Because I have been blogging about Denver sports talk radio for many years I regularly get texts and direct messages from people asking me if I know what’s going on with this station or that show or what I think about general stuff. Recently I have had several people contact me to ask if I know what’s going on with Sandy Clough.
I don’t.
I might be Clough’s biggest fan. The man has forgotten more about the Denver sports scene that I will ever know. He understands the culture and the texture of this market like nobody else. He’s a historian and an analyst of the highest order and an accomplished orator who can hold a listener’s interest for hours. Suffice to say that I consider Sandy Clough to be at the very pinnacle of his chosen craft. He’s one of the best talk radio personalities of any specialty ever to have sat behind a microphone in Denver.
For whatever reason he’s been gone.
104.3 the Fan has been bringing in substitutes to fill Sandy Clough’s time slot for many weeks now – six or more. I’m not even entirely clear on precisely how long it’s been. Sandy was on air for a spell after the Super Bowl and Clough did travel to Houston earlier this month to be part of The Fan’s coverage of the Final Four. When the station mixed up the schedule, brought in Mark Schlereth and begun to adapt its “no off-season for talking Broncos” format it paired Clough with former Broncos’ wide receiver Brandon Stokley. For the record, the Clough / Stokley combo didn’t really “sing” for me. I would have far preferred that the station allow Clough to be a solo act. In my opinion, he’s at his best when he’s by himself. Stokley, it seemed to me, was mostly in the way.
Not long after the debut of “Sandy and Stokley” the show before it, the Football Insider with Cecil Lammey, began running an hour longer and handing off not to Clough but to Charles “CJ” Johnson and Brandon Stokley. Clough was apparently on vacation.
There’s nothing unusual about sports talk radio personalities taking some time off. Particularly after football season ends the heavy hitters in the business often go on sabbatical for a while. Clough, though, has been off-air for weeks and weeks. His extended absence is odd. Clough strikes me as a creature of habit – the kind of guy who values his routine. For him to have stayed away from his own radio show for as long as he has seems to point to something odd going on.
I have done a little looking into the reason why Clough has been gone for so long. The company line from folks at the Fan is that he’s just taking some time off. This could be the case. Maybe he just has a ton of vacation time accumulated maybe and Bonneville International, the Fan’s new parent company, wants him to use it up. Maybe he’s backpacking across Europe or zip-lining through the Andes.
It seems more likely to me that something else is going on. It’s probably some kind of health issue. That would explain why the folks I have reached out to at the station have been as dodgy as they have been. Employers can’t disclose information about the health of their employees.
If Sandy Clough is suffering from some kind of malady I sure hope it’s not too serious. He is badly missed in his role at the Fan. His very absence has allowed the new station in town, Altitude 950 AM, to gain traction in Sandy’s time slot with Vic Lombardi, Kyle Keefe and Julie Browman who are doing a much more listenable show than CJ and Stokley are. Besides, I, like many listeners, truly value Clough’s insight on the local sports teams.
I would love nothing more than to have Sandy return to the airwaves next week to break down the Broncos’ new draft picks, evaluate the quarterback situation and even talk a little Rockies. I miss his measured, thoughtful and educated assessments and I know for a fact that many, many others do, too. Sports talk radio in Denver isn’t the same without him.
**UPDATE, 4/29**
The initial publication of this article led to my having a couple of other conversations that have shaped my take on Clough’s recent absence from 104.3 the Fan.
Personally, I don’t think Sandy is ill. I also don’t think he would have vacationed through the station’s coverage of the NFL draft.
This is only a theory and it is mine alone … I think there has been a falling out between Sandy Clough and management at the Fan. I know that Clough was rankled over the dismissal of Scott Hastings by the station and I also suspect that he was unhappy about being paired with Brandon Stokley. I think it’s very possible that Clough is sitting out in protest and that he might even quit.
There’s a gap in programming at Altitude 950 between the morning program and the afternoon program that is currently filled with the syndicated Rich Eisen show. I would not be the least bit shocked to learn that slot was being held open for Clough should he be able to gracefully remove himself from whatever contract he is bound to with the Fan.
Again, this is just a guess.
0 Comments (17 conversations)
Thanks for posting this. I have been wondering about Sandy’s absence too. Hopefully we will be back soon.
Thanks for update, Colin.
Like you (and I assume many, many Colorado sports fans), I have been missing Sandy like crazy the last few weeks. At first, I just assumed he was on vacation but I have grown more and more concerned. “CJ” is unbearable and, as someone who listens to sports talk radio all day at work, I too have been sampling Altitude 950, which is at least tolerable.
If Sandy is ill, I know I join many Colorado sports fans in wishing him a fully and speedy recovery.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks CJ is awful. I remember him being on the radio years ago and he wasn’t nearly as bad as he is now. Stokely isn’t much better. Two ex jocks in the booth might be the problem. Need a radio/tv guy/sportswriter type in the booth with the ex jock. I thought Troy Renck was excellent filling in for Stink recentley, hire him.. Hope Sandy gets back on the radio soon. I remember listening to Sandy on his postgame Bronco Talk show 30yrs ago. The guy IS sports talk radio in Denver. He, along with Irv and Joe, practically invented sports talk radio in Denver.
He also might be caring for a family member such as his Father back East.
I’ve actually enjoyed commentators that don’t interrupt everyone constantly and don’t need to spend 5 minutes asking a question of a guest, only to interrupt them 5 seconds into their answer.
I’ve been worried as well. Sandy is by far the best of all the hosts on The Fan. Stokely is difficult to listen to, and his constant whining about signing Brian Hoyer brings serious questions about his credentials. CJ is OK…..but no Sandy Clough.
I’m glad someone has looked into the situation because I’ve been very curious. Turning on the radio today and again no Sandy made me do a “real” search for any news I could find. I’ll seek out alternate programming at 950 and hope that the program is more my style. I wish Sandy the best!
I’ve lived here 13 years and listen to sports radio a good bit like I did in past cities. Clough is amazing, far better than anyone else here or in any other city I’ve lived in. Yes, he can be insufferable and arrogant in cutting off people that annoy him, but wow, I can’t even listen to CJ–a guy with no media talent milking his brief moment in the sun as an athlete here in CO because apparently a lot of dummies here value that kind of thing. Stokely is even worse. I’m guessing the station tried to force Clough into the standard formula around the country now where you pair a gifted and intelligent radio sports guy (like Freddy Coleman, for example) with a moron that can hardly speak the language but who appeals to a ‘certain demographic’ (read stupid white guys with little education). Hastings certainly falls into that latter category, but at least he appealed to stupid white guys with some intelligence and style and actual knowledge. Listening to CJ and Stokely is like listening to a couple of tree stumps.
Re the Kroenkes attempt to take over the sports radio market here with their AM 950, I’m a Nate K fan–another very intelligent guy that can be annoying from time to time. Not sure how Nalen will do longer run with Nate, but as an alternative to The Weasel (the intolerable DMac) who admits he doesn’t even seriously follow sports outside of the Broncos, Nate wins hands down. Other than the Nate show, though, the rest of the local lineup on 950 is very difficult to listen to because there is so little intelligence. The Lombardi show is only slightly better than the abysmal CJ and Stokely.
I mostly agree with you, the local talk show hosts are mostly dumb and/or annoying. DMac is both, he must work for free, how he still has a job is beyond me. Stokely and Alfred are dumb, but tolerable. Evans, Kreckman, and Lombardi are annoying, but know their stuff. Sandy is good but I hate it when he takes calls, most callers are simpletons and you can hear how annoyed Sandy is with them. Lammey is good, but he’s trying to get a job with the Broncos (he admitted this a couple of years ago) so that’s why he praises Elway like a Greek God. That’s getting annoying as well. Try 104.7 in the afternoons, they’re not bad. I’d like to see Edwards and Drotar back together as well, taking the place of Dmac and Alfred.
I don’t think Kreckman has been on the air at 104.3. Lombardi jumped ship in January. It’s now Evans and Schlereth, which would have potential except that it includes Evans.
Ha! Yeah, Evans is so damn annoying. Kreckman was on 105.5 and he subbed in a few times, mostly on the weekends, on 104.3. Glad he doesn’t anymore, though most of 105.5 is pretty bad also.
Essentially what you are saying is 104.3 is annoying. There’s a reason DMac works with Alfred; there’s a reason Evans is there. If this were just about radio with football players, the John Q Public’s couldn’t relate, would stop listening. That’s also why people like Stokley, even though he’s an insider, he comes off as the DMac and Evans, the everyman. The public needs and wants someone who represents their demographic, and they will create one of the group if necessary. That’s why we liked Edwards and Drotar – they were us.
I see what you’re saying. There are other hosts that are relatable but not annoying, though opinions vary. Replace Dmac (a regular Joe, not a player) with one of the guys who’ve been subbing for Sandy; like a Paul Klee or Troy Renck, someone who actually knows something and isn’t a jacka$$. Replace Alfred with Charles Johnson, Cecil Lammey, Tyler Polumbus, Joel Dreessen or Stokely. Replace Evans with either Edwards or Drotar or both. But first things first, get Dmac off the damn air.
Don’t know about most of what you said but for sure…get DMac off the air…he trys to be annoying…and does a great job at it….Look up the definition of “a tool” and you’ll find DMac…
Agreed. Why he bothers to take calls is beyond me. Maybe management forces him to.
He even does it to in-studio guests and co-hosts. It’s just become his standard operating procedure to overdrive his mic, drowning out any other voice. And, most of the time, he’s right, but goddamn – give your engineer and our ears a break.
Yeah, you’re right. He has a bad case of “I’m the smartest man in the room – itis”.
My guess is that Clough’s contract is running out, he’s not happy at all & wants to jump ship to 950 and the Fan is shelving him til he leaves, delaying a move that would give 950 a boost. In addition to his buddy Hastings going there, I can’t believe he’s happy with the NFL 24/7/365 edict at the Fan. He likes to talk other sports too. Another sign is the 180 he did in his criticism of Josh & the Nuggets some months ago. He was one of their severest critics, Josh goes on his show & then it’s suddenly all hearts & flowers & Sandy is featured on the Alumni game tribute. (Josh would be his new boss.) I’m also guessing the Fan has told him as long as he keeps his mouth shut til his contract expires & he leaves, he’ll get paid.
They still call the show Sandy and Stokley – and the station is still running his commercials. This looks more personal than professional to me. I can’t wait for him to be back on air.
I enjoy and therefore miss Sandy’s analysis and knowledge of whatever it is he’s speaking about. I don’t miss the way he incessantly interrupts and yells overtop of EVERYONE.
I think Sandy is excellent as a stand-alone host; one who loves his voice over those of his guests… that’s fine. I am not missing him that much – I have always loved CJ, he has a market that The Fan could and should tap into. I like him paired with Brandon Stokley, too – sort of Soul and Nerd – they seemed to work off each other well.
Anyone paired with Sandy who isn’t Scott Hastings is in third place as a pair. I, personally, wouldn’t mid seeing Sandy take 9-12; Cecil Lammey is too smug and his vibe is wrong for his own solo show. Then CJ and Stokley from 12-3. Put Lammey where he belongs, either after the Drive from 6-9, or on the street.
Sandy Clough is a Denver sports talk legend who doesn’t take any crap and who has always been better as a solo act. (I, for one, wasn’t sorry to see Scott Hastings let go.) I must admit that his lengthy completely unexplained absence had led me to fear the worst–and I’m still not convinced that there isn’t some kind of health issue involved. But if Sandy is just on paid leave or “strike”, I hope he returns to the airwaves soon. Most of 104.3’s lineup is pretty sorry, they DO talk about the Broncos too much (although I’m guessing the ratings bear out their strategy) and if there is no one in Denver sports talk to challenge the teams and mix it up with the callers at least a little bit, then there’s no point to having sports talk at all.
Haven’t listened to the Fan since sandy went off the air. Dmac & Al have to be two of the worst hosts I’ve ever heard & if they’re still airing the show for 6 hours I’m stunned people haven’t been fired. Lammey is tolerable in bits & pieces. Hopefully sandy gets back on the air & the Fan guts it’s “talent”
Al is ok. Thoughtful and does his research. Dmac can go and please get out of Denver Town. It’s not working….
If Sandy was gone for professional reasons, the station would just say it. Personally, I believe it’s a health issue, and probably the Big C word. That’s the one that requires long treatment that physically exhausts the patient.
Regardless, I rarely listen to TheFan anymore. I enjoyed the Morning show when it included Vic Lombardi. Always enjoyed Sandy Clough.
I see a place for CJ and it seems that he and Stokely are a pair. What needs to change at that station is The Drive. DMAC is awful and Alfred is tolerable when he is paired with an intelligent host who isn’t as narcissistic and immature as DMAC
Scott Hastings was the perfect foil for the opinionated Sandy Clough. I enjoyed listening to them. Scott is one of the few I’ve heard over the years that could hold his own with Sandy. They had an entertaining show. If Sandy goes I will change stations. Sorry, It’s a product and my preference is the only thing that counts. I like Alfred Williams and DMac separately but not together. They don’t make a good pair. Their discussions often devolve into pointless disagreement rather than contrasting takes. Alfred’s player cred will always trump DMac. I would like to see them re-paired with more suitable co-hosts. I don’t mind a little off-season Broncos discussion but the daily death watch over Von Miller’s contract is tiresome.
Well, it’s the end of June and still no Sandy.
I’ve called the station but never been given an answer. I think it’s as posted earlier, he keeps his mouth shut and he’ll get paid.
I don’t miss Scott. His shtick got old for me after he left with Dave Logan. It doesn’t seem to me that Mike Evans and Stink have any chemistry. I’ve always liked Stink but since he came to The Fan, he seems to be even more self centered. Every story takes a detour to something about him. I really respect all he’s done, but dayum….. Mike Evans seems to take on the role of pot stirer.
Like everyone, I get annoyed at D-Mac at times but I do think he and Alfred, whom I enjoy listening to, do have chemistry and I enjoy their show. Edwards and Drotar should be back after The Drive. I do really like Cecil’s two hours and catch the podcast whenever I miss it live.
The Fan could use Sandy back. CJ’s OK occasionally, but not everyday. Stokley even more so.
So we will see what happens…