Be Honest About It Folks, There Are Only 15 to 20 People That WIll Miss Basillio
January 11 2002 at 9:11 AM
ORANGEWASHED (Login ORANGEWASHED) from IP address 152.163.197.178
I say this from listening experience. The show everyday only had 15 to 20 callers (the same callers every single day). These are the people that will miss Basillo. If you didn't call and ask "Tony, When are we going to beat Florida?" you were not made to feel welcome on the show. I called the show on at least 3 occasions and went to at least 3 remotes. I was not a regular on the show and Tony never made me feel welcome at all to be a part of the show because I didn't call Coach Fulmer names or ask that question day everyday. Basillio didn't care about you folks, he made a living off of you. Finally the owners of the station realized that they could make some money and maybe have more than 15 to 20 listeners and did the business thing. Just admit it, the shock jock thing that Tony was trying to do may have worked if he made everyone feel welcome instead of just a few. Yes I agree that I will not and never have been a regular listener of the sheep show, but at least the talk does change from day to day instead the same ole thing day in and day out. And they may have regular callers like Basillio USED to have, but they do welcome new callers, unlike Basillio did. No I am not happy that Basillio is gone, I wish we still had an alternative, but he should have seen his days dying is all I have to say. I guess like someone else said, the Swamp Rat is still there, but if get to far outside of Knoxville, you can't here him anymore. Well enough ranting for now. Chew on that a while. Thanx.
The caller base in the talk radio genre represents less than one % of the listening audience. EVERY local sports talk show I've ever listened to has a lineup of "regular" callers--even most national shows have the same.
I can list 30-40 "regular" callers (once a week or more) Basilio had right now if that is what you want.
I hope you enjoy listening to the great "regulars" on 990 such as Jason, Don from Sweetwater, and the arrogant yankee himself, Jim from Illinois. Now those guys make for great radio! LMAO!
Frankly, I wish Basilio did only have 15-20 people that are gonna MISS him. That way my phone would quit ringing off the hook, my son wouldn't get bombarded with "what happened" questions at work, and others would quit calling my wife (mostly doctors, ect) wanting to know when & if the show will be back on the air.
Honestly, I'm VERY suprised by alot of the folks that have informed me in some way that they were loyal listeners to the show. ALOT of folks I never dreamed of listening to Basilio really got a kick out of his program.
Something else: Not a person I've spoken with has EVER been included in a radio ratings book. Interesting!
I was far from a regular caller on the show although I did call in several times. Already, I've had about 15 people ask me why the station was yanked and talk about how bad they felt because of it. None of these guys were callers. The were just listeners. The large percentage of listeners never even pick of he phone. I've been amazed by how many times over the last couple of years Tony's show has come up as a topic of conversation with people I had no idea listened and they didn't know I was a caller either.
RE:Be Honest About It Folks, There Are Only 15 to 20 People That WIll Miss Basillio
January 11 2002, 10:43 AM
My experience isn't like this at all. I have listened to the show since it went to FM in 2000. At first I was leery of Basilio and crew but pretty much became a true believer and quit listening to 990. I went to a remote Tony did in Maryville and was stunned at the way he treated me. First, I had called in on the 5th quarter a couple of days before and he was able to link me with my call right away. Tony talked to me for about 20 minutes and even got the manager of the store the remote was at to give me a free car wash. When I left Tony walked with me to my car. I was not expecting this at all. I never had any problems calling in nor on the remotes. I am just puzzled by all the negativity toward TB and the show.
I was at a remote and Tony asked me why I hadn't been calling in as much. I told him I had trouble getting through and also didn't like waiting on hold for so long. Tony gave me his card and wrote the number for the backline. The next few times I called, he moved me up to the front of the line even ahead of legends like Small Mike.
Tony cared about his listeners and went out of his way to make all of us feel welcome.
Maybe you or someone else could enlighten me on just how these rating are done. I've never known of anyone to be polled on the topic. Is it random, how many people are surveyed, who conducts it?
I consider myself and many, many friends to be the average talk radio listener. But in 12 years of listening, I've yet to hear of one person that has actually been surveyed. Any info you could shed on the subject would be educational.
Orange, you have to be stating this just to get the blood boiling in here. I have NEVER called TB. I have listened to and followed his show since 95. This week I have been out of town and on my way home yesterday I could not pick up the show. I played with the radio a while and come back to 95.7. No TB. I for one will GREATLY miss the TEAM and hopefully TB will back on the air in Knoxville SOON. Best of luck to TB, Brock, Mash, and Nathan.
Re: Be Honest About It Folks, There Are Only 15 to 20 People That WIll Miss Basillio
January 11 2002, 11:33 AM
I for one did not call the show but listened everyday and have several friends who listened all the time also, The show will be missed by many and we can only hope Tony will be back on the air as soon as possiable.
First of all I tried to support Tony on his remotes. I went with another listener to Ted Russell Marine and bought a $20,000.00 pontoon boat after one of his remotes. You see folks, I have probably spent more money with his sponsors than most of you would ever even try to do. I have nothing against Tony personally, I just felt like he was rude to me and to most of the listening public because, like I said, unless you were a regular, you were not welcomed by him or his show. And my point is made by the fact that, look who has replied to this thread so far, the same old bunch. I think one of you has even replied twice. Abd by the way, I did one of those arbitron ratings books a few years ago, and I did put in there that I listened to Basillio instead of the sheep show. But it still couldn't help Tony becuase like I said before. The station owners made a business decision and decided that they needed more than 15 to 20 regular listeners. Thanx again.
You need to get your facts straight. For one, TB had a large following that never called. Two, 95.7 wasn't the loser it is 103.5. Three, there's no way you bought a $20,000 boat because McDonald's doesn't pay it's cashiers that much in two years. Keep supporting Giggles and the Monitone Rhinestone Cowboy. I'll hang up and listen.
OW, are you and AIM "buddies"? Matter of fact, I'm not sure you two aren't the same body. Well, actually, a few nights a week I'd say ya'll probably are damn close to it!
As I read back through the personal stories I am reminded of this one.
I went out to a cellular 1 remote and found Bounty Hunter there. First time I had met him and he was a neat personable guy.
Well ya see I was I was sittin on my Harley with my feet propped up on the highway bars and Hunter had strolled over to me and asked if I was TnBigAl.
I said yep, thats me and he said he had asked Tony if anyone he might have heard on the show was there and TB had pointed me out lurking off to the side.
Well BH starts on a verble rampage and the next thing ya know my eyes started glazing over and I barley caught myself as I damn near fell asleep and off my scoot.
Anyway, TB goes to an on the hour break, strolls over and says lets go! I said Tony I have no extra helmet and TB says I don't care lets go!
So I fire her up, and Tony hops on the back and off we went. He was hollerin at people and told me to get that thing goin.
I know that Shawn got a picture of that and I kept telling him to get that sucker on the Team web site. He never did, but I will say this, Shawn, once you are able and check out the tributes to Basilio, get some of those pics to Plumbervol and lets get them in the gallery.
Guys, theres times my nose got out of joint from something TB said or did to hurt my sheepy feelings. I'm sure some of yas have heard me bitch about it. But the thing about it is, he gets way too much goin in that illeged brain of his and is not ON the Same page as we are. And yea a lot of times Tony is in Tony's world. One which will not be figured out by mortal men. Hell who can realy figure anybody. Remember all men are bored with other mens lives, at least mostly normal ones.
So as you forget those occasional shots in the dark and remember the great stuff, remain positive of what may lurk ahead in the not so distant future.
What is happening in his head?
Ooooh I wish I knew.
I have been a listener for four years now and have never called in or gone to a remote. I can think of 14 people I know that are in the same boat as me.
Up until Wed night, I have never met or spoken to anyone affiliated with Tony's show(caller or employees), only an occasional post every now and then.
If you are posting this to get a rise out of people or to see it people actually did care, you have suceeded!
If you truly believe your post, you, sir, are the biggest fool that ever called Tony's show or posted on this board!
After reading that fine response, I only have one question. Exactly what does it say? Sorry, but man, most of that is just whacko. I guess that is the way that the Basillio show was handled for years, WHACKO. So you fit right in I would say. Oh Basillio jumped on the back of a motorcycle, so that made him a good radio show host. That doesn't sat much about your internet show Al. Which I understand is a fine show, I have not partaken of it yet, so I don't know myself. Basillio was a self centered jerk that used you people for years to make a name for himself in the market. If he had of just expanded and let others besides the 15 to 20 be a part of the show, he would still have a job today.
Nothing ever really made good sense, all that mattered was if you asked the right question, and there was only one, (Tony, when are we going to beat Florida?). Or if you called Coach Fulmer a name that day. If you didn't do one of those things to get some shock value, you were relagated to holding for an hour so that he could get his regular callers that he knew would do these things on. If you tried to make sense of your call, Tony would basically say, hey I don't have time for a reasonable caller. let me get one of the stable on.
It took a call twenty minutes into the program to INFORM Hooker & Wilkerson that Donte Stallworth was trying to recuse himself from the NFL draft.
Heck, there was a thread started on this board by 10:00-10:30 last night about Stallworth! You know where the information was obtained? From Brent Hubbs at Volquest who is a weekly contributor & former employee of NEWSTALK 990! Therefore, this information had been public knowledge for over 10 hrs and these guys hadn't even gone to their old buddy's website to learn what was going on.
Evidently, these fellas got into the studio just in time to read the ramblings of their "in bed" cohorts at the Senseless--which also neglected to have quality information pertaining to a pretty big story.
Well, guess what paper and reporter did have full coverage of DS's draft dance? The Tennessean and CHRIS LOW--a contributor & host of his own program on the TEAM!
Sounds to me as if you may be blood kin to Joey Mathews dad! Go pout about being mistreated somewhere else for goodness sakes.
"As I read back through the personal stories I am reminded of this one."
(Fond memory)
"I went out to a cellular 1 remote and found Bounty Hunter there. First time I had met him and he was a neat personable guy."
(Met the radio talk show caller BH and he was an OK guy. TB and crew were broadcasting from another place for extra advertising income.)
"Well ya see I was I was sittin on my Harley with my feet propped up on the highway bars and Hunter had strolled over to me and asked if I was TnBigAl.
I said yep, thats me and he said he had asked Tony if anyone he might have heard on the show was there and TB had pointed me out lurking off to the side.
Well BH starts on a verble rampage and the next thing ya know my eyes started glazing over and I barley caught myself as I damn near fell asleep and off my scoot."
(This may be more of an inside joke. BH got on the airwaves and rambled on and on and on. Like I do when I post sometimes. He didn't care, neither do I. We used to say on the message board how he would drone ya to sleep. He was not a BAD caller per say, but just the monotone of his voice and sometimes his subject matter. But the kind of Gent ya meet and can tell are good people.)
"Anyway, TB goes to an on the hour break, strolls over and says lets go! I said Tony I have no extra helmet and TB says I don't care lets go!
So I fire her up, and Tony hops on the back and off we went. He was hollerin at people and told me to get that thing goin."
(Ahhh, Tony was in a good mood,had 10 minutes or so till show restarted,they were doing Fox Sports News reports then. He wanted to do something different and I enjoyed abliging him? Is this hard to understand? It was ahhhhhh fun, kinda?)
"I know that Shawn got a picture of that and I kept telling him to get that sucker on the Team web site. He never did, but I will say this, Shawn, once you are able and check out the tributes to Basilio, get some of those pics to Plumbervol and lets get them in the gallery."
(A picture of a memory is a nice thing to have. Sort of to help you remember, take you back to the moment and mayby share it with others. Basilio on a bike was a little out of his character.)
"Guys, theres times my nose got out of joint from something TB said or did to hurt my sheepy feelings. I'm sure some of yas have heard me bitch about it. But the thing about it is, he gets way too much goin in that illeged brain of his and is not ON the Same page as we are. And yea a lot of times Tony is in Tony's world. One which will not be figured out by mortal men. Hell who can realy figure anybody. Remember all men are bored with other mens lives, at least mostly normal ones."
(This would be the part of my post where ya have to think. Sorry if your just not there,& if so, then blow it off.)
"So as you forget those occasional shots in the dark and remember the great stuff, remain positive of what may lurk ahead in the not so distant future."
(This OW would be the part where I identify with the other members who were coming from some feelings of the heart. I fully realize that my writing style can be different, but I usualy do not get too many complaints. It may be because I am the editor here and some do not want to hurt my feelings? Once again, does not matter. I write what I feel and throw it down. At times I do not care how it is read, I just feel the urge to write.)
"What is happening in his head?
Ooooh I wish I knew."
( If you are in the dark here it was because you did not take the time to read the thread I started that was a derivative of your thread. Then again if you did read it we are back to square one I'm sure.)
This is the first time I ever broke down one of my own posts. It was not a fun thing to do, but I did it for you OW. You seem like you could be an OK guy, but try to understand people and situations that you have not taken enough time and effort to make a sound judgement about. Just my opinion and I may be way off as I do not know you at all. But make my judgements on your take in this thread alone pretty much.
Take care, and all good things.
TBA
i just sold my harley a few months ago , sure do miss it !!!! hell this is weird , but i think i know you !! when you said harley and then the food city thing , i went and looked at your pic in the gallery and i think we may have been neighbors at one time !!! i'm not positive but i think so !!! you don't live in south knoxville do you???
hahaha howdy neighbor !!!!!!!! yes we were neighbors !!! your son "sorta "dated my stepdaughter !!! you came over 1 day and looked at my motorcycle, which then was a new kawasaki vulcan. after we moved i went down to orlando and got me a harley !!!!!!!! my wife and i are now living in fountain city , but we may be moving south again after my stepdaughter graduates in may . this is indeed a small world !! i miss it over on belt road , i loved that big ol yard and my basketball court !!! i hope you and your family are doing great!!
Sorry Al, I just don't come from that planet that you are from. I just don't get it this time either, what does it mean when you say that I am your "Huckleberry". Okay, as I was writing this, I was talking to the TnStud and he explained to me what that means. Boy, you guys sure are hung up on Television and Radio aren't you.
When I told the Stud that I was going to do this, he said that I would get 30 different people to respond to this by the end of the weekend. I told him there was no way that that would happen. That Tony just didn't have that many fans or loyal listeners. Now I didn't count the different responders to this thread, but it was not even 15.
You see TnBigAl, that just further illistrates my point. If Tony had of just been more inclusive, he still would have a job spouting out that nonsense that he did everyday. Now I will have to admit, we will all miss the shows during Florida week next year. Those were classic. But sorry to say, that those were the only break from the everyday rituals of "Tony, When are we going to beat Florida?".
I beg to differ with your viewpoint. In all the years which I have taken an active part in Tony’s show I don’t recall ever referring to a Coach by a derogatory nickname, constantly berating the program or asking “When are we going to beat Florida”. Yet I was always treated with respect and given more than my fair share of airtime. You’re also dead wrong concerning Tony using his audience. As a matter of fact I would venture to guess that there has never been a radio personality in this town more likely to invite a personal relationship with his listeners. If anything he’s too approachable. Friendships with his caller base have probably caused some problems that could have otherwise been avoided. But that’s Tony and that’s part of what makes his brand of Sports Convrosation unique. Despite your contention otherwise Tony had a large following. Not in 990 type numbers but significant none-the-less. Tony and company were victims of an owners desire to change formats. Nothing more nothing less. His show was well received and is missed by many. I hope Tony desires to return to the Knoxville airwaves because I’m confident he would be given the opportunity. I think those who think there is no market for Tony’s brand of show in Knoxville are sadly mistaken.
It seems to me that you actually might be the one that ruined that "Power Play" thing by being the one that keept calling and saying "Tony, when are we gonna beat Florida" all of the time...
listen to Tony B., and roll with the thought that his show is going to be flawless. I compare it to buying
art: you go for something that has imperfections, and is not stamped out on a silk screen.(see 990)-push the
envelope Tony, and let BOTH success and failure render
your next program into a format that will continue to
provoke commentary from us all. -Color outside the lines!
If there are only 15 to 20 TB listeners in K-town then get on the Net because there are hundreds of TB fans across the state that can't believe that there will be no TB in K-town. Everywhere I go in Tn people want to know the latest Vol take by TB. I never call but have been to a few remotes when I could be in town. There are a lot of TB fans who would just like the opportuntiy to listen. Get the program on the net for the out of towners. Thanks for "Telling it like it is".
Current Topic - Be Honest About It Folks, There Are Only 15 to 20 People That WIll Miss Basillio
