MTC Congratulates the Teebox

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I'm not a golfer but I've always gotten a kick out of the Teebox.  Not just in anticipation of a Craig Rosengarden malapropism; it's a cool listen at work on Saturday mornings, 8 to 10.  Craig and Rick Arnett, a Ticket pioneer, have a nice easy manner, and like Rich Phillips and NASCAR, because of the skill of the broadcasters I find myself listening with some interest to talk about a subject I care nothing about.

However, this site has on several occasions noted that Teebox remotes were the worst-sounding show on The Ticket.  I won't repeat the detail, but the sound on their remotes was gargly and gravelly and hard to listen to.  Here are some early reports:

The Teebox Sounds Absolutely Terrible This Morning

Once Again, the Teebox Seems to be Broadcasting from Pluto

It never got any better, and I eventually quit mentioning it. 

The other day I thought I heard Rick say that they'd gotten some new equipment for their remotes.  I tuned in last week and my impression was that someone needed to get his money back, there was still a hedgehog in the gear somewhere.  But this morning they're broadcasting from a Park Place dealership in Fort Worth and it sounds great, studio quality.  So they must have gotten the toys installed.

It didn't seem right that they'd be so handicapped in their mix'n'mingle with George DiGianni.  Aurally, at least, they can now hold their own with him and The Orphanage.  Congratulations to them.

June 2, 2012

8:57 p.m. -- Random thoughts while waiting for Yu v. C.J. (My Fox Sports SW in HD is currently unavailable on Time-Wanker.  Anyone else having that problem?)

I did not hear Mike's musings about starting another radio station.  But I think that remarks like that are quite significant.

Now, for those who think -- not without some jusification -- that some on this site, and perhaps even Your reasonable Plainsman himself -- are being alarmist, let me say the following:

I DO NOT THINK MIKE IS ABOUT TO QUIT.  I DO NOT THINK HE IS ASSEMBLING AN INVESTOR GROUP TO BUY ANOTHER STATION.  I THINK HE WILL BE WITH THE TICKET FOR QUITE SOME TIME, MOST LIKELY UNTIL HE RETIRES FOR GOOD.  IT'S NOT A SURE THING, BUT THE ODDS STRONGLY FAVOR IT.

It's not what he said, but that he said it, that is significant.  This site and Confessors have speculated, I think with quite reasonably, that the CTO has come down hard on public trashing of Cumulus.  Since then, we've heard two floutings of that rule:  (1) The Hardline talking about fixing the remote trucks, and (2) Mike's musings on starting a new station -- a competitor to his employer.

I know he's the Old Grey Wolf, and thank God for it.  But if we needed any further evidence that there are titanic struggles going on behind the scenes, this is it.  Mike could not care less about Cumulus edicts.

Things may be calming down after Jake's suspension, but we haven't heard the last of host dissatisfaction with Cumulus's treatment of The Ticket.

Here's the deal:  Radio is a tough, tough business.  I studied up on it some years ago and decided not to get into it.  It's tougher now.  To make money in it, you have to watch your costs.  I appreciate that.  But when you have amazing talent who have single-handedly created a ratings juggernaut, you can't treat that channel like it was some generic pop-rock flop.  

I am guessing that part of what is happening here is that the move to Victory has accelerated Cumulus's attempted assimilation of The Ticket into a corporate policy into which it does not fit.  I am guessing that there is resentment of The Ticket's success and uniqueness among the traditional radio management types, and they're flexing their management muscles to bring our sports/guy-talk heroes into line.  We'll show them how to succeed in radio!! 

It's crap, of course, and Mike and the others know it, and they know that they're being big-timed by ignorant suits.  They're still working out what they can do about it.  Again, I hope our guys have strong agents and lawyers.

9:09 p.m. --   Tried to listen as much of the channel as possible today.

George DeJohn - TeeBox handoff:  The topic was NYC Mayor Bloomberg's  ban on large sweetened drinks, and George made reference to some policy that would make him "bang my head against the wall."  Craig said something like "I'd like to see that" and chuckled,  and I thought George might check out at that point, but he soldiered on.  TeeBox sound -- there has got to be something that they do on that remote that they don't do on other remotes, because Rick's and Craig's voices simply sound dreadful.  It's like someone loosened something in the mics.  Sorry to rag on TeeBox audio on remotes, but there's something going on there that needs to be fixed.  (Not related to Victory move -- it's been this way for quite some time.) 

A couple of very snarky references to the Joe Morgan show.  I didn't note where I heard them, but at least one of them was on Cirque.   The JM shoe is indeed a massive punchout.


9:20 p.m. -- Laughed out loud several times during The Orphanage today.   The bit on cruising Knox City in Danny's buddy's '57 Chevy Bel Air hardtop had me laughing out loud in the new Conestoga.  (Yes, I traded the Jeep SRT8.) 
9:54 p.m. --  I was in 104.1 territory this afternoon.  It faded in and out from time to time.

10:25 p.m. --  Just checked my hits.  Whoa, through the roof the past several days.  Many thanks to everyone who has checked in.  Thank You for Shopping at My Ticket Confession.

May 29, 2012

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7:40 a.m. -- Playing around with something different.  With my time availability dwindling and likely to dwindle further, I'm going to try to get quick hits up from time to time for whatever interest they may have, but mainly to provide a continuing and occasionally refreshed forum for those who care enough to leave a comment.

The usual articles and thought pieces will continue to appear as I'm able to get to them.  I invite anyone with a hankerin' to write a piece to drop me an email, and, of course, I will be pirating emails to generate content for this space either anonymously or credited (with permission only). 

In any given day, there may be added material that will be headed by the time it was posted, thrown up as things occur to me.

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I was out of town over the weekend.  Did The Orphanage comment on last week's technical disasters (I understand they had some technical challenges of their own)?

Did George DeJohn and the TeeBox have a real handoff on Saturday?  (The prior weekend the handoff was torpedoed by the worse TeeBox transmission quality ever, and the week before that, I 1think, was the George D-Craig R tiff.)

Does anyone have any information on Greg Williams's medical condition?

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1:35 p.m. -- We hear from folks who think I'm (and some commenters are) overblowing the whole Ticket technical crisis.  Entirely possible they're right.  The show does manage to go on, mostly.  

But the commenters here and to the site that T4 directs us to (see comments to this post), including a well-known local broadcaster, makes the same point I made a week or so ago -- when things go bad and good people start to leave, everything suffers.  Not just the ability to stick plug A into port A, but morale, initiative, the desire to do well, the desire to come to work every day.  It shows in the product, and, eventually, it will show in the cast of characters who emerge on the air.

Can We Get a Report on Today's Mix 'n' Mingle Between George DeJohn and the TeeBox?

Was able to hear a little of the Train Station Fitness Show but wasn't near the channel at 8 AM.  Can we get a witness?

Take Me Out to Diamond Talk

This site is a big fan of The Tee Box with Rick Arnett and Craig Rosengarden on Saturday mornings (actually, a big fan at all times). 

But it was great to twist the knob on the Philco this morning on the way to work and hear Sean Bass and David Newbury holding forth on All Things Rangers.  These guys do a solid job during the year and today's presentation is really keeping my interest.  (I'm writing this during their Chuck Morgan interview, which has been real good.) 

David Newbury has taken some heat from Confessors over the months for various reasons:  Fracas with Matt McClearin, an unsmooth broadcast delivery.  I think he's fine.  I do like to hear broadcasters who sound like they're not afraid of a mic, but I think David fits in well with the overall sound of The Ticket.  Sounds like a guy to me, with the added benefit of being a guy who really does his homework.

Sean Bass brings his Tickerman skills to the show along with solid diamond knowledge.  He's a legacy voice for me on the station, never a stop-down.  He also seems to be a guy who has the respect of everyone on the station.  Can't put my finger on why I get the feeling that he's a well-liked figure among the hosts and JV, but it's just something that I feel through the speakers. 

Can't wait for the roar of the grass, the smell of the crowd.

Not Sean and David; Snow Monkeys in Snow

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Corby Has a Real Sweet Stroke

Have the Rangers energized the Hardline?  I have no idea.  But I think the show has been especially good recently.

I was reading with the showgram on today, and was only half-listening.  Even without my full attention, I caught enough to feel that it had the spirit of The Hardline at its hardest.

One segment made me put down my book and listen.

It was Corby's analysis of The Masters.  I don't know much of anything about golf (surprise), so one who does might cavil at one or another of his analyses or predictions.  But just listening to him play it straight and produce a thoughtful and, to my untrained ear, authoritative report on what was coming up was interesting and entertaining.  Corby at his non-yuk best.

I believe I heard a promo teasing that Corby's going to be on the Tee Box this Saturday morning, 8-10.  He and Rick Arnett should put out some interesting radio.  Might should give it a spin.

Anyone Catch The Teebox on March 13?

The (incomparable) AP from The (really incomparable) UnTicket advises that Rick Arnett and Craig Rosengarden gave this site a mention on The TeeBox a week ago.  Mrs. Plainsman and I were headed out to Carmel for a tenth anniversary vacation and we'd parked the Conestoga at DFW just as The Train Station Fitness Show (with George DeJohn) was drawing to a close, so I missed The TB for the first time in a long time.

Had a great time.  Missed the tsunami (which did cause some damage in California), but Mrs. P and I do seem to be giving off a faint glow.

If any of you heard it and can recall anything that was said, I'd be grateful for a report.  Many thanks.