Radio Row: Ranking Denver’s top seven Broncos blabbers

Denver is ostensibly a four-sport town (pipe down lacrosse fan) with pro squads representing the NBA, NHL, NFL and Major League Baseball. But, when it comes to sports talk radio everybody knows it’s the Broncos who pay the bills at the city’s three dedicated sports talk radio stations as well at the 50,000 watt blowtorch of the Rocky Mountain West. Whether it’s football season or not if you’re not talking pigskin in Denver chances are folks are flipping the dial.

So whom among the market’s numerous blabbers are the best in terms of offering fans the deepest info, analysis, interviews and “hot takes” on the Broncos? Welp, these seven are this radio junkie’s faves:

7) Zach “Honey Bear” Fogg  (Drive Time Sports, 4-6 PM, Mile High Sports AM1340)

Zach Fogg was the best kept secret in Denver sports media when he spent most of his time behind a mixing board at Mile High Sports Radio. Hosts there, however, quickly figured out that Fogg could be a valuable contributor to their shows and he started getting more and more time at the mic. Now Fogg is an afternoon producer at the Fan while also co-hosting Drive Time Sports with Eric Goodman at MHS. Fogg isn’t your father’s sports talker. He’s quick-witted, extremely well studied and sharp and he somehow manages to develop unique takes in a sports town where nearly everything has already been said.

6) Shawn Drotar / Ryan Edwards (the Fan Late Night, 9-midnight, 104.3 the Fan)

The Fan Late Night is the best new(ish) show on the airwaves in Denver. It’s great that the Fan paired Edwards and Drotar, two highly experienced but young radio personalities. The show wouldn’t be nearly as good with one or the other of them. They have a great rapport and together they provide Broncos fans with the type of intimate listening experience that only late night radio can. They’re great with callers as night hosts should be and they offer a fresh perspective which is needed at the tail end of the day when listeners have already heard everything there is to be said.

5) Mike Evans (Fan Morning Show / Fan Football Hour, 6-10 AM, 104.3 the Fan)

Mike Evans is like rice. He’s white and he goes with anything. Over the decades Evans has been paired with pretty well every single host at 104.3 the Fan and he’s been shuffled from one time slot to another. His current role is that of co-host with Vic Lombardi and Joel Dreessen on the Fan Morning show. Once that program wraps up Evans keeps plugging for another hour with the fantastic Fan Football Hour which features the best football guests of any program in the market. Evans is an excellent interviewer and a skilled radio man who can handle flying solo as well as he compliments other personalities.

4) Dave Logan (Colorado’s Afternoon News, 3-7 PM, AM850 KOA)

It’s almost unfair to include Dave Logan on this list – for two reasons 1) no station that still airs Rush Limbaugh can be considered a sports talk station and 2) because Logan is the radio voice of the Broncos. Still, he does know what he’s talking about – probably more than anybody else in town. Logan is an extremely skillful and knowledgeable broadcaster who played in the NFL and who coaches high school football at a championship level.

3) Dmac (the Drive with Big Al and Dmac, 3-6 PM, 104.3 the Fan)

Along with his co-host Alfred Williams, Darren “Dmac” McKee fills the top slot at the top station in town – and for good reason. Dmac is light-hearted, funny and talented. Most importantly, he is literally the one host in town willing to ask the tough questions (like when he asked Von Miller if marijuana is a part of his life). If what you’re looking for is a radio good time Dmac is the guy who will provide it, along with unique insights and awesome access.

2) Sandy Clough (Sandy and Scott, noon-3 PM, 104.3 the Fan)

Dusty Saunders, the media critic for the Denver Post once referred to Sandy Clough as a “sports essayist”. That’s as apt a description as any of the Godfather of Denver sports talk. And, when it comes to the Broncos Clough is level-headed, thoughtful and insightful. Listening to Clough simply makes one a smarter Broncos fan. He is perhaps most valuable for his Nuggets commentary (since he seems to understand basketball more than anybody else in the market) but his NFL musings are every bit as deep and as unique. There’s no better radio host in thids city  – sports, news or otherwise.

1) Cecil Lammey (the Cecil Lammey Show, weekdays 1-3 PM, 105.5 ESPN)

It’s hard to believe that when I first began listening to Cecil Lammey he didn’t even have a show on the radio. Cecil was (and still is) the co-host of the Audible, the FootballGuys.com podcast, which throws a whopping seven episodes up on Itunes every week during football season. After guesting at the old 102.3 the Ticket as a fantasy football expert. Slowly Lammey’s role increased and he became the station’s “NFL Insider”. Now he’s an afternoon host and one of only two local talents filling airtime at 105.5 ESPN. Cecil doesn’t skim the headlines for his knowledge of football. He lives, breathes, eats and sleeps the game and, with personal friends like Adam Shefter and Mark Schlereth, he’s got the inside track on news and analysis that the other guys just aren’t privy to. Cecil has a great relationship with his listeners, too. He’s not just a radio host; he’s your pal and he makes himself as available via social media as any personality in Denver.