790/The Zone introduces its Young Guns
(l-r) Hunter Weeks, 29; Matt Baxendell, 26; Kirk Carter, 22; Matt Dagostino, 29 CREDIT: Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com
Steak Shapiro introduced the new “Young Guns” team Tuesday during the 5 p.m. hour. Their show begins officially (minus Steak) from 7 to 9 p.m. August 31.
Culled from 250 applicants, the station picked an engineer, a would-be lawyer from UGA, a mixed martial arts expert and a Turner Sports freelancer. And two are named Matt so they go by shortened versions of their last names.
I talked briefly with each:
Matt Dagostino: He wasn’t picked just because he’s bald like Nick Cellini, Chris Dimino and Steak. Rather, “Dags” is considered more structured than the others, said Matt Edgar, who will be their producer. “He’s got great pipes and seems a little more mature.” Living in Atlanta for 12 years, he’s freelanced at Turner Sports hosting a baseball show and has done some work for the PGA and Major League Baseball. He’s more a baseball and basketball guy but knows enough football to get by. He’s also the only single guy in the group.
Kirk Carter: A University of Georgia grad, he has “unbelievable SEC knowledge,” Edgar said. He’s also the wittiest guy who has the makings of being the next Mike Bell, he added. Despite his relative youth, he said, “I feel I can hold my own. I’ve been immersing myself in sports since I was little. And i just graduated so I don’t know the crushing depression of the real world just yet.” He is also attached and plans to go into law school. He admits he has to work on his vocal delivery. “I kept saying 790 the Zone last night and I sounded like a strip club announcer,” he said.
Matt Baxendall: Based on the hour I heard, “Bax” is quick on his feet and was willing to mock Georgia State University’s new fight song even though Georgia State is an advertiser. “He has a little bit of flair and passion about him,” he said. Already married a year, he is a graduate of Ohio State and is a roadway design engineer. He’s a college football expert.
Hunter Weeks: “There’s an incredible karma about him. He’s had an incredible life, good pipes, great passion, a sports encyclopedia” Edgar said. Hunter, at 29, is the oldest and has by far the most tattoos. He’s the manager of an X3 Sports facility for mixed martial arts and kickboxing. He hosts a show on Comcast called “Inside Punch” and has worked with CSS Sports for four years. “But that’s all in the past,” he said. “This is our opportunity to shine.” He is a pro sports specialist, born at Northside Hospital and is about to get married on Friday.
Several night-time Zone guys have gone on to do bigger and better things including the 2 Live Stews, now syndicated and on in the afternoons; Jamie Dukes, who now works at NFL Network; and Dennis Scott, who is now an NBA TV analyst and continues to do a night show for the Zone.
Here’s video of their first few minutes on air Tuesday:
The station is going to announce its new mid-day lineup next week, said Andrew Saltzman, president. He wouldn’t confirm or deny rumors it may be Georgia Tech football and Falcons play-by-play man Wes Durham and college football expert Tony Barnhart. , who already work with the station.
And here was an inspirational vitamin at the entrance of 790/The Zone, which has had some ratings conniptions lately but refuses to bow down.
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85 comments Add your comment
Crayola
August 25th, 2010
4:56 pm
NAACP
Don’t you mean 680? How many non-whites have you heard on that station?
Leedawg
August 25th, 2010
5:03 pm
790’s biggest problem is their signal. I live in the northeast corner of Gwinnett and have a hard time getting them before 8am, forget it after dark. As far as on-air talent, anyone’s better than Brandon Adams. He was hoooooorrible.
Beau the Redneck
August 25th, 2010
5:03 pm
What about me, BEAU THE REDNECK!?!?!
Leedawg
August 25th, 2010
5:10 pm
As far as 680 goes, Buck Belue is freakin’ terrible, Captain Cliche’. And this comes from a Dawg Alum.
Chris Eagle
August 25th, 2010
5:13 pm
Speaking of the signal… I actually picked up 790 the Zone in Augusta last Saturday evening. Which is odd… Sometimes I can’t even pick it up in Conyers.
I do think this Young Guns thing is a decent concept. You sometimes have to breath some fresh air into things
Schmohawk
August 25th, 2010
5:27 pm
I’ve been able to hear 790 out toward the GA-AL border, but I can’t hear it in south metro once the sun goes down.
Questions
August 25th, 2010
5:31 pm
why does Steak have such a fat face? and why do you have to be ugly and bald to host a show on the radio?
HAHAHAH
August 25th, 2010
5:33 pm
Well soon the sun will be setting earlier and you can not even here their afternoon show after 530. So what makes them think putting another show on the radio that you can not hear it a smart idea. Steak said the other day they are stronger than ever. If they continue to loss suporters and anything else they will not be around much longer. Hey maybe the can bring arena football back to 790!!!!!
Brian K.
August 25th, 2010
5:38 pm
What? There is actually programming on 790 ?
I thought they were a station of continuously running advertising.
Oh… I guess if I listen long enough I will eventually hear a few minutes of sports talk.
Young Gun Hunter
August 25th, 2010
5:45 pm
Thanks for all the support guys. We’re stoked to be on the air, and hopefully we will be a breath of fresh air in the Atlanta market. We want to meet the fans, speak our minds, and most importantly have fun. Tune in, tell us where you’re drinking beers, email/text us topics for the show, and let’s party Atlanta. Boring sports talk is the way of the past. Let’s get this party started!!
Btw…. Go download the 790 app if you can’t get the signal at night. Or listen in at 790thezone.com
Eric
August 25th, 2010
5:47 pm
Is the one guy wearing a cardigan? Seriously?
Yeah, Rodney…it was his stint on 790 that got Jamie Dukes his NFL Network stint…not his 3+ years on the Rude Awakening on 680. Kinda reaching there.
Will
August 25th, 2010
5:48 pm
790’s biggest problem is NOT signal strength, It’s shapiro. Handsdown, the least capable AND least prepared person I have ever attempted to listen to. He is a Chris Berman wannabe (northeastern elitist, knows nothing about sports, backs into a sports gig as a traffic guy and hangs on with schtik) Lightning doesnt strike twice and steak looks like an idiot. (berman does to, but espn allows it because people tune in to see him make an ass of himself). Get rid of shapiro and watch the ratings….well inch slightly upward because not only is he terrible, he brought in some other really bad hosts too. so, get rid of them all, let dimino and cellini go to 680 and make the station all….weather? all….hartsfield parking info.?
Les
August 25th, 2010
5:53 pm
>> let dimino and cellini go to 680 and make
>> the station all….weather? all….hartsfield parking info.?
Will – - the station is already all commercials.
rod
August 25th, 2010
6:31 pm
if buck did not have kids I would wonder. Despite Steak interrupping sometimes, their morning show is 400 times better than 680. The list of guests they get is unreal. Just today they had the writer from SI who wrote on MJ and discusssed the 30/30 on ESPN. Why beat on Nick? He is knowledgeable and does some great voice impressions.
rod
August 25th, 2010
6:32 pm
where is woolvey?
Crude
August 25th, 2010
8:01 pm
Yeah, uh, YG Hunter…a little piece of advice: No one cares about where someone else is drinking a beer (aside from their wives). That particular shtick needs to be dropped from the get-go. Only a dumbass like Tubesteak Shapiro cares about what people eat and drink. Also, learn from the mistake that Mike Bell has become. He is incapable of having a conversation on the radio without using the phrase, “fun and shenanigans”, at least 50 times per show. Avoid ALL advice that you may get from Tubesteak and Bell, and you may survive for awhile.
Jim
August 25th, 2010
11:10 pm
I work in the same building as 790 and still can’t pick up the station when I work late. Who can hear these guys?
Snooki
August 25th, 2010
11:18 pm
I can’t hear 790 at night when I’m eating Doritos.
cgill
August 26th, 2010
10:05 am
2 live stews were/are it for 790….i can’t believe no “Urban” representation in this group of Milk-Toast losers. Edgar will carry them for a while but they will not be around in 6 months…book it.
Oh Brother!
August 26th, 2010
10:07 am
Crude……if you listened to the show then you would know what Hunter was talking about. They are not always going to be in the studio and will be taking the show on the road. Asking where everyone is going for a drink is pretty much setting up where these guys might broadcast so they can pick up new fans and listeners. ALL radio stations do this. I highly doubt he was asking so people can talk about what they are having for dinner and a drink.
And I might say Mike Bell has been pretty successful with his “shtick” of fun and shenanigans. His show is popular and competes with the snooze fest that is Buck and Kincaid.
Boom Dizzle
August 26th, 2010
10:31 am
@Common Sense — I was thinking the same thing….if you are going to make a remark about something at least be informed. Goodness….
Besides with the signal after 6/7 pm of nothing, no one will hear how terrible they probably will be……
Big Will
August 26th, 2010
10:42 am
Bring back the Bottom Line
Bell
August 26th, 2010
6:23 pm
Let me tell you about all the chicks I banged last week… no, I’m not 12 — why?
Mikey
August 26th, 2010
7:16 pm
Theres not another station in the country that would have hired tubesteak, bell and the stewarts, individually! 790 hired all 4 of them! And they wonder what happened? Dude!
Name One
August 26th, 2010
9:26 pm
Kirk was an obnoxious jerk in high school. Also lied about his age in a 5K race so he could be in the top 3 in the age group he wanted. There’s a long list about this guy. Kirk, all of us who ran cross country with you know what kind of guy you are. Hope the public figures you out quickly.
JR1967
August 26th, 2010
11:13 pm
For some of THE BEST sports talk on the radio, it’s still WFAN from New York!
Chess
August 27th, 2010
8:59 am
Never trust a man in a summer sweater.
Big Will
August 27th, 2010
10:12 am
Give us the old line up back. Mayhem with Beau, Steak, and Bell. The Bottom Line with Nick and Chris. And get rid of the Stews, they suck!!!!! I can’t make out what they are saying.
790 the Commercial Zone
August 27th, 2010
12:56 pm
Steak – “LEARRNNNN” this, you are universally hated and not in a good way. Take a hike you self-promoting cha-cha.
Get Real
August 27th, 2010
2:10 pm
@Oh Brother- The Snoozefest of Buck/Kincaid are about to celebrate 10 years on air together. To Say Mike Bell is a success is interesting. He talks about women he sleeps with and lists how he gets drunk. Maybe another reason why 680 is winning the ratings war. Older wealthier listeners are not entertained by frat house humor at 40.
Big Will
August 27th, 2010
9:36 pm
Hey Get Real, why don’t you take your sophisticated butt to 750. Cause this is mans best friend, THE ZONE!!!!!
Jeff
August 28th, 2010
9:10 am
I love the morning show on 790.It actually talks sports.The only thing 680 has got going is Leo and the “King”. Atlanta needs 2 sports talk stations. 790 is clearly the best in the morning. Mid day Matt doesn’t want to talk sports enough and to go in depth into college football they promote Chuck’s website. Southern College football Show on 790 is great. Just wished it was a everyday show. Afternoons are a tossup with 790 in the lead. PLEASE INCREASE SIGNAL ON 790, ONLY PROBLEM. Was hoping 790 could do something like WSB did with 95.5, maybe on 106.7 or somewhere. Can’t pick them up and most of listeners are outside 285.
Kenyun
August 28th, 2010
8:27 pm
it’s funny I think the fact that 680 wins in ratings over 790 is more of a slam against us the listeners than 790.
Think about it.
680’s morning show has a FM cast off who knows nothing about sports, A failed midday hosts that really brings nothing to the table. A one dimensional baseball guy that has the personality of a shoe.
A syndicated show that I think everyone agrees is below average
A midday show that I do like (they were smart enough to pick up the pieces from the Zone)
A drive time show with an oft-incorrect and even more times contradicted, self centered, border line racist idiot. Who I hope is just playing radio because if he really is that devoid of talent it’s truly a shame. Then there is Buck who is who he is and i’m ok with that.
Not sure how this line up wins. I blame us Atlantans LOL
Doug
August 31st, 2010
2:47 pm
I am sure they have or will all be let go now that the station has been sold.
Delbert D.
September 5th, 2010
11:04 pm
AM radio stations are licensed for a specified output power level. As the sun goes down, radio propagation “goes long” due to atmospheric effects. Some big stations like WSB not only run more power in the daytime, they are licensed for ” Class A clear channel” 50,000 watts (50kW) non-directional transmission at night. For example, clear channel 50kW station WLS in Chicago can be heard at 890 (kiloHertz) on the dial at night.
WSB and other Class A 10kW to 50 kW stations are spaced out over the AM spectrum so as not to interfere with each other. Other classes of regional and local AM broadcast stations are similarly spaced according to geography and allowable power level. Some are licensed for 1kW day or night, and others only 250W output day or night.
Info on 3 Atlanta area stations (locations are transmitter and tower)
WSB 750 AM is licensed for 50kW non-directional daytime and nighttime. It is located just inside 285 near LaVista Road in Dekalb County.
WCNN “680theFan” is licensed for 50kW daytime and 10kW nighttime. It is located in Norcross, in the Peachtree Corners area.
WQXI “790theZone” is licensed for 28kW daytime non-directional, and 1,000 W directional at night. It is located inside 285, near the junction of Cheshire Bridge and Lenox Roads.
Reception of AM radio stations is dependent on output power, time of day, local geography, weather (lightning storms), and interference from high-voltage electric power lines.