Author Archives: Kent Sterling

Indy 500 – Radio Broadcast Still a Great Despite Minor Errors

by Kent Sterling

There is something about listening to the Indianapolis 500 on the radio that is just different, and somehow better than watching on TV. The first Indy 500 radio broadcast I listened to was in 1993, just after moving to Indianapolis, and I was hooked.

As idiotic and shortsighted as the local blackout is, there is nothing wrong with forcing an entire city to gather around a radio to experience the race in the same way fans have for over 60 years when Sid Collins invented the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network.

Normally, I go to the race, but this year we were invited to a friend’s lake house, so we rolled down there, lashed a pontoon to a flotilla and enjoyed Mike King and the team Wally Leavitt has assembled to describe the 97th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.

King, Jake Query, Jerry Baker, Dave ‘the King’ Wilson, Kevin Lee, Mark Jaynes, Chris Denari, Davey Hamilton, Donald Davidson, and others do what seems to outside observers like an impossibility – make the Indy 500 fascinating without seeing the race. This is such a visual sport, that seeing the action would seem to be a must to enjoy it. This effort reminds my of the Charlie McCarthy Show on the radio in the 1930s. How could a ventriloquist act make it on the radio? There is no logical answer and the idea is laughable, until you listen. Then you get it.

Today was no different. There were technical issues likely caused by a slow board-operator. It seemed that half the time King threw to a corner, pit reporter, or Wilson, the audio was uncut – meaning that the analyst started talking before we could hear him. That is usually due to the board-op making live the microphone too slowly to catch the beginning of the report. If that wasn’t the case, and some other reason exists, it would be interesting to know what it was.

Other petty annoyances, the routine roster calls of affiliates on the network, as in “We would like to welcome WOWO in Ft. Wayne, WXOS in St. Louis, WBAP in Dallas, and KOMO in Seattle to our network of stations carrying today’s Indianapolis 500.” The stations hate the calls because it drives listeners away, and there is no thrill at all in hearing their call letters. It’s a waste of the listeners’ time, and ratings depend upon a consistent effort to engage them.

Two smaller gripes during an otherwise solid broadcast – the credits at the end of the broadcast interest no one. The reward for the people who work like dogs to bring listeners the story of the 500 is knowing that they fulfilled the promise of telling the story of the race. Wasting the listeners’ time (this is a recurring theme) by calling out the people who did yeoman’s work is a nice tip of the cap, but does not engage.

Speaking of not engaging, the interviews with the sponsors is a total waste. I get that the sponsors need these interviews as part of the package that makes writing a check to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway worthwhile, but there isn’t a listener who gives a damn. The quid pro quo for listening to a cost free broadcast is that a certain number of commercials are played – and tolerated.

The interviews push the listeners’ patience to the limit.

If the listeners enjoyment of a broadcast – any broadcast – isn’t the top concern of those putting it together, customer satisfaction will be low, and other ports on the radio dial will be visited.

This isn’t 1968 where other choices aren’t available, and when IndyCar so desperately needs to engage as many fans as possible, asking them to tolerate moments of self-indulgence is arrogant.

Overall, listening to the Indy 500 was as fun as ever, and even more satisfying because of Tony Kanaan’s victory. He is truly one of the nicest and most approachable people in all of sports. In fact, you don’t need to approach him, because he’ll approach you.

Really nice job by Wally, Mike, Kevin, King, Davey, Mark, Bake, Jake, Chris, and the rest of the team.

Donald Davidson Remembers the Greatest Champions of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race

by Kent Sterling

The track is dark today, and this is traditionally the day the Donald Davidson relaxes before race day. Thousands of people are camping out in the Coke Lot and at the corner of Camp and Brew – all looking for something to do.

In the interest of killing boredom before the drinking gets irresponsible, and the wackiness ensues, here are some videos of the host of “Talk of Gasoline Alley” reminiscing about some of the best known historic drivers from the early history of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXyGN5LRdho

Splitsville! Pacers Coming Home with Home Court Advantage After Beating Heat 97-93

by Kent Sterling

Paul George throws down an NBA Jam dunk on the head of Miami forward Chris Anderson

How do you beat Sunday? The Indy 500 followed by Game One of a best-of-five with Indiana holding home court advantage will make May 26th one of the best sports days in Indianapolis since the heyday of Reggie Miller’s Pacers.

The Pacers outlasted the Heat tonight, as they were able to close the right quarter well. After allowing the Heat to convert buzzer-beating triples to end the second and third quarters, the Pacers got gritty, and closed the game forcing two LeBron James turnovers and cashing in four throws.

This is one strange Pacers team. Playing the World Champions on their court, they play with enough abandon to have fans scratching their heads, but just enough discipline to compete and win.

Lance Stephenson played one of the most enigmatic fourth quarters ever. He was alternately excellent and horrific. The rebounds and made three-pointer were huge, and the bizarre drive that led to a shot with the back of his head to the bucket were maddening.

David West was only 2-9 from the field, but 9-10 from the line. He forced the two James turnovers in the final :42 seconds.

Miami went the final 3:30 without a field goal, and they were outscored 8-2 in the final 3:05.

The bench was a problem tonight for the Pacers as the starters were all between +12 and +17, while the bench players were all negative – Sam Young leading the group with a -15. (Plus/minus reflects the point differential while each player is one the floor.)

The Pacers were led by the splendid Roy Hibbert, who was stout offensively scoring 29 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and hitting 9-10 from the line. He never got into foul trouble, and kept James from getting to the rim as much as he likes to.

James was good until the final three of his 45 minutes of action, hitting 14-20 from the field toward his 36 points.

The Pacers did what was necessary to win this game – limit turnovers, and hit fouls shots. From the line, the Pacers were an outstanding 26-32, and they only turned the ball over 13 times – even though it seemed like many more at times.

So now we are going to see the media shift from “the Pacers are done” to “the Miami Heat have their backs against the wall.” Frank Vogel will go from being a goat in Game One to a genius in Game Two. Paul George has now been annointed a superstar, after being called soft in Game One. James went into both games as the acknowledged best player in the world, and he leaves with any sane person believing the same thing.

The officiating likely fades as a story because the Pacers won. Had they not, Pacers fans would whine about the three technicals forever, and rightly so. The Heat led the Pacers in fouls 27-23, and the Pacers outscored the Heat from the line by eight points.

This is shaping up to be a hell of a series. People expect the Heat to wake up and overwhelm the Pacers, but at every point have the Pacers been able to answer the haymakers Miami lands.

Both of these teams are well coached, and play at the ragged edge. There is seldom meaningful separation between them. Tonight, the Pacers 11-point lead became six in the final :46 of the first half, after Iam Mahinmi, Sam Young, and Orlando Johnson reported for Hibbert, George, and Stephenson.

At 9:26 to play in the third, the Pacers led 58-49. Just over two minutes later, the game was tied. In other words, no lead is safe from the Heat.

But the Pacers always answered, and they were able to bring home what they sought, a win to steal home court advantage.

My thoughts tonight kept wandering to Larry Bird, who built this team to compete with the Heat, because if a team can’t do that, they can’t win the East. The matchup problems presented by West and Hibbert are going to be difficult for the Heat to overcome.

The Pacers have an advantage over the Heat in addition to three of five being played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. They are considerably younger. Only David West is older than 27 for the Pacers. The only rotation players 27 or younger for the Heat are Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole. Ray Allen (37), Shane Battier (34), Chris Anderson (34), Udonis Haslem (32), Dwyane Wade (31), Chris Bosh (29), and James (28) are going to have a tougher time rebounding in 48 hours as the series progresses than will the younger Pacers.

One concern is that the Pacers will spend too much time listening to and believing what they hear from the media. I work in the media, and I can say with all confidence that participants listening to the media – good or bad is a damaging distraction that should never be indulged.

The team with the best focus will win Game Three, and veterans who have been there have an advantage in that area.

In other words, I have no damn idea what will happen in Indy on Sunday and Tuesday.

Dan Dakich Says Pacers Are the Better Team in the Indiana vs. Miami Series

by Kent Sterling

Dan Dakich is one of my favorite sportsradio hosts because he says interesting things and is able to back them up with an impressive litany of reasons.

The only national media person to say that the Pacers are the better team, you disagree with Dan at your own peril. He’s not always right, but his track record is damn impressive. When Dan talks about basketball on 1070 the Fan in Indianapolis, you better listen to him.

Here’s a brief anecdote to give you a glimpse into the quirky wisdom Dan brings to his commentary whether behind a microphone or not. Financial wizard Paulie Balst, Dan, and I went to Game Seven of the 2003 NLCS between the Cubs and Marlins. In the top of the first with Juan Pierre on third, Ivan Rodriguez came to the plate with one out to face fireballer Kerry Wood. Dan leaned over to us, and repeated, “Boys, I don’t know art and I don’t know music, but I know sports. Wood should drill Pudge in the back with a fastball.” I asked why.

“Because Pudge is hotter than hell, and he’s gonna get on anyway. Carlos Beltran is a 20 year old rookie,” Dan answered. “Why not give the kid something to think about.”

Rodriguez walked, and Beltran launched a three-run homer. I looked at Dan, and he said, “Boys, I don’t know art, and I don’t know music. I know sports.” Yes he does.

So when Dan says that the Pacers are better than the Heat, I know this isn’t some slap trying to pick a fight on Twitter.

Dan also said that the fault of the last play of Game One was unfairly conferred by the media, including me, on Pacers Coach Frank Vogel. LeBron James getting to the rim was due to Paul George making a poor defensive play. He says there isn’t a coach in the world who would have allowed Chris Bosh an open jumper.

He said that as a second team all-defensive player, George should have been able to get decent defensive position, and that Vogel was right to trust him to do that.

Dan’s perspective is not contrived – it’s an honest appraisal from a guy whose professional life has been to enact basketball strategies far more complex than ordinary fans can fathom.

That’s not to say that agreeing with Dan is the only option, but it’s a good one.

For me, I would have abandoned the inbounder – Shane Battier – and put Hibbert underneath as a one man zone. If Battier beats me with a three on a return pass, so be it. That would give Battier an unobstructed path to whatever target he chose, but five defending four would be a scenario I could stomach.

But the point isn’t really what should or shouldn’t have been done to stop the Heat with 2.2 seconds left in a one-point game. It’s that Dan Dakich says really interesting things that are not on the beaten path of the perspective churning world of sportstalk. He’s unique and dramatic without selling out.

Dan says that the Pacers are money tonight. The spread is Heat by 7.5, and Dan says take the points because the Pacers will win outright as they are the better team.

I hope he’s right – again.

Coach Rick Venturi Talks About the How Indianapolis Colts Fans’ Expectations Should Be Adjusted

by Kent Sterling

Given the points scored by the Indianapolis Colts and the points scored against them, the Indianapolis Colts should have won 7.2 games, according to pro-football-reference.com. Their record was 11-5.

Overachieving by 3.8 wins is a remarkable accomplishment, but should fans anticipate a similar season in 2013 with Andrew Luck moving into his sophomore season?

Coach Rick Venturi spent 27 years as an NFL assistant coach, where he one of the most respected defensive coaches in football. The same work ethic that made Venturi so valuable as a defensive coordinator makes him one of the best analysts in media.

When we enjoyed a lunch at Wolfie’s in Noblesville recently, I asked him about whether the Colts overachieved in 2012. Was 11-5 real, was it Luck, or a combination?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slWc1P1S6JY

Indy 500 – Top Five Best Traditions … and Top Five Worst

by Kent Sterling

Surprisingly, the bottle of milk is not my favorite tradition at Indy for me.

Today is Carb Day. It features the final practice prior to the running of the 97th Indianapolis 500. RVs and tents pop up in the Coke Lot and at the corner of Camp and Brew. A middling rock band plays for thousands of way overserved knuckleheads – this year it’s Poison. And there is a pitstop competition that is as much for fun as for the cash award.

It’s T-minus 48 hours to the race, and the weekend long celebration commences today.

Few sporting events are as well defined by it’s history and traditions as the Indy 500. Some are great, and some are simply continued because no one has the heart to put a stop to them. With that in mind, here are the five worst and five best of those traditions:

The Best Traditions of the Indianapolis 500

#5 – Talk of Gasoline Alley on the ride home Fifty years ago this week, a young movie projectionist from England named Donald Davisdon visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time, and he fell in love with it. He returned for good a couple of years later, and not long after was hired to host a show during May that celebrated the history of the Indianapolis 500. Donald is still hosting the show weeknights on 1070 the Fan, taking calls from those who also love the history of the race. Want to know why the color green is seen as bad luck at the IMS, ask Donald. After the race, Donald hosts a marathon version of the show. An Englishman hosting a radio show in Indiana whose purpose is to discuss the history of an open wheel race would not be my first option as a program director, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

#4 – Taps The playing of Taps during the prerace gives the quarter of a million spectators several moments to reflect on the Memorial Day holiday weekend, as well as remember the many men who have died during the race in their quest for technological development and safety.

#3 – The Snake Pit The stories of the mayhem in Turn One are legendary. The Snake Pit has been gentrified a little bit, and moved to Turn Three, but it’s good that there is a place that welcomes stupidity again. There is a lot of property on the grounds of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and there is plenty of room for family friendly behavior elsewhere. Turn Three belongs to the idiots.

#2 – Coolers full of beer are welcome During these times of $8.50 beer at sporting events, it’s wonderful for the IMS to allow people to bring in their own beer. The decision to do that is driven by the logistical nightmare of serving 250,000 thirsty Hoosiers, but it still makes the day a cheap option for the youngsters who like to see how much they can put away before they fall down.

#1 – Jim Nabors singing “Back Home Again in Indiana Other than longevity, there is no reason for Nabors to show up during the Mays he is physically able. First a little primer for those younger than 40 who only know Nabors for his race day singing. He was a breakout star on the “Andy Griffith Show” as service station attendant Gomer Pyle, and was given his own spinoff, “Gomer Pyle USMC.” He played a sweet hayseed whose catch phrases were “Shazam!” and “Gollllly!” His relevance as a celebrity ended with the release of the Burt Reynolds comedy “Cannonball Run”, but that doesn’t matter to race fans. Over the decades, Nabors has become a rich part of the race day fooferah. The crowd roars louder for Nabors than any of the drivers.

My personal favorite that is completely removed from the eyes of the fans is the way lunches during practice days are a reunion for a bunch of guys who’ve been covering the Speedway forever. They hold court in the media dining room, and I feel privileged to be among them. Bill York and his buddies are like the seniors in high school sitting at the cool table, while the freshmen look on in awe.

I omitted the drink of milk because it’s one of those traditions that exists only because it has been done that way in the past. If Louis Meyer liked bourbon instead of buttermilk, they would have a cask of Old Grand Dad instead of a bottle of milk.

The Five Worst Traditions

#5 – Local TV Blackout There is but one event left on the sports calendar that is blacked out in it’s local market, and that is the Indianapolis 500. The arcane thought behind blackouts is why would people pay for tickets when they can watch on TV? As everyone else has discovered, being able to experience the event live on TV helps build brand awareness among passive fans. People have watch parties, and might be enticed to buy tickets next year. Kids might think it would be cool to go, and buy tickets as adults. Hey, it’s great for WIBC and the IMS radio Network, who net a 12-rating and 65-share for the race broadcast in the Indy market.

#4 – Celebrities dropping the Green Flag I have no problem with a guy like Jack Nicholson doing it. He’s an icon, and that works. When the celebrities are not anything close to household names, it damages the prestige of the event. This year, I had to look up Michael Pena on imdb.com.

#3 – The quaint 4X3 screens facing the grandstand That these things have been allowed to become a tradition is a shame. At a shrine for technological advancement, these video screens are an insult. They appear archaic, and do not represent the first class facility the heritage of the event demands.

#2 – Flashing of boobs Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of boobs – but they need to be the right boobs. The boobs belonging to women who are happy to share them are generally revolting. Leathery sacks of goop should be hidden under multiple layers, not exposed to innocent eyes like mine.

#1 – Florence Henderson singing “God Bless America” I don’t want to bruise Carol Brady’s feelings, but he cannot sing. I have heard that she used to be a musical theater star, but her wildly inconsistent vibrato is difficult to listen to. Her pitch is terrible, and somebody needs to tell her that it’s over. She is skipping the Indy 500 this year, so listening to her won’t be the typical chore it has been for decades. I hope her health is good, but won’t miss her wobbly warbling.

Indiana Pacers Need to Steal One, But If They Don’t – Remember 1998 Against the Bulls

by Kent Sterling

Keeping LeBron James off the rim will make talk of being down 2-0 moot.

Seven game series are great fun. Today, Pacers fans are saying that tonight’s game is a must win, and so are Heat fans. A loss at home, and the Pacers have their opening. The Heat sweep the first two, and the Pacers must be perfect at home.

With a win in tonight’s game, the Pacers take control with the next two at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. With a loss, they will have to win four-of-five against a team that will have lost only three games in their last 50.

That’s a tall order, but the Pacers franchise has been in that position before. During Michael Jordan’s last championship run with the Bulls, the Pacers dropped the first two in Chicago. The Bulls came into that Eastern Conference Finals having lost only one of their previous playoff games, and won both games one and two by six points.

Reggie Miller and the Pacers stared into the abyss of being down 2-0 to a team that had not lost a playoff series after Michael Jordan spent a full year with the Bulls since 1990, and they decided to fight. Indiana won the next two at Market Square Arena by two points each. Game Four was one for the ages, as Reggie Miller hit an off-balance three-pointer to give the Pacers a two-point lead with less than a second left, but that was enough time for Jordan to hoist a 30-footer that rattled inside the rim for what seemed like a minute-and-a-half.

In Chicago for Game Five, the Bulls tried to remove all hope by thumping the Pacers 106-87. The Pacers won at home by three in Game Six, and that left one tilt for all the marbles. The Pacers led by four points with five minutes remaining. They collapsed to lose that game by five, but were only the second team to take the Bulls to an elimination game during their six championship seasons.

The Bulls had the best player in basketball history in Michael Jordan, a great defensive player in Scott Pippen (I’m not going to refer to a 47 year-old man as “Scottie” – that’s a name for a second grader who climbs trees, as in “Scottie, get down from there! You’ll break your neck!”), and the best rebounder since Wilt Chamberlain in Dennis Rodman.

The Heat are not the Bulls, but the ’13 Pacers are not the ’98 Pacers – a veteran laden team with a great bench. The Pacers had four starters over the age of 30, and the fourth was 29. The ’13 Pacers have one player on the active roster older than 27 in David West. The bench included Jalen Rose, Antonio Davis, Derrick McKey and Travis Best.

The coach for the ’98 Pacers was Larry Bird. The team currently battling the Heat is led by Frank Vogel, who was hired by Bird.

While there are very few similarities between the two Pacers teams, but the talk in ’98 was similar. Vince Welch was the sports director of WIBC, and he asked again and again, “How are the Pacers going to beat Michael Jordan and the Bulls four-out-of-five?” If the Pacers lose tonight, we’ll hear the same refrain.

If they win, suddenly the control shifts to the Pacers, and this is all moot. But if they don’t, remember May of 1998, a month when all hope was lost until Reggie threw in a three-pointer in Game Four that turned the best-of-seven into a best of three.

Whatever happens tonight, the Pacers will have at least two more bullets at Bankers Life Fieldhouse to shorten this series, but why not learn a couple of lessons from Game One and beat the Heat’s ass?

Hangover 3 Doesn’t Measure Up to the First Two

by Kent Sterling

Films are like rock bands. The third in a series is usually a big disappointment.

My expectations for the third installment of the mischief four very different guys get into when the going gets weird were incredibly high.

The writing for the first “Hangover” was clever as hell. Surprises came so quickly that the movie seemed as randomly constructed as real life. The second has less laughs, but was a wacky thriller with some oddly unpleasant moments, as well as moments of hilarity and tenderness.

The third started strongly with Chow escaping from prison, and Alan being responsible for closing of an expressway. His dad is not happy, and that stress comes with a price – the ultimate price.

After the funeral, the decision is made to hold an intervention to get Alan to commit to going to a mental health facility. On the way there, the Wolfpack’s trip is derailed by the insertion of John Goodman’s exposition filled character.

From that point forward, the movie devolves into a tedious thriller saved (sort of) by formerly likable characters. The crisp and surprising scripts of the first two Hangovers are not reproduced here.

The first time people do something, they do it because it was fun. If it becomes wildly popular – like “The Hangover” franchise – people try to replicate it because there is a ton of money to be made. They muster the discipline to get the sequel mostly right. By the third go-round, the money is massive, and the creative juices flow like mud. There is effort, but the joy of creating something fresh is gone. The result is usually a torpid mess.

And that sure feels like what happened here.

I like all four of these characters – even the mostly abducted Doug – so when they do things that are uninteresting or feel impure to the root of my image of their character, I frown. I frowned a lot during this movie.

Alan has gone from being an innocent locked in his own mind to a manic depressive whose behavior has wandered from being a source of amusement to a source of sadness. Phil has wandered far enough from his center that he’s nothing more than a functionary used to move the plot. Stu has evolved from a likable button-down doofus to a mostly confident and normal dentist. Instead of digging themselves out of the hole dug during a night of debauchery, they have mayhem thrust at them, and the result is nowhere near as much fun.

The goofiness of the villains like Chow is replaced by the pragmatic psychosis of John Goodman, and somehow time in Bangkok stir did something to Chow’s accent which seems less obvious – less cartoonish.

I never felt the need to walk out of the theater, but I never felt rewarded for my investment. I understand the need to cash in on a franchise to buy bigger homes, an infinity pool, and college educations for the kids, but it’s a shame for those who trusted the result of this third effort would measure up.

“Hangover 3” doesn’t suck, but it’s not true to the first two, and that will ensure that if there is a “Hangover 4”, it will star Pauly Shore, Stephen Baldwin, and Corey Feldman, and it will go straight to DVD.

“Ahead of the Curve” with Hagan & Sterling Returning June 1 to 1070 the Fan

by Kent Sterling

Two years to the day since half of the most dynamic duo in Indianapolis radio since WIBC’s Kwesell & Crawford called it quits to take a job in St. Louis as program director of 101ESPN, Emmis Communications is proud to welcome back “Ahead of the Curve” with Hagan & Sterling beginning Saturday, June 1st from 10a-1p on 1070 AM and 107.5 FM.

This is great news for men who love listening to two guys yammer away incessantly about sports as they mow the lawn or run errands for their wives.

Whether this is better news for Chris and I or Indy’s dedicated sports fans is debatable. As a program director, I have always told talent to make the time during the show the best of your day. When we did the show in 2011, the time every Saturday with Chris was some of the best of my week. I loved doing the show – absolutely loved it.

Chris knows a surprising amount about sports, and he’s a great guy. There are a lot of media guys who treat covering sports like raking leaves – my least favorite chore. Chris still finds joy in them.

I can’t wait to get started.

Three things you can count on every Saturday at 10a – great guests, commitment to a perspective about everything you’re interested in, and some laughs at our own expense.

As we book guests, and assemble the show, I’ll share where we are. Every Saturday, you’ll get a well-organized and fun show about sports.

Some people treat talk radio like drudgery, when it’s actually a dream. One of the last things I did in St. Louis before coming home was co-hosting “Sportscaster Factor” on 101ESPN. There were three preliminary events where all who wanted to audition were given a righteous opportunity to show their wares. The fourth event was a two-hour finals with the winner earning a weekend show on the station. We saw over 200 people who were so damn excited about the opportunity they shook.

The process of selecting a winner reminded us that working in talk radio is a gift. Chris and I will be lucky as hell to share the studio every Saturday, and we know it.

You might disagree with us, think we’re asses, or get annoyed by our laughter, but one thing you won’t have any doubt of is that we are enjoying the hell out of ourselves.

See you next Saturday. Can’t wait!

Donald Davidson Talks About the Great Career of Racer Jim Hurtubise

by Kent Sterling

I always liked Indy 500 veteran Jim Hurtubise because of the wacky stories about his career as a prankster, not because of his driving prowess.

Donald Davidson is the historian of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and he recalls the excellence of his driving skills.