I was told. Instead, one is totally stagnate with a once highly motivated and energized fanbase that appears to have followed their leaders' anemic example. The other, a pale imitation of likeminded endeavors in other markets. Neither are growing. Both want my money. One has every bit as many ad spots as terrestrial radio. In several fundamental ways, it is indistinguishable from the old model. The other struggles to fill as much space as possible as often as possible with fresh content. Problem being, there is only so much fresh content to create when you have delimited yourself to a very specific parameter. While the one has taken on some of the most annoying aspects of terrestrial radio, the other is basically a stream only local sports network a la FSSW / Bally. Soon they will have a Texas-centric fishing show, tour local golf courses, and air Rangers awards banquets.
ReplyDeleteTerrestrial radio as a dominant form of entertainment might be dying. Indeed I believe that is so. The alternatives, however, appear to have much work ahead of them. At least that is the case in this market.
DLLS lasting 18mths ala 97.1 would be a shock. At least as it currently showcases itself.
DeleteAs for TDZ - - Jake and Blake really need to focus more on those other interests that bring income.
Dan is having himself one hell of a midlife crisis.
Oh yeah. Baby. Say it slower. I’m almost there.
DeleteSave your load, bud. They won’t read this.
DeleteNever leave the nurturing biosphere of the Mothership.
ReplyDeleteYeah Menefee really fucked himself out of midday radio money.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteSo touchy. Regardless. You, I like.
DeleteMenefee, who calls into the station nearly every anniversary to chat and thank KTCK for his career trajectory. Yeah. Good point, man!
DeleteIt’s all quickly coming to its inevitable conclusion. The end has now appeared on the horizon. It was a good, albeit short run. Or was it? Not so sure about that.
ReplyDeleteI'll add onto your thoughts, Ronnie.
ReplyDeleteAny endeavor founded on spite eventually fails. Why? Because once the juice from the you go girl atta boys dissipates, and when that initial where actually doing it / the sky's the limit / nothing can or will stop us buzz wears off, you're left sitting on a fold up chair in an empty shell of a lean-to atop of a molehill made of sand.
Any endeavor that offers up a product at a cost that is available for free elswhere, that is of the same or even better quality, and that is more easily accessed will eventually falter.
JohnJon, I too doubt DLLS will last as long as The Freak did.
I have observed from its onset the at times strange, at times puzzling, and more often than not haphazard journey that has been The Dumb Zone. I'm not sure if it is built for the long haul. I'm also not sure if the only one out of the three who at this juncture is wholly invested is Blake. If so, things do not portend well.
I don't disagree with your takes on the dumbzone but the contiuned message on the blog saying businesses "founded on spite" always fail is a fallacy. There are any number of businesses founded on spite that have succeeded.
DeleteJust to name a few:
A&W Rootbeer
Microsoft
Burger King
Lamborghini
Fedex
Spite is not the reason for those companies succeeding, of course. I think what the Dumbzone and TF are lacking is the drive to go with spite.
You’re partly correct. I meant spite and spite alone. Spite with no vision ends up as I described. The Freak had zero vision and zero direction. The Dumb Zone has a blurry vision with numerous, oft changing directions.
DeleteSo Plainsman has time to delete comments but doesn't care enough to give his thoughts on the ticket shows and how they're doing, in his estimation.
ReplyDeleteGod, get over it.
DeleteIt's the same bullshy tactic a la the commenter who wants others to "prove him wrong" or who "doesn't care what any of you think." The former is an attention seeker, the latter, flat out confused.
DeleteWhite Elephant Day
ReplyDelete5:30am-10am:
Donovan Lewis
Corby Davidson
Gordon Keith
Justin Montemayor
DJ Ringgenberg
10am-3pm:
Craig Miller
Matt McClearin
Bob Sturm
Sean Bass
Ryan Baldwin
Travis Mejia
3pm-7pm
George Dunham
David Mino
Dave Lane
Kevin Landrum
Jacob Detamore
Out of the loop for some time. Is Killer still at the station? If so, he's usually played a part in WED.
ReplyDeleteQuick hit. The motivated ones can hit back at this all they like, I neither care nor will I respond. What I'm about to say is real and it comes from those close to those in the thick of it. Things at TDZ/NP are not swell. It's a mess. The phrase "in over our heads" is probably the most apt description. This goes for everyone involved. Not just Jake and Dan. I do mean everyone. Rooting for them to pull it out before it lands in a ditch. Presently it's not trending that way. Stay tuned. Stay Hard.
ReplyDeleteSomewhat related. Is Rhyner still doing his Dark Companion gig? Seems like it fell of the map.
That's weird because that is almost the complete opposite of what I was told by somebody who is also close to one of the NP folks--that things are about to ramp up.
DeleteThat’s weird, because I was also told the exact opposite of what you’re saying by those close to the situation. To briefly summarize what I’ve been told, I’ll quote a line sung by the inimitable Steve Perry: “The party’s over.”
DeleteAgain. They care not one bit about you, much less read your sad attempts to attract their attention.
#TurnOutTheLights #ThePartysover
#SpendMoreTimeWithMyFamily
#MotherOfAllMidlifeCrises
#IScandalComingToTheFore
#HoldOntoYourButtsYpuEasulyLedEagerlyDupedKnowNothings
Your Dark Companion is still a thing. Greggo is a frequent participant.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, cuts at iHeart Media got the PD at KEGL.
ReplyDeleteLet's have it, Plainsman!
ReplyDeleteBreak down the JV for us. Travis vs Ryan? Kevin and Jacob? Who is the future of the station?
EA is the future of the Cumulus Empire
DeleteIf EA is the future than there's a big problem in the Ticket's future. The show that they rolled out today was terrible. EA is currently a terrible host. Maybe he'll get better but right now he's just awful. Listening to he and whoever else they had on today arguing, very poorly, about the future of the Cowboys was one of the worst things they ever aired on the station. It was whatever the Ticket Chicks show they rolled out levels of bad.
DeleteAre you referring to Ladies B Trippin’? If so, you take that back. Those biatches were tha bombdiggity.
DeleteEA is ok as a second or third voice. But those other two don’t belong on anything during the day.
DeleteNovember numbers are posted, and celebrate The Musers' big achievement
ReplyDeletehttps://www.reddit.com/r/theticket/comments/1h1ae71/november_2024_ratings_update/
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.
A 20-share for the Musers ?! Wow. That is dominance.
ReplyDeletePretty mind blowing numbers across the board. Even though The Invasion's # dipped a bit, so too did their direct competition. So in essence, their # was static. And yes, The Sweet Spot fared very well. Great information, Peter. Happy Turkey Day to you too.
ReplyDelete@Giant
ReplyDeleteI don't have any supposedly inside baseball, but I do know what I see and hear with my own eyes and ears. Been a subbie to TDZ since it dropped. It's definitely gotten more off the rails as things have gone on. I'll ride it out for as long as it lasts. The Ticket was so much better when THZ filled middays. It was because Jake and Dan were greatness in that environment. They could just do their thing and not have to deal with all the rest. That's no so anymore and over the past 8 months or so the toll is beginning to show. I'm not just talking about Jake's personal struggles and battles. Dan too. All this to say that it wouldn't shock me if some, all or most of the NP family is starting to look at other options.
let’s discuss options. Start with Dan. You’ve got a guy in his mid to late 50s who’s worked in nothing but radio for nearly 40 years. What option does Dan have besides radio?
ReplyDeleteBut if you’re the GM of another radio group besides Cumulus, do you hire McDowell? Arguably, he was the 2nd banana to a more dominant sports personality (Sturm). I believe Dan testified during the trial hearing that Bennett was willing yo keep Sturm and lose McDowell at one point. Clearly DB saw Sturm as the more valuable of the 2. Would another radio GM value McDowell enough to make him an offer, especially knowing he’s willing to ignore or violate contract provisions (I.e. a non compete). And while BAD radio had good ratings, do you ascribe those ratings to BAD itself, or to TT as a whole? I did a post a while back that looked at the 3 year history of TDZs ratings. They ranged from 1st to 7th, with an average around 3. That's after 20 years of Dan in that daypart. The Sweetspot maybe be doing slightly worse, but have also been on only a few years. So is Dan a ratings draw? Yes, but TT has had some of its best ratings since TDZ left. So is Dan a draw or is TT as a whole the draw?
C
Let’s turn to Jake. Less radio experience than Dan, but a little more diversified in that he’s had some outside writing gigs. But the bulk of his resume is TT, is it not? Again, does that impress the PD of the fan for example? And if his wife has a great job in DFW, is Jake willing to relocate to a different market for a job if TDZ falls apart? Jake younger, so arguably more hire able than Dan, but again has the history of breaking contract covenants. A coworker used to tell me “don’t s*** where you eat. I wonder how much Dan and Jake have poisoned the hiring well.
ReplyDeleteC
Big story on Jake in today's Morning News, on the online front page right now. It's a good piece and I'm glad he's well and feeling good. Glad his marriage held together, too. I don't know why the lawsuit from Cumulus was a surprise. I've seen that elsewhere and it baffles me. Of course they were going to sue you. Doesn't make it less stressful, I'm sure. I can't shake the nagging idea Jake winds up back at the Ticket somehow, though corporate lawyers in Atlanta are probably far less sentimental than we are.
ReplyDeleteNowhere in this article does it state that the lawsuit was a surprise
DeleteAllow me to post say that not only was the lawsuit not a surprise, they were banking on it occurring. That is, it was part of The Legal Dream Team’s master plan. Kingston basically bragged about the stratagem during one of their lawyer round tables. Either Jake is being duplicitous on this point or it’s a coping mechanism. In charity I choose the latter explanation (I also choose energy). As to a potential return to Ticket: Never say never, stranger things have happened. If not for The Legal Dream Team’s true aim (landmark labor law changes), I’d be inclined to think the odds down the road a piece aren’t too steep. I could see fences mended between he and Cat, Cat convincing Cumulus, and the Prodigal Son returning home with a hero’s welcome. Too bad their counsel had their own best interests in mind, as opposed to their clients’. Sure, DnJ got what they wanted, but a price. The way things come back to bite us in life often take long and twisty routes, and in even twistier forms.
DeleteActually, he does. Might want to read a bit more carefully prior to popping off, turbo.
DeleteI don’t see where he says it was a surprise. “Worst experience of his life”, but not a surprise.
ReplyDeleteAnd him saying that harkens back to “I didn’t think the leopards would eat my face “ said the lady who voted for the Leopards eating peoples faces party.
I feel like Jake thought I’m a radio personality at one of the most popular sports stations in America, in a top 5 market, surely they wouldn’t enforce a non compete clause against ME.
No dude, you’re exactly who they’re going to sue.
C
Anyone hear this morning’s big station announcement?
ReplyDeletetomorrow at 7:35
ReplyDeleteThanks, bottom bottom. As it's on WED, I can't imagine it being earth-shattering. Probably a station even announcement.
DeleteIf it were up to DFW management, Jake might be welcomed back. Corporate would never agree in a million years.
ReplyDeleteWhite Elephant Day always drives home how much of a beating unregulated Gordo and Corbie can be. They are both extreamly talanted but they need someone to keep them on task and keep the Rant from breaking out. YMMV
ReplyDeleteTicketstock 2025. $100/ticket
ReplyDeleteY U lie?
DeleteTicketstock. Dirk is marquee guest.
ReplyDeleteEA is, and I mean all offense by this, the absolute worst broadcaster that has ever appeared on The Ticket airwaves
ReplyDeleteMr. Ragonk would like to enter some tapes into evidence.
DeleteI think EA and TC have some common qualities, namely a much higher opinion of their talent than there is evidence to support it and a level of arrogance out proportion to their accomplishments in their chosen filed.
Delete"chosen field"? Uber driver extraordinaire?
DeleteEA is the best addition to the Ticket since Bob and Dan in '99. Fight me!
ReplyDeleteGeorge didn’t know the difference between Kevin and Ryan
ReplyDeleteI feel like the station needs to scrub drops / audio / mentions of anyone who has left since the great traitor purge starting from 2020. That’s Rhyner, Dan, Jake, Sirois, Danny, Julie, ect. Norm is an exception because he had respect for Jeff Catlin and the station and the P1 but the other guys need to be scrubbed from history for what they did to the home that sheltered them.
ReplyDeleteWhat did they do to it?
DeleteI agree with most of your list, but I hope that the station can make amends with Rhyner. The Ticket is better when he is not persona non grata.
DeleteSo Cat has the narcissism of a Donald Trump? That seems to be what you are implying.
DeleteIt’s kinda odd to me that the dunbzone subreddit is basically defunct at this point. It gets some posts and comments here and there but for the weekly thread this week, there are 2 comments. Is there somewhere else fans comment about the episodes?
ReplyDeletePatreon, Substack, Discord
DeleteIf the ticket reddit was limited to only positive remarks about one show (The Hardline, for instance) how much activity do you think it would get?
Delete@Ed was robbed 2:43
DeleteNobody hates the ticket more than the people who listen all day and come to Reddit to whine about the ticket. For a station and content that is so hated by them I don’t see how it occupies their time so much.
just thought I'd point out that The Musers have gone on their now annual extended holiday vacation - and you know what hasn't happened?
ReplyDeleteAny sort of annoucement on the future of their show.
Which online types have spent a lot of effort trying to predict would come to an end before 2025. Would any of you here that has been pushing this idea in this space, care to elaborate what's up?
Dude! You owned ‘em!
DeleteEasy, douche. I mean, dude.
Deletewell that is dissapointing - I was genuienly curious to hear from those that have made some range of claims that The Musers were done at the end of this year. My inquiry was not snark, for all I know they'll come back from their enternal vacation and announce an end date. But there was so many here that were making statements and promises that I assume one or more of them actually know what's going on.
DeleteYou’re just as likely to get an explanation for why Dan isn’t doing middays in Dayton by now, which was also foretold one year ago.
DeleteWent back and watched the last 20 minutes of dumbzone livestream from last night. As a once radio man previously stated "I guess I just don't get it".
ReplyDeleteThe spares. The cringe. The overall sadness. Rough den scene over there.
BIngO was his nameO. An utterly joyless scene. Happy that Jake Z is sober and faring better. But holy cow Batman is that thing the OED definition of "inmates running the asylum." Makes The Freak's short and shitty run look like a well-oiled, we say what we want machine. I guess Dan has fashioned himself after the 1980s iteration of Stern. Geez Louise. No Puppet, my ass. All Puppet is more apt. Too farkin bad, because THZ was such a perfect midday show.
DeleteOne more thing. Pretty damn funny how these now not so newish and supposed liberating platforms (for both the talent and the consumer) have in a blink of an eye become exactly like the old ones. Shit, they have more ads and in multiple forms, and you gotta pay and then pay even more if you want less ads. Notice I didn't say zero ads. No thank you very much.
You know what the similarity is between all the failed experiments of people going outside the ticket? No Jeff Catlin! Let’s show some respect and props for this man for knowing what talent is and getting rid of the spares who can’t quite cut it. I call for a Plainsman post honoring the Catman or something like that!
ReplyDeleteCat's not gonna fuck you Chuck. Unless this is the Thomas Charles Chuck. Then he's gonna fuck you real good. Over and over.
Deletethe only thing that f'd TC, was his lack of on air talent. if we're all being honest, he's basically the original EA
DeleteMeanwhile, Jcat has had and continues to have a successful career. Even his not so spectacular decisions have at the very least maintained status quo ratings. So you keep your sarcastic little bit going, Cat will keep doing a fine job, and Your Boys will continue to never see, nor care one whit if they did, your efforts.
DeleteI worked at the station for a long time in many roles and I will say that Cat was a horrible manager of people and did not care about the growth of anyone that wasn’t the Musers or the Hardline. He also only did things if they were his idea and did not listen to feedback. He not a good boss.
DeleteI have worked at the station for a long time and I will say that Cat is a perfectly good manager of people and cares about the growth of anyone in as so much is possible in the reality of FM sports talk radio. He also does things if they were his idea or someone else's and listens to feedback. He is a good boss.
Delete^^^^^^^ Nice deployment of the good old refutation by analogy. It's always sure to sink a stupid captain's ship.
DeleteAs for Former Ticket Employee: Sorry, chief, your bit is stale. No one believes you. What's more, no one cares. Specially those Special Ones you so desperately wish to please. They don't see this. They don't give a rat's ass. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
I was a Former Ticket Employee and someone you would be very familiar with. I tell the truth. I’m not trying to appease anyone.
DeleteCRAY TREY!
DeleteI currently work there and can tell you that IF you’re telling the truth, it’s your subjective opinion. My experience has been the exact opposite.
DeleteBtw, hiya, Sam. You just don’t know when to move on.
Sam Hale shut up! We know it’s you.
DeleteAccording to that one guy, the Musers were going to announce their retirement in the middle of Ticketstock like two years ago. Maybe they’ve retired and we just don’t know it! Ask that one guy.
ReplyDeleteAre you that one guy? I think you are!
ReplyDeleteYeah. And I’m also Gordon Keith, according to another troll.
Deletehttps://www.tiktok.com/@devon.shae?lang=en
ReplyDeleteDevon Shae Kessler is beyond absurd as a 19 year old college student. This is an addendum to the Plainsman girls posted on these pages.
Enough eggnog for you.
DeleteAm I right though?
DeleteCoupla things.
ReplyDelete1.
I'm not one of the lunatics who dominated this site for the better part of two years. I am, however, one of those who claimed The Musers would go 30 years and retire. My claim wasn't based on a hunch or created out of thin air. Rather, the info came from a family member who still works in the building (though not for TT in particular). This family member has passed on info in the past and it's nearly always panned out exactly as they said. I inquired about The Musers last night. Here is what I was told (as they say, YMMV):
The plan to go 30 years then hang it up was legit. Sometimes due to unforeseen circumstances and their consequences / fallout, plans are either aborted, changed, or put on hold. In this case the last option is what occurred. The unforeseen circumstances and consequences here pertain to the departure of Dan and Jake. No need to rehash that soap opera. Sufficed it to say, not only The Musers, but also The Hardline, Donnie, and really, the entire station were completely reenergized and refocused by an event that blindsided them all. There hasn't been a circle the wagons / bunker mentality like this up at TT since the Halcyon Days of yore. The OG thinking was that with Donnie and (at the time) his soon to be cohost Sirois (talk about bad decision, coach) followed by the ever growing stronger HZ followed by a rebooted, reinvigorated powerhouse of a Hardline, they could go off into that goodnight knowing what they helped to build was in good hands. When Dan and Jake bolted, how they bolted, and the ensuing made for tv movie that happened, they knew they had to stick around longer to ensure they leave the thing in good health. Upshot: It's going to go down, but not just yet. To that, the tightness between all hosts, non hosts/jv, and management is now very strong. Until Dan and Jake's move, it is true that for many years show interaction (on and off air) was relegated to mandatory all skates like GNO, Super Bowl, management "suggested" guest segments on other shows, etc. Unlke the old days, there wasn't a lot of comraderie. No animosity, but each show was its own bubble. Not anymore.
2.
TDZ/NP is not in a good place. Their paid subs across all platforms have not increased to the required numbers. I have been told by this same family member that they're hearing the paid numbers do not exceed 8k. They have substantially increased their operating costs in every category and have not increased revenue to match. Presently they still have healthy financial backing. Presently. Fissures are beginning to show amongst consumers and creators alike. The ever evolving tiered sub system has turned off many. Ditto the increased ads, pay for play access for subs willing to fork over additional money (access that allows for airtime, something most subs don't care for, and engenders an air of exclusivity, which is the antithesis of the OG stated vision), seeming attitude shifts by certain hosts, and an over all sense of ennui.
Not sure how much longer this goes on. I guess it depends on those financially backing keeping it afloat in its current state. All the best to them. One more thing, no I'm not one of those who said Dan would be working in Dayton by now. I hope they succeed. Just unsure if it will. Presently, signs and signals don't portend well
Good stuff, great information.
DeleteThe DumbZone is showing exactly what it was to be all along - a short detour to keep a fanbase and stay relevant. Once their New Home (the Freak) blew up, they had to scramble & have been, as one would do to justify that drastic decision to leave TT.
I'd bet a crisp $5 bill that there is a strong to quite strong correlation to the demise of 97.1 Say What We Want - - and a Hill Country Rehab Campus.
If D&J leaving did indeed keep the Musers around a few years longer though.....well, 'preciate ya, pals!
This is all good fodder and a lot makes sense but why would 3 very self made millionaires who don't depend on a non existent Cumulus pension work additional years to ensure the corporate well being vs their own if that is indeed what they did? They also have the ability to monetize their talent and notoriety in their terrestrial radio retirement through podcasting.
DeleteBecause that doesn’t fit The Narrative™, coach
DeleteAre you telling me the breath of fresh air and infectious laugh of Julie Dobbs hasn't increased sub numbers? I was told many, many times that she was radio gold and should have her own show. Guess incels like me (who is married with kids) can be right sometimes.
DeleteSomething an incel would say…
DeleteOnly an incel would deflect from itself by calling out an incel…..
DeleteOnly an incel would call out someone deflecting themselves by calling out someone deflecting themselves by calling out an incel.
DeleteOnly an incel would call out someone calling out someone deflecting themselves by calling out someone deflecting themselves by calling out an incel.
DeleteI’ll never understand why people think the musers would leave radio and start a podcast lol
ReplyDeleteThere is a world of difference between WiP's fill in for the Musers last week and whatever this thing is today. Ham can't do the 8:40 bit to save his life but the rest of the WiP show was pretty entertaining. Whatever this is with Baldy, Ryan and Zach is just down right awful. The JV is as weak as its ever been.
ReplyDeleteWell of course it is.
DeleteIs there a station in the country, specifically one like the Ticket, that has strong JV these days? Blasting these guys, who are all trying their best, isn't exactly insightful commentary. It's essentially an unrated month, listenership is low - if you're going to give people a shot and find out what you've got, now is the time.
I'm not sure that if the station had an endless well of contract/PT budget and could pay big bucks of money to fill these slots it would result in a strong JV. Is there is big interest in being radio talent in 2024, especially with individuals who possess the historical understanding of the station and actual broadcast skills?
Sure, it's concerning that a station like this struggles with its bench, but if the Ticket can't stock one, I think that more a sign of the industry as a whole than something specific to this station.
Yeah, bc Monto and Miney were aces right from the drop. Uh, no. Hyperbolic F, this one.
DeleteThey've had a Saturday show for at least a year. I'd have thought they would have more to offer. Sure they are trying their best. Why should I care? If there best isn't an enjoyable listen to me I don't care how hard they are trying. Yes Monto and Miney have improved, I have not seen any improvement on these guys over their time on the weekends. YMMV
DeleteSeems like you care. A lot. Irvin Kares, too. Took M&M several years to gel to the point that they could hold their own in a daypart. Lighten up, Francis.
DeleteOnce again, KDF, you miss the forest for the trees. Other than a rare bird like Sturm or Norm (btw, he and Monty were ab fab today), most personalities are chemistry/cohost dependent. Take Monty and Mino. Monty was on with that gasbag, Machine, for a couple of years. While Monty was decent and showed promise, he was mostly a JAG. That is, until he teamed up with Mino. Suddenly chemistry entered into the picture and Monty began to blossom. From there he gained genuine confidence and was able to partner with most anyone and deliver top shelf shit. Mino too was a JAG until WiP. Like Monty, he became interesting. Compare that with his work on TSS. Totally different. He's a JAG. It's all about chemistry. Now Monty has a bit of that intangible that can't be bought. Mino doesn't. That's why Monty is better. Still. When together, they're damn good to outright golden. Upshot is I don't know if this current crop of JV is a bust. Some will be for sure. That's the way it's always been. But some, put in the right situation, might shine.
DeleteAs to Lamb's exit. You might wanna look into it a bit deeper. Just saying.
Know what? I'll go one better. Biggest example in Ticket history. Mike Rhyner. He had must-hear, daily appointment stuff. THE most compelling voice in DFW radio. That is, until Greggo started clamming up (drug use, etc.) and a year and change later was canned (drug use, absenteeism, lying). Mike went from being everyone's leader, the coolest guy you knew.......to a mostly whisper of a voice who only piped in when he had a named segment (see: management "suggestion" in attempt to force him to participate) that would consist of something that interested him and only him. That or a punchline for Corby and Danny, or making a doddering, gaffe prone, fool. Oh, and he totally checked out. You saw his pods. Awful. The Freak? He redefined the way most in the industry viewed him, and not in a positive way. A monumental failure. HIS failure. He was abysmally lazy and had not a damn thing in his bag. Sorry. It pains me to say it but it's true. The SINGLE few hours of radio since Greggo left his side that made you go "oh whoa, I remember this guy" was the stunt he pulled getting Greggo to reunite on TF. If you've listened too his latest endeavor, which is more of the same, you'll also know that the Greggo guest spots are the only thing that has teeth. (Even those got weaker as they grew in number, tbh.)
DeleteSo give the kids a break and a shot.
Yeah I know, that was grammatically and syntactically all over the road. That's what happens when you dictate a text while driving in traffico traffico.
DeleteThe thing that bothered me the most about Mike was he went from the Anti-Cowboys Faction and sarcastically predicting the Cowboys would go 16-0 every single year to being just another Cowboys slurper in his later years and unironically being part of a segment called 'analyzing the enemy'. This market desperately needs something like that back. I guess that free Nobu every year at the press party in Malibu eventually buys off everyone.
Delete@everywhere the lack of chemistry is the key issue I have with the college football kick around. They all seem to be cut from the same cloth. When they are talking football on Saturdays, its not an issue but when they move away from the sport page it is noticeably worse. In fairness, I and probably a lot of other listeners were spoiled by the high water mark of the Ticket JV when it had Jake, Mino, Monty, Mike S, Cash, Bruce and a few others that for a fillin show could be really entertaining. They weren't the Musers but they were a descent listen for a couple of weeks. I think the Ticket also used to do a better job of not having everyone out at once. So you had fewer hours to fill with the JV. Given the lengthy tenures of most of the host I'm sure that's not possible now. The lack of JV strength isn't going to kill the Ticket be any means.
DeleteMaybe they could get Steve Lamb from WBAP to help out some. Oh wait, Cumulus let him go after 38 years with the company.
ReplyDeleteThe one way street of corporate loyalty.
Delete“That is,” guy using voice to text makes sense now.
ReplyDeleteNo one asked, dude. No one ever asks you.
Deleteeverywhere i go, kids wanna rock, what's the back story on Steve Lamb? All I've seen is what 's been posted on the D/FW radio boards.
ReplyDeletethings are getting testy between those for whom some of you pinch so very hard. bubbling to the surface. won't be long now.
ReplyDeletetalk soon.
Yep, George has finally had enough
Deletewith Gordon’s laziness
Sorry, love. Your fantasy doesn't track. It's the ones you strive so hard to please. Soon, child, soon.
Delete""Hi, it's me. I'm the problem.""
ReplyDelete*things are becoming clearer and clearer. Anti-hero, indeed.
that changes nothing, sweetie. it’s already in motion.
Deletetalk soon.
Sad day in rock-n-history, Confessors.
ReplyDeleteThree huzzahs to Michael Brewer.
Never heard of it
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteWho is the biggest failure post leaving / getting fired from The Ticket?
ReplyDeleteyes you
DeleteRhymer. He diminished what was once thought to be an unassailable legacy.
DeleteFahy
DeleteJake and Mike S. will forever be haunted by their decision to walk.
DeleteNaw. The Thinnest of Skinned One Who's Not a Skinlannen. None other than Dan "Why am I always treated differently?" McDowell. Jake will be fine. The Aging Party Doll has and will always have a pit in his stomach, but he'll also continue to convince himself it was THEY who made the mistake in not recognizing his brilliance (akin to the trick TC plays on himself on a daily basis). Copium is a helluva drug. But The Sports Fuhrer (oh how funny, how edgy... now do the same thing but with a shibboleth from the oppo spectrum.... then we'll see how Kaufman you are), the root is bitter and deep. HE was the one that made BaD flow. HE was the one who shaped the thing into Ticket shape and flew The Ticket flag. And HE was the one who was told, "sorry, buddy, we think you're killin' it right where you are." The angst. The nightsweats. It was all just a dream. Then the sun also rises.
DeleteIs it possible that they are all happier now than they were when they were at the Ticket? We tend to dismiss they expats reasons for leaving because we would consider working for the Ticket to be a dream job. Whatever issues, real or imagined, were bad enough that they left that dream job so maybe they are happier with their lives outside the ticket.
DeleteWhen you. consider that damn near every one of them spends most of their on-air and sosh time either directly or obliquely talking about or referring to TT, I'd say they're not so happy with their sitch. Else TT would be a distant memory, and not something very very very present to mind. YMMV
DeleteHas to be either Danny or Sirois. Might be a tie. Good luck to them both.
ReplyDeleteMike Sirois drives a 944.
Handsome Danny gotta little off track.
Sirois made more in one year than in 5 at The Ticket. And then on top of that got paid to not work for a year
ReplyDeleteSo 2 years of good salary vs. would be hosting with Donnie now and making that salary he so desires in the main host slot he's so entitled to.
DeleteBut I thought your story was that Cat was never going to give Sirois a host gig because he was too unserious and drank too much
DeleteYou have me confused with someone else buddy. I have no story. You may have a point though, so good decision Sea Cow. Enjoy your 2 years of good salary, and whatever it is you do now.
DeleteIt is correct that Sirois was not guaranteed a hosting gig because Cat Thought he was not enough of a team player. He never did postgame shows or filled in other places he deemed not worthy of his time.
DeleteI am not sure if Sirois would have ended up getting a hosting gig or not, but the guy seemed to take off about as much as he worked. Not usually what people do who are trying to get promoted.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteNew post up.
ReplyDelete