Courtesy Houston Press

(November 30, 2009) All you need to know about the fluid nature of sports-talk radio in Houston is that with Matt Jackson and Adam Wexler deciding to say "Adios" to Sports Radio 610 and take up shop down the dial at 790 The Sports Animal, John Harris and myself (two guys who three years ago were not in the radio business) are now the longest running duo uninterrupted in the Houston market.Yes, I know that distinction is a tad skewed because I am (a) counting John and Lance on our station as having been "interrupted" for a few months while Lance was sitting out his non-compete with 610, and (b) technically I am not counting the wall that Charlie Palillo has stared at since 2005 as a person. My point is that the only certain thing in sports talk with four stations in the market is uncertainty.

As for Matt and Adam, I count both of them as friends and people in this business that I respect. I've seen a lot of the comments online from listeners when this news broke, and some are a bit befuddled as to why Matt and Adam would make this move, since both were with the Texans, Rockets, and Longhorns flagship (and Wexler having the "Jim Foley" seat on the Rockets broadcast team).

I'll caveat here by saying I've only exchanged congratulatory texts with each of them, and haven't asked them the reasons behind their decision, but if I had to break it down, there are many sound reasons for both of them to make this move.

First, understand that in talk radio (and probably radio, in general), morning drive is the money spot. It's the reason why people who have those slots forego a normal sleep schedule, and the reason why I've tried unsuccessfully to run over John Granato and Lance Zierlein in our parking lot. Other day parts are good, but morning drive is generally considered the destination slot. To make a sports analogy, morning drive at a good (or potentially good) station would be like the Florida, USC, Texas, or Notre Dame jobs. So essentially Matt Jackson is leaving Cincinnati and Wex is leaving TCU, and they're getting to do a show together, which I'm sure both view as a positive. For those new to the market, they had a pretty sweet nighttime show about ten years ago on 610.

Two other check marks in the "FOR" column as to why I think this makes sense for both. First, both are young guys with families. Morning-drive hours are WAY more conducive to having a normal family life. Second, have you seen the ratings for 790? They're getting killed in the 25-54 male demographic (which is the demo on which most advertising-buying decisions
are based), especially in the morning. If Matt and Adam bring a fraction of their audience along with them, they could easily double 790's performance in that timeslot in short order. They're coming in on the back end of three months of Ted DeLuca and the random listener of the day! Nowhere to go but up!

As for the whole "leaving the Texans/Rockets/Longhorns flagship" argument, I'm not gonna say that there aren't advantages to having sports teams on your station, but it can sometimes be restrictive in just how critical you can be of those teams. I could see where feeling like you can now say anything, particularly about the Texans, would be somewhat liberating.

Again, these are all my "outsider looking in" reasons as to why I think it's a sound move for Matt and Adam. I think it's a really good move for 790, and that 610 will regret that they had this combination right in their own house and chose to do nothing with it. Another football analogy -- 610 basically let all the time run off the clock and then spiked the ball with no time left. (Yes, a Les Miles blast on 610 management. Happy Holidays.)

Anyway, congrats to Matt and Adam. I'm rooting for John and Lance, but I'm happy for you guys. You understand.

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