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 2025 season hasn't gone according to script for the Houston Astros. Injuries, slumps, and a retooled roster have left fans asking whether this version of the Astros is underwhelming—or if, given all the turmoil, they might actually be overachieving.
When Houston dealt Kyle Tucker, a franchise cornerstone, the move raised eyebrows. Tucker was a consistent producer and an anchor in right field. In return, the Astros received infielder Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski, and third baseman now outfielder Cam Smith—players who didn’t bring the same star power but offered versatility and upside.
Paredes has delivered as advertised. He’s brought steady production at the plate and the ability to play a solid third base. While he may not be with the team beyond 2027 if the front office sticks to its recent pattern of letting players walk in free agency, his presence right now is stabilizing an otherwise inconsistent lineup.
Then there’s Cam Smith, who might be the real key to this deal. After a slow start and questions about whether he or Zach Dezenzo was the better option in right field, Smith has surged. Over the past 30 days, he’s hit north of .300 and shown signs of becoming a long-term fixture. The biggest question now is positional: Is he Houston’s future in right field, or could he eventually slide over to third base if/when Paredes departs? That decision will ripple through future roster planning and could define how this trade is remembered.
In the meantime, however, he’s shown flashes of being a quality everyday player. But it’s not uncommon for young hitters to take a step back after an initial surge. The Astros need him to keep proving it, but the potential is unmistakable.
Underwhelming or overachieving?
Elsewhere on the roster, the results are mixed. Players like Jake Meyers and Victor Caratini, who came into the season with modest expectations, have performed admirably. Meanwhile, stars like José Altuve, Christian Walker, and Yainer Díaz have underperformed, leaving the offensive output uneven. Add in the extended absence of Yordan Álvarez and the loss of three-fifths of the starting rotation, and it's fair to say Houston has had more than its share of adversity.
King of the hill
One area where the Astros have arguably found a diamond in the rough is Bryan King. With a 1.52 ERA in 2025, King has passed the eye test as a potential long-term solution in high-leverage relief situations. He’s been more than capable, building on a solid 2.39 ERA in 2024. His performance has solidified his place in the bullpen, and he’s taken on ownership of his role. However, it’s important for the Astros to temper expectations, especially after the lessons learned from the Rafael Montero signing. King looks like the real deal, but he still has a ways to go before being considered a true elite option out of the 'pen.
What should we make of the Alex Bregman quad injury?
Bregman’s injury doesn’t really change the conversation around whether the Astros should have extended him. If anything, it highlights the complexity of roster decisions. Houston could’ve kept Bregman, shifted Paredes to first base, and potentially avoided spending big on Christian Walker. But injuries are part of the game—Yordan Álvarez has missed nearly half the season, and no one’s suggesting the Astros should regret signing him. Kyle Tucker missed significant time last year, too, and he’s about to land a massive contract. Players get hurt. That’s baseball.
Moving forward
While the Astros have struggled with injuries and inconsistent performances, they have managed to remain competitive—perhaps even overachieving given the circumstances. The team's depth, the surprising performances from certain players, and the emergence of promising new talent have allowed them to hold their ground, currently possessing a Wild Card spot in the AL if the season were to end today.
There's so much more to discuss! 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!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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