Wednesday, December 23, 1998
Trumpy finished at WBOB
Angry Guys on their own
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
After a year of trying to make drive-time sports talk show work, Bob Trumpy and WBOB (1160-AM) are parting ways.
“I'm disappointed,” Trumpy said. “We tried to make it succeed and couldn't. I don't know what to say. I'm not a radio expert.”
“His contract ran out,” said John Rohm, WBOB's general manager. “I think there's a place for him in our football operation. We'll try to work that out.”
Trumpy began on WBOB in January. He did a solo show until August. After eight months of low ratings — the show was 19th locally — BOB added the Two Angry Guys (Richard Skinner and Tom Gamble).
The addition of the Two Angry Guys did not significantly improve the ratings.
Skinner and Gamble will do the 6 to 10 a.m. spot on BOB beginning Monday.
“In the Two Angry Guys, we have the most entertaining show for males in the market,” Rohm said. “We have to develop that.”
Trumpy started sports talk in Cincinnati. His show on WLW (700-AM) drew big numbers from 1980 to '90. He gave up the job in '90 to concentrate on his broadcasting career with NBC. He earned a stint on NBC's top NFL announcing team in that time. Signing him was a major coup for BOB.
“I think both parties thought it would produce,” Trumpy said. “Did it surprise me that it didn't? I don't know.”
Trumpy said he'll concentrate on “being a hell of a grandfather” for the time being, but he'd like to get back into broadcasting.
A return to WLW is unlikely.
“Bob Trumpy is a living leg end at WLW,” operations manager Bill Cunningham said. “He's an icon ... But we don't have any slots open.”
Trumpy was left out by CBS and Fox after NBC lost its NFL rights after last season. Returning to a network is a possibility.
“Those doors have remained opened,” Trumpy said.
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