• For users coming over from tmlfans.ca your username will remain the same but you will need to use the password reset feature (check your spam folder) on the login page in order to set your password. If you encounter issues, email Rick couchmanrick@gmail.com

The End Of The Bill Watters Show?

cw

Administrator
Staff member
The End Of The Bill Watters Show?
http://torontosportsmedia.com/sports-and-toronto/bill-watters-show/10949
So, I?ve been telling you for some time that I can?t believe the Bill Watters show has much more life left. The show, as best as I can remember, has gone through, Merek, Brady, Hayes Sr., Hayes Jr. Raplh and countless other co-hosts over the years. With TSN radio on the scene the show has quickly become an after thought in the market place.

I have been told by reliable sources that the very end is near for the Watters show. In fact, multiple sources are telling me that Friday will be the last of the Bill Watters show with Arlene Bynon taking over on Monday, moving from her current mid-day slot.

Does this mean the end of Wilbur? No. Watters will be used as he should have been for, oh, I don?t know, the last couple of years anyways, as the Leafs voice on other shows across the Corus radio network. Look for him to appear on Oakley and other shows when there is Leafs news.

The problem I have had with Watters over the years is that they have over used him trying to pull every ounce out of the insanely high contract they gave him years ago. Instead of being opinionated and a guy you wanted to hear when news broke, he was completely over-used and over-exposed. He also became totally stale and predictable.


I've read this guy's reports/opinions/gossip over some period of time. He's not bad. But I'd treat it as a rumour (as his tone suggests).
 
There was a cryptic comment today on his show. Wilbur was digging at Jim Ralph about applying for
jobs and after Ralphy said he didn't apply for jobs Wilbur said something to the effect of "I didn't
either until lately" or something like that. Thought it was weird at the time but it makes some sense
after reading this thread.

I listen via the net quite often and Wilbur has gotten stale - railing on about Dion, Phil, Heatley and a
few other favorite whipping boys most of the time. His cache as an ex-Asst GM of the Leafs is old old news now.

I like Jim Ralph a lot. He could do the show on his own if he wanted or needed to.
 
Jim Ralph give him credibility but Watters always does double take on his question which is really annoying
 
I figured he would be doomed after TSN radio.

All of his good guests disappeared overnight: McKenzie, Dreger, Ferraro (TSN?), McGuire (yes he was good on the radio).  I subscribe to both podcasts and you could literally see the switch happen.

Slim pickings now on 640, all that's left are the loyalists.  You can only interview Eric Duhatschek so many times in a day.  I miss Ferraro the most, awesome go to guy for the player's perspective.

I like Wilbur and could understand the animosity towards Peddie, but I couldn't figure out the negativity he was slinging Dion's way from the outset.  He definitely seems to have a "take it or leave it" attitude recently.

Kaberle was probably the last player that was connected to his era.

That show has been going downhill since Marek left.  I hope they have big things planned for him at least.

---
*missing the torontospammedia.com days!
 
Sudafederov said:
All of his good guests disappeared overnight: McKenzie, Dreger, Ferraro (TSN?), McGuire (yes he was good on the radio).  I subscribe to both podcasts and you could literally see the switch happen.

For those looking for a Leafs fix:
http://www.640toronto.com/hostsandshows/leafslunch/podcast.aspx
- about halfway down the page is the Watters podcast archive that goes back to Feb 2011

There's also a Marlies on Demand section with interviews of current Leafs prospects and even older Leafs Lunch interviews
 
cw said:
I have been told by reliable sources that the very end is near for the Watters show. In fact, multiple sources are telling me that Friday will be the last of the Bill Watters show with Arlene Bynon taking over on Monday, moving from her current mid-day slot.

Ugh.  One of the few people at that station that I actually disliked more than Watters gets the timeslot?

I would love them to simply bring back Leafs Lunch at noon, and have Bayak and Ralph host it.  Those two work well together.
 
I don't think the city is big enough for 3 sports shows for the afternoon drive, It's probably not big enough for 3 noon hour hockey shows either.
 
louisstamos said:
cw said:
I have been told by reliable sources that the very end is near for the Watters show. In fact, multiple sources are telling me that Friday will be the last of the Bill Watters show with Arlene Bynon taking over on Monday, moving from her current mid-day slot.

Ugh.  One of the few people at that station that I actually disliked more than Watters gets the timeslot?

I would love them to simply bring back Leafs Lunch at noon, and have Bayak and Ralph host it.  Those two work well together.

Arlene Bynon.... arghhhh
 
Interesting that this just came out...apparently Watters did not have some very kind words about Franson after the Leafs acquired him...

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2011/7/13/2273411/pan-the-parade
 
louisstamos said:
Interesting that this just came out...apparently Watters did not have some very kind words about Franson after the Leafs acquired him...

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2011/7/13/2273411/pan-the-parade

Man, would I love to see Burke take Watters to task for that comment.
 
Heroic Shrimp said:
louisstamos said:
Interesting that this just came out...apparently Watters did not have some very kind words about Franson after the Leafs acquired him...

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2011/7/13/2273411/pan-the-parade

Man, would I love to see Burke take Watters to task for that comment.

It could be fun.

I do wonder whether that alleged ignorance deserves attention. Watters is about to go away. I heard most of that interview live and missed that so maybe, without further media madness, Franson and the team is better off by just letting it slide with an email of reprimand.

Watters probably won't want to address it unless he's forced to because responding to it just brings more attention to his ugly words. If he's about to depart, it's tough to force him to respond. We'll see what his conscience tells us.
 
cw said:
Heroic Shrimp said:
louisstamos said:
Interesting that this just came out...apparently Watters did not have some very kind words about Franson after the Leafs acquired him...

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2011/7/13/2273411/pan-the-parade

Man, would I love to see Burke take Watters to task for that comment.

It could be fun.

I do wonder whether that alleged ignorance deserves attention. Watters is about to go away. I heard most of that interview live and missed that so maybe, without further media madness, Franson and the team is better off by just letting it slide with an email of reprimand.

Watters probably won't want to address it unless he's forced to because responding to it just brings more attention to his ugly words. If he's about to depart, it's tough to force him to respond. We'll see what his conscience tells us.

Oh, for sure I don't expect anything to come of it, if indeed Watters is done at the end of the week.  Burke probably wouldn't kick him when he's down, and Watters would far rather make a quiet exit, particularly if and assuming the end of his show has nothing to do with the comment.  For him to address it would potentially make it look like he's getting the axe because of that one stupid comment, which I'm sure both he and 640 would rather avoid.
 
Here's AM640's (lame) response:

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2011/7/14/2275408/bill-watters-audio-and-am640s-response
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Here's AM640's (lame) response:

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2011/7/14/2275408/bill-watters-audio-and-am640s-response

Gord Harris,
Senior Program Director Shyat Shoveler
Corus Radio
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Here's AM640's (lame) response:

http://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2011/7/14/2275408/bill-watters-audio-and-am640s-response

Yeah, that was a pretty pathetic attempt right there.
 
Back
Top