Brock and Danny... Tom Wassell feud?

ESPN radio Seattle recently moved 3 producers around, one of them being Tom Wassell from Brock and Danny to one of the other programs. Moving people is usually something you see when there are personality conflicts, and the other two producers involved seemed as vanilla as possible so I figured Wassell was most likely the reason for the change, probably against his own wishes.

It was hard not to notice that Danny was a little extra giddy during Wassle's last week and made references to the change numerous times. During the last two days, Wassell barely spoke and when he did, he generally seemed to be in a bad mood. I've never really felt that Wassell was as cantankerous as Brock and Danny pretended him to be ("old man Wassell," etc), but on those last couple days you could tell he was pissed. When Danny made a joke about Wassle being too much for a show he wasn't going to, Bob and Groz, Wassell fired back by joking "I've worked with bigger egos."

Now, I personally like Wassell quite a bit. I like smart people, Wassell is razor sharp and anathema to lame-brained bullshit, making him almost the perfect opposite of Danny O'Neil. Brock is a smart guy too, I never really got the sense he had any issue with Wassell. But Brock plays nice, and even when pissed off Brock watches his words.

Well anyway, it's been just two days since the change and Wassell was already posting on twitter "playful" barbs at his producer replacement, a guy who almost never talks and doesn't have much personality. This wasn't smart by Wassell, stuff like that doesn't translate over the internet and it does make Wassell look like a dick, whether it was his intention or not.

Well anyway, Danny actually reads these tweets over the air, then after the second one adds "yeah Tom, you'll be missed like a canker sore." In a totally straight voice, no laughs or hahas. Though it did get a bit of a small "awwwwkward!" type laugh from Brock.

My guess is that Danny got pissed at Wassell for his "fact checker" schtick. It's actually a very valuable thing he can do as a producer to keep the program factual, but the way he did it was just a little bit too pointed, with various sound effects. It's too bad, because I personally really enjoyed listening to Wassell as a producer, I'll probably check out his next gig.

Anyway, didn't see a topic for this and thought it was probably the most interesting thing to come out of 710 ESPN in a while.

They need to do away with O'neil honestly. It isn't working out, and it was a huge step down from Salk.

I'd rather Wassell over O'neil any day of the weak.

A little off topic, but I was listening to Tuesday's audio and I was floored by how two-faced Danny O'neil was with Rick Reilly. Reilly was a guest on the program and was a complete gentleman during the interview, and then literally seconds after their chat ends- pretty much the instant Reilly hangs up the phone- O'neil immediately goes into a series of drawn out, spirited personal attacks on Reilly.

It was almost as if Danny O'neil forgot he had a mic in front of him. The lack of an inner filter will probably make his career in broadcasting a short one.

Danny is like the little brother that is there, and nobody really wants him there.

So is Salk their producer now? Or is he a level above Wassel?

A little disappointed that it wasn't Danny who was voted off of the island to make room for Salk.

I must be the only person on the planet who likes Danny.

Danny O'Neil is antagonistic just to be antagonistic, seems to enjoy taking the most pessimistic angle on everything out there just to rile up the masses (even if he turns out to be right, as with the arena), and is not nearly as funny or clever as he thinks he is.

I love Brock, but it is hard to sit through those shows because of O'Neil. He's still not as terrible as either guy on Bob and Groz, though. At least Jim Moore is a dope, but that's sort of his thing and he freely admits it (and seems like a decent dude, too).

Say what you will about Danny, but he's still much better than Elise and Jerry, who are on at the same time on Kjr.

CPHawk":3418okno said:

Say what you will about Danny, but he's still much better than Elise and Jerry, who are on at the same time on Kjr.

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That's like saying it's easier to dunk on a kindergartener than it is Shaq though.

Throwdown":3l7chpsy said:

CPHawk":3l7chpsy said:

Say what you will about Danny, but he's still much better than Elise and Jerry, who are on at the same time on Kjr.

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That's like saying it's easier to dunk on a kindergartener than it is Shaq though.

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No doubt about it. So terrible. Is there anyone that listens to that show over Brock and Danny?

kearly":22zsmkfj said:

A little off topic, but I was listening to Tuesday's audio and I was floored by how two-faced Danny O'neil was with Rick Reilly. Reilly was a guest on the program and was a complete gentleman during the interview, and then literally seconds after their chat ends- pretty much the instant Reilly hangs up the phone- O'neil immediately goes into a series of drawn out, spirited personal attacks on Reilly.

It was almost as if Danny O'neil forgot he had a mic in front of him. The lack of an inner filter will probably make his career in broadcasting a short one.

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Yeah, that was poor. There's also a thing he does quite often when Brock says he shouldn't or doesn't want to mention something on air, and Danny says, "You mean you don't want to talk about how you said... " and proceed to tell everyone. Often it is actually something when you can tell why Brock had decided it would be a good idea to filter it.

Very odd.

Hawkspur":38ihy461 said:

kearly":38ihy461 said:

A little off topic, but I was listening to Tuesday's audio and I was floored by how two-faced Danny O'neil was with Rick Reilly. Reilly was a guest on the program and was a complete gentleman during the interview, and then literally seconds after their chat ends- pretty much the instant Reilly hangs up the phone- O'neil immediately goes into a series of drawn out, spirited personal attacks on Reilly.

It was almost as if Danny O'neil forgot he had a mic in front of him. The lack of an inner filter will probably make his career in broadcasting a short one.

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Yeah, that was poor. There's also a thing he does quite often when Brock says he shouldn't or doesn't want to mention something on air, and Danny says, "You mean you don't want to talk about how you said... " and proceed to tell everyone. Often it is actually something when you can tell why Brock had decided it would be a good idea to filter it.

Very odd.

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Can't stand either Danny or Moore on their respective shows. Moore says so much stupid crap (like trading Sherman pre-extension). I'm fact got into a texting argument with Moore, and then Mike who was trying to protect Moore a few weeks back.

Sportswriters rarely translate well into good sports radio guys, Moore, Danny, and Brewer are proof of this.

Moore is at least doing a "crotchety old male sports fan" gimmick where he does things like criticize our players for yapping because in the old days, everyone was a true sportsman or other such crap. That sort of guy is the guy conceivably listening to AM radio (at least stereotypically).

He also carries out that gimmick by suggesting stupidity like trading Sherman pre-extension. He makes the arguments that you often see on PFT's comment boards and places like that. He's the voice of the typical mid-forties or fifties message board commenter. Then you have Wyman or whoever to come in and shoot down some of those out-there ideas, theoretically.

What Moore needs is someone who is nice, but firm in calling out his silly ideas so that the dialogue can be more like a bad commenter on FO being firmly corrected by Aaron Schatz. That dynamic would fit the show well. I don't think Wyman can fill that role, nor the other dude whose name I forget.

Smelly McUgly":1zux5p8s said:

Moore is at least doing a "crotchety old male sports fan" gimmick where he does things like criticize our players for yapping because in the old days, everyone was a true sportsman or other such crap. That sort of guy is the guy conceivably listening to AM radio (at least stereotypically).

He also carries out that gimmick by suggesting stupidity like trading Sherman pre-extension. He makes the arguments that you often see on PFT's comment boards and places like that. He's the voice of the typical mid-forties or fifties message board commenter. Then you have Wyman or whoever to come in and shoot down some of those out-there ideas, theoretically.

What Moore needs is someone who is nice, but firm in calling out his silly ideas so that the dialogue can be more like a bad commenter on FO being firmly corrected by Aaron Schatz. That dynamic would fit the show well. I don't think Wyman can fill that role, nor the other dude whose name I forget.

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Oh I am aware of his gimmick (Moore) it just got old real fast, and I'm a guy in his mid 40's......
I like Wyman and Mike for the most part, but this town is full of "sports radio hacks" between the 3 stations

My theory is just that Wassell has been doing more M's broadcasts and doing that producers show (the best show on that station), and was getting sick of working the morning show and then coming back in the evenings and working late. That said, you might be on to something, and I'm always down for a good conspiracy theory.

I actually quite like a lot of what Danny brings but I'm not sure he works that well with Brock. It seems like he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder when talking to him that he doesn't have with other presenters. I think if you moved him into Groz's spot with Stelton that show would improve significantly.

I really enjoy Wassell's contributions and am pleased to see him getting more on-air work, although unlike Danny, I think that he and Brock bring the best out of each other and am disappointed that he's been moved, whatever the reason is.

Smelly McUgly":3futp9ao said:

Danny O'Neil is antagonistic just to be antagonistic, seems to enjoy taking the most pessimistic angle on everything out there just to rile up the masses (even if he turns out to be right, as with the arena), and is not nearly as funny or clever as he thinks he is.

I love Brock, but it is hard to sit through those shows because of O'Neil. He's still not as terrible as either guy on Bob and Groz, though. At least Jim Moore is a dope, but that's sort of his thing and he freely admits it (and seems like a decent dude, too).

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This.

Moore is terrible but he knows it. It reminds me of the cutaway from Family Guy on Matthew McConaughey.

"They just keep offering me money and I do it. Did you see Sahara?"

Can't stand Danny. Plus sports radio this time of year is a complete dreckfest, especially after the draft. Sandmeyer and Churchill are the only baseball guys on radio and they have relatively obscured exposure.

You might be right, kearly. The way you have framed it certainly opens me up to the possibility, but I had previously thought all of the barbs were in good spirit.

My initial thought was that they were moving Wassell to the afternoon (I was guessing this was a move by Salk, who seemed to have a good relationship with Wassell) as an opportunity for him to maybe make that afternoon show more dynamic. I could see a change at that slot with Salk taking over, because it is pretty bad radio.

Elise and Jerry are the absolute worst, though. Elise's opinion on everything seems to be, "Really? REALLY?!" and Brewer has to have the worst voice for radio imaginable. Both of them have such bland and often uninformed opinions that the move originally seemed to me like KJR wanted to move a bigger draw, Softy, to the afternoon, where the competition was lesser than the Brock and Salk show, and basically concede that morning slot with filler. This all went down before Salk originally left, obviously. Honestly, Elise and Jerry sound like a public access show. It is criminally bad. When that theme music starts up after Mitch, I'm quick to close my IHeartRadio window and pop a Brock and Danny stream open, and I hate Danny.

I must be in the minority but I love Brock, Danny and Wassell. Maybe its because all 3 have mentioned me on the air . On a serious note I like what they bring and I also loved Salk for what that's worth. I must be a homer I guess.