Mile High Sports has done an excellent job of developing young talent. One of the best young guns in Denver, Nate Kreckman, cut his teeth producing for The Press Box show before Mark Kiszla ruined it and it was manned by Jim Armstrong and Tim Neverett. He then teamed up to make radio magic with Joel Klatt and since then went to ESPN and once Joel left Denver, Nate has become the best in Denver sports radio. There are other guys that deserve their shot like Kreckman got and they are:
1. Chad Brown-Brown is amongst the best guys in Denver for sports talk and is only a segment filler. He deserves a show and deserves hours on radio, not just minutes. His knowledge on pro football is unmatched in this market. While he is not a Young Gun, he has not been doing radio much and needs more air time!!!
2. Joshua Dover-Dover started as a producer and honestly, I knew from the second he started to interact on-air with the likes of Danny Williams and Cello Romano, he was more than just the glue that held a show together but was a quarter-inch fillet weld that was stronger than the metal he worked with. Or you could call him the nails that held wood together but that sounds a little homo-erotic and this blog doesn't need to go there. Dover makes every show he produces better. He makes every show he has hosted or filled-in take that next step. Dover took the third spot in the booth for Denver Sports Nation and helped take that show from a weekend show to a nightly 8-10 p.m. show. Unfortunately due to sponsorship dollars, Denver Sports Nation hasn't been on-air for the past month and a half. Dover brings a strong work ethic from attending practices, pressers and other events and doing the leg work necessary to get it done in this business. Dover brings a basketball knowledge that really is missing in today's Denver market that is filled with talking heads without a lot of sports IQ.
3. Benjamin Allbright-Allbright is co-hosts with Mario Vetanze on Level Up. Vetanze is near the level Allbright is on this list but Allbright brings a lot of football knowledge to the table from studying tape. His QBR Rankings are very impressive and while my initial interaction with him was an argument over the legitimacy of Tim Tebow not being in the NFL (I believe he is as good as many back-ups), I have a great affinity for his work. He has a smooth voice that is perfect as a guest, but would be great as a nightly co-host or even host. In a football crazy town he is someone you want on the dial. Allbright is fairly new to the sports radio scene but has become someone you have to notice with his work ethic.
4. Matt McChesney-McChesney has a very effective training/teaching method that has helped make his business, Six Zero Strength, a great training center for the young high school to professional athlete. McChesney brings a no bullshit approach to the table and while it may rub some people the wrong way, it is honesty I enjoy. Matt brings a long-time local football knowledge with NFL background. He can talk anything from prep football to NFL football. Like Allbright, that matters in Denver.
4b. Tom Nalen-Like Brown, Nalen is older than the rest of this group but he counts as a guy that deserves a shot again. He had finally started making that transition into a VERY good radio guy when ESPN didn't step up to the plate and keep him with Kreckman on the Locker Room. Nalen brings humor and football knowledge.
4c. Mario Vettanze-Mario hosts Level Up already on the weekends. He got his start by buying a segment with Danny & Cello on Morning Mayhem. He is entertaining. He can talk about any subject and talks a lot of football and basketball. He has helped Allbright take that next step from just a guest to a host. Mario is entertaining and a cut from the same cloth as Danny Williams, but better looking.
Honorable Mentions
Benjamin Hochman-Hochman has been cutting his teeth for years and had his own show a couple times. It's time to give him more radio time by putting him full-time on either The Press Box or with Nate Kreckman.
Reed Marks and Zack Fogg-Bring back the damn Honey Bear and Reed Marks. They were late night gold together and were not meant for the mornings.
James Gomez-He was quality on his own on weekends. Interacted well with producer when he needed some filler. He should be prominently featured as why The Fan Late Night is good!
Andrew Fogoros-He was great morning radio with his longtime best friend, McChesney when he was the Morning Edge. Unfortunately, things just didn't work out in the afternoon when they took their voice to Colorado Springs. Fogoros is all over the map and that's what you want in the mornings. The Edge was about a million times better than what I get in the morning from 6-7 a.m. on Mile High Sports. His show is meant for the morning and needs to come back.
Adam Kinney-He finds his way in most media pictures during interviews because he doesn't rest. He is a great host with Joshua Dover on Denver Sports Nation. He has good takes and knowledge from the ground work he does. He lacks a hip hop knowledge which ruins his Hinkley alum and basketball cred though.
Will Petersen-I enjoy him when he is on with boss, James Merilatt, and Josh Pennock. They should all have more radio time and take away from some of the less talented groups.
Chris Dempsey-Football, basketball, college. He has covered these all for the Denver Post in some fashion. I enjoy him when he fills in and does the weekend shows
There is a long list of guys that should be brought on during their respective sports seasons for more than just a segment, but given a show that changes based off the barometer of that team. Guys that don't get enough air time but would be great to hear more during the teams they cover seasons:
Rockies
David Martin (RockiesReview.com) - Martin is not paid by the Rockies or the Post so he doesn't have to kiss their ass like so many of the other media guys. His voice is honest and knowledgeable. I have enjoyed every segment with him because I learn a lot about a team I hate to love. While the Rockies rank far below my long beloved Broncos, Buffs and Nuggets, the Rockies are the guilty pleasure that I like to learn about and Martin helps me get some insight I miss on my own.
Nuggets
Nate Timmons, Andrew Feinstein and Jeff Morton-All of these guys are an interesting read and voice when they speak Nuggets. I have followed the Nuggets as long as I have the Broncos and these guys help me catch up on what I missed during the football season with the Nuggets. I will turn them on early in the season so I don't have to watch 82 games and bore myself to death. These guys, along with Dover and Adam Kinney
Avalanche
I am not sure. Denver radio has not given the Avalanche much talk. Mark Moser was a phenomenal host before he took over the radio play by play/color/everything role for the Avalanche. I guess I will go with him since I am still awaiting a blogger to demand some air time and my reading/listening time. Challenge laid out.
So how do these guys get more time? First, as I illustrated to begin with, the guys over retirement age need to go. Then, there needs to be some shake-ups to make this happen. Here are my suggestions:
Mile High Sports (94.1 FM/1550 AM 96.9 FM Boulder)
5:30-7:00 A.M.: Bring back The Morning Edge with Fogoros and McChesney
7:00-9:00 A.M.: The Apprentice and The Mentor with Joshua Dover and Eric Goodman
9:00-11:00 A.M.: The Press Box w/o Mark Kiszla but with Benjamin Hochman and/or Chris Dempsey along with Brandon Krisztal and Oren Lomena
11:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M.: Spano, Petersen and Pennock-Spano is a bad impersonation of Sandy Clough on his own but I enjoy him with these guys
2:00 P.M.-4:00 P.M.: Denver Sports Nation- Pay Dover to do double duty
4-6 P.M.: Danny and Cello
6-8 P.M.: Renaud Notaro: He has good guest hosts and deserves a longer running show. Have him team up with the revolving sports guys mentioned above
8-10 P.M.: Level Up w/ Mario and Allbright
10-Midnight: Honey Bear and Reed Marks w/ Krissi Bex
The Fan (104.3 FM)
6:00-9:00 A.M.: Vic and Gary w/ Nate Lundy (I won't quit asking for it
9 A.M.-Noon: Evans and Sandy Clough. Bring back good radio! Clough is an ass on his own and needs one guy to fill dead air. He is crowded in the booth being a 3rd wheel.
12-3:00 P.M.-Scott Hastings w/ Big Al and D-Mac: This is not a drive time show. Drive time radio is supposed to have knowledge and pizzazz. There is only pizzazz with these clowns. Big Al has became lazy as a radio guy and needs Hastings to kick his ass in gear.
3-6 P.M.: Chad Brown and Nate Kreckman
6-8 P.M.: Cecil Lammey w/ Tom Nalen
8-10 P.M.: Fan Late Night w/ Gomez and Drotar
ESPN (102.3 FM)
Quit questioning our intelligence. You pay two radio guys full-time for a Denver Sports station. Let them go to stations that matter and just go national.
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