Anyone else sick of Mark Zinno?

**HoustonRaven** · 04-11-2012, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by TheJoeFlaccoShow

The main reason Nestor can't "keep talent" is because he has a mega corporation in CBS radio as his direct competitor who can pay the on air talent double what he can without blinking. Not to mention all the perks that come along with working for a conglomerate like that in benefits and other stuff.

Of course that isn't the only reason, but is a huge part of it.

You can trace all the departures back to one thing in most of the cases....money being the start of the problems and then the subsequent departure of the hosts.

Nestor just can't afford to pay them what they are worth once they get some experience under their belt.

Terry Ford was fired.

Jeremy Conn was fired.

Rob Long was fired.

Ray Bachman was fired.

Haynie was asked to take a 60% pay cut.

Nestor is the reason his station continues to flounder.

**festivus** · 04-11-2012, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Terry Ford was fired.

Jeremy Conn was fired.

Rob Long was fired.

Ray Bachman was fired.

Haynie was asked to take a 60% pay cut.

Nestor is the reason his station continues to flounder.

And, conversely, the reason it's still on the air, I suspect.

Drew aside, though, the station currently has a serious lack of on-air talent.

Also you left off Mark Sutchie and Casey Willett (though I think Sutchie said he quit), two guys I really liked who parted ways with NST. Not so sad to see Conn leave, he added nothing when he was there. I liked Ford, still do, and I'm glad he found another spot (finally). He's so much better than Glen Unis (sp?), for whom he's filling in this week. I wonder if dumping Conn but leaving Ford would have led to a better morning show? I bet it would have.

I didn't miss Popovic. I liked Spiro, who strangely enough is back on NST doing the Towson shtick. I'm sure there are plenty more who I'm forgetting.

I know some of you don't like Drew and I agree he can be abrasive, but he *really* knows his local stuff, and as I've said elsewhere lately I think he's 100% right about the Orioles, so that doesn't bother me.

**suchonsports** · 04-13-2012, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by festivus

And, conversely, the reason it's still on the air, I suspect.

Drew aside, though, the station currently has a serious lack of on-air talent.

Also you left off Mark Sutchie and Casey Willett (though I think Sutchie said he quit), two guys I really liked who parted ways with NST. Not so sad to see Conn leave, he added nothing when he was there. I liked Ford, still do, and I'm glad he found another spot (finally). He's so much better than Glen Unis (sp?), for whom he's filling in this week. I wonder if dumping Conn but leaving Ford would have led to a better morning show? I bet it would have.

I didn't miss Popovic. I liked Spiro, who strangely enough is back on NST doing the Towson shtick. I'm sure there are plenty more who I'm forgetting.

I know some of you don't like Drew and I agree he can be abrasive, but he *really* knows his local stuff, and as I've said elsewhere lately I think he's 100% right about the Orioles, so that doesn't bother me.

Thanks for liking my show. I sincerely miss being on-air. I love Baltimore and its rich sports history. I keep sending sound and resumes out. If anything ever happens, I'll post it here. It's nice to know someone enjoyed my show. Thanks again.

**Boulderraven** · 04-13-2012, 12:07 PM

Just heard ZinNO, in town for a week. He really kills Haney's show. They should pair Ford or Weinman with Haney. Zinno and Younes are in the wrong biz.

**Shas** · 04-13-2012, 12:11 PM

Yeah, I'd prefer to see Zinno share Coleman's role of reading the sports updates. Weinmann is great when partnered up with whomever. Conn or Haney make the most sense.

I've hear Younnis in the mornings with Ed Norris and it's such a better show, even though Younnis has a tendency to chew through the scenery.

**TheJoeFlaccoShow** · 04-13-2012, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

Terry Ford was fired.

Jeremy Conn was fired.

Rob Long was fired.

Ray Bachman was fired.

Haynie was asked to take a 60% pay cut.

Nestor is the reason his station continues to flounder.

LOL.

"Floundering" for how many years now?

Tell me the behind the scenes reasons why all these people were "fired" as you claim, or just didn't have their contracts renewed when it was time.

Haney was asked to take a huge pay cut and so was every other one. They said adios not happening because I can get way more right down the street from CBS.

Most of the issues came right back to money, which then turned to a "respect" factor, which led to arguments and the hosts leaving or fired or whatever the hell you want to call it. Actually in Jeremy and Terry's case they got fired because they crossed the line too many times and though they were doing Howard Stern instead of sports radio.

Anita marks got fired....

Bulldog got fired....

Ken Weinman got fired (essentially)

Should I keep going? It happens in radio all the time.

**Shas** · 04-13-2012, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by TheJoeFlaccoShow

LOL.

"Floundering" for how many years now?

Tell me the behind the scenes reasons why all these people were "fired" as you claim, or just didn't have their contracts renewed when it was time.

Haney was asked to take a huge pay cut and so was every other one. They said adios not happening because I can get way more right down the street from CBS.

Most of the issues came right back to money, which then turned to a "respect" factor, which led to arguments and the hosts leaving or fired or whatever the hell you want to call it. Actually in Jeremy and Terry's case they got fired because they crossed the line too many times and though they were doing Howard Stern instead of sports radio.

Anita marks got fired....

Bulldog got fired....

Ken Weinman got fired (essentially)

Should I keep going? It happens in radio all the time.

Well, WNST has been off the radar screen in terms of ratings for a few years now. But no one here would really know exactly how they are doing financially.

There are things that bother me about the way they do business, but I'm glad they have stuck around.

The distinction between what has happened with talent at WNST and elsewhere is more stark that you are painting it I think.

The thing about WNST is that they cut ties with personalities who have showed that they were talented people by virtue of still having a strong following in this market. So many of the people there got jobs elsewhere after being fired or let go for money reasons. (None of them left for a better offer, by the way. They were cut, and later they found jobs elsewhere).

The talent you mention who left CBS radio is different because none of them are on the air in this town any longer. None of them represented budding talent that CBS developed and then let walk to other competitors. No "good" talent was trimmed at CBS. But in WNST's case, you can easily make the argument that they let a ton of good talent go.

Was it money? Not always. People who know the story there will cite a few ego issues. I've always found it ironic that the man in this town Nestor hates most, Peter Angelos, is the man he most closely resembles.

**HoustonRaven** · 04-13-2012, 02:43 PM

Google is your friend. Google all of those names and you'll find the stories as I did. Took about a minute or two.

And yes, floundering. Take a gander at the Arbitron ratings in chronological order of the names I listed. You'll find a precipitous drop in ratings that goes all the way back to 2008. Yes, radio personalities get fired all the time. What sets Nestor apart is he fires them when they are popular and actually have ratings.

And I find it funny you chide me citing "behind the scenes" reasons (which I never claimed to have) when you've speculated now (twice) it was due to money. Pot meet kettle.

So what evidence do YOU have that it was about money?

**cjandrze** · 04-13-2012, 05:18 PM

Does anyone know why Weinman got demoted to "fill-in role"?

**B-more Ravor** · 04-13-2012, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by TheJoeFlaccoShow

LOL.

"Floundering" for how many years now?

Tell me the behind the scenes reasons why all these people were "fired" as you claim, or just didn't have their contracts renewed when it was time.

Haney was asked to take a huge pay cut and so was every other one. They said adios not happening because I can get way more right down the street from CBS.

Most of the issues came right back to money, which then turned to a "respect" factor, which led to arguments and the hosts leaving or fired or whatever the hell you want to call it.

OK, so it "came right back to money" and they all were "asked to take a huge paycut", but NST isn't floundering?

So, if not, then why was all of the on-air talent - that had loyal followings - asked to take "huge paycuts"?

**CRZA938** · 04-14-2012, 07:56 AM

Originally Posted by Shas

I've hear Younnis in the mornings with Ed Norris and it's such a better show.

I agree. I think Younnis has a refreshing style (not eveyone agrees).

**Kevlar** · 04-16-2012, 12:13 PM

Zinno doesn't really bother me. He is a decent speaker and the abrasive stuff is good for conversation. I think he could do better than radio though. He is a decent looking guy, I'm surprised a TV job hasn't opened up for him.

Radio is usually reserved for neckbearded little trolls like that guy Mickey. Great conversationalist, but if you had to look at him for four hours you probably wouldn't have much of an appetite at lunch time.

**TheJoeFlaccoShow** · 04-16-2012, 05:10 PM

OMG if anyone heard Zinno today it was hilarious. Haney made a "turnip truck" reference and Zinno just had no clue what he was talking about. He said "wait....what is a turnip truck?" What are you talking about? In thr background as Haney talked. Haney just kind of blew him off and kept talking about something else, but Zinno just wouldn't let it go. He was like really offended and tried to talk over Bob again saying "what are you talking about with this turnip truck???? I don't know what that is??" Haney FINALLY told him it was just a saying, and Zinno just still had no clue.

I thought it was funny that this guy with a masters degree had never heard of one of the more common expressions of all time. He was mad too that his didn't know what it was LOL....really mad. I think when I was 5 I knew what that meant.