BREAKING: Country Force to Take 10-Noon Saturday Slot

If my deep Cumulus source is correct, I believe most Confessors will find this a welcome development.  (I never know how reliable my sources are, but this one has the ring of accuracy on the merits, so I'm going with it.)

I have enjoyed Eli Jordan's work since he emerged at The Ticket awhile back -- he'll even sit in with Rick Arnett on The Tee Box from time to time -- but I'm especially pleased for Ty Walker.  Of course, he hosts Diamond Talk with Sean Bass, but it's great to see he's earned a permanent daylight-hours slot after his expert backwater toil at The Ticket all these years.  (I'm still waiting for someone to tell me what award Diamond Talk has won, not that it doesn't deserve to have won one, but it's right there in all the promos; you'd think someone would know.)

That leaves Sunday mornings, 8-11, to be filled.

My own listening plus comments received on this site inspire a respectful request to the New World Catman to give the very most thoughtful and heartfelt consideration to some combination that includes Justin Montemayor.

Then the Ticket world will be perfect, except for all that network programming.

Congratulations to Ty and Eli.

Hay!  Country Force, can't wait for your tractor-pull coverage.

PROGRAM NOTE: Horsemen, Pass By

Sounds like the new Saturday ten-to-noon show is "The Horsemen."


I was only able to catch the first few minutes.  I tried to find the names of the personnel, but I think their first names are Sam and Travis.  Not on the Ticket website yet, Google not of any assistance. 


I didn't catch their last names.  One of them, I think it's Sam, speaks very, very fast and their last names just whizzed by. 


What I've heard so far is promising.  Not much reaction other than that, but I'm still listening.  Sam's kind of jacked up and tends to smoosh his syllables together, but who wouldn't be excited, debuting a show on arguably the greatest radio station in the world?


More later on this interesting and unexpected Saturday offering.


LATER:  Samuel's last name is "Hale," I think.  Travis's last name is -- damn, missed it again.  It's Hispanic, sounds like.

I like horsies.

I like horsies, too.

The Uncertain Journey of T.C. Fleming /// LATER -- BREAKING BREAKING -- The Woodwork Speaks!! [See Following First Redhead]

Confessor Colorado P1 posted the following on the last thread.  I'm sure others out there heard it as well, but I did not.  His report:

Following up on some comments by others in one of the recent threads, I am one who is finding TC's increasing pop-ons increasingly annoying. Case in point: I think TC legitimately annoyed Bob yesterday during The 1:30 News and I completely understood Bob's frustration. Bob started to make a statement about the planned obsolescence of light bulbs and iPhone batteries and TC immediately jumped in to say "this is the worst opinion you have." The conversation went on from there with Bob eventually saying "I'm so sorry I exhaust you TC" and TC responding "your arguments are just so bad!" Bob then ended it with: "Mic' off, get ready for your Ticker . . . I'm just sayin' -- let us do our segment!"

Then at the end Jake declared "that was a bad segment" and Bob protested "no way, that was a fine segment, just a little discourse, an exchange of ideas." After the break they joked about it with Dan calling it "your large Apple argument of 2017." It was not the type of thing that will have a lingering effect but there were definitely some brief uncomfortable moments of tension and it was not a bit by Bob. It seems to happen more and more often lately, that TC will jump in to say something critical and one of the hosts will respond with what seems like genuine annoyance. Or that I will just find myself personally annoyed at his interjection even if nobody on the air reacts negatively.

I am a day one P1 of IJB so I have never been a TC hater and I still have no problem at all with his role at the station. I think he has clearly improved his Ticker performance and I generally enjoy his Tickers. It just does seem as though he has been given increased license or has just taken the initiative to jump into the hosts' conversations more frequently and I can understand why reaction of the good strong P1 is not always positive.

==============

In the recent past I have noted that when I was able to catch BaD I thought T.C.'s popping on had perhaps been moderated (or crowded out by Machine's incessant and truly annoying p.o.), and I thought some of it was even useful to the conversation.

But I would have punched out if I'd heard that.

I think T.C. is at a crossroads at The Ticket and may be feeling some frustration.

Consider:

With the fadeout of Shake Joint and Machine's departure, there are several slots to fill on the weekend.  This only comes around once per total solar eclipse, so everyone's trying to read the tea leaves as to who will get these plums.  (Wow, three weak cliche-metaphors in less than two dozen words.  Time to hang it up.)

I am not a heavyweight T.C.-basher, and I have zero inside information, but I would be a little surprised if T.C. got any of those spaces.  In the past, T.C. has filled in a show here and there with one or another of his colleagues, and my recollection is that those shows were not at all bad, but his appearances in that role seem to have vanished.  I can't recall hearing him as a fill-in co-host, either with an established host or an ad hoc fill-in show with another JV, in a long time.  I'm guessing that Jeff Catlin's email melts down whenever T.C. gets extended air time.  In any event, he doesn't seem to be a current go-to for the odd slot here and there, so as a candidate for a weekend posting he's down-list.

I'm also guessing that maybe, just maybe, with the exception of Jake, his JV colleagues may not be anxious to share a show with him.  He would steamroll Justin M worse than Machine did.  As I've written in the past, every host and JV hopeful at The Ticket has ambition and a large ego.  T.C. is not unique in that regard.  His problem is that he is not good at disguising it.  He gives off a vibe that he believes he is the smartest guy in the room, but seems tone-deaf to the fact that (a) it's a very large room full of smart guys and hundreds of thousands of smart listeners, and (b) he's the only one  thinking that.  His treatment of superiors who disagree with him is inapt (see above), and peers -- forget it.

So -- wild guess -- I don't see The Ticket assembling a weekend show with T.C. as one of the co-hosts.

And I suspect he doesn't see it, either.  Makes him testy.

But I have a suggestion for the Man of the Cat, which I offer for my customarily modest commission:

Give T.C. his own weekend show with no co-host.

I would absolutely check that show out and give it some time to percolate.

Lots of advantages; the guy is like a Norm starter kit:

       (1)  It would make T.C. happy (if that's on Cat's to-do list).

       (2)  It would keep in place the general expectation that seniority will be rewarded by being given a chance to shine.

       (3)  The CTO only has to pay one guy and fill one slot.

       (4)  He will always be prepared with content.

       (5)  He will be contentious with callers.

       (6)  He will be free to let his ego-flag fly; his less attractive broadcast qualities will become advantages rather than irritants.

       (7)  The Ticket is assured of weekend controversy.

       (8)  He will have no co-host to whom unattractively to condescend or to bully.

       (9)  If it succeeds, you've got a new star; if it fails, the perpetually nagging matter of T.C.'s career path is finally resolved, and we can all move on.

       (10)  Appropriately scheduled, people will tune in just to catch the Craig Rosengarden/T.C. mixer (can you imagine the e-brake fodder that would explode out of that?).

You're welcome!

All right, all right, here's your redhead.

BREAKING BREAKING:  TICKET T.C. LOWDOWN

OK, Confessors, going out a bit on a limb here, so bear with me:

It is possible I'm getting scammed big time.  Please keep that warning in mind as you consider the following:

I almost never, ever hear from Ticket employees at any level.  I consider that a compliment to The Ticket -- employees are generally happy there and not trying to grind any axes on this site.  That speaks well of management.  (I know, I know, everyone thinks I kiss CTO ass, but think about it:  If you worked for a large organization (I do), and there was some guy out there doing a blog dedicated to your organization, and you were disgruntled, wouldn't you grunt, at least anonymously, to the keeper of that blog?  Sure.  My organization gets slammed from within all the time.)

But I may have touched a nerve with this column.  I've heard from multiple (claimed) sources via email.

Now let's keep in mind that there are readers who do not like T.C. Fleming one bit.  We hear from them frequently.  It could be they're pretending to be insiders and giving me crap.

But these communiques have the ring of authenticity.  Let's see if I can summarize fairly:

(1)  Current scuttlebutt is that T.C. is not presently agitating for a weekend gig.  If what Cat has told this site in the past -- that he listens to JV pitches when there's an opening -- is correct (some insiders have scoffed), it tends to suggest that T.C. will not be invited to co-helm (or, alas, solo helm) a weekend presentation.

(2) Perhaps the reason is this:  Your Plainsman's surmise that T.C. is not viewed as a desirable showgram co-host by his peers is correct.  (Make a note:  Correct Plainsman surmise.)   He is rather clear that he regards the other JV and most of the weekday hosts as deficient, compared to him, in broadcast skills and intellect, and have leapfrogged him for reasons unrelated to their on-air merit.  If pressed, he might concede a small advantage to Bob, Dan, and Gordon.  My correspondent was rather more colorful in his rejection of the notion that T.C. could pair with anyone.

Again, in fairness, we need to consider the potential axe-grinding factor here.  Do not want to be unfair to T.C., who has no opportunity to respond to things like this -- but this site would be delighted to hear from him and give him a forum for reply.

(3) Station is buzzing that management came down rather firmly on T.C. this week and advised him to cease his interruption of the hosts.  I don't know if this was before or after the episode Colorado P1 sketched out for us.  Again -- hearsay.

That's how I'd sum up what I've been told since this column appeared.  Take it for what it's worth.

And thank you for shopping at My Ticket Confession.

After all this, I think we need another redhead:

 @Plainsman1310

ThePlainsman1310@gmail.com

BREAKING BREAKING BREAKING: Working for the Weekend

I have some pretty hard information about some of the changes we should expect to see at The Ticket.  I apologize for not disclosing every detail that has come my way, but I do think the individual(s) involved, and the CTO, should have the opportunity to roll out news in their own way. 

Also, if I get too mouthy about this stuff, sources could be reluctant to reach out to Your Plainsman.

In other words, I don't want any smarmy comments about what a pussy I am for not disclosing every pixel of information I've received.

Source on this is, on a scale of poor to unimpeachable, fair.  Somewhere in the middle.

Here's what I feel comfortable saying at this point:

     --   There will be a departure from The Ticket of a weekend host.  It will be a voluntary, "friendly" departure -- no termination, no employment- or performance-related issue with the host.  The host will not be going to a rival station.  No news on what will become of the show he hosts, but I speculate -- this comes only from me, not from my source -- it will either end or move to a new slot with a new host and/or name and/or format (that is, will not keep its current slot). 

[[UPDATE:  Mike Marshall has announced on the Donnie & Mike show on Friday that he is leaving the station to take a position with the Cowboys.]]

     --   Because of NFL and college football coming up, permanent changes may not be decided until after the season is over.  For example, the Shake Joint slot may see a variety of different shows filling in for awhile.

     --   Speculation (my source speculating here) is that Country Force will get a tumble in TSJ slot from time to time during the football season.  At least one other JV is mentioned as a candidate for helming TSJ slot on occasion.

     --    The Shake Joint departure will cause "other dominoes to fall," suggesting, as speculated here in an earlier post and above, that there will be other programming changes on the weekend.

This site has a bit of goodwill at The Ticket and I want to keep it that way.  Also want to keep faith with readers, so I'm trying to play this down the middle.  As long as everyone is equally dissatisfied, I'll have succeeded.   So this is all I'm spilling right now.

You know, one of those Friday news dumps.

I don't care how much you deny it, Pweenie, you're still a pussy.

  

BREAKING: Shake Joint News

I don't have much information, but here's what I do have:

Bob did let the secret out of the cat-bag, so I believe we can take it as confirmed that The Shake Joint will be moving on.

I am advised that Jake and Sean will address the issue when TSJ substitutes for BaD tomorrow (Friday), and probably also on the Sunday show.  So tune in if you can and report here.  My ability to tune in is uncertain.

I have no information on other weekend changes -- zero.  However, Your Plainsman is going to go out on a limb and speculate -- really, I'm making this up -- that filling TSJ's slot will not be the only weekend change.  Look for movement and possible realignment of other weekend programming.  Other departures or lineup changes are not out of the question.

Your Plainsman also has no information on the reason for any of this; however, I believe I heard somewhere that TSJ was regarded as a ratings success as weekend listening goes, so suspecting this may be one of those "personal reasons" things.

If The Ticket is losing either Sean or Jake -- I hope not -- My Ticket Confession wishes him the best. 

[LATER BREAKING:  Please note comments below indicating Jake & Sean not departing, but moving to Cowboys pregame.  No news to date if Shake Joint will return; I'm speculating "no," but don't know.]

*     *     *

Not everyone shares this view -- not everyone shares any view about The Ticket -- but I liked The Shake Joint a lot.  Never understood people criticizing Jake's and Sean's "chemistry," which I thought was excellent, and their collegiality genuine.  Neither hogged the show.  And it got better with time.

I'm going to miss it.  The silver lining is that other deserving -- or at least new -- JV voices will get a tumble.  Craig "Junior" Miller may have to revise his Tier assignments.

Will MTC's Country Force campaign finally bear fruit?

I'm still waiting for my commission on the move to 96.7 FM.

*     *     *

This morning's redhead from the prior post didn't get much exposure, so she gets another shot here, and I'll add one more.

Hey, thanks, Plainsman.

Bye, guys.  Don't you be moving too far up the dial, now, y'hear?

Back . . .

.  .  .  and enjoying the heck out of The Shake Joint with Sean and Folly this morning.

Mrs. P and I were in Maine last week.  We were dining at a restaurant one night when I glanced at the front door, and who should come (quite literally) rolling in, but President Bush and Barbara -- he in wheelchair and neckbrace, she with a walker and trademark pearls.  They passed by our table and sat about 20 feet from us, and the Secret Service guys were all sitting at the next table.  They dined with another couple and seemed to have a fine time. 

I did overhear the President say that he'd like to hear more Dave Lane now that the Orphanage is hors de combat, but in general he thought the Ticket weekend changes were working pretty well.

Cue Vivaldi.

Thanks to the Confessor for some solid offerings this past week.

Late Summer Pleasures

Ah, I love The Ticket this time of year.  My flower garden is tossing out its last hopeful blooms, and the Cowboys are wilting.

And The Ticket throws out some great Sunday broadcasting.

I heard a fair amount of That Shake Joint Thang this morning, and it was very sports heavy.  Very solid sports talk by Jake and Sean.  Both of those chaps, to my ear at least, do their homework -- including studying Bob's blog, which they graciously acknowledge -- and the result is a pre-pregame program that is very worthwhile.  It's fresh (despite the partial debt to Bob) and does not step overmuch on the Bob-and-Rich pregame.

Then there's Bob and Rich, joined for part of the show by another Ticket host.  I really enjoy the Bob/Rich interaction.  I know not everyone who visits this site shares my high opinion of Rich as a sometime host, but I really like his contributions and the way he and Bob deal with one another.

Today's guest was, as Bob and sometimes I refer to him, "Craig 'Junior' Miller."  Good stuff from Da Joonz, as usual.  There was a very interesting moment later in the show, after Craig reported on some historical research he'd done on the old Dallas Texans, and the nexus between football in Dallas and Kansas City.  I wish I had a transcript of what Bob said, but he praised Junior as a "sensitive" guy -- the kind of guy he, Bob, said he also believes himself to be -- who digs down and looks behind stuff.  My opinion, too, and I wish there were an opportunity for Craig to serve more often with the Stat Men on the station like Bob and David Newbury.  Craig doesn't ignore tendencies, but he reads between the lines of the recent performances on the field and comes up with some arresting insights.  Interesting contrast, and interesting that Bob made note of the flavor of Craig's contributions.

After the game, there's Norm and Donovan.  I continue to find myself puzzled sometimes by Norm's analyses -- I've written in the past that Norm will be slagging the Cowboys one moment, and in the next defending them against some caller on what seems to me like the same point.  If one were to break these instances down, I'm sure one would find that Norm is not being inconsistent.  Perhaps he's just instinctively challenging with callers.  In any event, I'm usually on board for the whole post-game.

Time to go rake some leaves, yellow, brown, and red.

*     *     *

ThePlainsman1310@gmail.com

@Plainsman1310

Sincere (No, Really) Congratulations to Jeff Catlin

We give the CTO a hard time here from time to time, but we also note the fact that, uh, the CTO has more or less given us The Ticket in unbridled and unaltered form since Cumulus took over.  (It was unbridled and unaltered before that, but that was some other collection of Overlords.)   While there have been some missteps, I think most Confessors would have to concede that programming has been a bright spot, with new talent showcased, weekend programming enhanced, and successful teams left the hell alone.

So it's a pleasure to call to your attention (if you missed it in passing when announced on The Ticket) that Ticket Program Director Jeff Catlin was named by Radio Ink magazine one of the Top 20 Program Directors in the Top 10 Markets.

Here is the quote from the article:


Catlin says he loves being a PD because every day is different. “It’s fun!” he says. “It’s collaborative. It allows me to get my competitive juices flowing. I like seeing the success and growth of our staff. I enjoy seeing where the industry is headed in terms of digital, future content delivery, brand extension, etc., and trying to keep pace or ahead of that curve. One of my favorite things to do each week is lead our image production meeting and create the station brand and image of the Ticket through writing promos and liners in the station’s voice.  “It still comes down to delivering your message as a PD to the individuals in the studio who have to make it happen on air each day, based on a common goal and vision. You have to communicate your station’s brand to the audience and to clients, and you have to be able to outline a plan and strategy and goals to every other department in the building. A great PD also has to have a complete understanding of PPM and how it works.”

OK, I don't know what PPM is, and I'd give a fair amount of money to hear Jeff "delivering [his] message as a PD to [Mike Rhyner] in the studio who has to make it happen on air each day, based on a common goal and vision," but there's a little capsule of what the Pan-American Catman is about.

Ah, but did you also know that he is not only the Ticket's Program Director, he is also the Operations Manager for Cumulus Dallas, which means that he is the Overlord for the Program Directors for the other five DFW Cumlus properties?

So if you wonder what Jeff Catlin does all day to be the Program Director of a station that more or less seems to run itself successfully, programming-wise, year after year after year, now you know -- he has plenty to do riding herd on all those other people who you don't know what they do, either.

Seriously, the man seems to have a fairly stout fan base among The Ticket hosts, which, among a group not known for respectful treatment of authority, is saying something.  And, as noted, when there's programming to be done, the man keeps the P1 in mind.

And now, he's doing ads.

Congratulations to you, Jeff C, and may you have many more years of telling Corby to step up the E-News and Quick Hits prep.

*     *     *

Email:  ThePlainsman1310@gmail.com

Twitter:  @Plainsman1310

OPEN THREAD: Various

Let's face it, every thread here is an open thread.  I'll be away for a few days.  In the manner of Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton, here are some topics on the table to get you started:

(1) Sunday AM.  Following up on the last comment thread, what would you like to see on Sunday morning, or elsewhere on the weekends?

(2) Bass to MaSS?  I have been startled by a couple of anti-Sean Bass confessions in the comments to the previous post, complaining of know-it-all-ism and breathing patterns.  I have to disagree.  When I tune in and hear a Sean-based program, whether with Ty or Newbury, I'm in.  Always like those shows.  Would have no problem with a Sunday morning show featuring him, Ty, or David.  (Or other guys, either, but they seem to team up with more regularity.)

(3) Matt M.  Also started by the vitriol directed at the departing Matt McClearin.  Yes, Matt has "boundary" issues, although I would classify them more as "governor" or "editor" issues, and I understand the sentiment that one makes one own bed in radio, as one does in whatever freely-chosen profession in which one is engaged (not to mention the personal choices that require, um, cash money).  But they by no means dominate his performance, and on balance I think it's undeniable that Scot and Matt have earned the shot they're getting and that Matt is an equal partner in their success.  I didn't take down random P1's post, because, bitter though it seemed (and the "whore"comment did almost get it booted), it at least had some thinking behind it.

(4) Ax.  And I am hoping, really really hoping, that übercritical posts like those relating to Sean and Matt, are not folks with, shall we say, an ax to grind about these guys.  If you know what I mean.  I am extremely reluctant to question the motives of people who take the time to write comments, but when those comments tend toward the angry and personal (and oddly detailed), I am moved at least to wonder.  If I thought this site were being used to advance anyone's personal agenda to the detriment of both this site and The Ticket, it would be vamanos in zero time.  Maybe I need to get the machete out more often. 

There's a topic:  I don't moderate comments (do not have the time and want comments to reflect breaking items), but should I be more aggressive about weeding out posts that have a legitimate take but are gratuitously mean or nasty?

(5) IJB.  I really regret I do not have time to listen to podcasts.  I barely have time to knock this thing out.  But a lot of P1's really like what Jake and T.C. are slinging, and I wouldn't be offended if the CTO gave them at least a tryout on Sunday mornings.

(6) New Orleans.  What did we all think about Super Bowl Week in New Orleans? Here:  mixed.

Outta time.  Keep it cool, Confessors, with my thanks.

 

Twitter:  @Plainsman1310

Email:  ThePlainsman1310@gmail.com





I Would Like to Congratulate Myself on My 500th Post

Thanks to all Confessors for making this site Your Source for Responsible Ticket Journalism.

Putting a few topics on the table today:

(1)  I was delighted to hear Michael Gruber interviewed on (I think it was) Cirque this weekend.  He was on a football junket to Pittsburgh with Norm and, I believe, Grubes père.  He said that leaving The Ticket was the worst mistake he ever made, and while he was kidding, he was only about 82% kidding, I thought.  The best news was that he's quit drinking and has been sober for the past couple of months.  Keep it up, Michael, and continued academic success.

(2)  Junior as a chick:  Admit it guys, we've all done worse.  All I could think of esd that I wished I had a lump of sugar for him.   If Sarah Jessica Parker can be a chick, so can Junior.

(3)  Was there any announcement of why Jake Z was not twiddlin'/tweakin' on The Hardline yesterday?

(4)  I thought surely someone would have taken new Saturday AM Tickerman Mitchell Kerasik (phonetic) gently aside and assisted him with correcting some of the more dramatic errors from his debut.  Apparently not.  I don't like criticizing new guys, trying to make their way in a tough business, but  .  .  .  shouldn't someone at least advise him that what he is doing is a Ticker and not a Ticket?   Truly hoping Mitchell shakes off his Ball-State start,  MTC is always in there rooting for the JV.

(5)  I didn't hear the whole thing, but I think George DiGianni was commenting on his recent bugouts on his mix with The TeeBox last Saturday.  I didn't hear the whole thing, but I think his point was that people can't tell the difference between his joking and his not-joking, so he was just going to cut the handoff short.  May have that wrong, but he was commenting on some of the recent attention he has received. 

And again, to each of you, except the more tiresome of the mope trolls, Thank You for Shopping at My Ticket Confession.

Twitter:  @Plainsman1310

Email:  ThePlainsman1310@gmail.com

BREAKING NEWS: Cirque to Replace Scrubs

I have it on impeccable authority (that is, I didn't hear this myself) that around noon Cash Sirois announced that Cirque du Sirois would be replacing the Scrubs, or what was left of them -- man, how dispiriting must it be to be the remains of something called "The Scrubs"? -- following the Orphanage on Saturday afternoons.

David Newbury has taken his lumps from Confessors over the past couple of weeks, but I have always thought that he does bring something to the station.  Whether he's cut out to be the star of a showgram remains unclear, but as a hard-core sports guy -- which species some believe is underrepresented at The Ticket -- his credentials would seem to be fairly well-established.  I'm hoping he gets a shot somewhere else on the Little One, perhaps with a strong co-host.

I haven't heard who will be taking Cirque's place on Sunday.  It makes sense to move the strong Cirque to Saturday, which I'm guessing is a more heavily-trafficked listen. 

Well, Confessor and crypto-insider Gypo Nolan had it right -- BIIIG changes on the way for the weekend.

*     *     *

Follow Your Plainsman on Twitter:  @Plainsman1310

Big Weekend?

Contrary to speculation, it appears that Matt McClearin is going to continue to co-host with Scot Harrison on The Soul Patch for a third week.  At least, I think I heard that correctly -- the spot kinda crept up on me.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I believe I also heard Harrison say there was going to be a major SP announcement during the course of the showgram.

And we have sometime crypto-insider Gypo Nolan commenting in an earlier post that htere are going to be, as he put it, a "BIIIGG weekend shakeup" in the offing.

Yah, I know we've got the always-critical third Cowboy pre-season game, and the Angels in town, blah blah blah, but this is important. 

My pants are uncomfortable!!

Two Quick Hits on AP's Scrubs/Patch Comments -- Actually, Not All That Quick, as It Turned Out

If you haven't read them yet, go back to the just-prior post and scroll down to his comments (there are other good ones in there):   http://myticketconfession.blogspot.com/2011/08/scrubspatch-voyage-continues.html

Two things I want to comment on:

(1) Among the pearls in AP's essay is his reminder that these guys are not full-time broadcasters.  They have other jobs.  Some, not all, of the co-hosts do not have long-time relationships.  As a result, their shows sometimes sound like a couple of jamokes sitting around having a sports argument in a saloon somewhere.  And, as AP suggests, this might well be a virtue if it doesn't get out of control, and if it doesn't become physically difficult to listen to (as it might if, for example, the hosts end up talking over and interrupting each other).

 

(2) A note on my own experience with Ticket personnel: 

I was interested in AP's comment that his participation in online Ticket sites brings him into contact with Ticket personalities in ways that tends to give him a rooting interest in the guys he's in touch with. 

Y'all can see for yourselves how often Ticket guys identify themselves as commenters on this site.  Not very often.  Even more rare is a personal email from a Ticket guy who identifies himself.  (No TicketChicks have checked in to date.)  As the site has gotten more popular, however, it's clear that at least a handful of Ticket guys check it with some regularity.  Maybe more.

I also have strong reason to believe that several Cumulo-Ticket insiders comment anonymously, which is both a blessing and a curse.  A blessing, because they can pass along (what seems to me to be) credible inside information, sometimes technical, usually not competitively sensitive, that Ticket fans will find of interest and that can correct speculations that I throw out as well as my factual errors.  A curse because comments from anonymous insiders carry with them the possibility of manipulation -- not just manipulation of this site and Confessors' perception of the station, but manipulation of the anonymous poster's own position at The Ticket (if, indeed, responsible Cumulo-Ticket Overlords visit the site at all, for which I have almost no evidence).  Nothing I can do about it, nor would I even if I knew who the anonymous C-T insider posters might be.  Part of the intrigue of the online world we're all inhabiting these days.

But let's put the suspected C-T anonymous commenters to the side:  AP has identified an occupational hazard of a site like this, and this is as good a time as any to confess (of course) to it:    I'm a fan.  I like The Ticket guys, and it is an affection that, over the years, at least feels personal.  I want them to like me, too.  (Which, given my anonymity to date, I admit sounds fairly ridiculous.)    So the temptation is to be flattered when one of these more-or-less public figures takes the time to write, even if it's to disagree with something in the site, or to correct what they believe is a mistaken opinion I hold.  In addition to the hey-it's-cool-that-a-Ticket-guy-is-communicating-with-us factor, Ticket guys who make themselves known to this site are opening themselves up to adverse comment and further controversy -- including, I'm guessing, the occasional stern note from C-T management about confidentiality.  So they get some points for bravery, too.

And indeed, when one hears the other side of the story, there is an inevitable softening of one's view about whatever the controversy happens to be at the time.

This is a particular hazard for this site.  At the risk of betraying excessive self-regard, I think one of the reasons the site has attracted more followers as time has gone by is that I make an effort to offer praise and support where The Ticket succeeds (and let's face it -- it succeeds way more often than it stumbles), along with the critiques and suggestions.  And, irrespective of my own views, to present the other side of the story through the encouragement -- and, more recently, highlighting -- of the more thoughtful commentary from Confessors.  It may not always be as fun to read as the flame wars, but I'm looking for readers who care about the station and think creatively about it. 

I'm guessing that the Cumulo-Ticket Overlords and their on-air thralls are interested in those citizens as well, the P1's who listen carefully and opine thoughtfully about this large part of their lives.  If the CTO think this site has an ax to grind on behalf of some particular host or other guy, they'll write MTC off as just a (much, much) wordier version of some of the other more rambunctious sites for Ticket venting.

So while I love hearing from Ticket personnel, and while I cannot claim complete immunity from some uptick in sympathy and support for those who take the time to communicate, I do try to maintain some distance.  I've still never met a Ticket guy at any level, although there are several whose hand I'd like to shake sometime, just to say hello and thanks.  I've never called the station or a showgram.  I've never emailed any C-T management (other than in the very early days of this site when I would occasionally send them a link to a post, trying to scare up some interest).   I've probably spent a total of a half hour at remotes in the last seven years.  I don't personally know any of the commenters on this site, including AP.

So, as I think AP's comments suggest, there's a tension between the interest of guys like him and me in getting closer to The Ticket insider community, and wanting to keep faith with readers.  Just know that I have it in mind and hope to keep the latter under control and the former uppermost in mind.  If I weaken, I'm sure you'll let me know.

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Follow Your Plainsman on Twitter:  @Plainsman1310

Scrubs/Patch -- The Voyage Continues

Soul Patch sounds great to me today.  They've dropped the self-consciousness and reduced the on-air contributions from the production guys (except for segments devoted to them, like the very good "Bull Durham" segment).  I'm better able to distinguish between Scot and Matt.  A strong effort today

[NOTE:  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THE PRODUCTION GUYS, KRENEK AND ALL THE REST, WITHOUT EXCEPTION.  ALL GREAT, ALL CAN HOLD OWN ON MIC.  HOWEVER, HARRISON WAS JUST INVOLVING THEM TOO MUCH LAST WEEK WHEN THE NEW TEAM NEEDED TO BE FINDING ITS OWN VOICE.  DON'T ANYONE BE GETTING YOUR FEELINGS HURT, NOW.]

I did not hear Scrubs last week or this, sorry.  Newbury is getting savaged by The Nation.  I have liked him in the past but must confess (of course) I haven't been by the channel for that show or Diamond Talk in awihle.   From recent comments:

I think I might know why the McClearin and Newbury pair were split up. Because Newbury is absolutely insufferably argumentative. My God, he won't let his partner get a word in edgewise. He's talking over him, interrupting him, telling him that he already knows his points before he finishes them and so dismisses them. It's amazing. And it's also annoying. Maybe Cat thought if he separated McClearin and Newbury things wouldn't be so contentious. If so, he was wrong. It's all on Newbury. He is a man who does not like to be disagreed with. Very uncomfortable radio, for sure.   -- Anonymous

It seems pretty clear to this listener that if Newbury does not respect his co-host, he's dismissive, smug, and a bit of an a-hole. Contrast his work with Sean or Ty where he has to defer to a guy with skins on the wall. Worse yet, when Newbury is working with someone he doesn't respect he tries to drive the bus. And that is a disaster. He's very knowledgable but he's a second banana (potentially a ver good one). But this is not a guy that gets you in and out of segments smoothly or generally can get thru a sentence without a few stumbles."  -- Another Anonymous

Newbury is definitely knowledgeable and has some insights that no one else on the station can offer. Well, since Bacsik's demise anyways. His opinions are generally good. But I do agree with the last two anons. He needs a talking to by the Ticket higher ups. -- Fozzie Bear

 Fozzie Bear sums up the consensus:  Newbury is a very solid sports guy, but lacks some broadcast/locution skills and, for lack of a better word, diplomacy.

Anyway, I'm really glad that The Nation is paying some heed to what The Little One is doing on weekends.  Some good stuff, some drama, and some exposure for the JV.

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Follow Your Plainsman on Twitter:  @Plainsman1310

Quick Sunday AM Question

I only caught a few minutes of the Sunday AM show today.  It sounded like Cirque.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I thought that Jean-Jacques Taylor was taking a shot at that slot. 

Anybody know what's up with the Sunday AM showgram? 

I'm thinking perhaps JJ was at one of the playoff games and not available to host this morning, which I could probably confirm for myself if I just picked up a Dallas Morning News.  Or visited http://www.dallasnews.com/.

But it's easier and more fun to ask you guys.  Besides, its slick out there.  Cold, too.

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Speaking of the Sunday morning show, I was able to listen to a little of Elfenbein/Lewin this past week.  Didn't make a strong impression either way.  They seem to have solved some of the technical problems with the show, but Elf still sounds really dry and denatured for some reason.  Content was OK, didn't grab me but didn't repel me, either.  Anyone have any reactions to that show?

Josh Lewin (2d from left) in

full semiformal regalia

Is This a Permanent Change? If So, Great

Delighted to hear that The Orphanage is going to 1 PM today.  Another positive development for original Ticket weekend programming, which has made great strides the last year.  Hope this is a permanent change. 

If so, Ticket/Cumulus management deserves thanks.

If not, then thanks for today.