Today, Thursday June 29th 2017, will be the last episode of Game Time AM on 590 The Fan in St. Louis.
When we first agreed to do the show it was on the larkiest of larks. Dan Buffa, another Game Time writer, wanted to move out of the early morning slot. Brad and I showed up at a station event on a Thursday night expecting to discuss the logistics of a show.
We started the next Monday morning.
Really. It was that quick. And it seems simultaneously last week and forever ago. The ability to share thoughts and analysis on the Blues and the NHL with the public was entirely bizarre but also entirely excellent, and we had a fantastic time.
The management team at 590 was nothing short of fantastic, welcoming, and professional. When I lived out of town, I used to listen to The Morning After as a way to stay connected to St. Louis. A year ago, the idea of leading into them with my own show would’ve been so unreal as to eviscerate my cognitive power.
John Hadley has been a constant force in St. Louis radio for decades, and the man we’ve dealt with behind the scenes in a management role has been fair, firm, and totally open with advice and helpful suggestions. I have no doubt that he’s going to be successful in executing his view for the station.
We started at 590 on the cusp of Tim McKernan transitioning out of his management role, but he was always a positive force around the station and completely open and honest with us. The station’s producing staff, especially John Semar and Darin Atkins, went out of their way to help us every morning, even when it was far outside of their job descriptions.
I’d also like to specifically thank Jim Hayes for being probably the most welcoming and supportive voice we heard every day. Jim sat in with us on a day when he didn’t have to, and was always eager to get our opinions on hockey-related things and legitimately listen to them. Nicest guy in St. Louis sports media, by far, and I’ve met at least a handful of them.
We had the opportunity to fill in on a couple of great shows, and for that, I want to thank Frank Cusumano, Martin Kilcoyne, and Charlie Marlow. They trusted us not to embarrass them, and we mostly nailed it!
Their producers, Brian Hoffman and Chris “Johnny Utah” Gardner, were absolute godsends on those days and others when we needed help recording interviews or setting up equipment. Consummate pros and fine people the both of them.
Brad and I struck a solid balance together and formed a formidable partnership at the outset of the show. Life gets in the way sometimes, but rest assured that we’re both plowing on just fine and that you can read us both in Game Time throughout the upcoming Blues season.
Last person that gets a thanks is the person who deserves it most - Matt Davis. “Unsung hero” doesn’t even begin to describe the work that Matt put in. He gets paid when the show is on the air, so his willingness to come in early and stay late to pull audio, cut podcasts, and even do menial shit like take out the studio trash is beyond appreciated. Matt’s a conscientious all star and a truly talented radio voice who has absolutely no shame about his honesty, and in an era of media where there’s emphasis placed on bullshit, that’s priceless. He’s absolutely the glue that held this thing together through four months, and any time he shows up on the radio in the future, I’ll be making it a point to listen.
So, for now, bye! We had over 50,000 unique listeners over our four short months and saw a whirlwind of activity. Game Time the paper and Game Time the website aren’t going anywhere. No word on the lunch box yet, but we’re hopeful.
Thanks for listening. For real.