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Chris ’Mad Dog’ Russo, Suzyn Waldman and Jeff Smulyan Enter The Radio Hall of Fame

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The radio industry gathered in Chicago for the 2022 Radio Hall of Fame. The event took place at the Radisson Blu, and saw a number of sports media professionals in attendance. Among them, Spike Eskin of WFAN, Chris Oliviero of Audacy New York, Mitch Rosen of 670 The Score, Meredith Marakovits of the YES Network, and Steve Cohen, Steve Torre and Eric Spitz of SiriusXM.

The event, which was hosted by KFI’s Bill Handel and created by Kraig Kitchin and Dennis Green, saw a total of 10 broadcasters inducted into the radio hall of fame. Hosts Ellen K, Lon Helton, Walt ’Baby’ Love, Mark Thompson, Carol Miller, Marv Dyson and ’Broadway’ Bill Lee all received recognition for their contributions to the industry, offering personal stories about their careers and thank you’s to those who helped them along the way. Thompson’s speech in particular stood out, especially when he talked about stirring the pot and reminding the room that “attention draws ratings, ratings mean money, and money saves jobs.”

Ryan Seacrest flew in to introduce Ellen K, legendary morning host Scott Shannon was in the building, as were industry executives Julie Talbott, Ginny Morris, Susan Larkin, David Kantor, and Erik Hellum among others. But it was the three most connected to the sports radio industry who we were on hand to support.

Chris ’Mad Dog’ Russo, Suzyn Waldman and Jeff Smulyan each took their place among the industry’s greats. Russo was the first of the group to be recognized. A video of some of his on-air moments ran first, followed by an exceptionally moving video tribute sent in by Stephen A. Smith. The popular ESPN talker shared how much Russo has meant to him personally and professionally, throwing in a few jokes and Mad Dog impressions along the way.

Russo then took the stage, promising to keep his speech short so everyone could get back to watching Game 3 of the World Series. After producing a few laughs, Mad Dog got serious and took everyone through his broadcasting journey. He shared how he got started in Jacksonville, got a break from Larry Khan, sent in a tape for a NYC job at WMCA that he saw in broadcasting magazine, became known as ‘Mad Dog’ thanks to Bob Raissman, and landed a weekend gig at WFAN.

He talked next about getting a break after Imus heard his weekend show, and an even bigger opportunity when Mark Mason paired him with Mike Francesa in afternoon drive. He talked about the Mike & the Mad Dog partnership, his decision to take a risk and move to SiriusXM, and all that he’s enjoyed and overcome to build an audience on Mad Dog Sports Radio.

After thanking his agent, his parents and wife, and sharing a story of how he and his wife first met, Chris explained that he’s had a great year but this honor is a big deal to him. As much as he’s loved First Take, Mike and the Mad Dog, and making more than thirty appearances on David Letterman’s former television show, radio is what he enjoys most. He shared how in late July he had just lost a Tennis match and was upset about it when his boss (Steve Cohen) called to tell him he had been chosen for induction into the radio hall of fame. Russo admitted he cried all the way home, and then exited the stage to a standing ovation.

The man who started the sports format, and operated some of the industry’s top radio brands in the biggest markets across the country, Jeff Smulyan, was next to address the room. After a classy video introduction from his longtime friend and programming boss Rick Cummings, Smulyan told the room his secret to success has been his family and surrounding himself with good people. He shared a few stories from his career and signed off by expressing his gratitude to the hall of fame for recognizing his work.

Wrapping up the night was Suzyn Waldman. The New York Yankees broadcaster who was the first voice on WFAN congratulated Chris ’Mad Dog Russo’ and Jeff Smulyan on their honors and thanked Chris Oliviero for putting her on the ballot for entry into the hall of fame. Waldman talked about being recognized as a trailblazer but never sought out to be one. All she wanted to do was talk about sports.

Suzyn pulled no punches, detailing how many hurdles she had to overcome during her career to get to where she is now. She pointed out some of the male jealousy and unprofessional behavior she had to put up with and thanked Joel Hollander for having her back through all of it.

Waldman also thanked Mark Chernoff for giving her a shot in middays, Eric Spitz for taking her calls whenever she was frustrated, and Steve Cohen for the tremendous remote work they did together with Yankee programs. She shared how bringing Yogi Berra and George Steinbrenner together became a big part of her career, and thanked the former Yankees boss for believing in her. She then thanked her friends and colleagues, the hall of fame, and brought the show to a close.

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Sports Radio News

Jason Puckett Launches PuckSports.com

“I am super motivated right now and I can’t wait. I have probably been busier now than I’ve ever been in the last 48 hours.”

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Logo for PuckSports.com

Jason Puckett, who decided to walk away from a contract offer from iHeartMedia’s KJR in Seattle after finding out his partner Jim Moore had been laid off, has launched a new venture – PuckSports.com. ‘Puck’ has a baseball opening day show posted on the Puck Sports YouTube page and also posted an introductory message about his new venture and what led to creating it.

“I wanted to talk to you guys, the listeners out there, the viewers out there, sorry for all of this,” an emotional Puckett said. “Sorry for what has happened and what has taken place. Thank you for all of the comments and the well-wishes and what you have said about myself and Jim.

“It has been a whirlwind of a last few days, for sure and I do want to say that I feel for the people that we used to work with. “I know it’s not easy to go through that, I have been on that side of it many, many times in this industry when someone is let go and you have to sit there and answer all the questions about them and for them…It’s unfortunate and it shouldn’t be that way, but the reality of this business is it’s like that.”

Puckett then told his fans that PuckSports.com and YouTube are where you will be finding his content along with Moore. “I am going to take what I have learned over the years and apply it to a new age of media,” he said and noted this was a direction he had been thinking about for a while.

As for what took place that led to his decision to not sign his contract and talk away, he said, “I just want to take you briefly back to last week. I don’t want to get too much in the weeds, I’m not here to lay any blame or point any fingers at anybody…there’s too many good people that I have worked with that I don’t want to drag into this. It was a process that was at times handled fine, handled perfectly, and at other times it got to a point where it just went on too long. But that’s corporate media and that’s what happens.”

Continuing on Puckett said, “…I had been without a contract since about January…when I was away from the station that was something that we and the station agreed upon…to see if we could get something done and we were all hopeful that we would…I was only supposed to be gone a couple of days…unfortunately as these things sometimes happen, it just went a little bit longer…We received the deal and it was what we wanted, but unfortunately with that news a few hours later came the news from corporate that Jim had lost his job. Obviously there was a mix of emotions with that from me.

“I wrestled with that and the decision and what I would do. It was hard for me to move forward…I couldn’t fight the perception more than anything that I had received a new deal while at the same time, my partner and good friend, guy I love to death, who I grew up reading…it was a hard reality…The loyalty I have, I couldn’t live with myself even though Jim knew what the truth was.”

Puckett said he was aware Moore was planning to step away from the radio show at the end of the year and was looking forward to the nine months they would have left to work with one another. Then, when iHeartMedia made the decision to make Moore a casualty of their latest round of layoffs, Puckett knew he needed to revisit the idea of starting his own venture.

He said, “It has kind of changed my timeline as far as what I wanted to do and where I felt I was at…I am super motivated right now and I can’t wait. I have probably been busier now than I’ve ever been in the last 48 hours.”

Puckett said several of the show’s regular guests would stay with the show and he thanked several sponsors who he said would remain supporters of the show with the new venture. ‘Puck’ noted that starting next week, “…We get underway in full force…I’m going to continue to try and make people laugh and entertain you and talk about sports…and all of the other things you have become accustomed to with this show.”

As he started to wrap up, Puckett said, “I’m jumping into the deep end of the pool and I am going to see if I can swim or sink.”

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Sports Radio News

Kirk Minihane: WEEI is “Going to be Andy Gresh and Rich Shertenlieb in Afternoons”

“It’s going to be Andy Gresh and Rich Shertenlieb in the afternoons, which is going to be so awful.”

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Photos of Kirk Minihane and Rich Shertenlieb

As the speculation continues on where Boston sports talker Rich Shertenlieb will end up, one former WEEI host said he has the scoop on what is going to happen. Kirk Minihane, now with Barstool Sports, said, “What I heard was, initially, was they were moving Rich Keefe from nights to middays, moving Adam Jones from afternoons to middays and keeping Fauria there, and moving Andy Gresh to afternoons…But now it appears Rich Shertenlieb is going to do afternoons with Andy Gresh.”

On Wednesday, Boston Globe sports and sports media columnist Chad Finn put out a post on X, saying, “Didn’t think Rich Shertenlieb would end up at WEEI after leaving Sports Hub. I do now, most likely in afternoon drive. Audacy management has been telling people to expect changes.”

Minihane continued commenting on the matter, saying, “It’s going to be Andy Gresh and Rich Shertenlieb in the afternoons, which is going to be so awful. Maybe the two most sensitive c***s in the history of radio. That’s a show we are going to ruin…we haven’t done that in a while, we are going to take that show down…Once that show starts, we are just going to blitz them with phone calls because Gresh can’t handle that.

“What they don’t understand, because they are so dumb, is that…Rich Shertenlieb has no fan base…no fan of [Toucher and Hardy] in the morning is going to be like ‘I’m not going to listen to Felger in the afternoons, I’ll now listen to Andy Gresh and Rich Shertenlieb.’ It’s going to be dreadful.”

Recapping what he has heard the rest of the WEEI lineup will be, Minihane said, “…And then in middays you have Adam Jones, failed afternoons. Rich Keefe who has now failed middays, drivetime, nights and is now going to fail again in middays… and Christian Fauria who has never drawn a rating in his life.”

WEEI has not commented on any of the speculation. BSM will have more as the story unfolds.

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Former 670 The Score Host Tommy Williams Has Died

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Photo of Tommy Williams
Courtesy: Lakeshore Public Media

Tommy Williams, who was heard for a decade on 670 The Score, died on Wednesday at the age of 66.

Williams began his broadcasting career in his hometown of Gary, Indiana in 1982 at WLTH before moving on to The Score. In 2003, Williams became the PA Announcer for the Gary Southshore RailCats of the American Association where he had his signature call to get the attention of the fans, “People, People, People.”

A story in The Times of Northwest Indiana said, “The longtime RailCats public address announcer and Lakeshore Public Media sports journalist was known for broadcasting countless games, interviewing countless athletes and covering Region sports at all levels. The Gary native and co-host of “Prep Sports Report,” “Prep Football Report,” and “Lakeshore PBS Scoreboard” often signed off shows saying, “Gary, Indiana, you know I love you.”

“The cadence he had in his voice echoed across the Region in a way we may never see again. He was widely known and widely loved,” Tom Maloney, vice president of radio operations at Lakeshore Public Media told the paper.

“He’d want to be remembered as the voice of Lakeshore sports,” his Regionally Speaking co-host and producer Dee Dotson told The Times. “Most people will remember him for covering prep sports all the way up to semi-pros. He’ll be remembered for treating each of his subjects like they were world champions. His depth of knowledge of sports at all levels is commendable. He was a walking encyclopedia of stats.” 

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