GOW MEDIA'S BIG MONTH
David Gow: A peek inside the family
David Gow
Feb 27, 2018, 9:07 pm
A.J. Hoffman (center) and Fred Faour (right) had the No. 1 sports show in the city in January. Kirsten Gilliam Photography
Last year I caught up with an old friend. Amazingly, during the conversation, he failed to tell me some exciting news about his kids. They had gotten exceptionally good grades and were on their way to Stanford. A very exciting time! Yet, out of modesty, he said nothing, and I had to learn the big news from a third party. His omission almost made me feel left out.
Today I will not make the same mistake. I will share with you some exciting news about “the kids” at the station, who recently got a very good report card. When Nielsen ratings came out last week, ESPN 97.5 FM finished with the three top-rated sports shows in the city (for Men, ages 25-54, the standard metric for sports). The top three shows:
No. 1: The Blitz, with Fred Faour and AJ Hoffman; weekdays 4-7 p.m.
No 2: The Usual Suspects, with Joel Blank and Barry Laminack; weekdays 1-4 p. m.
No. 3: The Bench (John and Lance!), with John Granato and Lance Zierlein; weekdays 7-9 a.m.
As always, there is a story behind the successes.
At 8-years old, The Blitz is now the longest continuous-running sports-talk show in the city. Fred and A.J. do their homework and know all-things-sports. For that matter, Fred is now also the cerebral editor of SportsMap.com. But do not consider them the class nerds. Fred and A.J. talk sports with an edge, perhaps an air of cool.
The Usual Suspects launched one year ago, almost as an odd couple. Joel came from the Rockets and seemed to see everything through the prism of sports. Barry won our Rock the Mic contest and as a stand-up comic, seemed to see everything through the prism of humor. Like most good couples, the two have found a solid, compelling balance. Sports and humor? Absolutely: the odd couple is now a successful couple.
The Bench. There are many famous duos: Bert and Ernie, Batman and Robin, Heckle and Jeckle, etc. But in the history of Houston sports talk, John and Lance stand apart. When we got the opportunity to reunite them, I knew they would be successful; what I did not know was how quickly the market would come. In this first ratings book since the reunion, they are No. 1 in their daypart. And they are just getting (re)started.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the other kids. In middays, Raheel and Del are rising stars on 97.5. We have one of the country’s top authorities on soccer, Glenn Davis, who hosts Soccer Matters on Tuesday evenings. Also, I am often asked: what ever happened to Charlie Pallilo? We got him. He is on SportsMap 94.1 FM, weekdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. And 94.1 FM now includes Golic and Wingo, Barry Warner, Charlie, Nate and Creight and the Sean Salisbury Show. Check it out!
Finally, as you read the names above, the family is big now. Bluntly, we have more sports experts in our building than any other media company in the city. What do we do with them all? Our “Stanford” is our new media and new platforms. All members of the team are now talking on air, writing on sportsmap.com and now appearing on videos here on the site. A very exciting time!
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The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the defending champs this weekend, they changed the tone of their season.
Dominant pitching. Star power. Road swagger. The three-game dismantling of the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine wasn’t about revenge or validation. It was about showing, once and for all, that this version of the Astros, short-handed and all, belongs squarely in the conversation with baseball’s elite.
A statement series
The Astros pitching staff was lights out against one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball, holding the Dodgers to just six runs across three games, including two contests where LA managed just a single run. Lance McCullers Jr., much-maligned after getting shelled by the Cubs last week, bounced back in a big way. He worked around four walks, giving up just one run on a solo homer, a much-needed course correction as the Astros evaluate their playoff rotation options.
On the offensive side, the stars delivered in a big way. Jose Altuve torched Dodgers pitching with three home runs, seven RBIs, two walks, and just one strikeout. Christian Walker matched him with six hits of his own, including a pair of long balls and six RBIs.
A shift in expectations?
This wasn’t just a series win. This was a proof of concept.
Houston came into the series already heating up, now they’re officially on fire. Over the last 30 days, the Astros rank third in runs and fifth in RBIs. For the season, they’re top 10 in nearly every key offensive category: eighth in OPS, first in batting average, ninth in slugging. Defensively, the numbers are just as strong. They lead MLB in strikeouts and opponents’ batting average, and rank second in WHIP.
Put it all together, and you’ve got a team with top-five upside in both pitching and offense. The pieces are clicking. The vibes are real. And the Astros suddenly look like a legitimate World Series contender again.
Is help on the way?
Reliever Hector Neris rejoined the team this week, offering a veteran boost to a bullpen that’s been leaned on heavily. Neris brings postseason pedigree and a reputation as a clubhouse leader. The Astros hope a return to familiar surroundings, and the guidance of one of the best pitching development staffs in the league, can get him back on track.
Tayler Scott returns on a minor league deal, and while the move may not turn heads, it adds another layer of depth to a bullpen that’s already one of the league’s best.
Background noise in LA
No Astros-Dodgers series goes by without a little extra noise and this one was no different. During the broadcast, former Cy Young winner and Dodgers analyst Orel Hershiser raised eyebrows by implying that Houston’s offensive surge might not have been entirely on the level.
Predictable? Absolutely. Meaningful? Not even close.
If anything, it’s a weird kind of compliment. No one questions legitimacy when you’re losing. But after a lopsided 18-1 beat down people start reaching for answers, or excuses.
Inside the Astros clubhouse, though, that chatter doesn’t register.
They know exactly what this sweep meant. And so does the rest of the league.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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