Nice Guys Finishing



A.J. Colby



Mike Snyder

Today at work I was asked if I was local. I may be paranoid or just getting hard of hearing, but I thought I was being asked if I was loco. While the jury deliberates on that one, yes I am local, meaning, in the questioner's mind, I grew up in Cleveland. The question pertained to everybody's favorite former Browns coach Sam "The Riverboat Gambler" Rutigliano. I remember him well. Rutigliano and steam shovels--I'm showing my age, I guess. Crank up the rocking chair.

But I'm going local for this post, specifically media local. I realize that because I don't own a TV my qualifications for commenting on some aspects of the local media scene could be called into question, but I do snatch a glimpse of television now and then, and I believe I am qualified to smell a rat when I see one. What I thought was an April Fool's joke when I heard about it on April 1 has turned out to be cruel reality: WKYC-TV 3 has announced it is letting weatherman A.J. Colby go. More than a year ago I sang the praises of A.J. on this blog. You may not need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows, but you sure could use one who can tell you why what's happening out there is happening and what's likely to happen over the next few days without foaming at the mouth and scaring you into battening down your hatches and whatever else you can batten down. And A.J. Colby is precisely that guy. In the maelstrom of Cleveland weather, A.J. is the calming breeze. Unlike so many of his counterparts, A.J. keeps his cool and avoids the hype. He's the kind of guy you want to talk weather with all afternoon. I'm generally okay with WKYC (Will'ya Keep Your Colby), but this move has me ticked off. If I had a TV I'd actively boycott the station (and with the alternative local newscasts being what they are in Cleveland, that's like saying I'd give up ice cream for a steady diet of liver, sardines, and Fresca). As it is, though, I guess I'll just have to curse WKYC: may ceiling leaks plague your studios after A.J.'s scheduled May 29 last day, and may the AC work perfectly December through March, and the heating system work perfectly June through August. Reinstate A.J. and I'll rescind. As for you, A.J., you're a pro--nothing but sunny, mild days in your forecast.

On the radio side of things, tonight seems to be an appropriate night to bow to the greatness of WTAM 1100's Mike Snyder. For years I've loved this guy's work as the sports director for Cleveland's big radio station. He knows sports, he's friendly as hell on the air, and he's the antithesis of a blowhard. Due to unfortunate circumstances, though, over the last few years Snyder has evolved into without a doubt the hardest working man in Cleveland media. After the death of Casey Coleman, Snyder took over on the morning shift, in addition to handling studio duties during and after Browns and Cavs games. How/if the man slept, I'll never know. Then, suddenly this past fall, Snyder was thrust into the Cavs play-by-play chair. No ordinary chair, that. It's only the chair of forever Cavs radio voice, Hall of Famer, and soundtrack to just about my entire life's worth of Cleveland sports memories, Joe Tait. Tait had some health problems this year, which allowed him to call only a handful of Cavs home games. Now replacing/filling in for Joe Tait is kind of like taking over the wheel of the ark from Noah, but I have to say, Snyder's been great, making listening to Cavs game this dreadful year as enjoyable as it could be. Amazing work. For the past six months, Snyder's been on the radio at all hours of the day and night, from here there and everywhere--and always upbeat, friendly, informative, and insightful. Tonight's the last Cavs away game, Snyder's swan song in his play-by-play role, I suppose. Now he can kick back and relax and probably reduce his working hours to just 18 a day. Congratulations, Mike, on jobs well done.

And while I'm on the subject of Cleveland media, is Bud Shaw's Shaw's Spin column in the Plain Dealer the unfunniest, biggest waste of space in town? I liked Shaw when he was writing real columns, not this pale rip-off of Norman Chad's shtick.

In closing:

WKYC--come to your senses and retain A.J. Colby.

WTAM--give Mike Snyder a big raise and two months vacation.

PD--Bud Shaw should write, not joke around.