Now it’s my turn;

Yesterday we got our usual calls to the WSYB Proctor Gas Morning Show and of course many had comments on many of the changes we were making. Many callers of course forgot that about a month ago we invited listeners to attend a discussion at the radio station. What of course is typical is that about 12 people showed up. Not enough time is their excuse, but the real reason is that they were too lazy to attend and it was easier to message  me or tell me in person so I could pass the suggestions along to management. I didn’t by the way because as I said we invited people down to the radio station to discuss what they liked or didn’t like about WSYB. That was the listeners chance to voice their opinions, but they blew it.

One call that especially ticked me off was from a listener or I should say a former listener who thought we had too many sportscasts per hour. In other words we should have one sportscast per hour instead of two because he said so.I say a former listener because he didn’t hear about the changes on the radio, he heard about the changes from a friend who texted him. That’s OK I hear from people who  tell me  all the time that they don’t listen. It’s almost 100% a stupid reason, but that’s the public doing what it does best. I could write a whole column about the stupid reasons, but I won’t go into them here even though someday I will.

Back to the caller about too much sports. He reminded me that the results of various games doesn’t affect his life in anyway like news or the weather might do. That might be true,but I don’t remember ever saying that it did. Sportscasts are part of a news and talk format and also our sportscasts are more local than anything else on WSYB or any other station on Catamount radio. I get the feeling that many who complain WSYB has too much sports wouldn’t be saying that if they had a son or daughter or grandson or granddaughter playing a sport.

What the caller was saying really is that sportscasts are taking away from the time that he or anybody else could be venting about politics. I know because he was one of the first who called on the return of the “Tim Philbin Show”.

I feel sorry for those who don’t listen to WSYB and don’t listen to WSYB Sports which is the best thing done in the Rutland market. By far! For those who don’t believe me, listen to other stations around the state.

I won’t ever apologize for having a sportscast that I prepare for hours after getting my rear end out of bed every day at 2:30 AM. What you get is:

The state’s best sportscast that has won so many AP awards for Vermont’s best sportscast I’ve lost count.

Also has won so many AP awards for best play by play and sports features that I lost count.

WSYB Sports Talk has also won the AP award for best talk show which includes non sports talk shows

Twice won the UPI Tom Phillips Award for best sports coverage in New England. No other station in Vermont has ever won that award once and WSYB has won it twice.

Also WSYB has beaten the Rutland Herald to sports scoops  so many times I’ve lost count. Remember I’m part time, but even when i was full time, I was part time in sports.

Yes all that to give the listeners the best coverage in the state yet a caller who apparently thinks he knows more about the media than people in the media suggested WSYB cutback on sportscasts. Sponsors should be knocking down our doors to advertise on WSYB Sports.

Insulted? You bet I was! I’m still “MAD AS HELL AND I”M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!!”