Talk Radio

A Rush to Judge Fox

Drenched In Blog: Avenged Sevenfold and Right-Wing Screamo Metal

KGOWTF: Poker on the Radio?

Getting into The Game with Chance McClain

Why Do the "Car Talk" Guys Have a Cartoon and I Don’t?

God's Plan

At Dan Patrick's KPRC talk-radio station, it's politics with a capital G

Rome in a Day

The Jim Roma World Tour

Things We Don't Get: Walton & Johnson

The Jim Roma World Tour

What the Hell. Go Texas Tech!

I hate the BCS. I hate the bowl games. I want there to be playoffs in major college football. I write this because, normally, I would be pulling for Oklahoma to defeat Texas Tech this weekend for the purpose of screwing up the BCS. But I can’t do that this time out. I just can’t. And ... More >>

Round One to the Host

I hate the BCS. I hate the bowl games. I want there to be playoffs in major college football. I write this because, normally, I would be pulling for Oklahoma to defeat Texas Tech this weekend for the purpose of screwing up the BCS. But I can’t do that this time out. I just can’t. And ... More >>

Echo Chamber

Talk radio talks to itself for argument's sake

Letters

Talk radio talks to itself for argument's sake

The Insider

Talk radio talks to itself for argument's sake

Big Talker

From the Geto Boys to his new nationally syndicated radio show, Willie D has kept his mouth moving. But where his rap was once down and dirty, not it's--gasp!--respectable. Has the gangsta of love sold out, or just grown up?

Houston Is Loving Its Rush Limbaugh Again

Photo through wikimedia commonsHouston has always been a big Rush Limbaugh town -- it was one of the first to sign on to his show, when a small Tomball station run by Dan Patrick picked it up. (Patrick rode that rocket to KPRC and eventually a state-senator gig, much to the chagrin of people who don ... More >>

The DWI Bride and Houston's Love for Rush

Highlights from the Blog at HOUSTONPRESS.COM

Mail Call

Just for Sports

Sports talk radio stations fight for listeners in Houston

Jock Talk

Letters to the Editor

Jock Talk

Holiday Spirit

A real-life Christmas move in Kemah

Right-Wing Revolt

Local conservative talk radio lives to rant again

The Upstart Sports-Talk Station Is Making Some Strides

Photo by Daniel Kramer​We've been hearing this since 1560 The Game went on the air, but the time is finally coming.Pending one last final approval from the FCC, come some time next month, the station should be broadcasting a booming 15,000-watt signal from Katy that will cover the entire city. Th ... More >>

2009 Mug Awards

Web exclusive!

Game Time: Thanksgiving Leftovers -- Longhorns Vs, Aggies, Sports-Talk Shuffle, Best Bets

​I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I want to belatedly thank everyone who listens to my show (3-7 weekdays on 1560 The Game, just in case), thank everyone who takes the time to read my posts here on Hair Balls, and thank all of the athletes, coaches, and fellow broadcasters who continu ... More >>

Megadeth

​I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I want to belatedly thank everyone who listens to my show (3-7 weekdays on 1560 The Game, just in case), thank everyone who takes the time to read my posts here on Hair Balls, and thank all of the athletes, coaches, and fellow broadcasters who continu ... More >>

Game Time: Jim Rome Smack-Off 2010, A Five-Time Champ Weighs In

The Rome show may have mellowed, but the Smack-Off still delivers​If you're a sports fan in the Year 2010, you probably know who Jim Rome is. If you read my blog posts each day, you almost definitely know who Jim Rome is.For those who don't, I'll be brief with the history lesson -- Rome is a syndi ... More >>

Stevens & Pruett Vs. The FCC: Beer Cans And Hershey Kisses

Rocks Off is in the process of collecting stories about legendary Rock 101 KLOL morning team Stevens & Pruett as a tribute to Mark Stevens, who passed away Tuesday morning from complications of Alzheimer's disease at age 76. We're especially interested in hearing from the duo's colleagues at KLOL, ... More >>

Hot or Not: Sexy Traffic on 610 Not So Sexy

Reynolds is pretty hot off the air, not so much on.​There is a lowest common denominator that people involved in sports radio marketing try to achieve in their advertising. They realize that the average guy who listens to sports radio probably needs ads for DUI attorneys, no-brainer jewelry st ... More >>

Odd Pair: KILT Tries Lord, Innes Together

Rich Lord is still looking for a co-host.​The sports radio landscape in Houston used to be simple. For years, there was one show: Sports Beat on KTRH. The evening sports show was all Houston sports fans had when it came to sports talk. With the rise of sports talk nationwide, Houston followed ... More >>

The Nine Most Annoying Types of Sports Radio Callers

Send in the Clones.​Hair Balls likes to listen to sports radio. We aren't exactly sure why, but we do. We've got a bunch of stations to choose from in Houston, which gives us lots of opportunities to hear interviews, analysis and banter, some good, some bad, about all things sports. As syndic ... More >>

Glenn Beck Bringing the Circus, Pain to Town March 25

Glenn Beck will be conspiratorially maudlin for you​On the night of March 25, Houston now has three choices. Do you go see Devo, the pioneering punk and New Wave group at Warehouse Live, or legendary folk offspring Arlo Guthrie at the House Of Blues, or spend an evening with powerhouse conserv ... More >>

My March Madness Selections (And Lots Of Helpful Links)

It's bracket-ology BABY!​I made this public service announcement on my radio show this week, but seeing as many of you are scrambling to fill in your brackets at the last minute, I feel compelled to print it here and remind all of you of the following: If Sports talk radio hosts (like myself) ... More >>

Hottest Houston Media Women Tourney Boasts Cuties and Some Controversy

www.hothits957.radio.comKelly Kelly: Apparently not hot enough.​Dear, Kelly Kelly, How does it feel to only be the 17th hottest woman in Houston media? During yesterday's J&R show on Sports Radio 610 AM, the two hosts, Josh Innes and Rich Lord, unveiled the winner of the "play-in game" in the ... More >>

One Night with Glenn Beck: A Twitter Diary

Photo by Craig HlavatyThey lined up to hear Glenn Beck.​Glenn Beck was in Houston on Friday for a stop on his current speaking tour, dubbed the "Glenn Beck Live On Stage!" tour; it was everything I hoped it would be, with a few twists and turns. As an observer of most things Tea Party and cons ... More >>

KGOW'S KAPOW KAPOW

1560AM weaves pop culture, locker-room humor and irreverence into sports-talk radio.

Cover Story: For Love of the Game

​When working on this week's feature story, I was surprised at just how much help my background as a musician would help me, especially since I was writing about a sports radio station. Over the last 25 years, I've spent a lot of time in bars, recording studios and rehearsal spaces with other ... More >>

Five Best Glenn Beck Freakouts: We'll Miss You, Dude

​As he hinted at his Houston appearance, Glenn Beck, the face of Fox News to so many Americans who recoil in horror at Fox News, will be ending his TV show. He'll still do occasional specials, and tour, but your daily dose of Beckensian madness will no longer be on TV. We'll miss the freakou ... More >>

My 2011 Texans Schedule Analysis -- Praying For A Long Work Stoppage

Skip this if you can. (The movie AND the Texans' opening schedule)​Destination programming. It's the lifeblood of any organization whose goal is to entertain the masses. It doesn't matter if you're a television network, an independent radio station, or a professional sports league. If you ... More >>

NFL Draft Liveblogging, Starring Sean Pendergast

Rick Smith, you shall be judged immediately​The topic that has dominated sports talk radio lately -- at least in a city such as Houston that is experiencing a severe drought in anything worthwhile to talk about for its current franchises -- is the NFL Draft. It has turned into an off-season L ... More >>

Changes at 1560: Is KGOW Losing Its KAPOW?

Our April 6 cover on KGOW.​In April, our cover story featured the irreverent, independent nature of local sports radio station KGOW 1560 The Game. It appears both of those characteristics may be on their way out as changes at the station inch them closer to the mainstream. Longtime program di ... More >>

Changing Stations: KGOW's Creative Team Packs Up, Pendergast Goes National

KGOW's now former creative team of Frank Bullington (left) and Chance McClain (right)​If you have listened at all to KGOW 1560 the Game over the last month or two, you may have noticed some changes taking place that represent a distinct shift in the overall vibe of the station. Gone are the od ... More >>

Do NOT Call This Announcer A Homer (w/ Hilarious Video)

Beau Bock probably has a VERY liberal definition of "dynamic"​Texans play-by-play guy Marc Vandermeer gets accused sometimes of being a "homer" for the Texans. True or not, it doesn't really matter to me. I consider Marc a friend and one of the nicest people in our business. The "homer" thi ... More >>

Sports-Talk 1560 Loses Another Veteran: Lance Zierlein Calls It Quits at The Game

Photo by Jeff BalkeZierlein (left) with his now former co-host John Granato.​In what feels like the dismantling of KGOW 1560 The Game, long-time morning show co-host Lance Zierlein announced via his Houston Chronicle blog that he would be turning in his microphone and leaving the station eff ... More >>

College Realignment Talk Is The New NFL Lockout Talk

More a-holery from Ken Starr​During this past summer of sports talk radio, our insatiable appetite for any topic football-related, our perennial need to talk about minutiae at all times, and the usual summer content-related radio doldrums met at a tedious midpoint -- a no man's land that left ... More >>

Houston Texan Winston to Host Online Monday Night Football Show

Could Eric Winston's new online MNF simulcast be MST3K for sports fans?​Houston Texans offensive tackle Eric Winston is a funny and insightful guy who is a regular on local and national sports talk shows as well as a very good follow on Twitter. Tonight, he launches a Monday Night Football com ... More >>

Wednesday Was The Best Night Of Baseball Ever, And We Have Dan Shaugnessy To Thank (w/ VIDEO)

​Well, they say that if you're playing in a game that matters on the final game of the season, that's all you can hope for. The Astros were playing in a game that mattered last night, unfortunately, it mattered only for the opposition. For the Astros, last night's two hit shutout was the fin ... More >>

Forced to Listen to Rush Limbaugh: Five Reasons This Woman Should Be Thankful

Rush Limbaugh: It's a PRIVILEGE to listen to him, missy.​As first reported in the Houston Chronicle, Bridgett Nickerson Boyd is suing Harris County and a county sheriff's deputy for, among other things, forcing her to listen to Rush Limbaugh after an arrest. Now, among the "other things" is t ... More >>

Comment of the Day: Rush Limbaugh Violates the Constitution

​We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it's time we paid some damn attention to them. So we'll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day's work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula involv ... More >>

Having A Hall & Oates Emergency? Callin' Oates Is Here To Help

​We've all been there. Stuck in traffic after a long day at work, at your iPod just isn't cutting it, you're sick of AM talk radio, the birthday scams are getting stale, FM radio is just Maroon 5 and LMFAO, and you don't feel like calling your grandmother to say "I love you." You dear friend, ... More >>

4 Warnings -- Your Guide To Listening To Super Bowl Week Talk Radio

Jock talk radio: Few surprises​Super Bowl hype week is underway, and I know that many of you will be consuming sports talk radio this week in an effort to get ready for the big game. (I know many of you won't be, and I understand that as well. I hate me some me sometimes, too. It's okay.) The ... More >>