Each year sports media fans visit this website to see who industry executives have picked as sports radio’s best in the annual BSM Top 20. It’s a subjective series which involves a lot of suits, and it generates a lot of chatter throughout the format.
Since the annual Top 20 features the collective views of radio executives, I thought it’d be fun to do something involving talent. When I first rolled out the Sports Radio Draft in 2015 and 2016 I included PD’s but I changed that in 2017 because I felt executives already had a voice with the Top 20 and it’d be interesting to see if talent saw things similarly or different than their bosses.
In 2018 I took a break from the Draft project because I thought it might have run its course. When I started though to flirt with the idea of doing it again this year, I found the responses to participate were very favorable. As a result I dove back in and here we are today.
Before we get into this year’s results, let me share a few key things. First, every voter was told they can’t vote for themselves and any person they chose had to be currently hosting a sports talk show. They could also vote for someone from their own station if they saw fit.
I also wanted the Sports Radio Draft order to mirror this year’s NFL Draft. So for example, you’ll find a host in Phoenix picking first because the Arizona Cardinals have the 1st selection. You’ll see multiple hosts from New York involved because the Giants have multiple picks and the Jets have the 3rd choice. I even involved hosts from both San Francisco sports stations and one from Las Vegas since the Raiders have three picks and the 49ers have the 2nd overall choice. My one goal was to involve talent who were either located in the market where each NFL team played or hosts who were passionate fans of the franchise associated with their pick.
As you go thru the selections remember that this is extremely subjective, meant to be fun, and the hosts who get picked (or not picked) and the order where they’re chosen has everything to do with who’s involved in the draft process and where they pick. I also encourage you to scroll past the picks for some additional comments provided by some of our draftees. With that said, here are the results of the 2019 Sports Radio Draft.
| DRAFTEE | CITY/STATION | SELECTION |
| 1. DOUG FRANZ | PHOENIX – ARIZONA SPORTS 98.7 FM | BROCK HUARD |
| 2. LARRY KRUEGER | SAN FRANCISCO – KNBR 680 | ANDY GRESH |
| 3. MICHAEL KAY | NEW YORK – ESPN 98.7FM | CHRIS RUSSO |
| 4. DARYLE ‘GURU’ JOHNSON | SAN FRANCISCO – 95.7 THE GAME | STEPHEN A. SMITH |
| 5. JEFF PANTRIDGE | TAMPA – (PRIOR) WDAE 620/98.7 THE FAN | DAN LE BATARD |
| 6. GREGG GIANNOTTI | NEW YORK – WFAN | JIM ROME |
| 7. LAUREN REW | JACKSONVILLE – 1010XL | SARAH SPAIN |
| 8. JAMIE SAMUELSEN | DETROIT – 97.1 THE TICKET | TONY BRUNO |
| 9. MAGGIE GRAY | NEW YORK – WFAN | STEVE SOMERS |
| 10. VIC LOMBARDI | DENVER – ALTITUDE SPORTS RADIO 92.5 | COLIN COWHERD |
| 11. MO EGGER | CINCINNATI – ESPN 1530 | DAN PATRICK |
| 12. STEVE ‘HOMER’ TRUE | MILWAUKEE – ESPN 94.5/540 | TONY KORNHEISER |
| 13. MARC HOCHMAN | MIAMI – WQAM | MARC ‘SILVY’ SILVERMAN |
| 14. CARL DUKES | ATLANTA – 92.9 THE GAME | MIKE VALENTI |
| 15. STEVE CZABAN | WASHINGTON DC – TEAM 980 | JON’ STUGOTZ’ WEINER |
| 16. KYLE BAILEY | CHARLOTTE – WFNZ | PAUL FINEBAUM |
| 17. ADAM SCHEIN | NEW YORK – MAD DOG SPORTS RADIO | DANNY PARKINS |
| 18. MATTHEW COLLER | MINNEAPOLIS – SKOR NORTH | MIKE GOLIC JR. |
| 19. PAUL KUHARSKY | NASHVILLE – 104.5 THE ZONE | CLAY TRAVIS |
| 20. CHRIS MUELLER | PITTSBURGH – 93.7 THE FAN | GREGG GIANNOTTI |
| 21. BOB STELTON | SEATTLE – 710 ESPN | FREDDIE COLEMAN |
| 22. JEREMY CONN | BALTIMORE – 105.7 THE FAN | SCOTT FERRALL |
| 23. LANCE ZIERLEIN | HOUSTON – ESPN 97.5 | RICH EISEN |
| 24. JOHN LUND | SAN FRANCISCO – KNBR | TOM TOLBERT |
| 25. EYTAN SHANDER | ATLANTIC CITY – 97.3 ESPN | ANGELO CATALDI |
| 26. DEREK SCHULTZ | INDIANAPOLIS – 97.5 FOX SPORTS RADIO | DAN BERNSTEIN |
| 27. STEVE COFIELD | LAS VEGAS – ESPN 1100/100.9 | MIKE FRANCESA |
| 28. PETROS PAPADAKIS | LOS ANGELES – AM 570 LA SPORTS | DAVE ‘SOFTY’ MAHLER |
| 29. ‘SOFTY’ MAHLER | SEATTLE – SPORTS RADIO 950 KJR | PETROS PAPADAKIS |
| 30. CHUCK FREIMUND | MILWAUKEE – 105.7 THE FAN | DAN DAKICH |
| 31. JOHN IRELAND | LOS ANGELES – ESPN LA 710 | STEVE MASON |
| 32. MARC JAMES | BOSTON – WEEI/NESN | CHRIS CARLIN |
HEARD IN THE DRAFT ROOM:
I hate writing his name because every national poll ranks Brock and Salk ahead of Doug & Wolf but with Huard I get the ESPN connection, the extra national exposure, plus he’s a funny, tapped in dude. You’re likely wondering why I didn’t take Wolf….I just can’t get over the West Virginia thing. – Doug Franz
That’s unbelievable value at the 27th pick landing Mike Francesa. Gary Parrish didn’t get taken either? He was the #1 mid-market afternoon host in the country. WTF! – Steve Cofield
Gregg Giannotti is a steal at 20. It was a tough call between him and my co-host Andrew Filliponi. Gregg though is the most purely talented guy I’ve come across in the business. – Chris Mueller
If he’s there I’m shaking up the draft and taking Scott Ferrall. – Jeremy Conn
Somers is a franchise cornerstone. No one can do what he does. It’s very unique. – Maggie Gray
I’m going with someone with a high ceiling. That’s Mike Golic Jr.. – Matthew Coller
When a legend like Jim Rome is still on the board I think you gotta take him. – Gregg Giannotti
I hate the politics part of him, and hate that he’s immovable once he forms an opinion no matter how smart a counter argument is. But Clay Travis is a very compelling listen who’s consistently very smart and interesting. – Paul Kuharsky
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
