The End Of The Bill Watters Show?

[Mike In New York City]

I really hope that the show isn't going off. I've been enjoying listening to Watters for many years and I really like the show now that Jim Ralph is on it.

The two daily hosts that I don't want to see off the air are Watters and Gord Stellick. I'm really glad that Gord is back regularly on the Fan.

 

[lamajama]

Cryptic comment from Tony Gallagher on Watter's show - the link will be on the 1040 website - he commented
that the fact that he's on Bill's show is "short-lived" etc. And I know that they would keep him on his show so...

 

[Guilt Trip]

I really hope that the show isn't going off. I've been enjoying listening to Watters for many years and I really like the show now that Jim Ralph is on it.

The two daily hosts that I don't want to see off the air are Watters and Gord Stellick. I'm really glad that Gord is back regularly on the Fan.

I like Watters a lot more then McClown.....Ralph has added greatly to the show......Same goes for Stellick...The Fan blew it dumping him.

Cryptic comment from Tony Gallagher on Watter's show - the link will be on the 1040 website - he commented
that the fact that he's on Bill's show is "short-lived" etc. And I know that they would keep him on his show so...

Tony was just saying how he was going to miss "you guys", so I guess we know it's over. Too bad, IMO.

 

[cw]

Some places where they used to reference his show on AM640's site have been edited out ... as I guess they broadcast the last few minutes of the show.

Don't let the blog hit you on the way out, Billy! 

 

[LittleHockeyFan]

Bynon?

oh gawd why.  Admittedly, I haven't listened to Watters regularly since Marek left. But I can't STAND Arlene Whine-on. Good gawd what are they THINKING? My favourite on 640 is Stafford, and I just shut it off whenever he's away/sick/off for some reason and she's in his place.

Watters can't carry the show on his own anyway, but I tend to agree with those who have said there's really not enough room around for three drive time sports shows on the radio....

 

[slapshot]

My problem with Wilbur is two-fold,  probably like many who listen to him?

1. He can't get over being axed by the Leafs, so he has to look for every opportunity turn even positives into negatives. LIke an Opposition Leader who can never say anything complimentary about a Governing Party's budget, even if there are some good things. Case in point, Franson. He kept insisting he had to have some kind of defect for Nashville to let the Leafs have him. The inference was that it will eventually prove to be another bad deal. Like it is not possible for the Leafs to make a good deal.

2. He sucks up to his guests on air, and then cuts them down later. Franson is just one example.

 

[Mike In New York City]

I missed getting home in time to hear the end of the show tonight.

Was tonight the last show? I sure hope not.

 

[cw]

I missed getting home in time to hear the end of the show tonight.

Was tonight the last show? I sure hope not.

There was no goodbye at the end.

Ralph asked what Bill was going to be up to. Watters said he was going on vacation for a few (or couple of) weeks. Ralph said something like "I guess I'll be talking with you sometime" to Bill. That was kind of it. (the gist of it)

There used to be a "box" for the Bill Watters show on this page:
http://www.640toronto.com/HomeOfTheLeafs/
but it's gone as are the links on the LHS. There is still a link at the top.

On the hosts and blogs page:
http://www.640toronto.com/Landing/HostsandShows.aspx
he's no longer listed.

Looks like he's on his way out from the site changes but they didn't confirm it.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

My problem with Wilbur is two-fold,  probably like many who listen to him?

1. He can't get over being axed by the Leafs, so he has to look for every opportunity turn even positives into negatives. LIke an Opposition Leader who can never say anything complimentary about a Governing Party's budget, even if there are some good things. Case in point, Franson. He kept insisting he had to have some kind of defect for Nashville to let the Leafs have him. The inference was that it will eventually prove to be another bad deal. Like it is not possible for the Leafs to make a good deal.

2. He sucks up to his guests on air, and then cuts them down later. Franson is just one example.

I'd agree, and add that his status as an insider of sorts has almost entirely vanished with time.  I really also get the sense he doesn't watch or follow much variety or volume of hockey anymore, other than the Leafs and the big headlines.

But Arlene Bynon...?  Man, 640 is really throwing in the towel on that time slot.

 

[Mike In New York City]

My problem with Wilbur is two-fold,  probably like many who listen to him?

1. He can't get over being axed by the Leafs, so he has to look for every opportunity turn even positives into negatives. LIke an Opposition Leader who can never say anything complimentary about a Governing Party's budget, even if there are some good things. Case in point, Franson. He kept insisting he had to have some kind of defect for Nashville to let the Leafs have him. The inference was that it will eventually prove to be another bad deal. Like it is not possible for the Leafs to make a good deal.

2. He sucks up to his guests on air, and then cuts them down later. Franson is just one example.

I'd agree, and add that his status as an insider of sorts has almost entirely vanished with time.  I really also get the sense he doesn't watch or follow much variety or volume of hockey anymore, other than the Leafs and the big headlines.

But Arlene Bynon...?  Man, 640 is really throwing in the towel on that time slot.

Again, I really want to see Wilbur stay. But if not, I wish they would just keep Jim Ralph on in the timeslot and try to find him a hockey co-host.

 

[cw]

My problem with Wilbur is two-fold,  probably like many who listen to him?

1. He can't get over being axed by the Leafs, so he has to look for every opportunity turn even positives into negatives. LIke an Opposition Leader who can never say anything complimentary about a Governing Party's budget, even if there are some good things. Case in point, Franson. He kept insisting he had to have some kind of defect for Nashville to let the Leafs have him. The inference was that it will eventually prove to be another bad deal. Like it is not possible for the Leafs to make a good deal.

2. He sucks up to his guests on air, and then cuts them down later. Franson is just one example.

I'd agree, and add that his status as an insider of sorts has almost entirely vanished with time.  I really also get the sense he doesn't watch or follow much variety or volume of hockey anymore, other than the Leafs and the big headlines.

But Arlene Bynon...?  Man, 640 is really throwing in the towel on that time slot.

In his earlier years, he hopped around the hockey world - attending the drafts, watching games, scouting kids, etc. He was fairly knowledgeable though I get the sense he was always a bit of a salesman BSer type. Since he was let go by the Leafs, what has he done? He got involved with lacrosse or dabbled with the CFL and other stuff but I think he got lazy and stepped away from hockey, hanging out at his cottage to do some of his radio work remotely and take it easy.

He's 68 so he's entitled to semi-retirement but he can't blame a radio station for not wanting to perpetuate something going stale in part because he wasn't really on the beat anymore.

His bitterness about being let go by the Leafs never subsided much and it became kind of grating to listen to because even in his final years with Quinn, I didn't get the sense he was working his tail off. And I think they caught him leaking stuff to the media/babbling too much to the media (that's vague opinion as I can't recall if we proved that or just heavily suspected it).

What he or his show deserves some credit for is their lineup of hockey guests:
http://www.640toronto.com/hostsandshows/leafslunch/podcast.aspx
(middle of the page)
It's not a bad list for getting a daily radio dose for your hockey fix without having to hear about too many other sports and it's riddled with Leafs interviews.
I'll miss that if no one picks up the slack while realizing FAN590 gets it's share and TSN radio is starting to deliver them.

 

[Sudafederov]

My problem with Wilbur is two-fold,  probably like many who listen to him?

1. He can't get over being axed by the Leafs, so he has to look for every opportunity turn even positives into negatives. LIke an Opposition Leader who can never say anything complimentary about a Governing Party's budget, even if there are some good things. Case in point, Franson. He kept insisting he had to have some kind of defect for Nashville to let the Leafs have him. The inference was that it will eventually prove to be another bad deal. Like it is not possible for the Leafs to make a good deal.

2. He sucks up to his guests on air, and then cuts them down later. Franson is just one example.

I'd agree, and add that his status as an insider of sorts has almost entirely vanished with time.  I really also get the sense he doesn't watch or follow much variety or volume of hockey anymore, other than the Leafs and the big headlines.

But Arlene Bynon...?  Man, 640 is really throwing in the towel on that time slot.

hanging out at his cottage to do some of his radio work remotely and take it easy.

There were a couple of funny times where Dreger was hosting, giving a lengthy opinion, and then he'd throw it over to Watters only to be greeted with dead air.  You could tell Watters was working remotely, and had stepped out of the room for a second while the show was going on.

I doubt Sportsnet would rehire Watters, but a Marek reunion would be good to see.  I hope they have big things planned for Marek.

I think Wilbur was out of the loop on the Franson thing.  I think most had determined that Burke was able to pull that deal because of an insurance issue with Lombardi, but I remember Watters saying something that made it obvious he wasn't aware of that detail.  He wrongly concluded that there must be something wrong with Franson instead.

 

[the dingo ate my baby]

Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey....

 

[Corn Flake]

so, did it end?

 

[cw]

so, did it end?

Don't know for sure if he became a "15th of July Unemployment Parade Guy" but it looks like it. Haven't seen anything beyond the top article posted in the media. I did see this twitter exchange:


http://twitter.com/#!/HoopKen/status/91235236494573568
@HoopKen
Ken Hooper
@Proteautype thoughts on Bill Watters imminent departure from Toronto airwaves Adam? #toronto #leafs
13 Jul via web Favorite Retweet Reply

http://twitter.com/#!/Proteautype/status/91235794244747264
@Proteautype
Adam Proteau (Hockey News)
@HoopKen Bill has always treated me well. Can't say I liked the July 3rd remark at all. He's had a good run, though.
13 Jul via TweetDeck Favorite Retweet Reply

@mlse
Pension Plan Puppets
@wyshynski @felixpotvin most of the pushback is shock that anyone would dare to question what he said even if it was a slur

http://twitter.com/#!/HoopKen/status/91237385114886144
@HoopKen
Ken Hooper
@mlse Good on you guys for holding his feet to the fire on this one. Very serious misstep here Wibur. Wonder if Burke weighs in. #Leafs

 

[cw]

One other reinforcing thought:

I've read more than once that Watters was being paid a lot of dough relative to others in radio to work for AM640. Watters ratings have apparently slipped substantially since entering into that deal. TSN radio getting underway puts more heat on AM640 - slicing away more hockey fans from their audience. There's probably going to be quite a bidding war when the contract for broadcasting Leafs games comes up for renewal next year (or not much of one if Rogers buys MLSE) .

January article: Is AM640 Toronto Getting Out of the Sports Business?
http://torontosportsmedia.com/sports-and-toronto/640-toronto-sports-business/10032
A number of independent sources are telling me that high level decisions are being made at AM640 Toronto to wave the white flag to sports programming.  This, I am told, could very well include the end of the Bill Watters Show.

One source also indicates that AM640 may even forgo its final season as the play-by-play home of Toronto Maple Leafs hockey.

There are several reasons for this change. I am told that executives at AM640 realize the stations isn?t going to renew radio rights for the Maple Leafs once its contract is up.  In addition to the poor ratings of the Bill Watters Show and Keith Pelley?s move to Rogers, there is still the idea that Rogers can acquire Ontario Teachers? Pension Plan shares of MLSE and the establishment of TSN Radio.

There's bound to be a clause in Watters contract that gives AM640 an out should he say something outrageous or offensive to their audience. Clearly, on July 4th, Bill did say something offensive. AM640 probably just saved themselves close to a year of Bill's big contract.

Without Bill's contract, maybe they'll now proceed to sell their last year of broadcasting Leafs games to one of their rivals and further cut their losses while moving on to further establish their direction in the broadcasting market of (apparently non sports) talk radio that appears to be their future.

 

[LittleHockeyFan]

There's bound to be a clause in Watters contract that gives AM640 an out should he say something outrageous or offensive to their audience. Clearly, on July 4th, Bill did say something offensive. AM640 probably just saved themselves close to a year of Bill's big contract.

okay, I missed that. What did he say? (and I'm asking 'what' did he say, not 'where's the link to what he said' here, just to be clear) please?

 

[Deebo]

There's bound to be a clause in Watters contract that gives AM640 an out should he say something outrageous or offensive to their audience. Clearly, on July 4th, Bill did say something offensive. AM640 probably just saved themselves close to a year of Bill's big contract.

okay, I missed that. What did he say? (and I'm asking 'what' did he say, not 'where's the link to what he said' here, just to be clear) please?

Said Cody Franson wasn't a tough player and more of a "3rd of july parade" kind of play.

 

[cw]

There's bound to be a clause in Watters contract that gives AM640 an out should he say something outrageous or offensive to their audience. Clearly, on July 4th, Bill did say something offensive. AM640 probably just saved themselves close to a year of Bill's big contract.

okay, I missed that. What did he say? (and I'm asking 'what' did he say, not 'where's the link to what he said' here, just to be clear) please?

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2011/7/13/2273411/pan-the-parade
"Well, I?m at a loss. The only? you?ve got to look through his statistics, he?s got some offensive flair, he is not what you would call a rugged, truculent, testosteronic, guy? He?s more of a 3rd of July parade guy. He likes to enjoy the good life and I don?t, I just can?t put a reason behind why you?d give up on a 6?5 defenceman with offensive skill unless he?s just a bit too soft."

- Bill Watters ? The Bill Watters Show ? July 4, 2011

The Toronto (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender) Pride Parade took place on July 3 this year.

 

[LittleHockeyFan]

wow, Wilbur that was.......idiotic.