The Good...The Bad...The Ugly of the Week...
The Good
L.A. County Superior Court Judge, Gerald Rosenberg should get our 'Hero' of the week award for his ruling yesterday in ordering the rights to O.J. Simpson's "If I Did It" to be put up for auction with subsequent book profits being turned over to Fred Goldman and his family. A great ruling but we don't have an award for 'Hero' of the week so the 'Good' award of the week goes to: the Pittsburgh Penguins for finalizing a pact to stay in Pittsburgh with a new arena to boot. The Pens who started playing in the Steel City in 1967 should stay in Pittsburgh for 30 more years...
The Bad
If we had a "Dope" of the week award it would go to Bears cornerback Lance Briggs who vows to sit out next season after Chicago designated him as their franchise player. The franchise tag guarantees Briggs $7 million next season, the average of the top 5 salaries for players at his position but it also deters other teams from signing him. I hope Briggs enjoys saying, "do you want fries with that?" come September. Now down to 'binness' (as Arnold Palmer would say). Nevada coach Mark Fox got out of hand with police and game officials in his team's loss to Utah State Friday night, Charlotte guard Brevin Knight was fined for verbally abusing a referee, Seahawks tight end Jerramy (correct spelling) Stevens was a DUI, Kobe Bryant gets another pass from the NBA, Ravens cornerback Deltha O'Neal, one of the 'Bengal's 9' pleads guilty to a traffic offense while DUI and Arizona wide receiver coach Richie Anderson is busted in a police prostitution ring and the winner is: Richie Anderson not only for being bad but for being stupid too...
The Ugly
LSU women's basketball coach Pokey (hmmm) Chatman has announced her resignation following the discovery of inappropriate conduct between her and one or more players. This is a serious charge and shouldn't be treated lightly. It won't. Ron Artest apologizes after being arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, nothing new for him, and is allowed back on the Sacramento Kings to play (huh?), Adam "Pacman" Jones gets a judge to delay the opening of one of many charges against him (he's been questioned by police in 10 separate incidents) and will probably be banned from the NFL. All of these candidates are good choices but the winner of the 'Ugly' award of the week is: Chris Simon of the Islanders for his two-handed stick attack to the face of Ryan Hollweg of the Rangers during a game. Simon has been suspended for a league-record 25 games which means he will miss the rest of the regular season, playoff games, should the Islander's qualify and the suspension will carry over to next season. He deserves all of this and more...
Some more personal memories of the beginning of WRKO's 40 years as a radio station (the actual date was yesterday, March 13) are coming up and the video links are in the "Gold Standard" and "Grammy Gold" timelines...
Timeline Memories...
The Meeting is in order: 1743] The 1st town meeting in America is held at Faneuil Hall in Boston...
"Eli's Coming": 1794] Eli Whitney receives a patent for his cotton gin...
H&R Block's 1st customer: 1923] President Warren Harding becomes the 1st President to file an income tax report...
Gold Standard: 1958] Perry Como gets the 1st official Gold Record for "Catch A Falling Star" from the RIAA. Gold records were awarded for sale of one million copies (singles) and 500,000 for albums (the cast album of "Oklahoma" was the 1st Gold Album). Here's a video clip of Perry holding the award and tapping on it during the intro of the song. This is from his TV show in glorious black & white: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ8RUE-GF4E ...
#1 on this date: 1958] "Tequila" - The Champs (Glen Campbell, Jim Seals and Dash Crofts will all join the group after this release)...1979] "I Will Survive" - Gloria Gaynor (this was the 'B' side, the 'A' side was "Substitute")...
Sullivan's "Pet": 1965] Petula Clark makes her American TV debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show"...
Grammy Gold: 1972] Carole King wins a Grammy for "Record of The Year", "It's Too Late" and "Album of The Year": "Tapestry". Carly Simon is "Best New Artist". Video link #2 is Carole King singing "It's Too Late": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtPdzr5omIo ...
Meet the Mets new GM: 1961] Former Yankees GM George Weiss becomes President of the New York Mets (who begin play the following year)...
"Guilty as Charged": 1964] A Dallas jury finds Jack Ruby guilty of the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald (only about 50 million people witnessed the shooting)...
Vote for Me: 2000] George W. Bush and Al Gore sweep their southern primaries and head for a showdown in November...2004] Vladimir Putin is re-elected Russian President with 70% of the vote. The 30% of those who didn't vote for him are sent to Siberia...
Free as a bird: 2003] Robert Blake is released from jail on $1.5 million bail after being jailed for the murder of his wife, Bonny Lee...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
J.J. Jeffrey, the original afternoon jock on WRKO remembers March 13, 1967,
"Light My Fire"! The Red Sox! '67 erupts with WRKO! A gathering of radio people who took Boston and New England and said "Pay Attention". They did. The DJ's couldn't wait to get to "work" everyday to play the latest Beatle songs and other hits. Fabulous people to work with: 'Smitch', Dale, 'Joe' Cash, Chuck, Gary, Jon, Shadoe, Ernie, Roger, Paul, Tucker, Harry the W, Sid, Gordie, Chet, Frank, Wayland, Mike & "Woodies". Loved the promotions! 'Casino Royale', Candy Apple Red Mustang, Top 500, Black Box & the Christmas Wish. And the names of the DJ's on the marquee at 21 Brookline Avenue. What a kick to 'shepard' over the Drake format. The Johnny Mann jingles! The engineers who made the Big 68 sound like an FM. Thank you management team, Perry, Mel, Bob Henabery and Harvey for "smoothing the way for us to rise to the top in New England. Happy 40th WRKO. Best personal regards from 'my villa in Dorchester', JJ Jeffrey 3-6 on the Big 68 (said proudly)"...
From Rick Coyne, WRKO Sales
"Congratulations on the 40th. I was still in the record business working on Gary Lewis records (on March 13, 1967) but joined RKO in 1970 and enjoyed it a lot in sales. The last reunion (25th anniversary) was a trip. So many long winded people that Joe Smith was so pissed when he finally got on that he was actually hilarious. It was a great night"...(It should be noted that Joe Smith, retired record executive who started his career in New England radio and probably the best 'roastmaster' in show business got so tired that he told me not to do his intro, "just get me on" and Rick is right, he was hilarious - Mel)...
John Gorman, veteran radio programmer who grew up listening to WRKO raises a very good point about the success of WRKO: "WRKO never had the opportunity to be the underdog. It filled a void. Growing up in Boston, WMEX was the top choice for most, followed by WBZ but when WRKO debuted it was the true Greater Boston station. Overnight, WBZ sounded tired and WMEX amateurish. Great memories. Makes me want to watch a DVD of 'Casino Royale', the original."
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Monaco's Prince Albert (49), Rick "Disco Duck" Dees (57), Billy Crystal (60), Michael Caine (74), Quincy Jones (74), Phil ("Sea of Love") Phillips (76) and former astronaut Frank Borman (79)...
Timeline Countdown: 1 day until 'March Madness', 7 days until spring and 18 days until Opening Day...
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