Dallas Sports Blog

What I hinted at a month ago (third item) comes to fruition tonight with the return of Ben & Skin to local radio, this time over at 103.3 FM ESPN. The boys - fired by 105.3 The Fan back in July - take over ESPN's weeknight 6-9 p.m. slot, previously held by the likes of Greg Williams and most recently Wally Lynn and RJ Choppy.

Though I've always admired the talents of Ben & Skin it's difficult to envision a Dallas radio landscape without Lynn, who boasts an impressive resume steeped in local experience and colorful variety. While Choppy will have a reduced role as the station's main reporter, Lynn's only voice on ESPN will now be on the Dallas Cowboys post-game show.

Meanwhile - like Kevin Scott a couple weeks before them - B&S have now hit for the cycle. That is, working for all three local sports talk radio stations: ESPN, The Fan and The Ticket.

He's baaaaack.

​*Dale Hansen on The Ticket: Coulda swore I heard him Monday morning filling in for Craig Miller on 1310 AM. But don't get used to it. Apparently it was a one-off, with Dale returning to his old chair just long enough to fill in for Miller, who spent last weekend running the New York City Marathon. Hansen, who flirted with burnout and then scorched his ESPN bridges with some of these comments back in July, said there is no plans for another fill-in. "I don't think it was an audition of any sort," Hansen told me yesterday afternoon. "I'm not looking to get back into a five-days-a-week situation, but I find myself wanting an outlet to vent. If The Ticket wants to talk about something, I'm eager and willing to listen."

*Mike Doocy back on the air: Love me some Dooce. He's solid and his Sports Sunday on Fox4 is as comprehensive as any weekend wrap-up show. He's been in a bad way recently, suffering from a horrible cold/un-Swine flu that produced a cough that actually damaged a vocal chord. The good news: He was back on the air last night for the first time in about a month. "Still a little hoarse," Doocy emails me, "but the voice is on the way back."

​Say what you will about former ESPN analyst and 105.3 The Fan host Sean Salisbury - and Deadspin says a lot - the guy has followed through on his promise to take on a blogdom giant in an attempt to clear his name and clean his reputation.

According to the Frisco Enterprise, Salisbury - who departed The fan back on Sept. 11 - filed a defamation lawsuit against Gawker Media up in Denton County.

Sean Salisbury, a Frisco resident and former National Football League quarterback, filed a petition for a civil defamation lawsuit in a Denton County court against Gawker Media for publishing several false stories on their sports blog Deadspin.com that cost him several jobs, ruined his reputation and made it difficult to find gainful employment.

Salisbury's attorney, Jeffrey Tillotson of the Dallas law firm Lynn, Tillotson, Pinker & Cox, said in the petition that Deadspin has waged a "long-running smear campaign" against his client since January of 2007.

​Coming - ESPN/Dallas. Familiar names from Dallas' Only Daily like Tim MacMahon and Richard Durrett are now corporate bloggers.

Going - Inside Corner. Franchise founder Evan Grant is leaving to return to the Morning News.

Staying - Sportatorium. Est. 2006.

Brad will be there tonight. Barely.

​As he's done (almost) every year since 1977, Brad Sham will tonight show up before kickoff to call a Dallas Cowboys game on radio.

But Sham has never arrived quite like this. The only "Voice of the Cowboys" I ever remember will be accompanied by a police escort en route to Cowboys-Titans Panthers on Monday Night Football.

Why?

Because, surprisingly, he's got a bigger gig earlier in the day.

Says Sham, "I'm pretty sure it's the greatest honor of my life."

It doesn't involve football. Or, for that matter, sports.

​Get out your rotten fruit and prepare those ridiculous "this station will be gone by sundown" barbs, because today - finally - I bring you 105.3 The Fan's final roster.

As you may have noticed, it wasn't easy.

I've been polluting the air waves more off than on since January and since the flip from Live 105.3 back in December you've heard the likes of Ben & Skin, Kevin Scott, Greg Hill, Sean Salisbury and others. Who am I kidding? 105.3 The Fan has had more shift changes than a Dallas Stars game.

But the drastic changes - knock on Peter North's member - are over. (No, the ratings aren't threatening The Ticket's empire, but they're at least headed in the right direction.)

There may be tiny tweaks here or there - sorry, don't read anything into it when I'm not on the air Thursday, Friday, Monday or Tuesday. Vacation, remember? - but this is the lineup. New to the gang: Gregg Henson.

"I'm happy to have this team in place," says Fan program director Tom Bigby. "We've made some moves along the way, but from here we only move forward."

​Developing. UPDATE: From what I know there were numerous contributing factors, such as Sean's schedule and, yes, personality conflicts between him and management. I've talked to all parties involved and - sorry Deadspin - "sexting" wasn't involved.

​This just in: Richie Whitt has landed a permanent gig as Newy Scruggs' sidekick on 105.3 The Fan weekdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Never fear, he will enthusiastically, dutifully continue his full-time work at the Dallas Observer, blogging daily at this here Sportatorium and writing a weekly column and occasional cover story in the print product.

Terms of the deal honestly aren't that much to sneeze at weren't disclosed.

I (sheepishly) pen this blog item for two reasons:

1. If I got beat on this blurb I'd fire myself.

2. Apparently I enjoy being a P1 pinata.

As for The Fan, I'll let Dallas' Only Daily's Barry Horn trumpet the cause for a change ...

​Those new "Most Interesting Radio Station in the World" promo spots are sheer genius. I'm only typing LOL because I actually laughed out loud.

Whoever does the tag line - I think it's Gordo? - absolutely nailed it. "I don't always listen to the radio. But when I do, I listen to The Ticket."

Brah. Vo.

In other positive Ticket news ...

Ah, the bad ol' days.

​When Walter Cronkite punted the bucket recently, the title of "Most Trusted Man in America" fell to - believe it or not - Jon Stewart. While this news made me, a Daily Show devotee, click my heels, it also got me to thinking:

Who's the Most Trusted Sportscaster in the Metroplex?

I've appeared on Fox 4's Sports Sunday with Mike Doocy. I predict Channel 11's Babe Laufenberg will feel some love in next month's annual Dallas Observer "Best Of" issue. These days I find myself chatting sports alongside Channel 5's Newy Scruggs on 105.3 The Fan. And at Dallas Cowboys' training camp I spent some quality time with Channel 8's Dale Hansen and some cigars.

I realize most of us get the breadth of our TV sports news from ESPN, but, to me at least, the locals still serve a vital purpose. And we're fortunate in this town to have four quality options (RIP, Scott Murray).

Ratings, schmatings. I wanna know who you trust when you need to know. Here's the hypothetical:

​Was checking out Channel 8's sports last night when I was presented with classic Dale Hansen. Not unplugged exactly. How about unglued?

As Hansen began his recap of Rangers 5, Indians 0, the video didn't exactly cooperate. While he beamed about Tommy Hunter's pitching and Josh Hamilton's hitting, the screen - for a good, long 10 seconds - stayed on the above shot.

"Whoops," Hansen grumbled, "how long we gonna stay on this couple?!"

​To watch the Texas Rangers-Oakland A's game, that is. Relax.

Interesting night in San Antonio.

While I was gallivanting around town with both owner Jerry Jones' caravan (even at 66 the dude can throw down) and a 1310 AM The Ticket traveling birthday party in which a member of the group may or may not have had some interaction with local law enforcement (come to think of it, the tale loosely involves Norm Hitzges, BaD Radio and The Hardline; I'll let them provide the details), Galloway searched for a cozy sports bar in which to take in yet another damaging Rangers' loss to the lowly A's.

Pronounced Galloway in the end ...

​I only listened to Russ Martin's show on Live 105.3 sporadically. I've met the guy just once. Talked with him for all of 45 seconds.

So how do you tell the story of a guy like that? You talk to everyone that knows him. That's worked for him. With him. Those that love him. And those that loathe him. Slap it all in a Petri dish and ... voila.

The end result: This week's Dallas Observer cover story.

And a couple of leftovers ...

​Got a call back from former 103.3 FM ESPN radio host Dale Hansen yesterday afternoon, explaining how/why he kinda sorta abruptly walked away from the station last week.

Seems Hansen - who told me last month he wasn't happy at ESPN - quit amidst the worldwide leader's self-imposed muzzling of the Ben Roethlisberger story. Last Wednesday Hansen somehow didn't receive the directive from Bristol, Conn. and spent 20 minutes on his "Hour of Hansen" 6-7 p.m. show dissecting the ramifications before producers read him the office memo during a commercial break.

In other words, his departure was ultimately a combination of ESPN corporate censoring its reporting and ESPN local not relaying that censorship.

"The directive was the fuse, but the fact nobody told me was the match that lit it," Hansen tells me. "I don't want to be identified with being one of ESPN's puppets. I refuse to be anybody's puppet. Well, Channel 8 might get to pull my strings but ESPN can't do that for $2,000 a month."

Hansen ignored Roethlisberger the final half-hour of his show and afterward sent an email to ESPN program director Tom Lee announcing his resignation.

Of course, that was made easy by the fact that for the last six months Hansen worked without a contract.

​As I told you back in June, Dale Hansen is a tip-toeing toward burnout these days. As of today, his work load is a little lighter.

A radio industry source told me over the weekend that the iconic voice of Dallas sports will not sign a new contract at 103.3 FM ESPN. The station will - for now - simply replace his nightly 6-7 p.m. "Hour of Hansen" with an elongated GameNight featuring Wally Lynn and RJ Choppy from 6-10 p.m.

"I'm not burned out," Hansen told me last month, "but I can see it from here."

Got a call into Dale to get the details, but the bottom line is his radio show is a casualty of personal downsizing. He's been at this in this market for 29 years, and admittedly he's lost some hair and some edge and some interest.

But his contract at Channel 8 runs through January 2013 - when he'll be 65 - and until then I'll keep watching. Why?

  Greg Williams is a recovering addict. Wednesday was one of those bad days. Friday he'll be back on the air with Richard Hunter.

Hopefully it will be a good day.

"Yesterday he was a little off," Hunter said during his show on Rational Radio 1360 AM moments ago. "But we rolled with it and made the best of it. He felt bad about yesterday, but he absolutely wants to be a part of things and I absolutely want him to be a part of things."

Like he did with me after a particulary goofy night on ESPN back in May, Williams told Hunter his bizarre ramblings were a product of a prescription medication imbalance. Greggo told me the constant tweaking of his depression medication often leads to wild, incoherent and sometimes plunging mood swings.

"Here's what was not happening," Hunter explained. "No. 1, this was not a bit. This isn't the Russ Martin Show. Also, we were at a bar during happy hour but nobody was drinking. He deals with depression and takes medication and some days you catch him imbalanced."

Bless Greg Williams.

The guy, as you know, has a history. Now, alongside Richard Hunter on Rational Radio 1360 AM, he has a second third chance.

We've heard him wacko before. Yesterday afternoon ... I dunno - you tell me.

He arrived late. Fumbled with his headphones. Gave out The Ticket's phone number. Apparently identified a Mexican as a "black guy". Invented a word: "Absoleetely." Claimed his car got "100 miles a gallon." Boasted about his "hangruns." And delivered the golden line:

"They pay me to suck."

All that just in the first hour of Hunter's show outside The Granada.

I've got a call in to Hunter to see what's what.

But for now, it's your call:

Let's see, what went down on the dial while I was ransacking the craps table at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas?

*Weird story about Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Not that he's accused of sexual assault. That happens. The bizarre twist is that ESPN - your worldwide leader - has decided to totally ignore it. Same network that went wall-to-wall with Kobe Bryant's similar situation, the way I remember it. Something smells fishy here. ESPN head honchos in Bristol, Conn. sent out an email yesterday mandating that no one talk about Roethlisberger. The trickle-down includes 103.3 FM ESPN Radio. So ESPN won't talk about it the country's juiciest story, but it will air consecutive nights of Moutain West Conference media day. Sure, makes total sense. If ESPN isn't going to follow Roethlisberger, I'd better not hear a peep about Dirk Nowitzki's ordeal with his ex-fiancee. Or, for that matter, anyone elses.

*Speaking of ESPN, I still fully expect Michael Irvin to sign a new, reduced contract and return to the air. And I stilll fully expect Dale Hansen to walk away from the station in August. Stay tuned.

*In the continuing molding of clay at 105.3 The Fan, program director Gavin Spittle has left town for a similar job at Houston's KILT 610 AM. Sorry, Russ Martin fans, you'll have to redirect your venom down south.

*I've heard a couple of shows on Rational Radio 1360 AM featuring Richard Hunter and Greg Williams. Is it just me, or does Greggo sound like he's found a home?

*Radio rumor that I totally cannot substantiate: Cumulus, The Ticket's parent company, is in such a financial spiral that it will again force employees to take unpaid vacations before the end of the year. And, on the horizon, early contract buyout options for veterans like, oh, say, maybe a Norm Hitzges.

*As for The Ticket's on-air performance, the train rolls along. June's PPM ratings among Men 25-54 from Mon.-Fri. 6 a.m.-Midnight have The Ticket No. 1 in this market with a 7.4 share, followed by ESPN (3.0, 13th) and The Fan (1.9, 24th). The Fan, of course, has since re-shaped its lineup. (I know, I know. Pow! POW!!)

Jump for a detailed breakdown of Ticket domination ...

Ok, where were we? ... Ah-ha! Right here.

While I was out actually winning some money in Las Vega$, playing some horrible golf and getting some rest in advance of Dallas Cowboys' training camp in San Antonio, last week on vacation I did make time to catch Channel 8's "candid" and "exclusive" interview with our friend Russ Martin.

My reaction: Janet St. James, I'm embarrassed for you.

Because of his last-minute plea and other scheduling detours, my Dallas Observer cover story on Martin has been pushed back to July 30. Though not entirely "exclusive", St. James sitting down with Martin was newsy. (I was scheduled to sit down with him today until his kidney stones had other plans.)

But, seriously, it was more infomercial than investigative.  

Honestly, I thought the guy was gonna walk. I'm shocked he took a plea today.

I mean, "no contest" is a sort of an admission of guilt, right? To me, this smells like Russ and Mandy -  who were reconciled for months - having a very recent falling out and him fearing her "loose cannon" element on the stand.

The result: Martin gets two years' probation, $1,000 fine, battering intervention and no more rough stuff with his fiancee.

The curveball may or not affect his future in Dallas radio.

But it definitely affects my story. After vacation, get me re-write!

Let's shoot for the July 30 cover.

I put a Dallas Cowboys' source in a Happy Hour headlock last night in an attempt to - as promised - try to get a name on the new P.A. voice of Cowboys Stadium.

No luck.

"Just remember," the source cautioned, "CBS owns more stations than just The Fan in this market."

What I did come away with is this: Brad Sham, Babe Laufenberg and Kristi Scales have agreed to new contracts to remain in place as the Cowboys' game-day radio voices.

Also ... 

Temporarily gone. Eternally forgotten? Destined for resurrection?

I've answered the "Where's Greggo?" inquisition over and over and over. But what of Russ Martin?

At one time he was the No. 1 radio voice in this market. The first half of this decade 105.3's Russ Martin Show and The Ticket's Hardline battled for supremacy amongst male listeners in afternoon drive-time. Then his ratings slumped. Then he got arrested. Then 105.3 flipped formats and - poof - he disappeared.

Until now.

I'll be on vacation next week, but wanted to give a proper heads-up that the Dallas Observer's July 16 cover story will feature Russ Martin. It will answer questions like ...

I appeared on NBC5's Out of Bounds Sunday night with Matt Barrie and hosted Monday's mid-day slot on 105.3 The Fan with NBC5's Newy Scruggs, yet still was somehow clueless that we're in the midst of a monumental alteration to our TV landscape.

Was watching Channel 5's newscast last night when Mike Snyder turned to Jane McGarry and lovingly whispered: "I love you."

What?

As Barry Horn mentioned about an hour ago, as of this afternoon Ben and Skin are no longer your drive-time hosts at 105.3 The Fan.

After almost a year of station name changes and philosophical tweaks, in the end their unconventional show - heavy on basketball and hip-hop and unique guests - didn't mesh with the direction of The Fan.

From everything I hear, the parting was mutual.

From Ben and Skin's Facebook:

Guys, guys, guys. We are no longer at 105.3 The Fan. We've parted ways on the best possible terms with nothing but love for all of our friends there. We're truly grateful that we were given the opportunity to connect with what has been an extremely attractive audience. More attractive than we could have ever imagined. In fact, you're so attractive it hurts. Especially you. No, not you. You. Love, Ben & Skin.

Welcome back.

If you were surprised by Greg Williams' cameo on with Richard Hunter yesterday afternoon, you haven't been paying attention.

The Hammer, sacked by ESPN Radio in May partly because of a couple of wacky nights he blamed on a change in depression medication, will sit in with Big Dick the next couple of afternoons 4-6 p.m. - today, Friday, Monday and Tuesday, to be exact - on Rational Radio KMNY 1360 AM's and see where this thing goes.

No defined role, and the gig is somewhere comfortably between a tryout and full-time. It's the Wild Ass Circus, so who knows?

"It's the talk radio equivalent of a jam session," Hunter told me last night. "We wanted to do it before he went to ESPN, but he had a contractual conflict."

Hot inside there, Steve?

To close out a month in which ESPN blowhard Chris Berman somehow received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, guess who's mad at sports announcers?

Would you believe ... a sports announcer?

I love me some Steve Dennis. I mean, other than the times he puts on his Brutus the Buckeye head and crams THE Ohio State University down your throat.

The rest of the time Dennis is one of our local media's hardest workers. The guy covers everything, has pretty keen insight on most subjects and - the best part - isn't afraid to throw a high, tight fastball toward the noggin of Wade Phillips or Jon Daniels or Mark Cuban.

Not saying he's flirting with getting on my list of all-time Metroplex sports voices just yet, but I think he's earned the right to at least borrow my soap box.

Did I mention that it was 140 degrees?

So guess who I bumped into Saturday afternoon? Hmm. Perhaps I gave away a tad too much in the headline?

The former Live 105.3 FM shock jock is alive. I'll let you decide if he's well.

Martin - who gets the Dallas Observer cover treatment in our July 16 issue - took a break from collecting his seven-figure salary for doing nothing to host a car show/concert at his Russ Martin Automotive in Plano.

My exclusive interview with Russ went something like this:

Me: "Russ, Richie Whitt of the Dallas Observer. I know on the advice of your attorney you don't want to be interviewed but I just wanted to introduce myself as the guy who's writing the story about you."

(Handshake.)

Russ: "Cool. Well, thanks for coming out."

As for the event ...

News today that 105.3 The Fan has said goodbye to weekday 9 a.m.-Noon hosts Kevin Scott and Greg Hill. More changes could be in the offing.

Developing ...

Still numero uno.

*May's PPM radio ratings show The Ticket maintaining its dynasty as the No. 1 station among Men 25-54. ESPN Radio and The Fan treaded water, placing 9th and 20th respectively. Status quo.

*You could read about the Mavs and ESPN Radio reaching a four-year extension here on June 17, or you could've read it here back on March 24. Your choice.

When I heard Channel 8 sports anchor Dale Hansen was taking off the entire month of June, I was jealous. Then a little concerned.

We all know Dale plays golf and poker and hookie with the best of them - seems like he was off all of April, too - but yesterday I called just to make sure everything is okay.

It isn't.

Hansen, who's been doing sports in this market (29 years) longer than some of you have been alive, admits to being bored. Says his doctor is trying to treat him for depression. Points out that he's been dragging lately with a generally shitty attitude.

He'll be back on TV at the end of the month, but I'd be surprised if he keeps his radio gig at 103.3 FM ESPN through the summer.

"I'm not burned out," he told me yesterday, "but I can see it from here."

It's nothing, he hopes, an unscripted vacation can't cure. Hansen, who was actually only off 2 1/2 weeks in April, has already tripped to Washington D.C. and the Carribean this year.

"But when I got home I was so tired I couldn't walk," he said. "Now I'm going to do something I never done in my life. I'm taking a vacation with absolutely no plan. I'll play some golf. I'll play some cards. But mostly I'll do nothing."

We (right, Channel 8 weatherman Pete Delkus?) kid Hansen about his casually flexible schedule. But, believe it or not, he's one of the hardest working people in the biz.