It seems Screamin’ Stephen A Smith’s days on Portland radio are numbered. At least that’s what I’m taking from the The Fan’s “big voice” guy’s cryptic announcements this week that the new line-up is coming soon. It will be interesting to see what the new line-up looks like.
I’ve no inside information, but it would seem they’re gonna have to work something out with ESPN since the Worldwide Leader holds much sway with their radio affiliates. Without ESPN’s overnight programming, for example, The Fan would either have to go off the air, air a ton of infomercials, or go find Scott Ferrall. The folks in Bristol have compromised with their West Coast affiliates by airing a West Coast-only hour of the Colin Cowherd Show so we can get a full three hours of his arrogant charm prior to Los Angeles’ Jim Rome. Those days could be coming to an end.
I don’t see ESPN letting 1080 off the Stephen A. hook without some sort of compromise. Personally I’d like to see them go live during the noon-hour with a show hosted by Gavin Dawson which would focus on the Blazers, the NBA, and college hoops. If you’ve spent any time listening to Dawson, I think you’ll agree he’s got a ton of basketball knowledge and that sort of show would go over well. At least that’s what I think. Follow the Dawson show with two-hours of ESPN’s SportsBash, then slide straight into the afternoon drive show.
The only problem with this scenario is it would eliminate the Tirico show and I don’t think ESPN will go for that. Tirico will stay on the air here. So what happens if ESPN big foots 1080 and forces them to play Tirico live? Would they perhaps run four hours of Cowherd, followed by Tirico from 10-noon, followed by Rome on tape-delay? I can’t see thatgoing over very well. Personally I would be disappointed if that was the direction they went. Dumping a popular West Coast show in favor of six hours of East Coast programming just isn’t cool. I like my Dawson plan.
Worst case scenario…if Rome does end up the odd man out, would he seek a deal somewhere else? KXL is starting to put together quite a little stable of sports guys. Maybe move Lars to a noon-to-3 deal and slide Rome in live from 9-noon. Crazier things have happened.
The Fan’s website says the new line-up starts on Monday. I guess we’ll have to see what happens.
I’d love to get rid of both Steven A. and Rome. Rome wears thin after a while. Steven A. is unlistenable. He’s a caricature that is obviously done to generate conflict.
I really like having the West Coast hour of the Herd though. That’s what gets me through these early, wet, windy commutes in the mornings.