1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: What's up, Hi, It's five minutes, five minutes after three o'clock. 2 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:08,160 Speaker 2: This is ESPN fifteen thirty. 3 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening, Hope for having a delightful Wednesday afternoon. 4 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 2: God we are here. Let's see really quick. 5 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:21,279 Speaker 1: Joe Flacco's not going to talk today, which is a 6 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: bummer because I'd love to hear from him. I guess 7 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: instead he's gonna talk on Friday, so we don't have 8 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: a three point fifteen Bengals quarterback press conference for you. Obviously, 9 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 1: Joe Burrow's not going to talk today, and Jake Browning's 10 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: not going to talk today, and neither is Joe Flacco. 11 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: But I guess we're gonna hear from him on Friday, 12 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: and I know I can't wait. Yeah, you heard Zach 13 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:45,919 Speaker 1: Taylor a little bit earlier. We'll spend a little bit 14 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: of time on that coming up here in just a bit. 15 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: I'm I'm gonna start the show though, by talking about 16 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: Tony Pike and uh and Taren. I'll just tell you now, 17 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: we're probably gonna hit the brake a little bit late, 18 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: and I know that's gonna make him at me. So 19 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: you heard Austin throughout the afternoon and by the way. 20 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 1: Just an absolute game and professional effort by Austin both 21 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:12,400 Speaker 1: yesterday and today, because I know firsthand how not easy 22 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:15,759 Speaker 1: that is when your on air partner has been taken 23 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: away and yesterday with very little notice, and then having 24 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: to do the show and you know this change has happened, 25 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: but you can't talk about it, and then you can 26 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: talk about it, and it's not easy to do. And 27 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 1: so Austin handled yesterday and today like a total pro, 28 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:32,839 Speaker 1: which you knew he would. Tony put on social media 29 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:35,960 Speaker 1: something that we found out about yesterday, which is he's 30 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 1: no longer employed here, and boy, you think about it. 31 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:46,039 Speaker 1: Last week Tony commemorated eight years as one of the 32 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: hosts of Sincy three sixty and to celebrate that occasion, 33 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: iHeart let him go. So that's that's just boy. Congrats, buddy, 34 00:01:55,080 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: here's your walking papers. I cannot tell you how crushed 35 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: I am. And I've heard from a lot of folks. 36 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,920 Speaker 1: I've neglected to get back to most, but I am. 37 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: I'm crushed for what Tony's departure means for us. And 38 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: when I say for us, our show, Tony's show, the 39 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 1: staff here, he is beloved in this building, I'm crushed 40 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: for what it means for our audience, for you, because 41 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: this was a guy who was a success as an 42 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: on air host and terrific at what he did. And 43 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,679 Speaker 1: I know what it's like when you're listening to somebody 44 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: every day and suddenly they're. 45 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:44,640 Speaker 2: Gone, like it. It sucks. 46 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: One of the worst things that this industry does. This 47 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: is not just about where I work. One of the 48 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: worst things we do is we just take people the 49 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: way and poof, they're gone. And there is reasons for that, 50 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: I guess, but it's always so unfair to the audience. 51 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 1: Here's this host that you listen to every single day, 52 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:05,080 Speaker 1: and then they're not there anymore. It's just and I'm 53 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 1: crushed for Tony for all the obvious reasons, because he's awesome. 54 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: And when I say awesome, I mean in every professional 55 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: and personal sense. So indulge me here for just a 56 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: few minutes. I promise you we'll talk more about Joe Flacco. 57 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: I've been an admirer of Tony since he was a 58 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: player at UC and yeah, yeah, because of the fact 59 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: that he was UC's quarterback when they finally achieved national prominence. 60 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: That was great, but above and beyond that he was 61 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: an awesome story, waited for years to get his shot, 62 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 1: had setbacks, had setbacks that I'm sure he would tell 63 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: you were self inflicted. But when he finally got the chance, 64 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: when he finally got the chance to be UC's quarterback, 65 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: Remember it happened because Dustin Grutze got hurt against Oklahoma, 66 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: Tony got his shot, and then the program took off 67 00:03:56,960 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: and they got to back to back BCS Bowls and 68 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: play in the sort of games that you never thought 69 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 1: UC football was going to play in. And that's awesome 70 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 1: on its own merit, but then you add to it, 71 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: like the quarterback is a local guy who had been 72 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: with the program forever. He was just an easy story 73 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: to root for, an easy guy to root for. I 74 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: sold in September of two thousand and nine. I sold 75 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 1: Pike for Heisman T shirts. And I had never actually 76 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: met Tony when I decided to sell Pike for Heisman 77 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: T shirts, but I had heard his family. I heard 78 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,280 Speaker 1: that they thought that that was awesome. And then I 79 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: was told that those T shirts may make him ineligible, 80 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: and so then I was told his family suddenly didn't 81 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:39,279 Speaker 1: think that my T shirts were all that awesome. But 82 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 1: he was just such a cool story as a player. 83 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:46,160 Speaker 1: And then a few years after he was finished playing, 84 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 1: I remember there was a UC football broadcast and I 85 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: think this is like twooy thirteen or fourteen. I guess 86 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: I could look it up. There was a UC football 87 00:04:54,360 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 1: broadcast in Hartford, the most miserable stadium in the United 88 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: States of America by the way, Wrenschler Field. So it's like, cool, Tony, 89 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 1: You're joining us in Hartford. That'd be fun. And we 90 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:10,239 Speaker 1: needed a sideline reporter and at the time, Tom Galader, 91 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: who's now obviously the voice of FC Cincinnati, was our 92 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: sideline reporter. And the way it would work back then, 93 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: I think Dan Horde had to miss a broadcast. 94 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 2: I think I have this right. 95 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 1: Dan had to miss a broadcast for whatever reason, and 96 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: so Tommy would do the play by play. And then 97 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: that left a hole on the sideline, and so we 98 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 1: had to find somebody to be the sideline reporter. And 99 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 1: the folks that you see suggested we use Tony Pike, 100 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: and so awesome, right, Like, we know who he is, 101 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: is he going to be any good? And so I'm 102 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 1: wondering is he going to be good on the sideline? 103 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 1: But like what's this guy gonna be like, right, big 104 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 1: shot quarterback? 105 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:47,039 Speaker 2: Is he a good dude? Is he fun to hang 106 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 2: out with? 107 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:49,720 Speaker 1: Is he gonna like care enough to like prepare to 108 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:54,480 Speaker 1: do the sideline work? And what I remember is we 109 00:05:54,640 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: go on this road trip and I reminded him that 110 00:05:57,800 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: I was the guy that had sold the pike for 111 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: Heisman teacher. I was also the guy that had referred 112 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: to Tony on the air after the Orange Bowl as 113 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 1: Tony Pick. 114 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 2: And I don't know if he knew these things. 115 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: What I remember instantly thinking, though, is this guy is 116 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 1: awesome to hang out with. And like my filter is, 117 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: especially if you have achieved a level of fame or notoriety, 118 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 1: like can we make fun of you? You and I 119 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: both know there's a lot of folks who like they've 120 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: made it in sports. They're famous, they're stars, they're worshiped, 121 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 1: and you can't make fun of them. It's why the 122 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 1: SPS is the hardest gig in show business, because you're 123 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: making fun of people who are not used to being 124 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: made fun of, and so the host always bombs. Shane 125 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: Gillis did this year. What I remember being impressed by 126 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: when it came to Tony was we can needle this dude. 127 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 1: I remember, he's doing his game, he's getting set to 128 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,479 Speaker 1: do his first game on the sideline, and this is 129 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: before he was on the air every day, and he's 130 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:58,360 Speaker 1: standing on the sideline and I said something to him 131 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 1: along the lines of like, is this it's the same 132 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 1: view you had when you never played for Carolina or 133 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,919 Speaker 1: something like that, and he laughed and he pushed back, 134 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: and he told jokes. And you and I both know 135 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:12,239 Speaker 1: a lot of folks who have achieved Tony's success. They're 136 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: full of themselves and they take themselves too seriously and 137 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 1: you can't make fun of them. And Tony was the 138 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 1: exact opposite. And then the broadcast started. He had never 139 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 1: done games on the sideline before, and he was awesome, 140 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: like their's sideline reporter. 141 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:28,800 Speaker 2: And there's a bunch of good ones. 142 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: Tommy G was a good one, Scott Springer before him 143 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: was a good one, but Tony was like a sideline analyst, 144 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 1: and with no training, having never done it before, it 145 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: was like, Okay, that guy's pretty good. 146 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 2: And so ultimately he took that job over. 147 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: I think in twenty fifteen, Tommy G left to go 148 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 1: start his own company and now obviously the voice of 149 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: FC Cincinnati, and so Tony became the full time sideline 150 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: reporter for UC football, and I mean it was abundantly clear, dude, 151 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: like he was a natural. It's not like there's a 152 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 1: sideline reporter's course you take. You just you go down there, 153 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: you see, you pass along what you're seeing, and you 154 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 1: either have it or you don't. And from moment number one, 155 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: he had it. 156 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 2: And so. 157 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: That was pretty cool. Twenty fifteen. Now, I'm going to 158 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: backtrack just a bit here right around twenty eleven, and 159 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: some will take credit for this. I take credit for 160 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: very few things. But I had an idea in twenty eleven. 161 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: My idea was I wanted our Monday show to not 162 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 1: be a traditional talk show. I wanted a former NFL 163 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:39,079 Speaker 1: player to be with me to get their perspective, maybe 164 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: for an hour, maybe for the entire show. 165 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 2: And so if you've listened to this radio station for. 166 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:48,199 Speaker 1: This long amount of time, it was Artrell Hawkins right 167 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 1: Mohawk Mondays. And it went from a thing we did. 168 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: I think we did three to four with each other 169 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: to eventually I conned him into doing three to six 170 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:56,839 Speaker 1: and Artreill did that show with me. For a couple 171 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 1: of years, and then he went on to go do 172 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: other things Fox Sports Radio, and then we brought in 173 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 1: Rocky Boyman and I was asked, well, what about Rocky Boyman. 174 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 1: I had seen Rocky do some stuff on TV. I 175 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 1: didn't sign off, I didn't hire Rocky, but I'm like, yeah, 176 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: let's do it. And so for a couple of years 177 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 1: it was the Rock and MoU Football Show on Mondays, 178 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,079 Speaker 1: and not that dissimilar from what would become the Tony 179 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: and Mo Football Show. We were not out at a 180 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 1: bar or anything, but Rocky and I would do a 181 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:23,319 Speaker 1: show on Mondays and it was all about the Bengals 182 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: in the NFL, and we did some college football and 183 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 1: it was terrific. And then Rocky moved on to go 184 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 1: do at the time the night show on seven hundred WLW, 185 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 1: and so I needed someone on Mondays and I was 186 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: asked like, what do you think, and I said, well, 187 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: I'm going to be with Tony Pike this weekend. We 188 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: were going to go on a UC road trip. I 189 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 1: think to BYU, I said, let me just see if 190 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: he'll do it. And I remember I think we were 191 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: walking on the plane to fly to Provo and I said, like, 192 00:09:51,200 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 1: what are you doing on Monday? 193 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:53,679 Speaker 2: And nothing, I was. 194 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 1: I want you to, you know, do the Toni and 195 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: the Rock and Mo Football Show with me and do 196 00:09:58,960 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: that for a week. 197 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 2: And I remember he was on with me. 198 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 1: I have no recollection who the Bengals had played the 199 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: day before, but he's doing the show with me. We're 200 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: talking about the Bengals. And it instantly worked. Instantly, it 201 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: worked the best chemistry I've ever had with anyone on 202 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: the air. And it became like abundantly clear to me, 203 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 1: like this thing on Mondays with Tony needs to be 204 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 1: a thing, not just the rest of the year, but like, 205 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 1: we got to make this an every year thing, a 206 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: recurring thing. Unfortunately, the folks we work for recognize the 207 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 1: same thing. And so there's Tony and I every Monday, 208 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 1: starting in twenty fifteen. And it's my favorite show to 209 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:45,080 Speaker 1: be a part of because I learned something and he 210 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 1: brings great preparation and insight and perspective, but more than anything, 211 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:55,199 Speaker 1: he makes it fun. And like this is supposed to 212 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: be fun, Like this job is supposed to be fun. 213 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 1: Sports are supposed to be fun. And I had no 214 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 1: interest and I would say this about Rocky and our 215 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:08,559 Speaker 1: trail before him, but specifically, Tony had no interest in, Hey, 216 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:11,319 Speaker 1: we're we're really gonna seriously talk about these football games 217 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: like I want your insight, I want your analysis. But 218 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 1: this is this is the toy department here. The ethos 219 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:21,720 Speaker 1: of this show has always been sports are fun, and 220 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:26,679 Speaker 1: Tony fit in in that regard almost instantly. So then 221 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: in twenty eighteen, you know, we had started Sincy three 222 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,679 Speaker 1: to sixty, right, I know, I'm telling a long story here. 223 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:34,960 Speaker 1: You'll just have to put up with it. Twenty seventeen, 224 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 1: we started Sincy three sixty. James Rapine was hosting that 225 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:40,439 Speaker 1: show at the time, and then he moved on and 226 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: went to go do some things, and you may have 227 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 1: noticed things have worked out well for him. But we 228 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:47,679 Speaker 1: needed a host for Sincey three to sixty. And at 229 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: the time it was a one hour show, and Tony 230 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:53,200 Speaker 1: was offered the shot to do the show pretty much 231 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:59,200 Speaker 1: by himself, and he taught himself how to become an everyday, 232 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: full time host host and that's not easy to do. 233 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:06,680 Speaker 1: And then the show became two hours, and then it 234 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 1: became three hours, and then Austin came aboard as the 235 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: producer and eventually co host right, and it's been awesome. 236 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 1: It's been awesome from my perspective having a local lead 237 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 1: in because for years I did this show and we 238 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 1: were the only local show, and you feel like you're 239 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: on an island and you don't feel like you're much 240 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:30,719 Speaker 1: a part of a team. And what's happened over the 241 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: last few years is we've had three hours on before 242 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 1: us and it's felt like a real radio station where 243 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:40,080 Speaker 1: there's like six hours of programming, and the best part 244 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 1: of my day, the single best part of my day 245 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:46,440 Speaker 1: for years now has been two forty five when I 246 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 1: get a chance to sit in with Tony and Austin 247 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 1: and just goof off and sometimes argue about stuff, but 248 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 1: just have fun together. It's the best. And not only 249 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 1: doing that, but like watching Tony specifically grow into the 250 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 1: role and watching that show become something, watching that show 251 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: become I think, a really important part of sports in 252 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:13,319 Speaker 1: this town, a big part of this company, big part 253 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: of this radio station, and watching him evolve and grow 254 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: and watching him in Austin develop and on air chemistry together, 255 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: which I think has been awesome, has been just it's 256 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: been fun. It's been a blast, and the best part 257 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: has been with Tony, in particular being his teammate. And 258 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 1: he's an unbelievable teammate. And what I hate about this 259 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:43,839 Speaker 1: is now he's not and that sucks so hard I 260 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:50,760 Speaker 1: can't even begin to impress to express it. I've been 261 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: I've been in this business for a long time, man. 262 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 2: And I've I've watched I've watched a lot of. 263 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 1: We're calling him restructures, restructures, reorganizations, reshuffling, I don't know, 264 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: and and they're they're never easy. They're never easy because 265 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 1: the people affected don't deserve it. And for the most part, 266 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: when they're told that their time is up, it's not 267 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: because of anything they did. And so you know, something 268 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 1: like this will happen, and Tony is told to leave, 269 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 1: and and folks will ask why, and and there's there's 270 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 1: no good reason. There's no good reason. And by the way, 271 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 1: Tony wasn't the only person here let go. Other people 272 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:36,440 Speaker 1: left here yesterday, good people, people who make up the 273 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 1: foundation of a place like this, and people who make 274 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 1: this a fun place to come to work every day. 275 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 2: People who understand the realities. 276 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: Of this industry, which you know aren't great, and they 277 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 1: still bring passion for what they do. Man, Like, that's 278 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: that's hard, and it's rare, and Tony was one of them. 279 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: And yet he's not here anymore. And it's obviously not 280 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: because he performed poorly or did anything wrong or didn't 281 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 1: have a connection to his audience, or because he had 282 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 1: a poor relationship with advertisers or folks at the radio station. 283 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: Has nothing to do with any of that, nothing to 284 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 1: do with any of that. Somebody sees a number on 285 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 1: a spreadsheet, that number doesn't work, and so off they go, 286 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 1: And like, that's hard, right, Because on one hand, you know, 287 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 1: you could take comfort in knowing that nobody's questioning your performance, 288 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 1: nobody's doubting your talent. On the other hand, you feel 289 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 1: kind of helpless because at the end of the day, 290 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: it feels like it doesn't matter how good you are, 291 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 1: what you bring to the table, or how much you 292 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 1: mean to the radio station, or most importantly, how much 293 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 1: you mean to the audience. But I'll go ahead and 294 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: say it, Tony is amazing, and he's meant a lot 295 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 1: to a lot of people here. He's meant a lot 296 00:15:54,600 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: to this place, and our stations, and our station in 297 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: particular this one, are not as good today as they. 298 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 2: Were on Monday, and coming to work today. 299 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: And not seeing him in this studio makes today exponentially 300 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 1: less fun than it's been for a very long time. 301 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 1: I have absolutely no doubt that Tony is going to 302 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 1: be okay. I don't think there's any limit to what 303 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: he could do in broadcasting if he chooses to. If 304 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 1: you have listened to even a few minutes of the 305 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:37,480 Speaker 1: last two UC football games where he has slid in 306 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: nicely in the analyst chair spelling Jim Kelly, you've heard 307 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: somebody who. 308 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 2: Could do that at the highest level. 309 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 1: I'm not the only person to say that, by the way, 310 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: all right, you have heard an analyst who I thought 311 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 1: to myself on Saturday when he was calling with Dan 312 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: Horde the UCI was game like, we're only going to 313 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 1: have him for a fall a short while, because he's 314 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:09,160 Speaker 1: gonna go do this for someone, someone higher profile, someone nationally. 315 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: And if if that's what he wants to do, he'll 316 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: get that chance. And if he wants to find platforms 317 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:16,159 Speaker 1: that will allow him to keep doing what he was 318 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: doing every day here, then he'll find them and he'll 319 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 1: be a success. Uh. Very quickly, A word about Austin. 320 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:29,400 Speaker 1: So that's been his show for a number of years now, 321 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 1: and I have no doubt in my mind that he 322 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,120 Speaker 1: will take that show and do awesome things with it. 323 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: Watching Austin, you know, I have a little bit of 324 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 1: a kinship with Austin because we've we've both kind of 325 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:45,680 Speaker 1: done it the traditional way, but the hard way. Right 326 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:49,200 Speaker 1: We start, you know, looking for an entry level gig 327 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 1: at the radio station, and we kind of try to 328 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: work our way up and watching him evolve on the 329 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 1: air has been so much fun, and it's gonna be 330 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: really hard for me to imagine the show before us 331 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 1: without the two of them. But as far as I know, 332 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 1: that show is Austin's vehicle, and I am really excited 333 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:14,440 Speaker 1: to see and hear what he does with it. And 334 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:18,439 Speaker 1: I hope that if you loved Tony and Austin together, 335 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 1: then you'll at the very least give Austin a chance 336 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: flying solo, because he has earned it and because I 337 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:30,880 Speaker 1: know he's going to take advantage of it, and I'm 338 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 1: excited to. 339 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:33,120 Speaker 2: See what he does. 340 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: Tony Pike put this announcement out there on social media 341 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 1: that he has left the company a little bit before 342 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 1: noon today. I know he would love it if you 343 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 1: reached out to him. Many of you already have. Obviously 344 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 1: you should follow his next steps. I am excited to 345 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 1: see what he does next. I'm grateful that I can 346 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:56,879 Speaker 1: still call him a friend. I am heartbroken that I 347 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 1: can no longer, at least for now, call him a colleague. 348 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:09,159 Speaker 1: And I wish nothing more than then to today. I 349 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:11,120 Speaker 1: would have walked in this studio and he'd be sitting here, 350 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 1: and it's going to take some time for me to 351 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 1: get used to that not being the case. So I 352 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 1: don't know if Tony's listening. If I was him, I 353 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:25,679 Speaker 1: wouldn't be listening to this. But if you are, I 354 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 1: can't tell you how much you're missed and how much 355 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,879 Speaker 1: you've meant and how much we love you. It is 356 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 1: twenty four minutes after three o'clock. Now, let's talk sports 357 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 1: on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station