Getting Restless - And Crossing Boundaries

It seems WNIR/100.1 afternoon talk host Bob Golic has started a trend in Northeast Ohio media.

Golic, who took over for legendary host Joe Finan earlier this year, had previously made his mark in sports media. After all, he IS a former NFL player, including a long stint with your (first incarnation) Cleveland Browns. But aside from his flirtation with Hollywood after he left the then-Los Angeles Raiders - his most known TV role was on "Saved by the Bell: The College Years" - Golic had mostly done sports radio and TV. He co-hosted a sports talk show on KMPC/1540 in Los Angeles, and did sports-related features for ABC O&O KABC/7 there.

Despite some fears he'd be a "dumb jock", Golic has ended up as a capable general issues host on WNIR. And now, the waters seem open for others in Northeast Ohio to flex their creative muscles in another media field:

* WOIO "19 Action News" lead sports anchor Chuck Galeti has only been the #1 sports guy at the local CBS affiliate for a few months...but already is, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Roger Brown, wanting off the sports beat. It seems dealing with prima-donna athletes is rubbing Chuck the wrong way, so he's looking to do news, and 19's looking for a new sports anchor. Galeti did news reporting on a freelance basis on 19 before being hired by to be the weekend, and later, weekday sports anchor. And he's been seen as recently as this week in the anchor spot as a fill-in.

One note to Chuck: You're tired of prima-donna athletes? How many politicians have you interviewed lately? One turn with Cleveland mayor Jane Campbell could send you scurrying back to both Kellen Winslow and his father...

* We saw WMMS/100.7's Mark "Munch" Bishop filling in on 19 recently, and assuming Galeti makes the jump into news, weekend sports anchor David Pingalore - newly arrived from Pennsylvania - will likely make the move to weekdays, and Bishop would seem to be a good weekend fit. Perhaps 19 will have little problem with the move. As animated as Galeti CAN get, Pingalore would be even more so next to 19 weather anchor Jeff Tanchak... who sometimes appears as if he's imploring high school basketball players to jump higher when he's describing incoming severe weather. Jeff...keep your clothes on. And considering the recent history of your station, we DO mean that quite literally.

And at least Pingalore isn't Charlie Minn. Did we mention Pingalore isn't Charlie Minn? By the way, we'll take any reports of whatever market has next been graced with Mr. Minn's presence. Fresno didn't know in time to warn us, so we have to return the favor for his next market.

One can accuse 19 Action News of a lot of things, but you can't accuse them of having a lack of energy. (Yes, there will be an occasional opinion on this blog. Please consider it the equivalent of a local newspaper column that for whatever reason, does not exist in much of this area.)

* Roger Brown's column today also prompted us to bring in our next contestant: Tony Rizzo. "Rizz" has already done sports talk radio on the old, lamented WHK/1420 sports format. He's frequently mentioned as the guy most folks would like to see back on sports talk radio.

But the FOX 8 "Tag Team Sports" anchor is doing other radio work these days. In addition to a regular weekend non-sports show on WERE/1300, presumably brokered by his restauranteur co-host, Rizzo did general talk fill-in for midday mainstay Howie Chizek on Golic's home station, WNIR. We heard an earlier fill-in for Howie mention Rizzo was going to be filling in...but unfortunately, didn't hear the show itself.

All of this moving around between sports and news and talk radio is making us dizzy. This Space longs for the time when you knew Dick Goddard was doing the weather. Oh, wait. Dick Goddard is STILL doing the weather!