Mike Steely

[MWCGuy]

There is enough room in this market for two sports stations in Oklahoma City. I predict both will do pretty well as time goes on. WWLS has not really had a competitor that will give them a run for their money. Sure the Ref and Fox Sports are competition but, there not on FM and there not as strong as WWLS is. WWLS has been asleep at the wheel for several years because of no real competition. Competition is a good thing in radio because you know you have to keep your audience listening. You can't ramble on about your wife and kids, the tv show you watched last night and where you have been on vacation. If you know your audience could flip to listen to the other guys you will find something interesting to talk about.

I am really surprised Jim Traber has last as long as he has on sports radio. When I listened to his talk show on WKY when it was current events and politics he was a complete bore. He even brought his wife in a couple of days a week and it was even more boring. It was the equivalent of listening to two people sitting down for coffee in a restaurant talking about nothing.

[kwhey]

Traber is a knucklehead. God forbid you have a differing opinion on something. If you do you are either 1) an idiot 2) a spineless amoeba or 3) yells over the caller or cuts them off or 4) challenges listeners to come to his location for a fight. The stuff just got old really quick. I turned off that station about a year ago.

[ou48A]

WWLS isn't going anywhere because of they affiliate with OKC Thunder.

It will be interesting to see how that goes once some of the better players grow old and they go though the down cycle that most professional franchises go though... This will happen at about the same time the newness of having an NBA team in town wears off.

WWLS will probably survive but in a much weaker state (with much lower ratings) than the dominate potion they enjoyed for decades.

[ou48A]

Traber is a knucklehead. God forbid you have a differing opinion on something. If you do you are either 1) an idiot 2) a spineless amoeba or 3) yells over the caller or cuts them off or 4) challenges listeners to come to his location for a fight. The stuff just got old really quick. I turned off that station about a year ago.

Many people who would be quality callers don't call in because several of the WWLS host have a tendency to treat their callers in rude ways. Then they wonder why they don't get many good callers.
WWLS and particularly Rodgers and Trabber pretty much attract the same people who like a Jerry Springer TV show.
But there are a lot of people who enjoy the drama of a train wreck.

[td25er]

The Franchise is so freaking much better. Not having to listen to BBJ, Rogers, Traber, Al has been amazing. Not having to hear about Tiger Woods, Danica Patrick, and Tony Romo=fantastic.

[KenRagsdale]

Many years ago, when I was taking my son to baseball practice/games, I would tune into the "Sports Animal." It was usually late afternoon and early evening. Eschbach would goad the other on-air talent into commenting about some pornographic movie. With my son in the car, that was enough for me. I stopped listening to him then, and do not listen to him now.

[SoonerDave]

A few thoughts on the early "Franchise" offerings -

Morning show is a virtual slam dunk with Steely and Rohde. Seems that Lump has been tamed at least some. Surprised to hear them really go after the Animal by name so early on, and attack their "15-minute commercial segments" so quickly. Easy choice to pick them over the new crew running the Morning Animals.

Sam Mayes is coming into his own as a midday host. Think he will continue to improve as time progresses.

Afternoon show with Tony Casillas...jury is still out. Think Casillas could be really good, with his OU and NFL insights, but it seems a little tentative right now. Have to let this one grow/mature a bit. Right now, suspect Traber/Animal (hate them or not) will continue to have the ratings edge here.