by Kent Sterling
You don’t replace a host like Bernie Miklasz, whose talents and work ethic are singular. You find the best people you can, and trust that the audience will find them enjoyable to listen to.
That’s what will happen after Bernie leaves his show at the end of the month when Chris Duncan and Anthony Stalter begin take over for the godfather of St. Louis sports.
Most in St. Louis have heard Dunc on The Fast Lane with Randy Karraker and D’Marco Farr. He is as adept behind the microphone as he was crushing boomskis as the left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals in the mid-2000s before his career was shortened by neck and hip injuries. He is one of the rare talents able to say things that stick. He’s not only informed and funny; Dunc works harder to prepare for a show than anyone I’ve known.
Anthony has been the producer of The Fast Lane for a year, and for the last eight months had hosted “Pro Football Sunday” with Tony Softli. Anthony is a well-regarded NFL expert, who writes as a national pundit. He played baseball at Central Michigan, so he knows that game well too.
The best part of this teaming by program director Hoss Neupert is that these two guys get along really well, and have great chemistry. Both are real, know their stuff, and enjoy the hell out of talking about St. Louis sports.
Bernie felt a measure of guilt in choosing to leave 101ESPN to unify his work under one roof at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and stltoday.com, but for everyone who leaves, someone gets an opportunity. In this case, Dunc’s life improves because he gets to spend more time with his wife and family, and Anthony gets an opportunity he has earned through years of paying his dues as a producer and learning his craft.
I’m looking forward to hearing the show, as well as keeping up with Bernie’s work.
The thing that made my time at 101ESPN so rewarding was earning the right to call these guys my friends. To see Anthony, Dunc, and Bernie earn these opportunities validates all that can be good about media.
For those of you outside a 60 mile radius of St. Louis who listen on 101.1 FM, check them out on 101sports.com. It’s a great radio station because everyone involved with it is an outstanding person who works his/her ass off.