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Mark Chernoff Bemoans Lack Of Development For Local Talent

“At WFAN, we were always able to stay live and local, 24/7. So many stations, even music stations, are missing that.”

Ricky Keeler

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Former WFAN brand manager Mark Chernoff has been in the radio business for 30 years and has seen many changes in the way shows are done. As things are changing, there is one thing Chernoff wishes there was more of in today’s radio.

Chernoff was a guest on the latest episode of the Takin’ A Walk podcast with Buzz Knight. He bemoaned the lack of opportunities for new talent to develop at the local level across all formats. 

“It is so important to develop local talent,” Chernoff told Knight. “At WFAN, we were always able to stay live and local, 24/7. So many stations, even music stations, are missing that. Many stations have morning shows and nothing else. They are syndicated. Alright, fine, they play 12 songs in a row or 2 hours in a row and it’s commercial-free, but we are not developing talent the way we need to develop talent.” 

He noted that there is more opportunity than ever to find fresh voices. Podcasts, YouTube, and other outlets give people the ability to get reps without waiting for permission. Radio is missing an opportunity by not taking advantage of those talents.

While Chernoff was at WFAN, his former assistant program director Eric Spitz, came up with a theory called POKE, which ended up being a good talent evaluator for radio hosts. 

“Passion, opinion, knowledge, entertainment. That kind of capsulized how we felt about the talent. We always made sure if the talent had those four qualities, they were going to be superstars whether it was Don Imus, Mike [Francesa] and Chris [Russo], Joe Benigno, Boomer Esiason, Craig Carton, Evan Roberts. If they could have all four of those qualities, you knew they were going to be successful.Every show was different, but every show knew how to hit the hot topics.” 

Mark Chernoff has always revered great talent. He told Knight that he tried not to overmanage them unless it was needed. He hopes that’s something his staff would remember about his management style.

“I’m sure there are some people who say I over-managed them. Sometimes with newer staff, you sometimes did need to teach people the format and how to be on-the-air and stuff like that.”

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CBS Sports Producer Defends Army/Navy Halftime Show

“They’re doing their pre, halftime and postgame jobs just like we would.”

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CBS Sports College Football
Courtesy: CBS Sports

On Saturday afternoon, the Army Black Knights and Navy Midshipmen faced off for their annual matchup – the 124th such occurrence of the signature contest – and broadcast by CBS Sports. Army extended its win streak to two games over Navy, but the day was about much more than the game on the gridiron.

Outside of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., ESPN College GameDay was situated and featured guest picker and New England Patriots general manager and head coach Bill Belichick. Additionally, there were the traditional ceremonies that took place inside the stadium featuring the Army cannon that has become synonymous with the game itself, fired at kickoff and during other momentous occurrences during the matchup.

The matchup was televised on CBS Sports featuring play-by-play announcer Brad Nessler, analyst Gary Danielson, and sideline reporter Jenny Dell on the call. On Monday morning’s edition of Boomer & Gio on WFAN and simulcast on CBS Sports Network, a caller expressed their opinions of the broadcast – not during play itself, but rather pertaining to halftime.

“Now halftime is all about pomp,” the caller said. “…Why did CBS Sports bring the counterfeiters, those three jabronis; why did they have them talk and not let us show the viewers the actual halftime?”

Appearing on the halftime program Saturday included host Adam Zucker with analysts Rick Neuheisel and Brian Jones. The presentation that was televised on CBS Sports seemed to perturb this caller though, as he would have rather seen what was taking place inside of the stadium. Instead, the panel discussed the game at hand and performed the task that was assigned to them by the company, and in so doing was subject to the vitriol of viewers missing out on the on-site festivities.

Luckily for Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti, the program had CBS Sports producer Stephen Waldron on the line, who was asked by Giannotti to answer the question from the caller.

“I would say they’re definitely not jabronis,” Waldron explained, “and I didn’t watch the game, so I can’t comment on it.”

Esiason is a member of The NFL Today and will be on the road for the AFC Championship game in January to determine one of the two teams playing in the Super Bowl in Las Vegas, Nev. He compared the jobs of members of College Football Today to what they are doing on the NFL broadcast, simply fulfilling the roles and parameters thereof assigned to them.

“They’re doing their pre, halftime, and postgame jobs just like we would,” Esiason said.

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Mike Felger: Being 2nd Chair in Sports Radio ‘Sneaky Hard’

“I’m just used to running my mouth and setting the pace, and that sort of thing.”

Jordan Bondurant

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Mike Felger
Courtesy: Nantucket Current

Morning drive on Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub will have a new co-host alongside Fred Toucher starting in January, and speculation continues to swirl about who will replace longtime co-host Rich Shertenlieb.

The Boston Herald last week reported the latest in the station’s search for a new morning co-host. Kendra Middleton, a familiar voice in the mornings, has interviewed, and other current station talent like Jim Murray and Rob “Hardy” Poole are believed to be getting consideration.

Mike Felger, co-host of Felger & Mazz on The Sports Hub, has been jokingly suggested as the next co-host. But Felger said in a digital video reported on by the Herald that it would certainly be a challenge, and that he and Toucher would have success.

“I think it would go well,” he said. “What is a sneaky hard spot is to be in the second chair, to be in the Mazz chair, the B chair, because listening is harder than talking… that would be the only discomfort.”

Felger added that it would be an adjustment.

“I’m just used to running my mouth and setting the pace, and that sort of thing,” he said.

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Former Tennessee Titans Tight End and 104.5 The Zone Host Frank Wycheck Dies

The Tennessee Titans announced Wycheck’s death Sunday. He was 52.

Jordan Bondurant

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A photo of Frank Wycheck
(Photo: WZTV)

Tennessee Titans fans were saddened to learn over the weekend that beloved tight end Frank Wycheck died. He was 52 years old.

Wycheck passed away after falling and hitting his head at his Chattanooga home on Saturday, according to a statement from the family.

“We are all devastated to hear the news of Frank’s passing,” Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement. “He was loved by so many, and his memory will always be cherished. Frank’s name was synonymous with Titans football. He was such a huge part of our team’s success both on and off the field. He embraced this community and fan base immediately, and everyone loved him right back.”

In 11 seasons with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, Wycheck recorded 505 receptions for 5,126 yards and 28 touchdowns. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection. Frank is in both the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and the team’s Ring of Honor.

Wycheck was part of one of the most memorable plays in NFL history when his cross-field pass to Kevin Dyson in a 2000 playoff game set up what’s now known as the “Music City Miracle.” Wycheck’s only Super Bowl appearance came that season.

Post-retirement in 2003, Wycheck went into sports radio, hosting a morning drive talk show with Mark Howard and Kevin Ingram on 104.5 The Zone. Wycheck was also the color analyst for Tennessee Titans radio broadcasts, leaving both roles in 2017.

Howard passed away last year, but Ingram on Sunday offered his condolences on X.

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