MEDIA BLITZ
By John Molori
AM 1510 attempts to rise from Boston sports radio ashes
AM 1510 The Zone is aiming to provide listeners with some new local programming. In the process, new general manager Mike Winn, late of the “Diehards” show (weekdays, 3-6:00 p.m.) is bringing on both established and untested talent.
Beginning March 13, “The Sportsline” with Rico Petrocelli and Wayne Soares will air every Saturday from Noon-2:00 p.m. Petrocelli, a former Red Sox player, minor league coach and broadcaster, joins forces with Soares, who has worked for ESPN.
The Zone has also added a new program airing Thursdays, 9:00 p.m.-midnight. “The Sports Section” is hosted by newcomers Chuck Morrison, Rob Touzet, Jay Harlow and John Gottlieb.
In addition, AM 1510’s “New England Ringside” boxing show has been expanded to two hours. The program normally runs Thursdays, 7:00-9:00 p.m., but will air this Saturday from Foxwoods Resort and Casino for the Showtime fight card.
The show is hosted by Joe Bills, Jerry Coltan, Ted Bodenrader and “Diehards” regular Anthony Pepe. Speaking of the “Diehards,” I had the chance to sit in with Pepe and cohost Ryen Russillo a few weeks ago.
The fledgling show will struggle to get a share of the Boston sports audience going up against WEEI’s “Big Show” with Glenn Ordway (weekdays, 2-6:00 p.m.), but Russillo is a real talent who is making some noise.
He is a regular contributor to CN8’s “Sports Pulse” and “Sports Connection,” as well as NECN’s “Sports Latenight.” In addition, he has filled in for Cedric Maxwell alongside the always-glib Sean Grande on AM 1510’s Celtics broadcasts.
Russillo is a young gun to watch. He is prepared, creative and provides listeners with unique and cutting edge viewpoints.
Elsewhere at AM 1510, Eddie Andelman’s 15th Annual Hot Dog Safari is slated for May 16. This year’s Grand Marshal is ex-Red Sox slugger Mo Vaughn. Will Vaughn parlay his return to Boston into a sports radio gig? He has the knowledge and personality to at least give it a shot.
A few weeks ago, when Vaughn announced his retirement, WEEI’s Glenn Ordway stated on-air that Vaughn would be welcome as a “Big Show” cohost anytime. Perhaps, AM 1510 has gotten to the “Hit Dog” first. Stay tuned.
Dandy Dickie
ESPN and ABC college basketball analyst Dick Vitale is one of sixteen finalists for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Vitale has been a fixture on ESPN since 1979 when he broadcast the network’s first-ever college hoop game, DePaul vs. Wisconsin.
“Everywhere I go, there are always people waiting to see me,” Vitale told me while covering the St. Joseph’s-URI game this past weekend. “I love it all, the pictures, the autographs. I’m 64 years old and I get to act like I’m 12 years old.”
Indeed, Vitale was labeled “Mr. Enthusiasm” by the Detroit media more than a quarter century ago. He says that his rise to media stardom was unexpected.
“I was a sixth grade teacher and coach in 1970. I worked my way up to a high school assistant, a college assistant, a college head coach and finally the head coach of the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons fired me on November 8, 1979 and I was done. No one would return my calls.”
Vitale relates that a couple of ESPN executives saw him speak at a function and called him about joining the network. “I didn’t even know what ESPN was,” he states. “I thought it would be a way to get back into coaching.”
Comparing himself to ESPN’s Chris Berman, ABC’s John Madden and the late Al McGuire of NBC, Vitale says that his unbridled passion for the game is a part of his personality.
In truth, Vitale is one of those precious few announcers who truly are bigger than the games. He is the real deal. Along with the aforementioned McGuire, Vitale has become the signature voice of college hoops.
He states, “My mother used to tell me, ‘Richie, don’t let people tell you that you can’t do something. You’ve got spirit.’ I’d give anything for my parents to be alive today and see my life.” Vitale’s new book, “Living a Dream,” details his 25 years on ESPN.
He reveals that many of his signature lines such as PT (playing time) and PTP’er (Prime Time Player) came from past players and fellow coaches. My personal favorite, the All-Airport Team (guys who look better getting their baggage than they do on the court), came from ex-Piston center Bob Lanier.
Vitale counts Big East founder Dave Gavitt, former Georgetown coach John Thompson and Tar Heels legend Dean Smith among the most influential people he’s met in college basketball. Some of his favorite players include Patrick Ewing, Danny Manning and Michael Jordan.
“I have very simple rules to enjoy life,” says Vitale who will find out if he is a Hall of Famer on April 5, “Have a passion for what you do. Develop a good work ethic and make intelligent decisions. That’s my recipe for success.” As Vitale himself would say, “Awesome baby!”
Midday misery
You cannot argue with their ratings success, but Sportsradio 850 WEEI’s “Dale and Neumy” (weekdays, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.) hit a nadir of wasted airtime this past Monday. The midday pair droned on for nearly a half-hour on what they might or might not have said about Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez.
Arnold and Neumeier showed perfectly why Martinez has little or no tolerance for the Boston media. The discussion took its root in a rumor that Neumeier had slammed Pedro for taking his son to the physician, thereby arriving late for Spring Training.
Neumeier denied saying anything derogatory about Martinez. The exchange was filled with half-truths and maybes. Neumeier questioned why we should even care what Pedro thinks. Arnold didn’t even know that Pedro had a son.
The entire conversation was self-aggrandizing drivel. WEEI is a terrific sports station, but it is at its worst when the talent wastes time talking about themselves. The Martinez saga was followed up by Dale and Neumy’s take on the Academy Awards. Absolutely agonizing.
Worse, WEEI re-aired the entire segment on “Instant Replay” at 6:00 p.m. Apparently, Pedro has chosen not to talk to Dale and Neumy. On Monday, I should have chosen not to listen to them.
John Molori’s Media Blitz column is published in The Boston Metro, The Providence Journal, The Lawrence Eagle-Tribune, The Lowell Sun, Patriots Football Weekly, BostonSportsMedia.com and MethuenOnline.com. John can be reached via E-mail at JOMOL3@aol.com.
