We didn’t care one bit about the news a few weeks back that sports talk host Tim McKernan, in conjunction with InsideSTL.com, was buying the first half of the day on the stumpy-towered 1380 AM, but we have to say, the usually funny Morning After show on 1380 has tanked recently.  The new focus on interviewing broads for another show has taken the time that was usually filled with actual talk about sports.

More and more we find ourselves flipping to Mike and Mike on competitor 101ESPN in the morning and sometimes even sitting through their seemingly endless commercial breaks.

I made a quick mention in my Friday night post about 101 ESPN and JC Corcoran that even the shadowy figure in the 101 ESPN banner looks a hell of a lot like JC.  Well if there’s anything that screamed “Photoshop me some more evidence!” this is it right?

Bam:

Would 101 be already making banners but still not ready to make an announcement?  Who knows, but I’ll be dammed if that shadow doesn’t look exactly like JC’s noggin.

101ESPN fired the other, stiffer, less black, half of the widely criticized mid-morning show “Parris and Burwell” the other day.  Did you hear who Pat Parris’ replacement is?  Well, they apparently will work for cheap and be dumb enough to think working with Burwell on a sport radio gig is a “prize”.  Guess what?!  Its you!   …maybe.  Are you drunk enough right now to think this is a good idea?

…as much as Bryan [Burwell] is respected for his straight forward approach, he also loves to laugh, have fun, interact with listeners and debate the world of sports with his colleagues. However there’s one small problem – he’s got nobody to do it with on a daily basis!

So rather than watch Burwell walk around the office like a little boy without his favorite toy, we’ve decided to help him find a brand new partner. In the weeks and months ahead you will hear many different voices and styles on “Burwell and Company” and the search will continue until we have the right person sitting next to Bryan permanently.

Does it seem weird to anyone else this sounds like Pat Parris left on his own?  Because he didn’t.  They fired him.  We aren’t saying we disagree with the move mind you, we’re just saying its odd and kind of insulting the way this was phrased.

What’s with this hooky idea?  Is the plan to have the sillouette sponsored by Baue Funeral Homes?  Plus, now that Parris is out, it finally leaves a chair next to Burwell for his ego, so I can’t imagine he’s cool with idea of filling it with another stiff white guy so quickly.  It seems that WXOS is under the impression that their hype machine is a little bigger than it actually is.  Reality check (its been a while since I’ve given them one, so this is quite the flash back): No one cares.  We’d prefer to just let Bernie’s show take over both time slots and be done with the damn thing.

…on the other hand…Could this be a time-killing idea to get the recently let go JC Corcoran in to the fold?  That’s what our tipster thinks, and we completely agree.  Although Corcoran is now a “consultant” for Emmis, according to Corcoran himself on his long-winded open letter he states his contracts has an out…

I’ll be paid in full through February of 2011 unless I choose to accept a job at another station before then.

The JC and 101 ESPN match is clearly a love connection on both sides which isn’t much of a secret and this kind of BS seems like filler until both sides can get a deal done.  Hell even the damn shadow in the banner below kind of looks like Corcoran!

Ok, so the premise is dumb.  We got that covered, now lets turn our attention to the banner on their site:

In case you can’t see the “tag line” there it reads:

Got what it takes 2 B the new guy? We’re looking 4U!

You see the kids today shorten words to write faster and if you shorten your words you seem hip and cool…and like the last time you opened a book a cartoon bunny popped up out of the page.  I can’t believe that Burwell would allow “writing” like that to go out next to his name!

Let me try to get through to them…

Ur b@nn3r sux & it m@kez u s0und r3t@rded!!!!

The only thing we know 100% (though JC stuff is pretty high) is that until a proper co-host is in place the seat is just going to be a rotation between Brian Stull and the wooden Brian Feldman.  …and you thought you hated the show before!

From 101ESPN.com via our awesome little tipster!

• The Moonrise Hotel is great for the Loop, but horrible for Delmar. The street just can’t handle it.  If one person heading east wants to turn in to the Moonrise it backs up traffic all the way through the Loop.
• The Cardinals aren’t going to re-sign Matt Holliday.  Deal with it.
• Batman couldn’t really get around very well in St. Louis in his usual rooftop style.  There are too many breaks in the buildings.
• There are too many Thai restaurants in the Loop.  Please eliminate three.
• Dear 101 ESPN, you aren’t “the all new” anything any more.  Please knock that crap off and spend the money for new bumpers.

Yesterday was a big St. Louis sporting news day!  Tony LaRussa made his decision to return to manage the Cardinals for at least 2010 official and confirmed the rumor that Mark McGwire would be on board as the team’s new hitting coach!

This is a major local news story that broke through the bounds of St. Louis and got national coverage.  Obviously the network synonymous with sports, ESPN, picked up and story and when they needed that local view they turned to the obvious radio station choice…KMOX?!?!

Ouch.  Now that’s gotta sting over the local ESPN Radio affiliate WXOS, 101 ESPN.  Its one thing to have a falling out in private, but to have your old flame have their new slut’s name all over the place?  Wow.  So sad.

Lets relive it shall we?

What do you have to do to not even get a phone call from the company you pay to broadcast their content?

First off, let me do a little finger wagging at 101 ESPN for not including the mighty Punching Kitty on their press release list.

Secondly, here’s their new publicity stunt.  Its so obviously as stunt we normally wouldn’t report on it, but we really like Randy Karraker around here, so what the hell…

Here’s the part the matters:

WXOS-FM’s Randy Karraker announced that he is stepping up to the plate in a bid to purchase the St. Louis Rams NFL franchise.  Karraker made this announcement on the air this afternoon at 5:05pm on 101 ESPN.

With the recent debacle of Rush Limbaugh’s efforts to join Dave Checketts’ quest to purchase the team, and the rampant rumors about the Rams potential sale and move back to Los Angeles, Karraker was reminded of how bad it hurt whenleft St. Louis.  And although there are a reported six potential groups interested in purchasing the team, none have stood football  out from the rest of the competition.  Rather than just sit and watch it happen again, Karraker decided to do something about it, and has created the Randy Karraker: Save the Rams Fund-and Fan-Raising Campaign.

Of course nothing can come out of ESPN 101 without having several mentions of Program Director Jason Barrett.

101 ESPN Program Director Jason Barrett notes, “Randy is pulling together all of the people he knows, and is calling on the public to raise the funds necessary to keep the Rams where they belong, right here in St. Louis.” Barrett continues, “He realizes this is a huge uphill climb and he doesn’t expect it to be easy. But Randy is going to do his best to make a difference and he hopes to do it with the full support of the public.”

We know you are the PD Jason, you don’t have a piss on everything so it smells like you.  …also don’t get us started on those dreadful new commercials for Bernie’s mid-day show with you reading your lines like a coked out porno star.

Back to Karraker:  Its a noble effort to collect money, but if anyone is under the assumption that the donators will be “part owners” of the team, I got some bad news for you: (source)

Green Bay is the only team with [a public ownership] structure in the NFL; such ownership is technically in direct violation of league rules, which stipulate a limit of 32 owners of one team and one of those owners having a minimum 30% stake. However, the Packers corporation was grandfathered when the NFL’s current ownership policy was established, and are thus exempt.

All in all?  This is a good move by 101.  Its a fun little PR stunt with their most personable host at the focal point and when it all comes to a hault, the money goes to charity which makes the local Bonneville chapter look good to the Mormon overlords.

Meanwhile the staff at KFNS 590AM are getting their listeners to pool their money so they can afford the rest of that Frank Cusumano contract.

More at 101 ESPN.com

This isn’t something we are happy to report, but we are hearing that Sara Dayley, the morning sports update reporter for the FM Sports station, may be on her way out, with reports varying between her getting let go and her leaving on her own.

There has always been a contingent that wasn’t a fan of her updating skills and still others believe that she was hired based on her looks rather than other, more radio-appropriate. skills.  From what we are hearing those whispers may have finally found the ear of those in charge at 101.  In fact, 101 ESPN has, within the last few days, posted a career opportunity for a “Sports Update Anchor”

Dayley has previously worked at 101 ESPN competitor, 590 “The Fan”.

We will see what else we can find on this story, and if you know anything, give us a call on our Tip Line: 314.266.TIPS (our tips are always anonymous)