What’s sports radio truly all about? Why did so many us dream of the opportunity to voice our sports opinions on a platform for so many to hear? Why do we do entry-level jobs with little pay just have a chance to one day climb into the host seat? To answer all those questions, I only need one word: Passion.
You see, passion is what sports radio is truly all about. It’s what started this format and it’s what will keep it going for many years to come. Passion can’t be faked. It’s the true, raw emotion of a sports debate that makes this business different from any other. Passion is what separates sports radio from just a hobby, to a product that can be profitable and broadcasted in every corner of the country.
When it comes to passionate hosts in the Oklahoma City market, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who shows it more than Sam Mayes. Co-host of the Triple M Ranch on The Franchise every weekday from 3-6 p.m. Mayes brings a level of energy that’s captured the local audience and made him into one of best hosts in the market.
But above everything else, above the passion and the willingness to work hard, Mayes is super competitive. Maybe that comes from his playing days at Oklahoma State, maybe it’s just in his genes, but competing is something that keeps him striving for greatness every day on the air.
”I love to compete, said Mayes. “This is going to sound crazy to you, but I don’t know that I’m a huge sports fan. For me, it’s about the competition. I love the scheming that goes into it and the night before the action and the feeling you get from it. For me, talking about teams competing is something I’m passionate about, because I’m doing it every day on the radio. It’s all about competition and that comes from very fundamental things such as giving great effort, working hard and being a good leader. You can make those things translate whether you’re talking about football, tennis or whatever. The passion comes because I love watching guys compete at the highest level and I really appreciate it.”
During his time at Oklahoma State, Mayes didn’t take a single radio or TV class. But he did learn from his head coach, Les Miles, on how to handle the media. That may have been more helpful than any class.
As OSU was trying to gain traction in the early 2000’s, Miles was a showman that used the media as a weapon to help his underrated football team. At the height of his era in Stillwater, Miles was always quick to make a confident and quirky comment that was instantly the biggest story in the state. Mayes quickly became a favorite amongst the local media, because he learned how to be personable in front of the camera like his coach. That skill would prove to be extremely beneficial when it came to life after football.
A future in the NFL seemed like a definite when Mayes left Oklahoma State. But just when aspirations were at their highest, a broken leg in the Senior Bowl threw a big wrench into his plans. After going undrafted and never fully being able to return from such a serious injury, playing football for a living was now off the table. As you’d imagine, his life was turned upside down. Soon after, Mayes found himself back in Stillwater working at a 9-hole golf course where he admitted he was “drinking a whole lot of beer and trying to figure out what was next.”
What came next, was an unexpected conversation that led to an opportunity in sports radio. Jack Borgen, a salesman at Triple Play Sports in Stillwater, approached Mayes at the golf course and instantly recognized him. Borgen remembered how great Mayes was with the media and pitched the idea of trying his hand at sports radio. Mayes was all about it. He quickly ascended from doing a one-day a week show with the station to hosting his own show from 3-6 every weekday to even doing fill-in work for the Sports Animal while still working at Triple Play Sports. It was a random occurrence that led to Mayes finding something he was not only passionate about, but also had a real talent for.
In 2013, Tyler Media decided to create their own sports radio station with the booming 107.7 signal the company already owned. One of the first calls management made to potential hosts for The Franchise, was Mayes. The opportunity to be one of the key personalities of a station being built from scratch was too much to pass up.
After debuting on the station with a show named Mid-Morning Mayes along co-host Colby Daniels, it soon became of the most unique shows in the market. The positive feedback soon led to Mid-Morning Mayes transforming into the Triple M Ranch and moving to afternoon drive time on the station.
“Tyler Media is an incredible company and the message they sent was we want to be the future of Oklahoma sports talk radio,” said Mayes. “The Sports Animal has been established around here forever and what they have there is great. Mark Rodgers and Al Eschbach are mentors of mine. What Tyler Media sold to me, in terms of Oklahoma football, was an opportunity to cover a perennial powerhouse. I just couldn’t pass that up. Even with the Thunder being what they are, even though The Sports Animal is the flagship of the Thunder, the reality is, the biggest dog in this state will always be OU football. It was too good of an opportunity to cover a sport I’m passionate about and a team that’s one of the all-time greats.”
Mayes never hides the fact he played at Oklahoma State. In fact, he’s extremely proud of it. He also never shy’s from his love of covering OU football. That often leads to OSU fans on social media criticizing his takes on the two in-state schools. But Mayes isn’t worried about that. His sole focus is to provide the best content while being straightforward with the listener.
“I think it probably helps that I’m not from the state,” said Mayes. “I think if I grew up in Oklahoma as an OSU fan, it would have been much tougher. I also think it would have been harder if I didn’t win a bunch of those games. I mean, I won two of those (Bedlam) games and should have won a third one. That was even during the time period where OU was winning national titles. I don’t have any bad feelings towards OU by any means. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the way they play football. Bob Stoops is from my hometown, he’s a Youngstown guy. The transition was extremely easy, because I promise you that I’ll never lie about college football. I’m just not going to do it. Some Oklahoma State fans are frustrated with me right now, but I’m just going to always tell things how I honestly feel.”
Though handling Twitter trolls is something he has to manage at times, Mayes is a big believer in the power of social media. His goal, is to be transparent and invite the listener into his own personal life. Mayes doesn’t just want to be a local talking head in the media, he wants to be someone you feel like you know and could have a beer with. Last year’s trip to cover the Orange Bowl in Miami was just a reminder of that, as an evening trip to the bar meant OU fans introducing themselves and offering to buy him drinks. Mayes knows his sports takes aren’t going to be appreciated by everyone, but he wants to be a relatable guy to the listener. He may be the guy on the radio, but his roots are still blue collar as ever.
Though things are going well for Mayes and the Triple M Ranch, as listenership continues to rise, don’t confuse that with him being satisfied. Though the results continue to get better and better, his desire to learn only continues to grow. Remember, Mayes is competitive. His goal is to be the best in the market. If he never achieves that, it won’t be from a lack of hard work and effort.
“The easiest thing ever in the world, as a sports talk radio host, is to get their information from one spot and not look anywhere else,” said Mayes. “I’ve really focused on getting as much info as I possibly can before I formulate my opinion. I want to read things from people that I agree with, but also people I don’t agree. Seeing things from all angles is important to me. The more accurate information I can give someone the better. Making that a daily routine, much like a football practice, has been really good for me.”
Tyler McComas is a columnist for BSM and a sports radio talk show host in Norman, OK where he hosts afternoon drive for SportsTalk 1400. You can find him on Twitter @Tyler_McComas or you can email him at TylerMcComas08@yahoo.com.
