More Predictions, and the Best Christmas Ever to the Confessor Faithful

We got a little off of duckandcover's predictions with the last thread.    I posted the following as comments to the previous post, but a fan of the site has asked me to post it.

Hey, thanks for your continued support of My Ticket Confession.  Tell a friend, it makes a lovely Christmas gift.

Here goes:

(1)   Michael Gruber, Dirk Nowitzki, Brian Cuban, and Weekend Tickerman Mitchell Kerasik will form a consortium and purchase The Ticket from Cumulus for an undisclosed sum and a ham sandwich.  Grubes will assume control over station management and will permanently reassign Jeff Catlin to oversee the constant replenishment of BaD’s and Norm’s stable of interns.

 

(2)  Gordon will permanently lose all of his endorsements when he blurts out that he’s never actually been to Raising Cane’s. 

 

(3)  Sometime in late spring or early summer, an episode of “What’s on Mike’s Mind” will air without Mike uttering a single syllable.

 

(4)  Cumulus will announce that it’s working on improving The Ticket’s signal.

 

(5)  Corby will join the professional marathon circuit.  Will run into trouble with his first urine test when he tests negative for urine.

 

(6)  Richie Whitt will modestly admit that yes, it’s true, he’s dating Megan Fox’s cuter sister.

 

(7)  The Hardline will take a call. 

 

(8)  The International System of Units will announce that the frequency of the sound of Bob Sturm’s voice has been determined to vary so little from high to low that it will replace the caesium-133 radiation cycles as the basis for the atomic clock upon which modern timekeeping is based.  When informed of this, Bob will say:  “Awesome.”

 

(9)  The fragile edifice of host solidarity will begin to crumble when one of them casually mentions that he’s considering non-renewing his endorsement deal with All-Pro Foundation Repair to pursue other interests.  

 

(10)  Craig "Junior" Miller will tragically violate Johnny Carson's "Comedy Rule of One Too Many" when, incorrectly perceiving that his self-nickname "The Joonz" has achieved widespread humor acceptance, he further shortens it to "the Joo" and is hounded off the air by the Anti-Defamation League. 

 

(11)  George Dunham will drop his opposition to fracking when the largest self-contained source of domestic methane is discovered under his vast real estate holdings in East Jeebus or wherever the hell it is he's moved off to, which BP geologists will name "the Jub Outgassing" in his honor. 

 

(12)  Outraged P1's will finally have had enough and will dognap SweetJack and haul him off to Man's Best Friend, where his irrepressibly cheerful bargain-flogging will result in his severe mauling by a pack of previously docile six-toed Norwegian lundehunds.

 

(13)  Craig Rosengarden will kick George DiGianni’s ass.

 

 

 

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Follow Your Plainsman on Twitter:  @Plainsman1310

Email:  ThePlainsman1310@gmail.com

duckandcover Goes Out on Some Tannenbaum Limbs, and I Issue a Historic Post, with Multiple Prezzies for Me!

This is a historic moment.  And one of the wildest entries ever.

I am blogging LIVE at the unlikely plural Scruffy Duffies, not only hard by, but actually in, the Shops at Legacy.  Damned poodle ate a chicken bone so I had to leave work early to pick up her curly carcass at the vet.  She's fine.  That was one expensive bucket of KFC.

And let me tell you, things are exciting here at the Duff.  I found a nice quiet corner to set up the old Kaypro.  No one's snooping.  I'm having a surprisingly good martini.  A barkeep from another joint I visit came up to say hello, and I had to tell him about an unfortunate service experience at his establishment, and he promised me a free Tanq up on my next visit.  The broadcast stage is very dark.  Corby is talking about Adrian Peterson.  Bought some raffle tickets for the Food Bank from some wandering Ticket Chicks.  They are very young.  They were nice.  Ooo, they're calling numbers right now.   Hey, what if I win?  Do I disclose my secret identity that nobody cares about?    Uh, no.   Good crowd.  Didn't win with this drawing.  That's OK, I didn't want any of those prizes anyway.  I'll be here for at least another drawing.

So here's the deal.  duckandcover posts this --

HOLY CRIMINEY!  I just won the next raffle, the one I wanted, the $50 Half-Price Book gift cards.   I'll be damned.

Okay, let's get back to confession.

Recent frequent Confessor duckandcover jacked the last thread -- in a good way.  (Most jacks are good, frankly.  Let the voice of the Confessor be heard in the land!)  He issued a number of STDs (Scorching Ticket Disquisitions, for recent acolyte Confessors) in the form of predictions for 2013.  Wish I had thought of it, but he did a better job than I could have.  Here it is, then I'll have a few reactions.  I have never had over 100 comments on a post before, but this might well be a first. 

So here you --

JEEBUS! I won again!  A $50 gift certificate to JR's Steakhouse (which is quite good, by the way, a favorite destination when I'm in that neck of the woods). Never encountered Gordon there. 

Uh oh -- as a repeat winner they took my picture with a couple of comely Ticket Chicks.

Let's move on to the matters at hand, shall we?

Ladies and gentlemen  .  .  .  duckandcover -- and duck and cover:

+++++++++++++++++

Our Ticket 2013 Predictions.

(i) The end of CdS. Not because of the show's success or lack thereof, but rather to Cash's Mavs duties and Mike's ever inching toward the management side of things.

(ii) Scot Harrison's presence grows. He becomes a weeknight host, and eventually MaSS changes its name because it's now hosted by Matt and Jake.

(iii) In conjunction with (ii), the success of Intentional Grounding sparks a slew of weeknight shows. Harrison hosting one such show. Thus the programming schedule is all local until 11pm. THL ends at 7, the new show (IG-Fri, Harrison-MW, Newbury and SeaBass-TTH) runs till 9, then the Top Ten takes over until 11, which gives way to CBS national feed--due to the merger between Cumulus and CBS.

(iv) Danny leaves The Ticket. Yes, I said it. I don't like it. But I think it's going to happen. I think he's ready to move on to other things. Perhaps move to Boston or even Nashville (music). He's a musician, and that's what truly drives him and that's how he wants to make his mark in the world. And he knows he's not getting any younger (45, I believe). Time to make the move, now or never. His replacement: one Mike Bacsik. He's no longer deemed too hot to handle. And with his addition, Rhyner is reeled back in from constant, one might say teenager like, music talk and finds himself reinvigorated, just as he was in the halcyon days.

(v) See (iv), The Orphanage, RIP.

(vi) I believe that 2013 is the last year for one of our beloved shows: Dunham and Miller. I think the Joonz finally says "I'm done, let's tawk gahwfff." He's nearly quit a few times in the past, and I think he, like Danny (but for much different reasons) is ready to move on. 

(vii) The FAN is still with us. So is RaGE. But only for a while. By July, CBS finally says "enough," and pulls the plug. Greggo finally, and permanently, moves to Colorado.

(viii) Ready for this one? MTC, as we know it, says "adios, amigos." Yup. Plainsman decides that no longer has the time to maintain the site. He hands over the reins to T4, and this thing keeps on rollin'.

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My Scruffy Tanq-fueled reactions:

"Our" Ticket 2013 Predictions?  d&c, is that the royal first person plural?  Or are you hoping for protection against crass error by pretending that these predictions are from a group of which you are a part?  I think you need to own these predictions, and I will look forward to your comment doing so.

(i) END OF CdS.  I dunno.  It's a good show and pretty popular.   Cash already has that sexy full-time gig, and as for Mike inching towards management -- that isn't much of a disqualification.  Look at Rich and "Race Week."  I think CdS will be around for awhile.

(ii) SCOT HARRISON ASCENDANT.  Quite possible, but I'm not sure where he goes (see below).  MaSS is a pretty solid weekend hit, if the evidence of Confessors' reactions are any guide.  I am a Scot ("Mr. Low-T") fan and would be happy to hear more of him.  My prediction -- we'll hear him more on fill-in if his everyday gig permits it.  I don't know if he's got a day job, maybe one of you has picked up on that.

(iii)  WEEKNIGHT SHOWS ASCENDANT.  Certainly agree that Intentional Grounding has found an audience.  (I'll be listening after I roll out of here.)  But I don't know about filling in other evenings with local programming.  I'd like to see it, but The Top Ten, which T.C. is doing a very nice job with, has got to be an attractive programming move for The Ticket, leveraging top-flight daytime programming in the early nighttime hours with very little additional investment.  So I can't go with duck on this one, much as I would like to see it.

(iv)  DANNY VAMANOS.  No.  I have got to believe that The Ticket has recognized Danny's value and has paid him market -- whatever market is for a producer who does a weekend show, writes and performs "What's On Mike's Mind" intros, produces the most popular radio showgram in the country and, in the opinion of increasing numbers of Confessors, is the best reason to listen to The Hardline (my view:  he moderates the OverCorby in a way that renders The Hardline consistently listenable).  He may be a fine musician, but Nashville and Boston (? -- Moms territory?) are chock full of established singer-songwriters and, in the former case, accomplished C&W guys.  My own thought is that Danny is a guy who has developed immense goodwill in the metro among the P1, music guys, and radio guys.  Could he skip to another station?  Sure, but where could he get the freedom he has at The Ticket?  If he decides to make a move, let's hope that has a good agent.  Danny, give me a call. Frankly, I think he's hanging.

But I will say this -- I have long thought that we might well see Mike Bacsik back at The Ticket, and I'd be OK with that.

(v) ORPHANAGE VAMANOS.  Orphanage will be with us for the foreseeable future.  If Danny bolts, they'll find another adoptee.

(vi)  MUSERS VAMANOS.  OK, I need some historical background here.  I don't have any information about Junior's happy feet, although I have seen references to it on this site from time to time.  Has there been any thought of his departure since 2004 (my Ticket inauguration)?  It's never come to my attention, not that hosts consult with me about career choices or insiders leak stuff like that to me. What would he do?  Go to another station on his own?  Retire?  Folks, I have to tell you that in my experience, even highly-compensated persons are scared to death of what this President is up to -- and if you love the guy, that's fine, not a problem with this site, just reporting on what I'm hearing -- and executives (and, I suspect, highly-compensated entertainers) are not casually abandoning gigs like the one that Junior has.     ALSO:  Hell, they're coming up on 20 years -- he won't jump before that, for sure.  But even then -- I don't know where he jumps to, and I can't see him doing nothing.  As the Confessor Nation knows, Junior is my fave rave at the station, and he is entirely capable of  running a sports-guy-current-events show on his own.  I just don't see Craig jumping at this point in his career, and at this point in the history of the station.

I do, however, strongly endorse duckandcover's reference to Craig as "the Joonz," since it is the construction I myself have favored if he persists in referring to himself in this way, and I don't think there is any realistic alternative.

(vii)  RaGE VAMANOS.  I don't think so.  Confessors have been predicting the end of RaGE for a long time, and after that dreadful TV ad they inflicted on viewers I thought the end might be near.  But here they still are.  I think CBS is in for the long haul with Richie and Greggo and Sybil and Armen, and I think they'll be invited to the 2013 FAN Christmas Party.

I don't know how to evaluate the corporate changes that are taking place in the radio industry as they relate to Cumulus and the local CBS affiliates.  I do think that we've  been hearing about seismic changes for a long time, and none have happened.  So my guess is -- status quo, or something that looks a lot like it.

(viii)  MTC VAMANOS.  Are you a student of archival TV?  Do you remember Arte Johnson from Laugh-In?   Do you remember his tag line at the end of the show?  Verrrrrry interesting.  Good night, Lucy.

+++++++++++++++++++

What are YOUR predictions for 2013?  I haven't really --

HOKEY SMOKES, BULLWINKLE!  CORBY JUST READ MY TICKET NUMBER AND I HAVE NOW WON THE GRAND PRIZE RAFFLE, a couple of courtside Mavs tickets, I think, although from where I'm sitting the PA is a little muddy.

So your incredibly lucky Plainsman went up to the stage 3 times in less than 90 minutes to claim charity prizes.  Were you there? If you were, then you got to see your sainted Plainsman.   Well, what was I going to do?  Go up there with a bag on my head?  As it was, I don't think much of anyone was paying attention.  Certainly the hosts were not, and none of the promo people asked my name.

OK, so -- let's get your reaction to duck's predictions, and let's have yours as an eventful, Grubes-retiring, drop-losing year draws to a close.

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Follow Your Plainsman on Twitter:  @Plainsman1310

Email:  ThePlainsman1310@gmail.com

 

Your Plainsman Respectfully Requests . . .

.  .  .  that commenting Confessors please bear in mind that not all readers (including yours truly) are not able to listen to all the shows all the time.  So if you have a comment on a specific piece of broadcasting, or a piece of other Ticket-related information (i.e., ratings, signal, stuff like that), please give us the factual predicate for your comment so that it may be understood and evaluated -- unless, of course, it's clear from the context of prior comments or a post.

BAFFLING:   "I thought Bob's comments on Tony Romo were right on the button yesterday."

SATISFYING:  "I thought Bob's comments yesterday that Tony Romo brings a kind of Etruscan elegance to  his hand gestures at the line of scrimmage before audible-ing a play that about 47% of his teammates on the field never really learned from the playbook was right on the button."

Same as you were told in that composition class you took all those years ago:  When you sit down to write, put yourself in the shoes of your audience.

Many thanks in advance for your thoughtful preparation of comments, and apologies for this schoolmarmish post.

This Site Joins All DFW in Expressing the Deepest Sympathy to the Family and Loved Ones of Jerry Brown, Jr.

There is nothing we can add to that.  Pretty much everything that can be said about this tragedy at this point has been said. 

There may be larger questions about this occurrence and others involving young professional athletes and entertainers, but right now, they are small.

I did not hear any of Sean Bass's reporting on this on Saturday afternoon, but several Confessors have reported it as extraordinary.  I can well imagine, and I hope I have the chance to hear some of it some day if the UnTicket grabbed any of it.  I have thought all of The Ticket reportage and commentary has been excellent.  George was on fire during the pre-game today -- good to hear him so engaged.

This isn't the time to take shots, but I have to report an amusing moment, in light of recent comments on this site:  When I flipped on the nearest radio later on Saturday afternoon, I discovered that it was still tuned to The Fan from last week's Brad/Babe Cowboys broadcast.  Some JV guy was broadcasting, and the only words out of his mouth before I leapt to the Crosley to dial in The Ticket were:  "I wish some more experienced broadcaster like Richie was here  .  .  .  ."

RIP. 

OPEN THREAD: White Elephant Day

My hits go through the roof on White Elephant Day.  It has been suggested that this is the result of Ticketarians of one level or another checking in to see what the Nation has to say.

So please post your carefully-considered observations on what you hear.  Me, it's going to be dicey for being able to be much by the channel, so I'll be waiting for your thoughts just like the most curious Cumulus employee goofing off by checking MTC every few minutes.

White Elephant Day is a lot of fun, but the interactions are seldom awkward.  The best part is that every  host who may be reaching a different audience, and every JV guy who gets some spotlight time, goes out of his way to put on a good show, with the possible exception of Mike R.  The highlight for me has always been The Joonz's Tickers.

[Speaking of awkward interactions, they don't get much more awkward than George and Fernando sniping at each other this morning (Tuesday) over the Tim-Duncan-flipping-the-bird-to-a-fan-taking-his-picture story.]

Thanks for contributing, everyone.