Let’s hear from Big Tex down at the State Fair of Texas
You might expect a Dallas-based sports talk station to go on and on about the Texas Longhorns.
But in The Ticket’s world, Oklahoma football isn’t the enemy; it’s family.
For marketing and metric purposes, The Ticket (KTCK AM1310, 96.7 FM) defines itself as a sports talk station, but it’s not really that.
It’s been around for about as long as I’ve lived in Texas. I’ve always dreaded sports talk because I’m not a hardcore sports fan (although I was a former Heisman Trophy voter and a sports journalist for about half my 40-year career. Also, my wife Brigitte was a longtime editor at a rival station in Dallas and, at first, didn’t like my fascination. She’s come around.)
The Ticket and some of its hosts are refreshing voices of reason in a state that is often defined by Texas pride. They don’t talk over one another and scream like The Sports Animal or any similar shows. You spend half your life on the D-FW freeways commuting, and when you turn on the Ticket, it’s like they’re in the car with you.
The heart of OU fandom on the Ticket starts with Corby Davidson.
Corby, one of the hosts of the afternoon Hardline program and a college football junkie, is a big OU fan. His grandparents were from Wewoka, where he spent some of his summers. His grandmother was of Native descent and from Sasakwa.
A TCU grad, Corby lives and dies by OU football. But he’s not a homer. He isn’t unreasonable when OU is an underdog. In guest spots with Joel Klatt, he spars with Joel about OU football.
Corby’s wild, infectious laugh has been made into a Boomer Sooner audio clip. He’s always welcome at Barry Switzer’s Norman home. Ten years ago, Corby, Barry, and Toby Keith journeyed together to Knoxville for a game with Tennessee.
Barry returns the favor by appearing at several Ticket events.
Initially, Barry was wary of forming an association. Barry didn’t have the most comfortable relationships with D-FW media.
Corby approached him in 2000 about an interview on the Ticket. At first, Barry balked.
“Why would I want to go on air with those two sons a’ (you can figure out the expletive)?” Barry asked Corby.
But Barry relented, and now he’s a regular.
I’ve talked with Ticket founder Mike Rhyner several times, and he rates Barry as one of his favorite guests. Mike has journeyed into the world of podcasts, and I’m waiting for him to have a sit-down with Barry.
Besides Corby, the Ticket has another fan in Craig “Junior” Miller, a host for the Morning Musers. A University of North Texas grad, Craig spent time growing up in Oklahoma City and made it known he loves Oklahoma football.
His co-host, George Dunham, another UNT grad, has relatives in Oklahoma. Just before Troy Aikman’s concert in Henryetta two years ago, George and I talked, and I learned that he’s part Native, and his great-grandparents were also part of the Trail of Tears era — like me!
(George and I shared stories of dragging Main in Henryetta, but that’s a whole ‘nother story.)
The third wheel on the morning show is Gordon Keith, who admits he’s not a sports fan but still finds ways to incorporate sports figures into several “bits.” They’re not wacky or amateurish, but carefully thought out and executed.
His Fake Jerry Jones, which he’ll voice in an upcoming television cartoon, is a must-listen.
His greatest bit, in my mind, is the Fake Big Tex, who paints a rather dark picture of the giant iconic cowboy who greets fans coming into the Midway. It’s very funny for Texas or Oklahoma fans.
But make no mistake, the Ticket is an OU-friendly station.
Art credit: Dallasnews.com
Tommy brings his south-of-the-Red River perspective after a 40-plus year career in journalism — as reporter and editor for such newspapers as The Dallas Morning News, the Fort Worth Star Telegram and the San Francisco Chronicle. He is a former Heisman Trophy voter and member of the Native American Journalists Association. Most importantly, he was a star player for the Hanna Dragons basketball team.
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