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SportsGumbo first aired in February 2001 on stations in Baton Rouge
(The Score, 1210 AM) and New Orleans (WTIX, 690 AM). The program aired Mon--Fri, 7am--9am... In May 2001,
Lake Charles (KEZM,1310 AM) picked up the program... Alexandria (1410
ESPN) followed suit in October 2001... In May 2002, Monroe (Fox
Sports 1310) makes SportsGumbo a 5 station network... Shortly
thereafter, WTIX ruins that by firing Jon in August 2002... SportsGumbo - New Orleans
moves back to 12Noon--2pm, this time on WBYU, 1450AM... Due to
organizational reasons, Jon Fine Sports Productions had to eliminate
its affiliation with stations in Monroe (January 2003) and
Alexandria (April 2004)... In February 2003, WBYU changes
formats and SportsGumbo changed stations in New Orleans. ESPN,
1560AM picked up the New Orleans noontime show in March 2003...
In January 2005, SportsGumbo--New Orleans moved to 7am--9am, to
simulcast with Baton Rouge and Lake Charles, thus creating a 3
station network... Then came Katrina and Rita... The
first hurricane, Katrina, knocked us off of New Orleans in late
August 2005. We returned to ESPN, 1560AM, New Orleans on June 1, 2006... Rita, in late September,
knocked us off in Lake Charles for 3 months...
In mid-September 2006, Clear Channel-Baton Rouge cancelled the show,
which also forced us to temporarily vacate our program in New
Orleans and Lake Charles... In mid-October, we were picked up by
KKAY, 1590AM River Parishes/Baton Rouge and we also returned to the
airwaves in New Orleans and Lake Charles... In December 2007, once
again due to organizational reasons Jon Fine Sports Productions
reduces the program to a 1 hour show, starting at 8am...
So, at present, SportsGumbo airs 8am--9am (central)
on KKAY, 1590AM, River Parishes/Baton Rouge,
ESPN Radio, 1560AM, New Orleans and
KEZM, 1310AM, Lake Charles. The show can also be heard live on
the Internet at this website, SportsGumbo.net.
SportsGumbo has been CO-hosted by Jon Fine since its inception.
Other prominent CO-hosts have included Eric Asher, Tommy Krysan and
Bill Hunter.
SportsGumbo has been CO-hosted by Jason Van Buskirk since December of 2004 and
Olin Berthelot since September of 2007.
To further appreciate where we are, here's a look at where Jon's
been. The gory details (with some creative license and hyperbole!)!
February 1978 - May 1982 - Philadelphia, PA.
As a student at Penn, Jon's secondary priority becomes working at
the campus radio stations. First priority was attending
Philadelphia Big 5 basketball games at The Palestra. Jon was sports
director of WQHS-AM, where he founded and co-hosted a 3 hour Sunday
night sports call-in show, WQHS Sportsline. Jon announced some Penn
football and basketball games on WXPN FM.
September 1982 - July 1983 - Tallulah, LA.
As part of the Witness Protection Plan, Jon relocated in Tallulah,
LA. KTLD-AM morning man. News and Sports, public relations, and
sales. Jon did Tallulah high school, Tallulah Academy and McCall
high school play-by-play. Answer to a trivia question: First
country music disc jockey ever on air at KBYO FM. First country
music disc jockey ever fired at KBYO FM.
August 1983 - January 1987 - Lake Charles,LA.
Jon began telling ladies that he was Jean Fineaux from Mamou,
Louisiana. Started what is believed to be the first ever sports
call-in show in the Lake area on KLCL. Did McNeese and Barbe high
school play-by-play. Some morning cut-up news and sports on FM.
January 1, 1987 produces 5 interceptions and 1 sack. Miami's Vinny
Testaverde gets picked off 5 times by Penn State. Lake Charles' Jon
Fine gets sacked by KLCL management!
March 1987 - May 1991 - Lake Charles, LA.
Jon says that he finally gets a good looking boss - becomes
self-employed. Multi-$10 company Jon Fine Sports Productions
purchases air time from KAOK in Lake Charles and Jon hosts a nightly
one hour sports call-in show. Beats Joe Dumars in Pop-A-Shot. I
suckered him in. Don't ask! Some McNeese play-by-play. Co-founded
(with Ron Castille) Calcasieu River Big Bass Bonanza.
May 1991 - January 1993 - Baton Rouge, LA.
Moves to Baton Rouge. Experience first traffic jam in Louisiana.
Host morning sports call-in show on WIBR. Works with outlaws both
on and off the air (including me!)…but we pioneer sports talk radio in
the capital city. Experienced discouraging revelation: found out
you can be fired even if you're buying the air time!
February 1993 - May 1998 - Baton Rouge LA.
Makes the natural transition to WBIU, Radio, Christian Country --
I'm Jewish... and continue to do a sports talk show in the afternoon.
Tommy Krysan joins as a co-host. Begin our association with
Denham
Springs high school sports. Produce an LSU football pre-game show
on WBIU.
June 1998 - December 2004 - Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lake
Charles, Alexandria, Monroe
Clear Channel Communications buys WBIU, changes format to all
sports. Move back to the morning on The Score, 1210AM. On air
midday in New Orleans on WTIX. Off the air in New Orleans. Back on
the air in New Orleans. Move show to morning to simulcast with The
Score, 1210AM. Add Lake Charles, Alexandria and Monroe.
Delete Alexandria and Monroe. New Orleans deletes Jon.
Can anyone ever be hired and fired from the same radio station twice
in a 3-year period? Yes, Jon Fine, WTIX-New Orleans!!
Thumbs up to the late Ed Butler of WTIX. Move to WBYU--New
Orleans for mid-days (in addition to morning show). Eric Asher
and others join show. WBYU changes formats. Move show to
ESPN, 1560AM. Eric and others leave afternoon show.
December 2004 -
September 2006 - Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lake
Charles
Jason Van Buskirk arrives as a morning CO-host in Baton Rouge and
gorilla marketer for SportsGumbo. In January 2005, ESPN, 1560AM
moves SportsGumbo (noon) version to morning to simulcast with Baton
Rouge and Lake Charles. SportsGumbo sponsors in BR get to eat for
free monthly.--SportsGumbo Business Club formed in July 2005.
Central Coaches Corner debuts in August 2005. 2 mean ladies greatly
impact Jon and Jason (and unfortunately millions of others)--Katrina
& Rita. Katrina hits: off air in New Orleans since late August
2005. Rita hits: off air for 3 months in Lake Charles beginning in
late September. Start to do select Central HS basketball
play-by-play broadcasts. Denham Springs HS Sports Broadcasts are a
Jon Fine Sports Production for its 13th year!!--We do Football &
select boys & girls basketball broadcasts. Livingston
Sports Weekly debuts in September 2006. In conjunction with Rick
Cantu, Walker HS football is broadcast on SportsGumbo.net. FINALLY UPDATE SPORTSGUMBO.NET!!! THANK YOU WEBMASTER
DAMON SUNDE FOR ALL OF YOUR
HELP IN THIS ARDUOUS TASK!!!!..........The SportsGumbo empire has
arrived!!!!!....But takes a major hit. In mid-September 2006, Clear
Channel--Baton Rouge tells Jon they want to meet with him the next
day to discuss station initiatives. They then take the initiative to
remove our program from their airwaves!!! Jon becomes, maybe, the
first person in the history of radio to be fired twice in the same
city from 2 different stations despite buying airtime from both. Jon
declares that he does not aspire to a THREE-PEAT!
October 2006 - PRESENT - River Parishes/Baton
Rouge, New Orleans, Lake Charles
Harry Hoyler harrumphs (and
then) historically honors (our) home-town heroes by,...for some
strange reason, allowing us to host our show on his station...On
Monday, October 16, SPORTSGUMBO returns to the airwaves on KKAY,
1590AM, RIVER PARISHES/BATON ROUGE, and is once again heard on ESPN,
1560AM, New Orleans, KEZM, 1310AM, Lake Charles and on the Internet,
right here, on
SportsGumbo.net. THe show
initially airs 7am--9am (central). In December 2007, we change to
8am--9am (central). We
continue our Denham programming on The Score 1210AM, ESPN Radio in Baton
Rouge. Central Coaches Corner is canceled in January 2007.
Livingston Sports Weekly stays on the air on The Score 1210am, Baton
Rouge and becomes THE High School Sports Show in January 2008.
Rick Cantu and Jon Fine continue to produce
Walker HS
football broadcasts on
www.SportsGumbo.net,
while adding
Central HS football (2007) and
Live Oak HS football (2008), plus
picking up radio feeds of Denham Springs
HS football and Sulphur HS football
on The SPORTSGUMBO.NET Broadcasting Network... We broadcast 11 hours from the
Bayou Bash, beginning in 2007.... The officials still missed (at least) 3
calls that went against LSU in the 2006 LSU-Auburn game!
SportsGumbo has officially been on the air since February 2001.
Its predecessor, SPORTSTALK, first hit the airwaves in August
1983. Here's a more
serious recap of the show's history:
August 1983 - January 1987:
Lake Charles, KLCL Radio: SPORTSTALK
Fall, 1983: Monday thru Friday, 6 pm - 8 pm
Winter, 1983-84: Sunday, 6 pm - 9 pm
March 1984 - January 1987: Monday thru Friday, 6 pm - 7 pm
February 1987:
Jon Fine Sports Productions is established.
March,1987 - May, 1991:
Lake Charles, KAOK Radio: SPORTSTALK: 5 pm - 6 pm
May 1991 - 1996:
Show continues with Mike Alzamora as host for the first couple of
years. Mike leaves and Jon broadcasts the show, which becomes a
Friday afternoon weekly show, simulcasting SPORTSTALK - BR beginning
in the Spring of 1993.
May 1991 - January 1993:
Baton Rouge, WIBR Radio, SPORTSTALK: Mon - Fri, 7 am - 9 am
February 1993 - May 1998:
Baton Rouge, WBIU Radio, SPORTSTALK: Mon - Fri, 4 pm - 6 pm
June 1998 -
September 2006:
Baton Rouge, The Score, SPORTSTALK: Mon - Fri, 7 am - 9 am
(Show
Changed name to SPORTSGUMBO in February 2001.)
January 1999 - December 1999:
New Orleans, WTIX, SPORTSTALK: Mon - Fri, 12 noon - 2 pm
July 2000 - February 2001:
New Orleans, WTIX, SPORTSTALK: Mon - Fri, 12 noon - 2 pm
February 2001:
Show name changed to SPORTSGUMBO
February 2001 - August 2002:
New Orleans, WTIX Radio carries SPORTSGUMBO:
Mon - Fri, 7am--9am
May 2001 -
PRESENT:
Lake Charles, KEZM Radio carries SPORTSGUMBO: Mon - Fri,
7am--9am
October 2001 - April 2004:
Alexandria, 1410 ESPN Radio carries SPORTSGUMBO : Mon - Fri,
7am--9am
May 2002 - January 2003:
Monroe, Fox Sports 1310 Radio carries SPORTSGUMBO : Mon - Fri,
7am--9am
(first 3 months carried the first hour only)
August 2002 - January 2003:
New Orleans, WBYU Radio, SPORTSGUMBO : Mon - Fri, Noon--2pm. Eric Asher joins the program for a
10 month stint in October 2002.February 2003 - January 2005:
New Orleans, ESPN, 1560AM, SPORTSGUMBO: Mon - Fri, Noon--2pm
December 2004 - PRESENT:
Jason Van Buskirk co-hosts SPORTSGUMBO
January 2005 - PRESENT:
New Orleans, ESPN, 1560AM carries SPORTSGUMBO :
Mon - Fri,
7am--9amAugust 2005 - May 2006 :
Hurricane Katrina knocks SPORTSGUMBO off the air in New Orleans
September 2005 - January 2006:
Hurricane Rita knocks SPORTSGUMBO off the air in Lake Charles
October 2006 - November 2007:
River Parishes/Baton Rouge, KKAY, 1590AM carries SPORTSGUMBO: Mon
- Fri, 7am--9am
December 2007 - PRESENT:
The program now airs weekdays between 8am--9am
SPORTSGUMBO airs on stations in The River Parishes/Baton Rouge (KKAY 1590AM), New Orleans (ESPN Radio, 1560AM) and Lake Charles (KEZM Radio, 1310AM).
The program can also be heard on the Internet at SportsGumbo.net.
SportsGumbo airs Monday-Friday 8am--9am (central). |
