(By Dan Sileo) TEAM. I wonder how many radio hosts really know what the word means in our business. I have had some of the greatest programmers in radio history help me with my career — from the Gabe Hobbs to Randy Michael to Bob Agnew and more. Just as in my football career, when I was blessed to be around coaches like Bobby Ross, Jimmy Johnson, Tom Landry and so on.
I may not have realized what great people were around me in my professional life and what kind of impact they had on my playing, and now radio, career. You see, as a pro athlete and a radio host, one relies so heavily on one’s own instincts that it can be easy to forget or at times the great coaching we are all getting.
As I now enter my 23rd year in the radio business I have learned that it takes a village to not only win in sports, but also in the radio business. I love standing out in a crowd, but the host will never achieve his full potential if he does not have the best possible coaches. I have had massive success in radio and a few lows. I’ve learned more from the lows in my career than I have from the successes I have had and that has always been a common theme with me. And to me, that’s radio. It’s not about doing a great show every day, it’s about not having bad moments on the air.
The guys here at The Mighty 1090 AM, Mike Shepard and Joe Tutino, have been amazing to work with. Everyone knows “Bulldog” Tutino — Joe helped Jim Rome get his show off the ground when Jim started here in San Diego on 690 AM. The guy’s really got a great radio ear and no question he’s the most talented producer I have been around in my 23 years. And of course Mike Shepard. Boy do he and I have hollering matches. But to Mike’s credit, he allows my passion to spill out, then he hopes I see reason. There maybe a few more sessions like that cause we all know how hard-headed I can be.
But at the end of the day, I see the light and we are all on the same page. It’s really a great coaching skill set Mike has that very few programmers possess…including patience! My point here is for a host to be successful in any market, you must embarrass your team, not fight your team. Ask yourself this question if you are a talent: “Am I fighting with your PD?” Then you need to ask yourself “Is my show in a good place?” And trust me, I get that the biggest hang-up with talent is do you trust the guy giving direction? I get it. Both the PD and the host have to trust one another. See it comes back to TEAM. If you and your coach don’t get along, how can you win? Quick answer: you can’t! If the PD and host are not on the same page, it’s over. Kingdoms are built by villagers not by kings!
Dan Sileo is a former NFL player and the morning host (6-9 a.m.) on The Mighty 1090 AM.
“Embrace”