Episodes
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How about being 18, well on your way to a career in business, only to run into "The Godfather" James Brown and decide business wasn't for you?
(now, THAT is a good tease!)
Doesn't sound real, does it? But, that happened to Cody Stoots.
Stoots decided that radio was the path he took, gave himself a deadline by which he needed to be a sports talk host in his native Houston before he decided he'd take a new path.
He got there years in advance.
At 26 years old, Stoots is the driver for a daily midday show on Sports Radio 610 in Houston.
Find out how he got there and a whole lot more on this episode of The PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible
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Lachlan McLean knew the "New York businessman" lifestyle wasn't for him. So much so that he had zero problem taking a 67 percent pay cut. All to get into what he was doing in college... something he loved... sports. After a lengthy stint in television, which included following his then-girlfriend-now-wife from smaller markets, McLean is now one of the most respected sports radio voices in the Louisville, Ky.--one of the few markets that has, as he puts it, "built-in conflict" everyday on the air. McLean is in his 12th year as a host there, now with ESPN 680 in the Derby City. Hear more about his journey which includes networking his way into ESPN, how he went from a solo host to a two-man show, what makes a college sports market so much more interesting than a pro-heavy market and more in this episode of The PASR. Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible
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Episodes manquant?
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Tim Benz has been an outsider on the radio, even in the city to which he was born.
Benz, born in Boston, made a name for himself in Pittsburgh sports radio and television, before giving it a successful, albeit it taxing, go at WEEI in Boston.
Now, back in Pittsburgh, with the exception of his regular gig as pregame show host on the Steelers Radio Network, Benz has pulled a "Kornheiser." He's gone to the internet!
Hear about how to host in a market outside your hometown, how to successfully host a pregame show, how to succeed in podcasting and much more in this episode of The PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible -
It's true that many of the stories of how one gets into a career in sports radio is quite unorthodox.
But this one may take the cake.
Sean O'Connell was an aspiring mixed martial arts fighter. That turned into co-hosting an MMA radio show that was self-admittedly just for fun.
That turned into a daily radio show--one of the most successful in Salt Lake City... and that radio show, one could argue, turned into a career into the UFC for O'Connell.
And that story is a good one, too. Hear that story and a ton about the career(s) of O'Connell on this episode of The PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible -
RJ Choppy didn't know exactly what he was going to do with his life. But, it sounds like it was definitely going to be something in sports.
An aspiring golfer, Choppy took to a radio station gig at a fairly early age and the rest is history. He worked as a board op, producer and update anchor before finally beating down the door enough to be given an opportunity to be the Dallas Mavericks pre- and postgame show host.
Since then, Choppy has made a name for himself working alongside Shan Shariff mornings on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. He's also made a name for himself in other realms as well.
Hear about those, plus the day his boss knew the combo was going to work and much more on this edition of The PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible -
*NOTE: This is Part 2 of our interview with Sarah Spain. If you haven't yet, go back and listen to Episode 071. Sarah Spain has done it all... and not just in the sports media world. The once-aspiring comedian has also dabbled in being a restaurant server, a ring girl at a boxing match where no one spoke English, a character in a Chinese video game and more. Spain knew where she was most comfortable and authentic in the working world, and that was sports. And then she jumped onto eBay, and everything changed (you'll just have to listen). As with most guests on the podcast, her road to success in sports radio, TV and writing is a very original one, but this one is easily one of the most fascinating. And in the end, her endless talent shone through. Her comedic style, intelligence and humility are on display in many places, including here on this edition of The PASR. This is Part 2 with Spain. Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible
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Sarah Spain has done it all... and not just in the sports media world. The once-aspiring comedian has also dabbled in being a restaurant server, a ring girl at a boxing match where no one spoke English, a character in a Chinese video game and more. Spain knew where she was most comfortable and authentic in the working world, and that was sports. And then she jumped onto eBay, and everything changed (you'll just have to listen). As with most guests on the podcast, her road to success in sports radio, TV and writing is a very original one, but this one is easily one of the most fascinating. And in the end, her endless talent shone through. Her comedic style, intelligence and humility are on display in many places, including here on this edition of The PASR. This is Part 1 with Spain. Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible
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Mike Wickett has always loved radio. In a previous life, his goal was to spin tunes and be a Top 40 DJ. Until that one time he became a sports radio call screener.
The rest is history.
Now Wickett is part of one of the most popular morning shows in all of Wisconsin, regardless of format. Milwaukee's "Chuck and Wickett" on 105.7 The Fan is as popular for their off-the-board segments as they are with their "Green And Gold" Mondays in Packer Country.
Wickett, a decade-long mainstay in Milwaukee now (originally from Michigan), talks about how tough it is to breakthrough in a non-hometown market, the differences in sports radio now compared to when he began, his biggest turnoffs about the sports radio industry and much more in this edition of The PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible -
With many of our guests, the "breakthrough formula" is fairly simple. Have talent, work hard, catch a break. And for Gavin Dawson of 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, it's no different.
Dawson got a shot while in Portland filling in for Jim Rome. Before long, he was packing his bags for Dallas. Of course, he was a telemarketer first (and we just have to ask about that).
Dawson's incredible flow, mix of sports and humor, and ability to give touches to everyone on a five-man show make him one of the best show drivers in the country.
Hear his Jim Rome story, the importance of social media, his telemarketing days, doing a five hour show daily and a lot more on this episode of The PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible -
Chris Duncan is one of faces that sports radio fans in St. Louis notice immediately. His place in St. Louis sports lore was cemented after being an important part of the St. Louis Cardinals' 2006 World Series run.
But these days, it's not just his face that is recognized. It's his voice. 'Dunc' went from dugout to radio studio and became an instant hit in the space, not only taking what he knew from the baseball field and putting it in digestible terms for the common baseball fan, but also immersing himself in other sports to make him a very well-rounded, respected voice in St. Louis.
Hear about the transition from sports to media, how he prepares, how he handled the loss of the NFL Rams and much more in this edition of The PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible -
The guest on this episode of The PASR is actually the host, Zach McCrite. Zach made an appearance last week on The Matt Jones Podcast, consistently one of the top sports podcasts in the iTunes rankings. Jones was once a guest on The PASR (Episode 12) and is still, as of this recording, the most downloaded episode in PASR history. This is a partial syndication of that episode of The Matt Jones Podcast. In it, Jones asks Zach about his recent move back to his hometown, the radio scene the both of them ran around in over a decade ago, and sports radio as it stands today. Enjoy this table-turning episode of The PASR and check out the full, unedited episode here.
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Joy Taylor is as smart as they come in this business? Want just one reason why? Joy had television as one of her many career goals after graduating with a broadcasting degree.
She also found out very early on that radio would accentuate her great personality incredibly moreso than if she just jumped into TV off the bat. And that would open the television door wide open for her eventually.
Now with Fox Sports Radio and FS1, Joy talks about her journey as a music station intern in Miami, to producer, to must-listen-to talk host on the East Coast, to a radio and TV star on the West Coast in the episode of The PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible -
There has been no more mentioned sports radio personality by all of our previous guests than Colin Cowherd. Cowherd has talked in our podcast before about the intricacies of his show and where he saw the industry going in Episode 14. This time around, Cowherd talks a lot about why he made the move from ESPN to Fox, why there seems to be an exodus of ESPN's top talent, a rebuttal to Dan Le Batard's "you leave (ESPN), you're going to get lost" comment and a whole lot more on this episode of The PASR. Get wireless audio for your entire home: aboutsportsradio.com/sonos
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Sometimes there are people that think they missed their chance to get into their dream of being a sports talker.
Of course, we've learned it's never too late.
And in the case of Chris Childers, it's never too early either.
Childers got himself his first break at 11 years old. Yes, 11.
He made the most of that opportunity, and the opportunities that arose after that. The now-SiriusXM host tells you about the one interview that the right person heard to get him his own show, his working relationship with former college football coach Rick Neuheisel and plenty more on this episode of The PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible -
Danny Parkins got the highly-coveted broadcasting degree from Syracuse. You know, the same one that's supposed to get you right in the door at any station in the country that you so desire.
At least, that's what he thought.
Instead, Parkins had to find a way to make money in other ways to start. And those were fun too, for a time.
Eventually, Parkins really got rolling on the air. Currently an afternoon drive host at 610 Sports in Kansas City, Parkins has accomplished a lot more than many in the industry, and he's not even 30 years old.
Hear about his sports radio philosophy, how he almost got fired, how he once spent thousands of dollars at a strip club and a whole lot more on this episode of The PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible -
Jonathan Zaslow is a lifer. Of course, he may not have known itwas going to be in the sports radio field. But, ever since hesigned on to do anything and everything at a startup sports radiostation in Miami, the format began to love him. And he'sexcelled.
Zaslow, morning show host at 790 The Ticket in Miami and MiamiHeat broadcaster, also has the self-awareness to know that he hadto change along the way as well, while still staying true tohimself.
Here about the journey of Zaslow, and how LeBron has played apart in the success of him and other Miami sports radio talent, inthis edition of The PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible -
Sometimes, just being close to the action is the best way tomove up the ranks. But you still have to be good. Really good. And that'swhat Mike Meltser is. Meltser was a host in Hartford, Conn., a stones throw awayfrom ESPN. And when the talent is so close, before you knowit, you're doing updates for ESPN Radio. Since then, it's been nothing but upward for the current hostat SportsRadio 610 in Houston. Hear about his climb and more in this edition of ThePASR. Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible
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Imagine latching onto a radio station, virtually right out of college, and sticking with that same radio station your entire career?
Maybe you crave an opportunity like that one. Ot, perhaps that sounds boring to you.
In Isaac Ropp's case, though, it was the best of both worlds. Isaac went to a radio broadcasting class in college, talked to a local sports radio pro and worked all the way up from asking a superior for feedback on a sports update demo to afternoon drive host in Portland.
And he's been at the same station for 15 years.
Hear more about Ropp's secrets behind those successes and more in this episode of the PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible -
Most of us odd folk that work in sports radio (especially those that didn't come from the pro athlete background) were probably pretty opinionated about sports from a young age.
In Chris Mueller's case, he was "pontificating"--that's his word--so much about sports during his adolescence, that when a chance popped up to enter an American Idol-type contest for sports radio, it wasn't him who was itching to enter.
His family was pushing him to do it.
Turned out to be a great decision. Years later, Mueller is now neck-and-neck with the mainstays in Pittsburgh afternoon drive radio after just two years of his show with longtime sports columnist Joe Starkey.
Hear that story along with Mueller's philosophy on self-deprecation and much more in this edition of The PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible -
Nick Cellini has been in sports radio longer than 95% of other on-air talent.
Emphasis on talent.
Why? Because he has been a memorable voice in morning drive in Atlanta on not one, but two stations.
And even with his self-admitted mistake of being the ringleader of a bit gone wrong (making fun of ALS-stricken former New Orleans Saint Steve Gleason), his humility in it's aftermath along with his aforementioned talent helped find himself back on morning drive in ATL, for 680 The Fan.
Hear how he got into the business, what his career lowpoint was, how he describes his morning show The Rude Awakening, and much more on this episode of The PASR.
Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible - Montre plus
