Old Walla Walla Radio Shows

Just to jog your memory and following up on my past posts on radio from the 60s and 70s, KUJ used to have a show called "Swapping Time", it was a cross between "Craig's List" and talk radio. Local listeners would call in to buy and sell their items and would be put on the air. A tape delays allowed the host to screen calls for suitable material. KTEL's answer was "Trading Post" however the DJ would read what were basically want ads over the air. KTEL also had "Pet Patrol" where listeners would could post lost and found for dogs and cats.
Another show that you may remember was the Men's Garden Club that would air on Tuesday mornings. On that show, the Walla Walla Men's Garden Club would answer questions fed from listeners. The radio station announcer would answer the phone and jot down the questions, to which a panel of experts would answer on the air.

Many of you may remember the "Hi Fi Show" change aired Monday through Friday at 8:00 on KTEL. DJ Dave Cochran would ask listeners to identify a record, the first caller to identify the record would win a 6 pack of Coca Cola. In order to play, you had to get a "Hi Fi" which for local teens, was as coolest thing to have in their wallet next to a driver's license.

November 22nd, 1963

A dark day in American history.

Seahawks Lose In Minnesota

After a scoreless first quarter, it didn't take long to see which team is play-off bound as the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Seattle Seahawks 35-9. There were times when it looked like the Vikes did not have an opponent as ageless quarterback Brett Favre was able to move the ball practically at will, throwing four touchdown passes to four different Viking receivers. The Seahawks did not even get past midfield until late in the third quarter.

Billy Joel-Elton John Rescheduled

Ticketmaster has been informing customers that hold tickets to the canceled Seattle Elton John-Billy Joel concert, originally scheduled for early Novemberthat the concert has been rescheduled for Wednesday February 3rd at Key Arena.

A great clip recalling the AFL's imfamous "Heidi Game" of 1968. A game that might have been unnoticed except for two things, number one, it involved the league's showcase teams, the Jets (who would go on that season and win the Super Bowl and the Raiders (at that time, the defending AFL champions) and also,it kept football fans from watching one of the greatest comebacks in professional football history.
41 years later, fans still remember the "Heidi Games". This clip says it all.

Another Mike Barer

Up in the "Great White North" there is another Mike Barer. He is the bass player for the Edmonton, Alberta based group, Grassroot Deviation. Grassroot Deviation is described as playing a "diverse spectrum of Roots, Rock, and Funk." They have a myspace page and Mike has a group page on facebook. I do not know whether nor how he is related.

This Commercial Is So Funny

Cardinals Close The Curtain On The Seahawks

If the Seattle Seahawks proved one thing today, it was that even at it's best, it cannot keep up with an Arizona Cardinal team playing at it's worst. The 'Hawks blew a 14-0 lead in a 31 to 20 loss to the division leader. The one bright spot was second year Seahawk running back, Justin Forsett. Forsett had 123 rushing yards and a touchdown. In spite of a series of Arizona penalties and some big plays by Matt Hasselbeck, the Seahawks could not muster a single touchdown in the second half. Cardinal quarterback Kurt Warner (above) threw for 320 yards and 2 touchdowns. Beanie Wells had also rushed for two touchdowns.

Another Rainy Day

Rusty, in a classic pose in our kitchen the other day.

The AFL And ABA Challenge Established Sports Leagues

My brother, Steve wrote in his blog about the now defunct USFL which started as a Summer supplement to the NFL and then grew a little big for it's britches and finally challenged the Iconic league. It reminded me of the two upstart leagues of the 60s and 70s, the American Football League (AFL) and the American Basketball Association (ABA). The goals of both of these leagues was not nescessarily to destroy the established NFL and NBA, but to competed beside them like the American League and the older National League in Major League Baseball.

There is not much written to compare and contrast the AFL with the ABA, but there are so many similarities and yet so many differences.

The AFL no longer exists, but really it does. All of the original teams, plus the two expansion teams ( the Miami Dolphins and the Cincinnati Bengals), still exist, although the Houston Oilers are now the Tennessee Titans, the Oakland Raiders are again the Oakland Raiders, after a decade of so in Los Angeles. They exist in what became the American Football Conference (AFC). Three teams (Baltimore-Indianapolis Colts the original Cleveland Browns, now the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers), joined the AFL teams after the merger. The AFL was able to get a TV contract with NBC. It was easy for fans to watch their favorite NFL team on one channel and their favorite AFL team on the other. The AFL was established by oil baron Lamar Hunt, after the NFL stopped his bid to buy the Chicago Cardinals. Hunt owned the AFC's Dallas Texans. The Texans then moved to Kansas City and renamed themselves the "Chiefs". I think it was Hunt's money and the quality of ownership that he brought in that helped advance the AFL. Great AFL stars were Len Dawson, Joe Namath, Gino Cappeletti, and Daryl Lamonica.

Only four of the ABA teams joined the NBA. They are scattered in the league with no ties within. The ABA had no television agreement so it could not get either the exposure needed nor the money to lure the quality stars that the AFL could get. I remember an ABA all star game being played on "Wide World Of Sports" There was no common draft nor any direct competitive game with the NBA. The ABA was able to get some great stars though, Julius Erving, Connie Hawkins, and Rick Barry come to mind. It played with a Red, White, and Blue Basketball. It had the original three point line and many players had long hair and huge afro style haircuts. It was the flashier league.

The similarities are that they both brought changes to the older leagues, while the NBA does not play with Red, White, and Blue Basketballs, it adopted the "three point line" and the San Antonio Spurs (from the ABA) have won the league several times. The AFL brought the "two point conversion" , more colorful jerseys, the scoreboard keeping official gametime, player's names on jerseys, and of course the Super Bowl.

This year, the eight original AFL teams are having legacy weekends to celebrate 50 years since the founding of the league.

It's Mayor Mike McGinn

Former Sierra Club president Mike McGinn has won the Seattle mayoral race according to the Seattle Times. Joe Mallahan conceded today in a new conference. Mallahan was favored by most of the Democratic establishment. McGinn had over 300 volunteers. Neither candidate had either held an elective office in the area or had much outside name recognition before the race began.

Seahawks Bag The Lions

What started as a dismal day for the Seattle Seahawks down 17-0 at home facing the lowly Detroit Lions turned into a victory. The Seahawks offense started with an interception and a lost fumble on it's first two plays from scrimmage. Both times leading two Lion touchdowns.
Matt Hasselbeck, however stayed with the pass hitting 39 out 51 attempts f0r 329 yards.
Hasselbeck ended the day with the team record for career completions. The Seahawk defense had five interceptions, two from David Hawthorne, one from Marcus Trufant, one from Deon Grant and a final one by Josh Wilson that was run in for a touchdown to seal the deal.