In the late ‘90 I worked at WBNS radio in Columbus, the flagship station for Ohio State football and basketball. My duties at the station included hosting an afternoon drive talkshow and the pre- and postgame shows for Buckeye football broadcasts. I had nothing but good times in Columbus and at WBNS. I left the station for a job in Kansas City in 1999, but will always cherish my time in central Ohio.
(Source: Official Buckeye station management sped departure of its top talent)
I don’t envy the talk hosts currently in the business of giving their opinions on WBNS, for obvious reasons. Ohio State’s bungled response to football coach Jim Tressel’s confirmed major NCAA violation - which includes a contradictory defense from the coach himself - leaves any talk host with a fiber of integrity no choice but to criticize the school’s mishandling of the affair.
During my years doing a weekday talkshow at WBNS, there were many times that I would’ve been remiss had I not been critical of something involving the Buckeyes. On more than one of those occasions, Ohio State Director of External Affairs Larry Romanoff called the station to complain that I was being too negative about Ohio State.
Before today, I couldn’t begin to conceptualize how difficult it must be for current WBNS hosts thanks to Ohio State’s multiple, admitted NCAA and ethical indiscretions. Though from I’ve been told happened at WBNS the past week, I now have a pretty good idea.
Today the highest-rated talk host at WBNS, Bruce Hooley, announced that he was leaving the station. A station source told me today that Hooley’s January monthly ratings were higher than the station’s Ohio State football-bolstered fall ratings. With the winter radio ratings period ending shortly, Hooley was likely in line for a ratings bonus from WBNS.
In a blog entry on his personal site, Hooley wrote:
My employment at 97.1 The Fan ended Thursday, March 17, after nearly six years years when I reached a mutual agreement with the station to part ways.
If you would like to know the station’s rationale, you will need to contact General Manager Dave VanStone davevanstone@radiohio.com and Program Director Jay Taylor jay.taylor@radiohio.com
I did my final shows Wednesday and Thursday of last week in the aftermath of the press conference at Ohio State announcing head coach Jim Tressel’s NCAA violations in the Tattoo-Gate case. My show was pre-empted Friday by Ohio State’s opener in the Big Ten Tournament.
Late Friday afternoon, my attorney, Bret Adams, received a call telling me not to report to work on Monday. Mr. Van Stone said he wanted to meet with Bret to discuss re-assigning me to other duties. That’s when Bret and I suggested we explore a separation that would be satisfactory to both parties. Bret and Mr. Van Stone handled it from there. I’m very thankful their talks were both professional and productive.
When I was in Columbus in the ’90s, Hooley was the Ohio State beat reporter for the CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER. At that time, he was known as the most aggressive guy on the beat, often breaking OSU stories. As a Columbus talk host, his reporting was a must-read in my daily preparation for the show.
Long after I left the station, Hooley joined WBNS as a fulltime talk show host, quitting his job with the Plain Dealer in 2005. Until today, Hooley had co-hosted weekday talkshows on the station with Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Spielman, while also going solo at times.
I’ve never met Hooley but from what I’ve heard of his WBNS work over the years, he’s the same direct, informative and honest guy about Ohio State as he was in print. Sometimes brutally honest.
In other words, a rare breed in the ultimate college town.
As someone who has basically done the same job as Hooley, though during a different era at Ohio State, I have a lot of admiration for someone who is willing to take the hits that often accompany an objective opinion on what is perhaps Ohio State’s highest profile house organ. So it’s a shame for Buckeye fans that Hooley has decided to leave the station one week after - perhaps not coincidentally - Buckeye icon Kirk Herbstreit announced he was moving his family out of Columbus because of harassment at the hands of Ohio State fans.
So why did Hooley walk out on WBNS?
A station source told me today that Hooley was called into a meeting at WBNS last Wednesday. The meeting was expressly timed by station management to catch Hooley before he was able to first comment on Ohio State’s press conference the day before in which it announced its NCAA violation. I was told today that Hooley was instructed by WBNS management not to “scorch the earth” when giving his thoughts on what turned about to be an OSU public relations botch job of epic proportion.
In listening to a portion of Hooley’s subsequent Wednesday show, I heard him say that as an Ohio State alumnus, he was tired of Tressel’s program embarrassing the school. Hooley then listed other past NCAA violations on Tressel’s watch at OSU (Maurice Clarett, Troy Smith, Tattoogate) and Youngstown State. (YSU QB Ray Isaac testified in federal court under oath that a booster Tressel introduced him to, Mickey Monus, gave him $10,000 and “2-3″ cars why he was playing for the Penguins.)
Also during the Wednesday show, Hooley noted a comment his former radio partner Spielman made on an OSU fundraising cruise in February in which the Buckeye legend pointed out that the school is not just the football program .. “it’s the cancer hospital, the business school .. it’s a lot bigger than football.” (Spielman’s wife Stefanie died of breast cancer in 2009.)
Speaking of Spielman, at the end of 2010 the OSU icon himself left as a regular WBNS presence after most recently co-hosting a weekday talkshow with Hooley. Before effectively leaving the station, Spielman had appeared on the station regularly for the previous 10 years, even as his wife Stefanie endured her excruciating, protracted battle with cancer.
A station source told me today that WBNS station manager Dave Vanstone rewarded Spielman’s loyalty with an initial “hardball” contract negotiation approach with the Buckeye icon last September. Hooley was also provided the same treatment by Vanstone at the time.
It was that, Spielman’s family obligations and Vanstone and WBNS Program Director Jay Taylor’s micromanagement of the on-air approach by Spielman and Hooley that caused the Ohio State legend to re-evaluate his relationship with the station.
Despite what I’ve been told are recent claims to the contrary by station management, Spielman will now only make limited appearances on the station going forward. The new deal he has in place calls for him to make one appearance per week on the station’s two local shows and occasional appearances on a weekly show about OSU football.
Losing Spielman’s regular presence is, of course, an enormous loss for WBNS in more ways than one. No former Buckeye, save perhaps Herbstreit, is higher profile than Spielman thanks to his stellar football career and national television broadcasting work. And Stefanie Spielman’s inspirational battle with cancer is known by millions not only in Ohio, but nationally. The Stefanie Spielman Breast Cancer Research Fund has raised over $7 million for Ohio State James Cancer Center.
After losing Spielman, Hooley’s importance to WBNS was doubly important. When Hooley entered WBNS, Herbstreit and Spielman were an everyday radio staple for Columbus Buckeyes fans. Now with Herbstreit and Spielman essentially gone from the Buckeye flagship, Hooley was by far the highest-profile and most credible personality at the station.
But - from what I’ve been told by a station source - Vanstone’s tone deaf managerial style along with onerous on-air oversight by station PD Taylor, as with Spielman, is what caused Hooley to also leave the station. Station source:
“This is a huge loss for us. Bruce gave us credibility. He’s covered Final Fours, national championship games. No one else here has his background. The implied message to our listeners is, ‘If you say something bad about Ohio State, you’re gone.’ It makes us all look bad.”
Having worked essentially the same job at WNBS I can confirm that with Ohio State bracing for what could be the worst NCAA violations it has ever faced, now is exactly the wrong time for WBNS to lose the most experienced, credible voice on all things Ohio State.If Hooley indeed left the Buckeye flagship radio station because of, in part, comments he made about Jim Tressel, it’d be rather ironic.
Knowing what I know about the NCAA’s case against Ohio State, I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that much like Hooley covered the Buckeyes long before Tressel arrived in Columbus, he’ll still be covering them long after Tressel is gone.
Follow Brooks on Twitter or join him on Facebook for real-time updates.
7:59 pm on March 17th, 2011
I was sports editor of the Lantern and sports director of the student radio station at Ohio State during 01-04 (Clarett) period. This comes as no surprise to me. During any scandal or even period of bad news, you could always count on Bob Hunter’s Dispatch column and the hosts on WBNS to parrot whatever was the Andy Geiger-approved line. There was a reason that we used to call the Dispatch “Pravda” and call WBNS “Radio Pravda.”
The only bigger suckup in town was (and I assume, still is) the insufferable Dom Tiberi on WBNS-TV.
8:17 pm on March 17th, 2011
I very-recently ended my time as a producer of both morning and afternoon drive shows (not at the same time) for the flagship station of a very high-profile university who’s football program just went through it’s worst season since 1997, and afterwards, turned over almost it’s entire football coaching staff.
I can tell you that the school, like Ohio St, would call our PD anytime our show hosts said something they didn’t like. Luckily for us, our PD did a very good job of listening to them and understandign their concerns while at the same time, defending our hosts and what they would say.
Sounds WBNS has a station manager and PD that are either complete homers or haev no balls whatsoever.
8:51 pm on March 17th, 2011
I know Bruce personally. He’s a swell guy. He’ll land on his feet no doubt. The whole situation makes me sick to my stomach. If this means we’re stuck with Stanley and Rothman for 2 more hours a day then I will boycott. Stanley is an idiot.
8:52 pm on March 17th, 2011
Tell Mack Brown Hi JD
9:39 pm on March 17th, 2011
The same vocal 5% that drove Herbie out, outshouted the 95% silent majority. These guys really do give the 95% a bad name. WBNS, Channel 10, and Dispatch paper has the same ownership group,and when OSU talks they listen. They make a fortune off OSU, and it is delicate relationship and therefore “the press” can only be so adversarial. They try to let the national media take the lead there and then follow suit, but they will never LEAD on such issues….OSU’s side is, the national media will gi
10:09 pm on March 17th, 2011
OSU’s position is,” the national media is beating up on us, we don’t need you doing it too. We need you to get OUR side out there.” They want criticism tempered and in moderation on these kinds of issues. Criticize play calling all you want, but on these things, watch it!!! Its coach Tressel or you. Hooley lost…OSU made a call to the bullpen
10:36 pm on March 17th, 2011
Don’t worry gang! The Big 10 & NCAA will whitewash this. Look for the NCAA to hammer a mid-major to make up for this in fraction. It helps to have friends in “high places!”
10:41 pm on March 17th, 2011
Bruce’s ratings were not the best on the station. That line is a complete and total fallacy.
10:46 pm on March 17th, 2011
Brooks, btw, OSU DID self-report this, yahoo just beat them and OSU to the punch on the realease. Its not like yahoo broke into Tressle’s email. OSU easily could have just hit DELETE and moved on, end of story. They will MAYBE get some credit for that. Also, if yahoo had not got tipped off, the Tressel punishment would have been released today with the others, but the original 2 was weak, but in response to yahoo to migitate damage, but made it worse.
11:09 pm on March 17th, 2011
I was a huge Hooley/Spielman fan and because of these morons at BNS will never listen to that station again! I even enjoyed The common man and Torg but can’t patronize a “homer station” that has lost ALL CREDIBILITY!
Furthermore, I used to be a Tressel fan, but now see him as an arrogant liar! God I hope he gets fired! It would be the best thing for the OSU program!
12:36 am on March 18th, 2011
I was under the impression The Big Show had taken a ratings slide after Spielman left the show? Recently they had been bringing in Beau Bishop of ONN to co-host twice a week, as having Hooley talking at you for two hours a day was not very entertaining radio.
Hooley bled integrity, so regardless of my thoughts on his show, I had complete respect for the man and agree that he was the critical voice of reason on that station. The journalistic integrity of the station will take a hit, as Hooley did not care about saying the popular things as long as he believed he was saying the right thing.
That said, I think Stanley and Rothman are a very entertaining combination and I have more fun listening to them than I did listening to Hooley.
1:05 am on March 18th, 2011
What you fail to mention is that Hooley has long been hated in Columbus. He has been eternally biased against the football program through good and bad and acted like a petulant child when he had an opportunity to tee off on the football program last week. He didn’t appropriately represent the official radio station of Ohio State. People listen to WBNS because of the subject matter NOT the hosts. The first thing a radio host has to do is know his audience. Hooley didn’t and a VAST majority of Columbus is relieved he’s finally gone.
6:43 am on March 18th, 2011
As a Youngstown native and Ohio State graduate I will say I have had my fair share of criticism for Jim Tressel throughout the years. I’m sure that like any other human being he has made some mistakes. When under the gun over his decision making he can come off as smug and condescending. I think his ego at times have gotten in the way of sound decision making. Given this I still think Hooley is way out of line with some of his comments. He continues to bring up a situation with Mickey Monus and Ray Isaac at Youngstown State, stating “Tressel introduced them” and implying that in some way Tressel was complicit in the inappropriate actions of the Monus giving gifts to the player. At the time Tressel introduced Monus to Isaac he was one of the most successful businessmen in the state. I think it is a rather large assumption that an introduction somehow equates to Tressel securing inappropriate gifts for a player. Monus was proved in later years to be a crooked businessman involved in one of the largest corporate accounting scandals in U.S. history. I don’t think Jim Tressel had any idea at the time of what kind person Monus proved to be. What is most troubling about Hooley’s recent reporting is the self aggrandizement and repeatedly jumping to conclusions without all the facts. (Which he admitted on his last radio show in Columbus) It was very clear that during the OSU press conference this past week that Jim Tressel was unable to reveal all the details of the situation. He nodded his head when asked if he passed on the e-mails and was abruptly interrupted by the A.D. So after admitting on his own radio show that he doesn’t have all the facts what does Bruce Hooley do? He goes on a national radio show with Paul Finebaum and call Jim Tressel a liar and a cheat and cites the Ray Issac story (see above), Maurice Clarett (OSU cleared by NCAA after an exhaustive investigation), and Troy Smith (took $500 from a booster, served a suspension and repaid money) I think that Bruce Hooley getting canned by WBNS has more to do with his jumping to conclusions without all the facts. I also take issue with the statement that Hooley had the highest ratings at WBNS. Mike Ricordatti and Scott Torgerson are the best on air talent at WBNS and have been for years. WBNS made a well principled and sound business decision on Friday. I certainly hope they find a replacement that is asks tough questions but pays more reverence for getting all the facts before they make a spectacle of themselves.
7:04 am on March 18th, 2011
Bruce was an absolutely horrible radio host, who catered to the mouth-breather population of OSU fans…. unfortunately 80% of our fans fall into that category, which is why Bruce held such high ratings.
Regardless, his recent criticisms of Jim Tressel, the OSU Football program, and some of it’s players, past and present, crossed the line of opinion journalism, in to hate-filled, vendetta lunacy. He won’t be missed… at least by intelligent and reasonable listeners.
7:20 am on March 18th, 2011
F U if you ain’t down….clearly someone with a solid education.
7:59 am on March 18th, 2011
TATTOO U!
8:03 am on March 18th, 2011
I want Mark as my PR manager…Are you available? Do you have time? You seem to have your hands full these days
8:35 am on March 18th, 2011
I know people who work at WBNS, the fan, whatever you want to call it. Bruce Hooley was a miserable old man. People there tell me he treated co-workers with little or no respect. He preached faith and Christianity, even on the air.
The dumbass even brough soon to be Gov. John Kasich on one show. Sports radio is about entertaining and not being a reporter on the radio. Bruce wants to be a writer. He never wanted to do radio. Hooley even mentioned in his blog how he liked radio because he could attend his kids’ events. Nit because he liked radio, because of the lifestyle it afforded him. Who fucking knows if his firing was right or wrong. Who knows if sponsors bailed and that’s why he got canned. Bottom line is the man is an absolutely miserable, bitter human being. Furthermore, he’s a steaming pile of hypocrisy. Not unlike most who proclaim to be devout religious zealots. Good riddance to Bruce Hooley and his biased, condescending ways.
8:41 am on March 18th, 2011
If you have integrity and an opinion, you’re fired.
If you have a cute catchphrase and talk about the Citgo, you’re golden.
If you host a television show that airs before and after OSU football games and wear ugly suits, you’re hired.
8:42 am on March 18th, 2011
The more I hear about OSU and their fans, the more I’m learning to dislike their seeminly culture-wide attitude of apathy and anger.
I nearly went to school at OSU, too. Every doctor I worked with growing up went to OSU.
And while I don’t know personally about many of the people in this article, I DO know Kirk Herbstreit. I am always THRILLED when we get him to commentate our games instead of those old dottering SEC fools like Gary Danielson, who I suppose isn’t that bad, but doesn’t even hold a candle to Herbstriet.
To think the FANS are the reason Herbstreit’s family has been scorned enough to move out of town, well, good grief. I can’t relate to that. Terrible.
Enjoy that SEC win over ARKANSAS. Disgusting. 12 wins will at least be vacated (Tressell knowingly played at least 2 ineligible players), but I suppose the worst part is the culture of anger and apathy doesn’t sound like it’s going anywhere in Columbus.
9:10 am on March 18th, 2011
First of all, Hooley did not “walk out on WBNS” he was shown the door by what he calls a “mutual agreement” When your boss calls your attorney and tells you not to report for work, it is not longer your call. What Hooley did went way beyond criticism. Chris Spielman criticizes Ohio St. all the time. The difference is with Hooley it’s personal. Calling Tressel a liar and a cheat on an Alabama radio show isn’t criticism, it’s vindictive. Spileman was on Mike and Mike saying he would be honored if his son played for JT after admonishing him for his violating the rules. Chris didn’t kiss ass, he just didn’t call anyone names or like Herbie did, get into a pissing contest with an immature 21 year old QB.
9:26 am on March 18th, 2011
bruce hooley was a poop
9:43 am on March 18th, 2011
@Pam Tressel did not tell the truth when he knew it. I guess he could have called him something else like cheat, con artist, deceiver, deluder, dissimulator, equivocator, fabler, fabricator, fabulist, false witness, falsifier, fibber, maligner, misleader, perjurer, phony, prevaricator, promoter, storyteller, trickster. I guess he called him a cheat might had something to do with Tressel not reporting it when he first knew. Which was way before the footbal season started. It gives the appearance that he was more concerned with his & OSU record.
9:47 am on March 18th, 2011
“Calling Tressel a liar and a cheat…isn’t criticism, it’s vindictive”
Isn’t it also called “telling the truth”?
9:53 am on March 18th, 2011
According to his boss, Dave Vanstone, who I wrote to and received a reply from:
“Let me assure you – I do not endorse, or support Bruce’s comments.
Sports talk show hosts are paid to express their opinion. But when your opinion become personal…..and venomous…..I think we’ve stepped over the line.
We will be addressing all of this with Bruce this morning…”
10:05 am on March 18th, 2011
Spielman was on air earlier in the year, telling listeners that he will be taping and producing a show for ESPN that mimics the “Extreme Makover-Home Edition”, except it will be for sports programs at high schools in need of new equipment. Get your facts straight before you want to give a history lesson.
10:05 am on March 18th, 2011
That whole “herbstreet left because of osu fans” story is such bullshit. He turned his back on the fanbase, not the other way around.
He started that story as just one more FU to a passionate fan base he went out of his way to throw dirt on. Read 11 Warriors piece called Herbie the Impaler…they pretty much dress down that turncoat
10:10 am on March 18th, 2011
Travis for president!
10:17 am on March 18th, 2011
@Jason Your missing the point. If you don’t like what he is say. You don’t listen to the show. When his numbers go down he gets fired. Obviously he was doing something right since his numbers were good. You must be part of the Vocal 5% that Herbstreet refers too.
@Pam Of course Vanstone doesn’t endorse anyone that would talk against his largest client. His comments were not ‘personal…..and venomous’ they where the TRUTH. Which obvious you can handle.
10:22 am on March 18th, 2011
You’re missing the point: Hooley wasn’t fired because of what he was saying, he was fired because of HOW he was saying it. He’s enraged fans for years with snide comments and “I’m smarter than you and don’t buy the OSU hype” tone. If he was sympathetic with the fans, while still making his point and having his opinion, he’d still be employed The fans in Columbus aren’t cynics or myopic, there just fans. They needed someone to listen and be empathetic, instead they got brash “I told you so!” bravado.
Like I said, stand your ground, make your point, preach or whatever, but rub the listeners nose in it. Hooley was treating the listeners like a dog that pooped on the rug.
10:27 am on March 18th, 2011
I personally will miss Bruce. I didn’t always agree with him, rather I liked that he actually had an opinion instead of being a talking head that regurgitated other peoples’ thoughts.
10:39 am on March 18th, 2011
I am an OSU outsider and Big Ten fan who has been following the Tressel story with interest over the last couple weeks. I think I have a more unbiased view of the situation than the OSU fans who have been leaving comments. Many OSU fans just don’t get it, or don’t want to get it. It’s pretty clear that Tressel meant to cover this up and only came forward with information when information was uncovered. Hooley called it the way he saw it and the way it was: Tressel is a liar and a cheat. That’s not being “personal”, it’s being honest. It is harsh, but anyone who cares about college athletics and loves their alma mater would feel passionately about their beloved institution’s coach disgracing the institution in this way.
11:02 am on March 18th, 2011
Does anyone actually think that this the first time Hooley went too far? No one gets fired for a one time transgression. Don Imus was over the top for years and never got fired until he went after black female basketball players. Chris Spielman has opinions,sometimes very strong and honest ones, but he never gets nasty. He is the reason that show was popular to begin with. With him gone and Herbie blowing town cause people said mean things to him at Kroger, Hooley could no longer hide behind their popularity. He got exposed for what he really is: a hack
11:20 am on March 18th, 2011
love him or hate him, the guy could do radio. i rather enjoyed his take on the whole tressel thing. it was good to here an alumni’s point of view. the big show is boring as hell now…i guess i’ll flip over to 96.3 till 3:00pm…..that is until they fire common-man & torggie.
97.1.-communist radio station…..you suck
11:38 am on March 18th, 2011
So nowadays, a radio show host is not allowed to call men who repeatedly lie “liars?”
Only in Columbus.
Carmen Ohio
11:43 am on March 18th, 2011
I’m unbid,sed too… That’s why my name is Bo, not jimfakerepublican
11:50 am on March 18th, 2011
Hooley definitely got rail roaded by the station, obviously because of the university.
Now this worthless station is left with are two morons from Chicago & Minnesota. Great job WBNS.
Thank God I still have XM radio!
11:51 am on March 18th, 2011
the only thing worse than Hooley leaving is the fact that Adam Neft will presumably be the new host during the 1pm-3pm time slot. Him or anthony rothman and demetrious stanley. God forbid.
Emily- By calling Tressel a liar, was bruce hooley wrong? no, he wasnt. Tressel LIED atleast 3 times to the university he works for. Hooley is a writer. He’s about being ACCURATE. I found his accuracy very refreshing. The clowns from 3-6 say “my guy” a few times a segment and throw crap against a wall and hope some of it sticks. Talk about being personal?? have you EVER listened to the Common Man and The Torg?? all they do is attack people personally. They attack everyone except for the one group of people the station is in bed with. The Ohio State University.
11:53 am on March 18th, 2011
^ i meant Pam….i dont know where Emily came from
12:16 pm on March 18th, 2011
Doesn’t really matter why the Brucie is gone, let us just celebrate the fact that HE IS GONE!!!!!!!!!
12:17 pm on March 18th, 2011
I don’t suppose there are any sportwriters/commentators that would mind if I dug up some unsavory incidents in their background and then publish it for the entire country to peruse.
1:09 pm on March 18th, 2011
Several CBS News people and several ny times writers have serious conflicts of interest and weird personal stories - one married a very rich woman who shelters their income while he asks to “tax the rich” which means anyone making more than 65,000 if you read between the lines. Another is a woman who regularly meets and dines with top officials of one party while pushing their agenda and writing attack pieces as news. She regularly attends lavish parties paid corny their supporters.
1:40 pm on March 18th, 2011
Spielman is honest about the Buckeyes and he is still beloved by the fans. Why? Because he doesn’t equate bashing OSU with objectivity. He is simply honest. Fact is; Herbie got his ovaries all twisted when TP called him out and he has been on a mission to slam the program. He thinks that by being unfair to OSU, everyone else will love him - and he might be right. But don’t expect people in Ohio to buy off on it. Hooley is just some loser who hates authority and success. And he has a lame porn star moustache.
2:06 pm on March 18th, 2011
Wow…all these Bucknut apologists spinning away…if any of you are unemployed, I hear the following groups/agencies are looking for your propaganda skills: ACORN, NPR, Planned Parenthood, Homeland Security, The Federal Reserve, Japanese Electric, ect….good luck with your interviews, be sure to bring a copy of the Winners Manual for the Game of Life to read in the waiting room.
2:15 pm on March 18th, 2011
I can not get over how delusional Ohio St. fans are. You got caught.. Your coach knowingly concealed facts that would have made his star players ineligable. He lied/withheld info from the NCAA on numerous occasions. Now that the 5 game suspensions have been upheld he has taken the bold step of imposing a 5 game suspension on himself…HOW VERY “BIG10″ OF HIM. These are facts, OSU fan chooses to ignore facts and just pound the table instead of pounding the facts…weird.
2:40 pm on March 18th, 2011
Bruce was boring that’s why he isn’t there anymore… that guy put me to sleep on more than one occasion… Cowherd talks negative about the Bucks too yet I’ll still listen to that guy just cause he is entertaining
6:14 pm on March 18th, 2011
My job description makes me a captive audience to local talk radio in Columbus, but after Chris Spielman left the Big Show, Bruce Hooley’s program was unbearable to listen to. He was exposed as terribly dull, extremely annoying, and he overcompensated for his shortcomings by being obnoxious. Spielman and Hooley may have had a nice “Good cop, bad cop” type chemistry, but post-Spielman, it just became “annoying cop”.
Hooley came off as a major dork… He’s the kind of guy that you meet at a party who starts a conversation where every word is excruciating to listen to, but he won’t shut up… so you wait until someone else enters the conversation and use the opportunity to escape.
Hooley wasn’t the only talk-show host in Columbus throwing Jim Tressel under the bus, and though his Tressel-bashing may have been the straw the broke the camel’s back, it was obviously not the only reason why he is now gone Anyone who listened to the program regularly had to see Hooley’s demise coming immediately after Spielman‘s departure, long before the Tressel-Bashing started.
6:24 pm on March 18th, 2011
This post is 98% fiction. Hooley was not highly rated and was far from highly respected. The Common Man and The Torg are the most recognizable figures at the station, not Hooley. Spielman left to film a reality TV show, not because the station disrespected him.
Also, nice job getting or attempting to get comment from Vanstone or Taylor.
And Hooley didn’t lose his job for speaking his mind. He lost it cause he’s boring, and once Spielman left, he became expendable. Not too hard to see.
8:02 pm on March 18th, 2011
When I want sports talk radio when I’m stuck on 71 or 270 during the day, I use 1460 — the ESPN feed. The local yocals are too dopey for words. Sports fans listen for the GUESTS, not the hosts.
Also, heard from more than one faculty member at OSU that the faculty pool is that Tressel will not return after the 5 games … that at least one more shoe will drop.
Any facts out there on this, Brooks?
8:19 pm on March 18th, 2011
if these means more Common Man and Torg then I say bring it
9:22 pm on March 18th, 2011
This station has gone so far down hill it is sad. Bruce and Chris once laughed so hard telling a story about how this asshole Torg (nice nickname…it really flows off the tongue) said that the Arizona vs Arizona State rivalry is as big as the OSU vs Michigan rivalry. I refuse to listen to idots on the drive home. Fake anger, complete negativity, lack of respect for anyone, inside jokes only funny to the two of them. Rothman and Stanley are the only two that deserve a show. They use proper grammer and have real sports experience. That is what we lost when Bruce and Chris left. Knowing Van-lack of Stones he will some how fit Marty Banister and Adam Neft on with a show and Columbus can 2 more hosts that have never played sports, composed a critical article about a team like corrupt OSU and The Vest or have a true love for the station that represents a university seems as though it has turned it’s back on 3 graduates any big 10 school would be proud of. Chris, Kirk and Bruce you will be missed and so will sports radio in Columbus. Dave VanStone, you are a dick.
12:04 am on March 19th, 2011
Having lived in Columbus for nearly 20 years there is little doubt in my mind that Ohio State leaned heavily on WBNS in this matter. The station is part of the Wolfe Media Group which owns and operates the Columbus Dispatch. When it comes to regular news, The Dispatch is fine. In spite of the publisher’s conservative interests the paper has integrity–until you get to local sports.
The Columbus Blue Jackets suck, but good luck finding a Dispatch columnist with the balls to explain why. The same is true with Ohio State. Why do you think big stories are broken by outside sources? Ohio State has the Columbus media in its pocket. Players have access to cars, apartments, clothes and bogus jobs but do the local reporters ever mention it?
Hooley came from a much better publication. The Cleveland Plain Dealer is superior to the Dispatch in every way and the PD’s sports department was excellent. The PD didn’t employ hack comedians like Rob Oller, or fat dopes like Bob Hunter as columnists. If something smelled funny in Cleveland sports one of the PD’s columnists would tell you what stunk. No punches were pulled. The columnists who write for the Dispatch don’t even know how to make a fist.
Hooley’s combative nature is what made him a good beat reporter. He wasn’t afraid to ask tough questions and when he was asked for his opinion he gave you the truth. That’s a PD trait. If Hooley had been a beat reporter for the Dispatch he would have been castrated early in his career.
I know Bruce has respect for the guys who cover the Buckeyes for the Dispatch, but as an objective reader I think they are gutless jerks. When real news breaks, they stick their heads int he sand and wait for it to blow over. Ken Gordon and Tim May are great for day to day stuff, but when Jim Tressel craps all over the rules they turn into a couple of blind mice. I don’t fault them, this isn’t exactly a writer’s market so if somebody is buttering your bread you’d damned well better know which side it’s on. Gordon and May do a good job with in the confines to which they’re assigned.
That’s because Ohio State holds all the cards. Tim May and Ken Gordon get the cold shoulder if they act like real reporters and when a radio personality from the flagship rocks the boat somebody reminds WBNS that the broadcast rights can easily end up on another station. If you get down to it, OSU can set up its own local station. They already have the equipment and the frequency, all they need is approval to up the wattage.
I grew up in NE Ohio and cut my teeth on the Plain Dealer and the Cleveland Press. After the Press folded, the good sports writers either joined the PD or went to the Akron Beacon Journal. I also know what sports talk radio is about and I thought Bruce Hooley brought some big league credibility to Columbus. I didn’t always agree with him and I think he can be a bit of a prick at times but you’re not supposed to agree with a good host all the time. That’s what makes it compelling.
Ohio State is is used to holding all the cards and Columbus is used to rolling over for them. When it comes to sports in Columbus there is no credibility. I live in Columbus and I love the city, but I think the sports commentary/coverage in this town is pathetic. It’s a bunch of shiny happy BS—with apologies to Todd Jones, of course.
I do get the impression that jut about everybody in Columbus is pretty disgusted with Ohio State and Jim Tressel right about now and there’s a little bit of dissent coming out. I actually think what happened to Bruce is pissing some of them off, but it’s still very measured. Ohio State still has the clout and nobody is going to take a real stand.
12:28 am on March 19th, 2011
Stanley is a douche juice. I have a friend who was very upset about Stanley’s rant he went on the other day about Mormons (he went on talking about how bad they were because they got rid of Davies for having sex.) I don’t know if he contacted the station or not, but I have a feeling this wouldn’t stand either since the beloved Dr. E Gordon Gee is also a Mormon.
6:39 am on March 19th, 2011
Did anyone here actually LISTEN to Hooley the days after the story broke? I did. In spite of what you think Tressel did, what Hooley did was SCORTH THE EARTH in spite of being told not to. He did everything short of calling for his firing. He made it personal and vindictive, the exact opposite of what Speils said and management wanted him to do. He could have expressed his opinion clearly without making it personal but he wasn’t. He clearly had an agenda and anyone who disagreed with him had no integrity or honor. In short, he was doing the exact opposite of what management wanted him to do. He was looking to be fired and this presented him the golden opportunity.
If you had listened that afternoon to all of the local shows, to a man, all of the hosts were negative about Tressel and OSU. But only Hooley was fired and that was because of his take no prisoners attitude. He crossed the line and left management with no choice.
Oh, that and the fact the show WAS going done hill with only him on, he was horrible in his analysis and boring beyond belief. He was on his way out anyway, this presented is a ticke outt.
11:00 am on March 19th, 2011
Isn’t this about some of Ohio St. athletes selling some of their personal merchandise they got from bowl games, or trading them for tatoo’s? I know that its against the rules, but this all seems a little overblown compared to the Auburn case here in the SEC where the Newtons were selling their kid for 250K…seems like it got swept under the rug.
11:31 am on March 19th, 2011
The radical right-tea bagging Republicans and their popularity have caused this type of mentality that has overrun Ohio
12:45 pm on March 19th, 2011
Actually Vinny B. thats a Dumbocrat thing…look up the “Fairness Doctrine” and who is trying to push it. See if you can find Dingy Harry Reid in there
1:23 pm on March 19th, 2011
Hooley was fired ultimately because he sucked. (and then they found a reason to fire him.)
11:55 pm on March 19th, 2011
@FayettevilleTN This was about players selling jerseys, Big 10 championship rings, Bowl rings, shoes, Gold pants trinkets for beating Michigan and autographs. Things only an OSU player would receive. This is against NCAA rules. Of course your saying what is wrong with this! Imagine talking to a recruit ‘hay come to OSU we have boosters that pay TOP DOLLAR for your jerseys’. This would just open a Pandora box.
Since 2000, Ohio State has reported to the NCAA more than 375 violations.
9:34 am on March 20th, 2011
@David
Since 2000, Ohio State has reported to the NCAA 375 violations, all self reported and minor some resulting in no penalties. The violations occurred in 17 of the 36 sports in the AD, the largest in the country. 375 was the highest among the 69 FBS schools that responded to the Cols. Dispatch for their story on confidentiality reporting in college sports. There are 120 schools in FBS.
Fixed it for you.
2:18 pm on March 20th, 2011
@David
Thanks for the info.! What you said makes more sense that anything I have heard on ESPN or on FOXSports. I see what you mean about opening Pandora’s box.
5:15 pm on March 20th, 2011
Nice story, Brooks. I had no idea you used to work for that station. That was waaaaay back in the day!
Here’s my take:
http://jockpost.com/bruce-hooley-971-fan/
9:26 am on March 21st, 2011
I listened to the entire program when Bruce ripped Tressel and OSU for his whole program. Sorry to say this, but I WAS NOT SURPRISED this happened when Bruce compared OSU to SMU (ARE YOU KIDDING ME) and w/ out saying it implied Tressel should lose his job?!?!?!
I WISH BRUCE WOULD STAY, but when he said that I looked over and “said does he want to lose his job?” Got to know your audience. Is it BS, YES, but he knew what he was doing and what the outcome COULD be.
I for one am in the camp that hey you know what, worse goes on every f***ing day in the SEC and gets swept up under the rug ($cam Newton, UFs 32 arrests, Auburn recruits getting $ and iphones, etc) and yet you media big mouths say nothing, but a few players get tattoos from selling THEIR OWN BELONGINGS and Tress didn’t kick them off the team and you idiots spew venom and said f*** it who cares it was their belongings, they weren’t involved in the drug scheme part like Schlabach tried to imply, PLEASE. Five games is a lot, more than Auburn, Alabama (Marcel Dareus ANYONE???!!!) Florida, Pete f***ing Carrol, and any other dirty program got, get over it people.
Sorry to say Bruce you should have to. After listening to Cownerd for 3 hours rip OSU we didn’t have to hear 2 more straight hours of it from Bruce. That is an honest opinion…..The SMU comment is what most OSU fans regardless of opinion even said that is just going to far, SMU players got dirty money, a lot of it, 5-6 figures, and these players sold rings for tattoos and now somehow an OSU degree is worth less???? Careful the words you choose people….
9:32 am on March 21st, 2011
That said though, Bruce I will follow you wherever you end up. Best of luck to you sir. When one door closes, God opens another.
11:23 am on March 21st, 2011
Just heard the Finebaum interview, gosh Bruce. Still like you, but wow talk about biting the hand that feeds you. Very spiteful. Almost like you a vendetta against JT and wanted to get fired.
Finebaum even said “I don’t think he will have his job long” after Bruce hung up. Way to make the southerners day.
11:38 am on March 21st, 2011
Nevermind Bruce, you just lost ANOTHER listener. Heard you on the Austin “Horn” just pathetic, throwing OSU under the bus for petty violations just to get you ahead in the game for a foxsportsohio column. PATHETIC BRUCE.
YOU ARE NO DIFFERENT, OUT FOR YOURSELF. You forgot to mention tOSU has the biggest athletic dept and those petty violations you speak of are in 17 out of 30 something different sports but make it seem like their all football related. Some schools don’t even have 17 sports to put that into perspective.
Keep crying the blues to anyone you know on radio hoping to make a buck but LOOK LIKE THE BIGGEST HYPOCRITE BY SAYING TRESS MAKES THE OSU DEGREE LESS VALUABLE WHEN YOU ARE DOING THE SAME TRYING TO MAKE A NAME FOR YOURSELF. SAD
11:55 am on March 21st, 2011
It’s amazing how the Sports Talk hours of 8:00a -6:00p (and it’s host) can affect and be such a large part of our lives. Its obvious by all of the responses to Bruce’s firing.
I’m in the minority of people who liked Bruce in the 1-3 slot, of course he is going to have a difference of opinion than the rest of us at times, but that is what keeps us coming back and opening our eyes to different views.
I was never more compelled to listen to the show than the day after Stephanie died. I felt most for Chris (obviously) but for Bruce as well. Sure BNS could have had someone fill in for the day for Bruce, but Bruce felt the show must go on, as Chris would have wanted him to.
Moving forward…. I’ve met Rothman a few times, I, along with others wouldn’t mind him in the 1-3 spot. But I think I share the same opinion of others that Stanley is in idiot and has no reason being on radio.
Guys are already tired of his dumb ass, suave ‘ladies man” demeanor and his nonfactual based insight on the issues.
Not to drawing attention to himself about what color VELVET he is wearing for the day.
Side note: Just don’t bring back Rimmer!
12:27 pm on March 21st, 2011
Hooley was “holier than thou” to a fault. His show had become hard to listen to. I agree that D.S. is not the answer. Talk about annoying!
3:42 pm on March 21st, 2011
If smells dirty it probably is dirty. Noticed the SIGNED jerseys.
http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2011-01-02/report-no-violations-with-terrelle-pryors-cars
5:19 pm on March 21st, 2011
uh oh…alert the press. college football players autograph things!! hahaha cmon, dude… signed jerseys by players at a dealership means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!! players sign things all the time. Its not up to them what the recipient does with those pieces of memorabilia. Some might choose to sell them on Ebay. Some might choose to hold on to them.
A few years back, OSU was doing an Open Practice/Autograph Session at their stadium. They did it for 3 years, i think, before they decided not to do it anymore because too much stuff was being sold on Ebay. Gonna blame the players for that?
9:59 am on March 22nd, 2011
Signed jersey might not mean anything all by themself. But when the same players are driving around with cars from the same dealer. It’s got to make you say “hmmm”. Unless your heads buried in sand.
11:36 am on March 22nd, 2011
Tressel lied. He knew he had ineligible players, but he wanted a national title. He kept his mouth shut to win games. OSU has forced the hand of the NCAA… there will be no escape this time. The dreaded, “Lack of Institutional Control is coming. tOSU is a dirty program, and they are about to inherit the whirlwind.
12:54 pm on March 22nd, 2011
the Univ has become the laughing stock of the nation..Here in the South all you here is the O-Lie-O State Univ..it seems u folks will do ANYTHING to win ..Lieing and cheating seeem to be the norm at O$U…sad..
Dotting th Lie!
1:39 pm on March 22nd, 2011
It must have been out of control at Youngstown when players can’t even remember how many cars they received.
I wonder if Pryor knows how many cars he received.
2:17 pm on March 22nd, 2011
@Matt Talk about “The pot calling the kettle black”. Most of the SEC is as bad or worse than OSU.
6:44 pm on March 22nd, 2011
i listened to bruces last show….and agreed with alot of things that he said….its just a shame that a radio station that i religiously listen to is giving me a sour taste in my mouth…im personally not going to listen to a station that is going to have an ajenda with no boundries…..we are in a dark time in columbus and our buckeyes…tressel sold out when he took pryor in…its all about control..when tress was recruiting pryor …pryor had the control….from his freshman year till now!!!!!! to me tressel is now randy ayers…the pryor era is tainted…we need to clean up …say bye to tress and move on….im tired of the ball control and im tired of playing with air brakes….tressel winning the national championship was the worst thing that happend to buckeye football
8:17 pm on March 22nd, 2011
I live in Columbus and have listened to the fan steadily for at least 6 years. Bruce Hooley has ALWAYS been the worst person involved with the station. All of his opinions were the most conservative take you could have on any situation coming and going. The man went as far as comparing Tiger Woods to a felon just for cheating on his wife and said that the PGA Tour should have suspended him for an entire year. ill always respect Speilman but the amount of bible thumping that took place between him and Hooley on a daily basis made me change the station countless times. You know that Ohio State runs the city and your place of employment yet you keep poking the bear thinking that nothing would happen. Good riddance and i hope your horrible horse farm that you would never shut the f*** up about gets foreclosed on.
10:40 pm on March 22nd, 2011
Good riddance Hooley
3:34 am on March 23rd, 2011
Tressel messed up by hiding some petty violations. Big deal?…kinda. The players sold their own belongings they worked for for tatoos. Not any boosters, agents, whatever. I thinks its so dumb once they leave school they can but while there they cant…dumb. I wonder how long this violation will even be a violation. Giving a player a free cup of coffee is more of a crime than that. Michigan practicing extra hours is a million times worse because its actually giving the team a competitive advantage. Its terrible the players put Tressel in the situations in the first place. He’s a coach not a baby sitter.
I’m just glad this has nothing to do with recruiting or paying players, extra practicing, illegal video taping or anything like that that would give the school a real competitive advantage. Then I would really be ashamed of OSU.
people painting OSU to be the most evil program since sliced bread is ridiculous. I sure hope you never have to trade anything with somebody and get attacked for it.
Anyways, since paying for players seems to work for auburn, I wouldn’t mind OSU doing it themselves. I’m sure Auburn and SEC cry sad tears every night as they cuddle with their NC trophies. plz.
OSU has complete dominance in college football year in and year out which of course draws lots of haters looking for anything to cling to to drag you down
Any practicing, recruiting, paying player, booster, agent violation (USC, Oregon, Michigan, SEC) > crimes committed than OSU.
So if you want to hate… hate. Im sure you get all bent out of shape if you see someone not report a person jaywalking too. haha
9:04 am on March 23rd, 2011
@MikeyM Please your excuses are ridicules. If you can show a recruit that he will be treated differently than any other school. Tutors doing his homework to keep him eligible. Car dealers loaning cars to you. Merchants in the community either giving you products or services free or at little cost. Trade or Barter with merchants for cash or services. Local Newspapers, TV and Radio stations either turning a blind eye to these infractions or too scared to report them. Afraid of the consequence of THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY or there lunatic fan base. And tell him there is little or no chance of getting caught. This recruit he is going to want to go to OSU. So it does give you an unfair advantage in recruiting. Ohio State has been good in the Jim Tressel era for one major reason. The recruits he has been able to get. He has been kicking the asses of other Big Ten Schools.
9:05 am on March 23rd, 2011
rumor is TP did not come out in this year in the drafts because he would have to take a pay cut.
12:55 pm on March 23rd, 2011
@no surprise. I can’t think of any violation or suspension happening before tatoo gate except Troy Smith taking 500 from a booster which OSU busted him. I think some players had marijuana charges somewhere. I would like some sources to your claims.
Your claims of it giving OSU an unfair advantage in recruiting is ridiculous. I’m sure thats what every recruit wants…to get paid 500 and benched for the texas game. Or a place will give you tatoos if you give them memorabilia…Get real. OSU is the top 2 or 3 most prestigious college football school in America. Ohio being a hotbed for HS football helps too. That is why recruits want to go there. Ohio State football is a religion in the area and It didn’t start with Tressel. Woody Hayes built the program up and it never went back down. Even Cooper’s teams in the 90’s were amazing but they just choked against michigan.
Granted, I can tell you that people in Columbus treat the football players like gods. So of course you are going to have that and there’s nothing that can be done unless you baby sit the entire city. OSU is an NFL football factory. OSU gets the best recruits because its the best school for football. Just like North Carolina in bball (although OSU is becoming a power house there too). The people there are proud of the OSU’s continued success on the field and will let the players know it. I think I would rather go to a place where people worship me than a place where my efforts are less appreciated.
1:18 pm on March 23rd, 2011
The Troy Smith $500 incident is what was able to be proven. How much did he accept that not been discovered? If Ray Isaac could $100K at Youngstown State when Tressel was there. God only knows what is happening at OSU now. It’s only a matter of time before things catch up with JT & OSU. $500 is peanuts for the current group it has to be at least $1000.
Adams $1,000 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring
Herron $1,150 for selling his football jersey, pants and shoes for $1,000 and receiving discounted services worth $150.
Posey $1,250 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring for $1,200 and receiving discounted services worth $50
Pryor $2,500 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring, a 2009 Fiesta Bowl sportsmanship award and his 2008 Gold Pants.
Solomon $1,505 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring for $1,000, his 2008 Gold Pants for $350 and receiving discounted services worth $155.
10:22 pm on March 24th, 2011
Anybody want to get a locker? Jam Dog - what’s in your locker? Before I let you go, wanna take a spin on the wheel? 1460 was a better and simpler time with The Voice of The Buckeyes, Terry Smith. God’s Gift to Radio. A True and Brilliant Broadcaster.
10:25 pm on March 24th, 2011
Can you hear my mock turtleneck on Radio?
10:28 pm on March 24th, 2011
Gold Pants are overrated
1:19 pm on March 25th, 2011
@John Cooper - Yea just take the money!
12:45 pm on March 26th, 2011
I still love the bucks !
1:01 pm on March 26th, 2011
I used to listen to Hooley and I liked his show . He did cross the line when talking about Tressel though . I mean when you work for the flag ship home of the Buckeyes you gotta know that the top people at the university have your job . For example, I would not bash the CEO of my company in the company news letter and expect to keep my job . Its just the politics of any business. You got to watch what you say and how you say it . Not that I am defending Tressel . What he did was wrong and as a Buckeye fan I am not sure how I feel about him anymore. As for Herbstreit I can’t help but feel that he wanted to move out of Columbus for other reasons. Yet he decided to exaggerate the harassment that he gets from the fans so that people don’t accuse him of moving away and turning his back on Buckeye fans. Though, if he really did leave for that reason he picked a bad time to give Ohio State even more bad press . Also, I have read a lot of people on here giving The Common Man and the Torg a hard time . I actually like that show ! I know they have a different brand of humor but at least they keep it fun and they don’t take themselves too serious . After all its just sports people ! Its just entertainment ! That was my only problem with Hooley . He took himself too seriously and would always talk about his journalistic integrity . That all good and fine but we are only talking about sports not politics. When I tune into sport radio I want to get away from the serious nature of news radio and all the doom and gloom. That’s why I like Common Man and the Torg because they keep it light and they admit when they are wrong . Anyway , I love the Buckeyes and this amazing city and I know we will get through this crazy time in Buckeye history.
5:27 pm on March 26th, 2011
Instead of listening to those homers, I choose to listen to AM1230 Fox Sports in Columbus. Dan Patrick, Jim Rome, Loose Cannons… better than those idiots on The Fan
5:25 am on March 27th, 2011
I dont listen to WBNS any more.Everyone on that station is a homer.I’m suprised Hooley was fired for speaking out against OSU.I quit listening to him;because of his homerism.I guess he wasnt wearing his scarlett and grey tinted glasses when the Tressell infractions surfaced.As far as Herbie go’s.I find it very unproffessional he would take parting shots at Buckeye fans on his way to Nashville;but not suprised.
1:16 pm on March 28th, 2011
Although I have followed various sports websites and blogs for several years, I have not submitted comments. I am merely a sports fan who likes to soak up the latest information on various teams and listen to the viewpoints of their fans. I generally try to listen to the talk shows to get the viewpoints of sports professionals and read the blogs to get the rest. My expectation has been that talk show professionals are, for the most part, unbiased and will provide genuine insight into the sport they are covering; the blogs, of course, are just for entertainment purpose. I can no longer, however, remain just a spectator.
I have listened to various talk shows on WBNS radio in Columbus for many years and I disagree with your assessment of Bruce Hooley as a ‘credible’ personality at the station. Hooley has been fortunate in his assignments, first with Herbstreit and then with Spielman, but believe me when I say this, he did more to lower the integrity and professionalism than to enhance these broadcasts; this was especially true during football season.
Football knowledge, and interest, are certainly not Hooley strengths. He concealed (at least attempted to) these weaknesses by continuously interrupting his co-hosts by interjecting some inane remarks that were of little interest to fans. Numerous times insightful commentaries from two individuals who understand the college football game were diverted off into some absurd Hooleyism – a little too deep for him. He preferred to bathe in the seedier side of college football. It’s much more fun to bring someone down than to give credit to outstanding performance; this is a common trait of individuals of little skills. If he succeeded at anything it was in bringing down the program to his level.
I always find it interesting how statistics are thrown about – “ Hooley’s January ratings were higher than the stations Ohio State football-bolstered fall ratings.” Keep in mind that the Tattoo incident did not become known until ‘after’ the football season. Fans were definitely tuning in to get any news on the pending investigation. You need to remember that Speilman was still on the show until the second week of January. Add to that all of the excitement of a basketball team, with several promising freshmen, that was starting to make a run to glory. I’m sure you will remember that Columbus is a sports town. As to your comment that this was the stations highest rated show, that’s equivalent to saying someone is the best player on the Cav’s – this year.
I listened to Hooley’s last show. A little background: Bruce Hooley has been anti-Tressel since he has been here, primarily because Bruce does not feel Tressel has not shown him the respect that he deserves. Hooley has not given Tressel, or the football program, a positive comment in the five years he has been with the program, unless it was a left-handed compliment which included “but he should have done better with…..”.
As far as the station releasing Hooley, he was told not to “scorch the earth” when giving his thoughts (obviously everyone at the station knew Hooley’s animus towards Tressel was more personal than professional), after all WBNS refers to itself as OSU’s flagstaff station. No one objected to negative remarks as long as they were delivered professionally.
The Columbus news media were uniform in their expressed opinion that this was a major problem, an embarrassment to the program and there should be some sort of punishment. But not one had the vitriol and anger of Hooley; it was a blemish on the diploma he received from the Ohio State University; it tainted the image of the cancer hospital, the business school and any other program at Ohio State. (Note: Hooley said the incident lowered the value of his OSU diploma – who knew he had an OSU diploma, it’s not indicated on his bio.) In Hooley’s mind the villagers should have burned the castle and off with the heads of the leadership!
Please, that is so much phony hyperbole, and possible with an underlying motive. For one, this was finally his chance to strike out at Tressel under the guise of public responsibility – how noble. Also keep in mind that Herbstreit and Spielman are gone and he certainly is not equipped to carry-on without their knowledge. But most importantly, it was perfect timing. He was able to get national recognition as to how he stood-up to the wrong doings at Ohio State and was ceremoniously fired for what you call “being direct, informative and brutally honest”. I’m sure he contacted all of his friends in the media, as well as his blog buddies, to tell them of his noble act and the subsequent consequences. I understand your support of Hooley; after all, he may be able to provide you a reference some day. You need to keep your contacts.
Finally, to your remark that “much like Hooley covered the Buckeyes long before Tressel arrived in Columbus, he’ll still be covering them long after Tressel is gone”, how sadly true that may be. On the one hand you have Hooley whose claim to fame is his ability to discover and expound on smut; he relishes his ability to use his bully pulpit to out shout his detractors. Now consider how many young men Tressel has counseled and helped to develop into responsible adults. Before you fly off into outcries about the current incident, I am talking about his body of work. His mistake about not mentioning the two emails, it is quite possible he was trying to protect the individuals involved. Hooley failed to mention to you that Spielman was asked on Mike and Mike if he would want his son to play for Tressel and his answer was “He had the highest regard for Tressel and would definitely like for his son to be coached by Tressel”. I agree with Spielman.
I’m sure Bruce will land a better job somewhere – don’t forget he has established a friendship with Herbie and Spielman, although I’m not sure they would enjoy working with him in a job where football knowledge is a prerequisite. As far as I am concerned, his gain is someone else’s loss. Maybe you will be lucky enough for him to move in your area. Just my thoughts, enough for now, good luck to you and your fans.
1:19 pm on March 29th, 2011
@jay - All radio talk show have some bias. If a listener doesn’t like the content just change the Channel. This whole story just shows the POWER & INFLUENCE that OSU has over the media in Ohio. I am certain there are other Colleges that have just as much or more POWER & INFLUENCE over there local media. This story also demonstrates the THIN SKIN of several OSU fans.
8:04 am on June 17th, 2011
Anybody want to get a locker? Jam Dog - what’s in your locker? Before I let you go, wanna take a spin on the wheel? 1460 was a better and simpler time with The Voice of The Buckeyes, Terry Smith. God’s Gift to Radio. A True and Brilliant Broadcaster.
Ouch! I used to produce that show back in the day. Thanks for bringing back that gruesome memory. Oh, and I agree, Cowherd is arrogant and can not be listened to.