Radio Thrills

Thanks to technological advances, we can consume media in a multitude of ways. You want the latest breaking news from your favorite athlete? Follow them on Twitter.

But wait, what about those who have not embraced Twitter? Not everyone wants his or her life consumed by iPhones and the like.

It is no different from avid readers eschewing Nooks and Kindles for a hardcover or paperback in hand. Many still love not only the feel of a newspaper in their hands, but the great ideas and writing it contains.

All these media continue to evolve. So the fact is everybody wins. Competition makes us all better. And, we have different tastes and this rings true in sports radio consumption as well.

We have several choices in Tulsa. Some may say one or two too many choices, but as a sports fan, I would disagree.

There is literally something for everyone. Do I favor 1430-AM the Buzz? Absolutely. Is it because of their special guest at 2:30pm on Fridays? Probably not.

Their lineup during the week features some heavy hitters in the industry. Dan Patrick at 8am followed by Jim Rome at 11am is hard to beat.

Of course their flagship show from 2-6pm has been trucking along for quite some time. Chris Plank and Jeremie Poplin resonate with T-Town sports fans because they are Tulsa sports fans. It is palpable.

It is the early morning slot that lacked cohesiveness. It had gotten to the point you did not know if the show host was a fill-in or a permanent replacement. Stability anyone?

Now they are airing a show from 6-8am called ìT-Row in the Morning Showî. This Toby Rowland character also calls the play-by-play action for the Oklahoma Sooners. According to the press release he ìgained popularity with the quick wit and humor.î Alrighty then.

Just like a new restaurant on the corner, Iíll try anything at least once. But you cannot really give a final judgment after just one dish, right? It is better to sample a few items on the menu before giving thumbs up or thumbs down across the board.

So after a weekís worth of listening I can give you the breakdown on the latest sports talk show with a ìlocalî tint.

They love the Big 12. You will get a fairly heavy dose of coach and player interviews from the University of Oklahoma. Their press release boasts of regular visits from Billy Tubbs, Lon Kruger and the one and only Sherri Coale.

More Coale and less of everybody else, please. Who would be against this?

One segment included an interview with the newly hired OU soccer coach. So you can see they dig deep and care about the Crimson and Cream.

GAVIN ELLIOTT

But Poke fans need not be offended. They do include Orange and Black talk. Every Thursday you can catch sportscaster of the year and Tulsa representative John Holcomb.

Holcomb used to co-host a morning talk show on a rival radio network. Several big names in Oklahoma sports have recently moved over to the Buzz network (1430-AM and 1300-AM).

For instance former TU standout and Buffalo Bills lineman Jerry Ostroski can be heard Wednesday and Friday at 5:30pm on The Big Show. He seems to be rejuvenated.

Will this new T-Row show quench your morning sports thirst? Who knows how it will progress. Will the showís format lend itself to incorporate more T-Town flare? Or will the producer hope the promise of heavy OU content keeps fans across the state coming back?

At least now the Tulsa sports talk menu has another item to choose from. A man, or woman I suppose, can only take so much Mike and Mike or ìHee-Hawî radio so the new addition is welcome.

Five Alarm

We joked a week ago about renaming the QuikTrip Center to Kevin Swindell's Home if he pulled off the three-peat at the Chili Bowl. Well the Germantown, Tenn. native should start negotiating the naming rights.

The 22-year old pro captured his third straight Golden Driller this past Saturday night in front of a capacity crowd. He led all 55 laps.

His closest challenger was none other than Sammy Swindell, his father. Must be the genes.

Racing icon Tony Steward finished tenth. No Oklahoma racer qualified for the main event Saturday night.

If you missed the action, CBS will broadcast a replay of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl on April 14. We are talking CBS the local network affiliate, not some random channel on your cable package.

The event continues to grow. Tulsa once again shines on the largest stage. Our big event capability shines through even on clay. Racing may not get your rubber burning but this is a treat for sure.

Send all comments and feedback regarding Left Field to ddavis@urbantulsa.com