The Podcast About Sports Radio : Chats With Industry Leaders

Chuck Powell is not a fan of your sports team. He's a fan of laughing, writing and doing good radio.

And what ends up happening is, you end up listening, because in the world of sports talk radio, you like laughing, being entertained and listening to a viewpoint that may make you crazy because the host isn't a crazy fan of your team.

It's a lesson that Powell had to learn as well.

Listen to the many sides of Powell here in this episode of the PASR.

Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible

Anthony Stalter didn't know when his chance would be to get in front of a microphone full time. So he did what many who didn't have a career as a renowned pro or college athlete did.

He got his foot in the door via a different department at the radio station and made himself noticed. All the way up until he started getting a small weekend gig on the air at his station.

And it was then that not only his station, but one of his competitors, decided it was time to give him a full time gig.

St. Louis' 101 ESPN is home to Stalter and his midday show he co-hosts with former St. Louis Cardinal Chris Duncan. Stalter talks about his trek to his daily seat at 101 ESPN, the good and bad things about working with a former athlete and more on this edition of The Podcast About Sports Radio.

Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible

The path of a sports radio host or producer is not easy. And if it's easy, it's not usually lucrative. That misconception about this industry by the public is one that always needs to be corrected on occasion.

Take Paul Pabst, for example, who was a country western bar DJ while working for a national sports radio company just to make ends meet. Or, having a chance to be a producer for one of the format's premier hosts, only to be told "he's tough to work with" numerous times.

But, the best always come out on the other side.

Perhaps one of the most popular sports radio producers in the business, Dan Patrick Show Executive Producer Paul Pabst takes us from his early days in the biz to the awkward, awesome and sometimes contentious moments on one of the most-listened-to sports radio shows in the country.

Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible

Who knew there was an appetite for covering the people that are covering the people that are playing sports?

Richard Deitsch, an Ivy-educated sportswriter by trade, found the niche appealing to the Sports Illustrated audience he once served in a sports-only capacity.

Since then, he's uncovered many truths and written many different opinions about sports media and sports radio.

Deitsch talks about some of those in this podcast.

Grab a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible

Italians have always been sterotyped as great storytellers.  And, with ESPN Radio's Bob Valvano, it's no different.

Combine that with his basketball coaching resumé, his ability to be coached by others and his continued ability to adapt to a constantly-changing medium and you've got one of the longest-tenured ESPN Radio employees in the history of the company.

The Podcast About Sports Radio has teamed up with sportsradiopd.com.  Check out sportsradiopd.com for the latest in the sports radio industry.

Show notes & BONUS AUDIO available: aboutsportsradio.com/jongoulet

There are a good many people that come to this podcast having been a lifetime lover of the radio format. That's exactly what Jon Goulet is.

They he knocked down doors and said yes to every opportunity radio gave him.

It landed him with Colin Cowherd, and the bond was so tight, Cowherd hired him...

Twice.

We talk about Goulet's rise to the right hand man of Cowherd and what a day behind the scenes is like every day at his show.

INSIDE THIS EPISODE...- Jon lets us know how he realized he had a passion for sports radio. [1:03]

- Did Jon have a desire to be something else other than a producer in sports radio? [2:45]

- When did Jon realize that being a producer for a sports talk show can be more than a job, and actually a career? [5:05]

- Jon takes us through his journey from a part time Production Assistant to working with Colin for the first time. [6:25]

- Jon takes us through his typical morning, from the time he's out of bed, to air time. [9:46]

- Jon gives us an example of ideas that were crafted by him and his team, that he believed was not going to be spoken about anywhere else. [11:55]

- What would Jon say his biggest role is before the microphones are switched on? [15:12]

- In what ways is Colin misunderstood? [19:25]

- Jon lets us in on his biggest strength as a producer. [21:14]

- Jon gives us an example where he had to be blunt as a producer. [22:13]

- What's Jon's biggest weakness? [23:38]

- Is it uncomfortable for Jon when he's the only one who has worked with the guy who is running the ship previously? [25:18]

- Jon gives us the biggest differences between ESPN and FOX. [27:00]

- Has there been a philosophy about the show to pull more pop culture into the show? [28:24]

- What's Jon's biggest pet peeve of other sports radio shows? [30:17]

Want a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible

Show notes & BONUS AUDIO available: aboutsportsradio.com/stugotz

Imagine a guy in love with sports radio, so much so that he decided he'd leave a nice little job at Madison Square Garden, in the shadows of his hometown, to pursue it.

Sure, it was Miami, but the tradeoff was that Jon Weiner would be paid in something that resembled a slight upgrade over donuts.

And then he loved sports radio so much that he'd start his own station.

And then, eventually, be on ESPN Radio.

You might believe it. But then again, with the character he plays on radio, you might not believe that this was Stugotz--the sports-loving, say-whatever-consequences-be-damned jokester who co-hosts The Dan LeBatard Show with Stugotz on ESPN Radio.

INSIDE THIS EPISODE...- Stugotz lets us know what some of his favorite bench marks are. [2:00]

- Stugotz tells us who he thinks is great at sports radio, besides anyone inside his show. [5:19]

- "How do I do what Dan and Stu are doing..." Stugotz gives us some valuable advice on how to not only get your foot in, but also succeed in this business. [9:15]

- Everyone has weaknesses, but what is Stugotz's? [12:35]

- Stugotz informs us of some of his biggest influences, outside of people at his workplace. [14:03]

- Stugotz reflects on that one moment where he realized he made it in this business. [16:33]

- Why was it such a significant moment when Stugotz was able to bring his dad to ESPN to watch him do First Take live? [18:22]

- How long was Stugotz going to give himself to make it in radio, and what would his alternative option be? [21:12]

Want a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible

Show notes & BONUS AUDIO available: aboutsportsradio.com/stugotz

Imagine a guy in love with sports radio, so much so that he decided he'd leave a nice little job at Madison Square Garden, in the shadows of his hometown, to pursue it.

Sure, it was Miami, but the tradeoff was that Jon Weiner would be paid in something that resembled a slight upgrade over donuts.

And then he loved sports radio so much that he'd start his own station.

And then, eventually, be on ESPN Radio.

You might believe it.  But then again, with the character he plays on radio, you might not believe that this was Stugotz--the sports-loving, say-whatever-consequences-be-damned jokester who co-hosts The Dan LeBatard Show with Stugotz on ESPN Radio.

INSIDE THIS EPISODE...

- Stugotz recalls how he came to the realization that sports radio was something that he wanted to do. [2:05]

- Stugotz takes us on a journey down memory lane, which included a stint working under Hank Goldberg. [4:50]

- How did Stugotz help start 790 The Ticket in Miami? [8:56]

- Stugotz talks about how 790 the ticket became the number one sports station in the market. [13:08]

- Was there a moment where Stugotz thought the show was going to be a long term thing? [14:13]

- How much different is Jon Weiner from Stugotz? [17:10]

- Stugotz explains the difficulties of working morning and afternoon shows at one point, and eventually parting ways with then executive producer Marc Hochman. [19:32]

- “I don’t measure consequences really well…” Stugotz mentions the biggest annoyance that Dan has with him. [23:19]

- Stugotz mentions what annoys him most about Dan. [24:40]

Want a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible

SHOW NOTES: aboutsportsradio.com/stugotzbonus

This is a bonus episode of the podcast series with Jon "Stugotz" Weiner, co-host of The Dan LeBatard Show with Stugotz on ESPN Radio.

Stugotz just got off the air after doing his first show in their new 10am-1pm ET timeslot.

Stugotz talks about how it worked out that they got to that timeslot, how tough it was to leave their old timeslot after 11 years, if it was ever close to not happening and more.

Get a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible

Show notes & BONUS AUDIO available: aboutsportsradio.com/brucegilbert

Bruce Gilbert has heard the best and the worst of sports radio.

And the former ESPN Radio general manager will be there first to tell you, there was a dark time for the format.

But in the ears of the new Senior Vice President of Sports at Cumulus & Westwood One, sports talk is alive and well as a format.  That doesn't mean, though, that the format still isn't behind the times in a couple of different departments.

Even so, there's not many more trusted names than Gilbert to break down what is working and what isn't in the industry.  He gets into a lot of that in our discussion.

INSIDE THIS EPISODE...

- How did Bruce get the 'bug' for this industry? [1:01]

- Bruce talks about how family holidays were still built around radio discussion. [3:40]

- Sports radio is failing at "selling ourselves." How do we fix it? [4:53]

- Bruce talks about what social media has done to the sports talk radio format. [6:57]

- How does Bruce feel about phone calls at a sports talk station? [9:04]

- Bruce has a theory as to why phone calls work in the northeast, specifically. [10:28]

- What are the biggest differences in the sports radio industry now compared to when 

- Bruce Gilbert first got started in the biz? [11:56]

- Sports radio's "Angry White Guy" period. [13:06]

- What will the next "cycle" of sports radio look like? [17:21]

- Why is sports more of a mainstream "social currency" than ever before? [19:41]

- Why is there not enough diversity in sports radio? [21:28]

- What could Bruce do to a station in a week? [23:12]

- What is the biggest mistake programmers are making? [24:47]

- What Bruce finds himself telling hosts over and over again. [26:28]

- How important is self-deprecation? [30:10]

- Bruce's take on the way ratings are tabulated in radio. [33:20]

Want a free audiobook: aboutsportsradio.com/audible