sports talk...

I love Rich and Charlie, I find them highly knowledgable and very entertaining. I do agree that they don't see very interested in basketball. In all fairness, I have listened to them for years, and they talk about what the callers talk about, and I don't hear as many Rockets calls on their show as they used to get when they were on 740. Maybe because the team was better then?
j

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Rich and Charlie are acquaintences of mine from back when they were at KTRH. My partner still plays golf with Rich every Sunday.

They are very good guys and VERY knowledgable about sports but I think even they would admit that basketball is their weakest link. They could probably talk hockey more easily than hoops.

Charlie definitely knows more than Rich on the subject but I often catch myself talking out loud to NO ONE in the truck because they can't remember the name of Carlos Rogers or something like that.

Lance Zerlein has far more knowledge than Charlie and Rich as do Matt Thomas and Jon O'Riley (sp?) over at KPRC, but I really like the afternoon show.

One way to help out is to actually call in. One of the problems they face is that they don't get very many Rockets calls. Maybe it is the nature of the fans - football and baseball fans tend to "talk" more about their respective sports - but the way you get the subject discussed is to force the issue.

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The way to use life is to do nothing through acting,
The way to use life is to do everything through being. - Lao-Tzu

 

Any trade rumors on 610? I hope they come real soon.

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President of the Steve Francis, Jamal Crawford,Larry Hughes, and Charles Woodson fan club.

 

I was just talkin to a friend today about exactly what gram mentioned. Baseball is 5 months away and they still find a way to talk about the Astros for what seems like at least two hours every day. What the frickin heck is up with that! Charlie Pulileo refers to Kelvin Cato as "Kato 'McIl'Cato" every day and thats his whole 2 cents on the Rockets for the whole day. But Lance Zierlein and John Granato have one of the best shows and Lance is a huge Rockets fan. Those rush hour losers should look at what the morning guys are doing cuz they suck.

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I Bleed Rockets Pajama-Pinstriped-Blue!

 

I agree, if hoops fans were to call in they would talk more about it. At the same time they often steer the talk toward baseball and football. Rich is the worst...don't ever mention the WNBA or the Comets to him. He hates it with a passion. The guy even admits to sitting in floor seats and midcourt and STILL not getting excited at all about the game. You must not have a pulse to go to a Comets game in person and feel the energy at the games. I think it's a joke that he's the one doing the hoops basketball goal commercial with Van Chancellor.

Worse than Rich and Charlie about hoops is David Deloti whenever he fills in...talk about Mr Negative. Lance, by far, is the most willing to talk hoops...Granato is a close 2nd. Then there are the 2 guys at night...I'm not sure if they know much about anything...they sound like 2 guys fresh out of college which is exactly the case. They will get better with time and you have to like their energy. Although Matt seems to hog the microphone most of the time leaving poor Jeremy little time to speak. Just my 2 cents...

Old School

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I voted YES!

 

Dalati is a Palillo wannabe. He is a very nice guy but his sarcasm is based on years of working under Charlie. He even pauses like him on the air when he is talking. Charlie is very harsh (must be that Syracuse education talking ) but he is also knowledgable which evens things out.

I've never met Matt but Jeremy is a really good guy. I think Matt is just a bit more outspoken and probably a bit more experienced than Jeremy.

The one guy that, IMO, is really missing from the equation is Adam Wexler. For whatever reason, this guy has been relegated to EARLY mornings and Sunday evenings. He is in the same league as Charlie when it comes to knowledge and he is very even-handed.

If you are up at the crack of dawn, check out his show. Kenny Hand co-hosts and comes back at 2pm for his show - man, do I feel for that guy!

One comment on Rich and the WNBA...I agree wholeheartedly. Although I would not go so far as to call Rich a chauvanist, he is living in Jock Land and that can have an effect on the best of us. He is an extremely nice guy and really funny, but, like Charlie, he is from up north (NYC via Dayton, Ohio) and it shows in his likes and dislikes.

My only problem with 610 is that, while they have the best line-up of talk show guys around, they don't really have enough people from Houston or the south on there. With Granato from Chicago, Rich and Charlie from back east, that is 3 of their 4 major talk show guys from the north. Only Lance is from Houston and Kenny doesn't really qualify because his show is different from the others.

Matt and Jeremy still have some learning to do as well. I'd like to hear more of Wexler and I think they should let Dalati go more in-depth on his news coverage. They guy is a very good reporter when it comes to sports news - he was at every damn Sports Authority meeting I attended and he always managed to get scoops. In fact, he's probably the guy to ask about trade rumors...hmmm...

I wouldn't mind seeing Matt Thomas make a jump over there to do evenings and fill-ins with Charlie and Rich, but he seems pretty happy with his gig - btw, talk about nice, Matt wrote the book on nice guys!

Charlie and Rich have outstanding chemistry and knowledge of the sports outside of basketball. They are perfectly capable of learning about the team if people would call in and discuss the team. In fact, if they got enough calls about them, they'd have no choice but to get more info and be more knowledgeable. It isn't the lack of understanding of the game - they've got that. It is the lack of interest in the Rockets by callers that keeps them from being up on the team.

Next time they are on (today starting at 3pm), make an effort to call in and see what happens.

One more note...John and Lance are both great guys. I've talked to Lance numerous times on and off the air and he is a really funny guy. To be honest, I wasn't sure what to make of John until I met him and found him to be maybe nicer and more engaging than Lance. Really cool guy.
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The way to use life is to do nothing through acting,
The way to use life is to do everything through being. - Lao-Tzu

[This message has been edited by Jeff (edited December 28, 2000).]

 

I hate the afternoon guys also. Im sure they are nice guys, but they suck as sports show hosts. Rich is from NY and I think Charlie (he has to be the most awful sports talk host in the history) is from there also. Maybe thats why they dont seem to know or care jack about rock ball. I do like the guys in the morning show though. And I also like they guys in the evening show (from 7 to 11). Overall 610 now SUCKS! After the morning show its that dumb ass Rome !!!! Then its the boring ass Kenny Hand who has had one good interview EVER! Then its know it all Charlie and that New Yorker Rich.

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SUCK POLICE!!!!!!

To point out individuals or teams that have managed to reach the pinnacle of SUCKINESS!!!!!
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ROCKETS 4th quarter defense SUCKS. The offense SUCKS as well!
Absolutely no excuse for the loss against Sonics at home!

 

Wexler is knowledgeable but I think hockey is in his heart to much and this isn't a hockey market. He's also a big baseball guy which is fine, during the season.

I forgot Kenny Hand...maybe the worst on radio. His "innersting" drives me nuts. Probably a nice guy off the air but is better suited for newspaper reporting and not on the radio.

I like the fact that Lance is really the only guy who reads email on the air. Charlie and Rich probably don't care or just don't want to take the effort. I think they are losing out on a big source of feedback by not doing so. The internet and email is not just a fad and should have a place in radio talk shows. Maybe someone with some 'nads will force them to use email feedback down the road.

Old School

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I voted YES!

 

btw, talk about nice, Matt wrote the book on nice guys!

There must be a few chapters in that book written by you Jeff

I listen to 610 alot and agree with some of the sentiments listed above. I find Charlie fairly knowledgeable about basketball - he never gets a fact wrong about salaries or free agency, andI don't find the show lacking in hoops talk. Rich gets on my nerves a little and knows the least about NBA on the station.

One of the reasons they don't talk about NBA as much as other sports is they don't have a regularly scheduled guest. They have John MaClean several times a week for football (love those segments), Charlie Casserly, and Howard Balser, ALL talking NFL. Last year they had Francis doing a segment but that ended after one year. The one thing that annoys me the most is all the freaking college recruiting. You guys might find it interesting but I find it boring as heck.

John and Lance are very entertaining, especially Lance. Lance is more knowledgable than John, but they just seem to work well together. Wexler is also excellent.

gram I don't really agree with anything you say in your original post - they certainly possess more than a passing knowledge of basketball, as you suggest. I think the problem lies more in Houston's sports following public being fickle and unsupportive of teams who aren't winning, and hence don't call into the show.


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Maybe all the rulers are wrong.
Current Rocket's Salary & Contract Info

 

davo: I think you about nailed it on the fact that Rich and Charlie don't have any regularly scheduled guests for hoops on during the week.

Part of what is at issue is the fact that 610 doesn't do the Rockets game. KPRC gets Rudy T. once a week and seems to get more players on the air.

Personally, I'd like to see them get a couple of guys from ESPN the Magazine or Sporting News - something like that. They can manage David Ronsley (formerly Baseball America guy), McLain and other football guys (like the replacement Joel Bushbaum, Howard Balser from Pro Football Weekly). They even get people from A&M and UT for football segments during the season, other college guys, etc., but very little pro hoops. They do get Jonathan Feigen from time to time but he does Lance and John's show more often and they've had Michael Murphy in he past.

It is true that they virtually ignore email and even fax comments. They really could come into the 21st century considering they both stump for EV1.net on their show.

Sometimes I get the feeling that Rich and Charlie are so respected in the Houston market (and, believe me, they are considered the gold standard in sports talk radio in this part of the country) that they have a tendency to just sort of go off on their own stuff without really digging into the meat of phone calls, etc. There also seems to be an air of intimidation that flows from their callers occassionally as a nod to Charlie & Rich's well-known knowledge of sports. I get the sense that some callers are trying more to impress the hosts with their smarts than ask questions or make comments.

I do know that they are open to suggestion and try to better themselves and their show. They are gifted radio guys who try to make the best with what they have and they do have tremendous chemistry.

Ironically, they are VERY different as people despite their similar edge of cynicism and ties to the northeast. Like I said, call the show and bug them about hoops and only good things will come out of it. I guarantee.

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The way to use life is to do nothing through acting,
The way to use life is to do everything through being. - Lao-Tzu

 

Hey Jeff, we understand that you have met most of these guys and they are probably cool people outside of their jobs. But it is frustrating for me to hear charlie's constant pessimism of the rockets and have a fellow rocks fan pass that off as insightful sports knowledge on the Rockets. Outstanding chemistry or not, both of them really get on my nerves.
On another note: who's fault is it that 610 doesn't have any regularly scheduled rockets guests? I don't think it is because they have been turned down by every one they asked who are involved with the rockets, it is probably because they have made a conscious effort to discuss the minimal amount of the rocks as possible. I'm sure Matt Bullard, Moochie, or even Cuttino would probably have no problem at all talking to 610 only once a week about the rockets.

 

I still say Charlie Palilo is one of the best in the business in terms of knowledge. Lance Z is up there with him. Matt Thomas without a doubt has to be one of the nicest people I've met. I got a chance to talk to him several years ago at a "Be An Angel" fundraiser event Dan Patrick had that I volunteered for. There was a shorter guy with him that used to do sportstalk with Matt... I can't remember if that was Lance or not. I've never considered Rich to be too knowledgable... quite dorky and really nice, though. hehe.

I was pissed KTRH didn't have an Internet feed for their broadcasts when I moved to DFW. I loved John O'Reilly when he was at KTRH, but when he went to 610/950/700, he got grumpy... must've forgotten to take the Metamucil with him. I always attributed it to having to work with the likes of Ed Fowler and Dan Patrick. LOL!

Man, I remember way back when I was in my pre-teens, I used to listen to Jerry Trupiano and John Breen. Those 2 are probably still my favorite Houston sportstalk tandem of all time. Charlie and Rich are up there, too.

Somebody help me out here. When I left Houston I used to listen to KTRH religiously for sports talk. Could someone answer the following for the next time I visit Houston? :

1) Charlie Palilo, Rich Lord, etc. are now on 610?

2) Is 610 still one of Dan Patrick's stations (a la 700, 950)? I ask because I remember the days Palilo would get irritated at the mere mention of Dan Patrick.

3) Who the heck does weekday sportstalk(drivetime) on KTRH then? I went on a weekend once hoping to catch their Saturday edition (around 4-7 I think is when it used to be), but I didn't hear it. I don't know if they even do a weekend edition anymore.

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"I give up. Oh my holy hell I give up." -- Clutch expresses utter frustration in encountering difficulties trying to communicate across a damn bbs. (It's even funnier if you picture Homer Simpson saying it)

[This message has been edited by Dr of Dunk (edited December 28, 2000).]

 

wink: Man, I feel your pain. I agree that they are overly harsh and pessimistic. I've told them! That is just who they are. They aren't homies because this isn't where they are from but Charlie, deep inside, is a BIG fan of the Rockets. He actually has a picture of the Summit after the Rockets won their first championship with a giant banner on it saying "How Sweet It Is." He stopped on the highway to snap the shot.

Getting back to the point, you are correct in your assertion about Charlie and Rich and it bugs me too. However, regarding the Rockets appearances, they have tried to get guys on, but it isn't easy. That Francis show failed because Steve kept cancelling or calling in from his cell phone that would break up, etc. etc. That wasn't 610's fault.

Also, you have to remember that they ARE in competition with 950 and 740, both of whom are now owned by the same company and occupy the same building over on Lovett Blvd. The more they cover the Rockets, the more interest they generate for listening to another station. By the same token, the Rockets, I'm sure, give preference to 950 because it is their flagship radio station. No surprise.

Dr: To answer your questions:

1) Charlie Palilo, Rich Lord, etc. are now on 610?

Correct. They have been for almost 2 years now. Rich came over first and hosted the show with Kenny Hand for about a year and Charlie then migrated.

2) Is 610 still one of Dan Patrick's stations (a la 700, 950)? I ask because I remember the days Palilo would get irritated at the mere mention of Dan Patrick.

No. Patrick was the GM for 950 and 700 and had partial ownership in those stations until they were sold to Clear Channel Communications earlier this year. Patrick never had interest in 610. He is now the GM for channel 55, The Tube, an independant station owned by the pastor of Lakewood Church.

3) Who the heck does weekday sportstalk(drivetime) on KTRH then? I went on a weekend once hoping to catch their Saturday edition (around 4-7 I think is when it used to be), but I didn't hear it. I don't know if they even do a weekend edition anymore.

Tom Franklin and Chris O'Donnel do the weekday drivetime show. Tom has been with KTRH for YEARS and Chris came over about 2 years ago when Charlie left. Since they lost Rich, Charlie, David Dalati and Tony Ortiz (who now is no longer in Houston) to 610, they promoted Andre Smith who does drive time fill in.

I'll never forget when Smith did a teaser for the sports segment on KTRH one afternoon and said, "Clyde Drexler will be back in uniform tonight. I'm Andre Sports. Sports at 25 after the hour."

Back in uniform? LOL!!! He meant "back from injury" and then to say, "I'm Andre Sports." Just hilarious. Fortunately, he has improved.



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The way to use life is to do nothing through acting,
The way to use life is to do everything through being. - Lao-Tzu

 

Does anyone know whatever happened to Tony Ortiz? I liked that guy, he was never afraid of being optimistic about the Rockets while other of his co-worker counterparts had only negative comments. Guess that's why he probably isn't there now.

 

Is it me, or is this in the wrong forum?

LOL !!

DaDakota

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If Mankind evolved from Monkeys and Apes, then why are there still Monkeys and apes?

 

Jeff,

Thanks for the info on where everybody is and the "re-org" of sports talk in Houston. Wow, a lot of things have changed since I left back in 1998. The sports talk in Dallas can only be described as "Auditory Homicide". It's murder trying to listen to it. I haven't listened to sports talk here in about 2 years. I miss the Houston guys. You guys don't know how lucky you have it... I'm in agony up here.

I wonder if Channel 55 will allow Patrick to do an "on-the-air" vasectomy again? Somehow I doubt Lakewood Church would condone that...

Lastly, that comment about "will be in uniform"...I've heard several people say that. It's just another way of saying he'll "suit up" tonight, meaning he'll be playing. Can't explain the Andre Sports comment though. Haha!

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"I give up. Oh my holy hell I give up." -- Clutch expresses utter frustration in encountering difficulties trying to communicate across a damn bbs. (It's even funnier if you picture Homer Simpson saying it)

 

Wrong forum? We are talking about the lack of Rockets/hoops talk on the 610 so this is probably the perfect place.

I have to disagree somewhat that people don't call in to talk about the Rockets because they are losing...who sucked more than the Astros most of last season??? Part of it is baseball as a season to itself for the summer...basketball competes with pro and college football. College basketball doesn't get much play around here either, that's for sure. I lived in Kentucky (UofL fan, hated the Kats) and basketball was a way of life for me. Now I'm here and I couldn't name 5 top 20 teams, although I do know UofL sucks this season.

Old School

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I voted YES!

 

That's an interesting story. Tony was a little on the unstable side. He had a tendency to flip out on occassion. According to friends of mine, he got really pissed off at KILT one afternoon and put a chair through one of their studio windows and that was the end of Tony.

Part of it is baseball as a season to itself for the summer...basketball competes with pro and college football.

BINGO! Texas is a football state even without a pro team. Now, it will only get worse. Houston just isn't a real hoops town outside of the Rockets championship years. If the Rocks and UH manage to get their acts together, it will get much better. Otherwise, we have to do the work and ask for more hoops talk ourselves.

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The way to use life is to do nothing through acting,
The way to use life is to do everything through being. - Lao-Tzu