I'm still thinking Corby and Danny stay where they are in the positions they now have. I don't think Danny will be elevated, if he even wants that with his other outside interests. He may not.
The thought I have is that the replacement must have sports knowledge. Must. This is where The FAN eats The Ticket's lunch. It's where The Hardline has weakened over the years in a way that there simply was almost no serious sports talk on the show except maybe when Corby would talk tennis or college football, and even then . . . .
The second thought I have is that the replacement needs to have some weight, some heft, some adult credentials to rein in Corby/Danny's more juvenile tendencies. Although, on further consideration, maybe The Ticket is looking to get younger at all positions, bring in some guys at the lower end of the demo that they seem to be losing.
So let's go through the list:
Of the current hosts, only Donovan strikes me as a potential Hardline replacement, and I don't see that working, much as I like Donovan. Just not enough razzle-dazzle, and I think Corby and Danny would be tiptoeing around him to some degree. While he and Corby do seem comfortable together and can put on a good show, that combo just doesn't spark for me.
Cat isn't going to break up BaD, and is not going to move BaD into The Hardline slot -- I don't think.
That leaves, in no particular order:
Jake: Leading coming out of the turn. Sportsy, loquacious, smart, snotty. At first I thought Jake with Corby would be too much snot for one show, but of the people at the station, he's probably tops. There's no weightier Ticket guy available except Donovan, assuming neither Bob nor Dan graduates to The Hardline. (And, if so, it would have to be Bob. Dan -- Corby would say, "Are you kidding me?" Besides, I think both Bob and Dan really like their time slot and massive intern support where they are now.)
Mike Sirois: Love Mike Sirois. Sportsy enough? A little thin-skinned sometimes, makes for some interesting radio. Cirque is frequently replaced, although he seems to be present for his producer duties with The Invasion. He doesn't suffer fools gladly and he and Corby/Danny might be a tense fit.
Sean Bass: Oddly, Sean seems to be a polarizing figure with the Confessor. I like him. Is he flavorful enough to boost The Hardline? He's been moved into a semi-management role at The Ticket, so there's some weight there, and he is sportsy. I don't recall a Sean/Corby pairing in the past but I'd like to hear it.
I don't see anyone more junior than Jake, Mike or Sean being serious candidates, as talented as some of them are. Both Justin Montemayor and David Mino have turned into accomplished hosts on the Work in Progress Sunday show, they're both very good. But with them there's the weight problem.
Ty Walker: Like him on Country Force, and he can talk baseball. He's gotten kicked in the cojones for so long by hosts -- all in fun, sure -- could he be elevated?
Dave Lane: Again, a guy I like whenever I hear him. I didn't think his +1 coat-and-tie "interview" appearance last week showcased him to good advantage. His Mike tribute was great, but overall he didn't seem to be at his best.
I like Eli Jordan quite a lot, but I just don't see him leapfrogging more tenured in-house candidates.
One possibility is to do nothing. No replacement. Leave it as the Corby/Danny show. Anyone else thinking that Corby sounds more responsible without Mike present? Danny too? Maybe I'm imagining things. The Confessor seems to think that would not be a good idea, but I wouldn't mind it.
Let me throw out a couple of longshots:
David Moore.
Mike Doocy.
They're both sportsy; they're both adults. I have no idea whether they are available or willing. I do believe that Doocy, at least, could keep his current gig and still do the afternoon show. David has to be present at Cowboy events and skulk around the locker room, so his availability is less certain. However -- what is it that is making me think that David Moore is not a young man? I went looking for his age and couldn't find it, but I think I heard somewhere that he's actually out of the demo. (David, sorry if I've misheard that somewhere.) He may be ready for a regular radio gig and broadcast paycheck. Both are familiar to Ticket listeners. Both have a sense of humor. Doocy would need to tamp down his natural inclination to deference. And again -- The Ticket may not want to replace Mike with an actual adult. No idea whether either would blend with Corby/Danny.
And I think Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton is available.
I'm probably forgetting someone's favorite, and when you tell me who I've forgotten I'll smack my forehead and apologize.
