Anyone know why Al Esch. isn't on the

[Vinny78]

Animal? They are doing all their Sugar Bowl stuff with Traber and Rodgers. Did he switch stations or quit ? He is always at OU Football games. Just wondering if anyone knows.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

He is probably in nola with some hookers

 

[ksSooner13]

Wouldn't know... i've been enjoying The Franchise and not having my speakers blown out by him and Traber constantly yelling

 

[ByronHoustonsSweatyPalms]

Got bit part as a troll in the next Hobbit movie.


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[Boomer]

Someone mistook him for a leprechaun and kidnapped him.

 

[TheGimper]

He's out of the country.

 

[BanjoCharley]

Does anyone care?

 

[BigTime]

Wouldn't know... i've been enjoying The Franchise and not having my speakers blown out by him and Traber constantly yelling

I like Al. Plus, he has always given a crap about OU basketball - a huge bonus!

 

[usedtobe1]

I don't know him anymore but back in the 70's there was a rival newspaper to the Daily Oklahoman called the Oklahoma Journal. Al was the sportswriter for the Journal and did his radio gig on the side. The internet didn't exist and the Journal or his radio show was the only way you could get any updates on OU basketball.

Al was pretty close to Barry and eventually Billy Tubbs, but he isn't close to OU coaches anymore.

After the Journal folded, Al went to a full-time radio job. He used to be a lot better than he is now. He went to KC for a few years but I think they let him go. He has done radio for so long, he is probably burnt out. My sister lived next door to them for awhile when he was still married. She liked his wife a lot but said Al hardly ever spoke to anyone.

I live in Houston now so I haven't listened to him for years.

 

[sperry]

Guy is enjoying some sort of "non-traditional" prostitutes in Thailand.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

Just to remind everyone, his son posts here and is a good Sooner hoop supporter. Just saying......

 

[DenverSooner]

His son is a big boy. Al is a public figure. Some will like him and some will hate him. It is good for Al for people to discuss him. I suspect his son gets this.

I also suspect the public Al and the real Al are different people. He os an entertainer and to some degree his public persona is a character just like a sit com.

 

[Vinny78]

Glad everything is OK. I like listening to him - have for 30 years. Real weird though that he didn't go to a big OU game.

 

[Sooner04]

I took Al's journalism class when it was first offered in the summer of 2002. It was fantastic. All the coaches came and talked to us, as did Bob Barry and Switzer and Tramel. The Al on the radio is very, VERY, different from the guy you'd talk to in the classroom or see dining at Othello's.

The guy knows OU BBall. Ever notice the big ring he wears on his right hand? It's an '84 Big 8 championship ring. I think that was the last year Al was able to do color on the radio broadcasts before the rights changed hands and he had to give up the post. You could tell that still gnawed at him years later.

Al took a real liking to my meager journalistic efforts, and he strongly suggested I take an internship at the Oklahoman (he said I'd be on board with one phone call). Fool that I am, I had visions of SportsCenter in my head, so I interned at a local TV station. I regret that decision still to this day. It's one of the biggest mistakes of my life.

Long story short, Al's a good dude. He's asked to play a part for ratings (like Holtz or Skip Bayless) but the real Al Eschbach really knows his stuff. I took a bunch of classes at OU, and his was one of my absolute favorites.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I took Al's journalism class when it was first offered in the summer of 2002. It was fantastic. All the coaches came and talked to us, as did Bob Barry and Switzer and Tramel. The Al on the radio is very, VERY, different from the guy you'd talk to in the classroom or see dining at Othello's.

The guy knows OU BBall. Ever notice the big ring he wears on his right hand? It's an '84 Big 8 championship ring. I think that was the last year Al was able to do color on the radio broadcasts before the rights changed hands and he had to give up the post. You could tell that still gnawed at him years later.

Al took a real liking to my meager journalistic efforts, and he strongly suggested I take an internship at the Oklahoman (he said I'd be on board with one phone call). Fool that I am, I had visions of SportsCenter in my head, so I interned at a local TV station. I regret that decision still to this day. It's one of the biggest mistakes of my life.

Long story short, Al's a good dude. He's asked to play a part for ratings (like Holtz or Skip Bayless) but the real Al Eschbach really knows his stuff. I took a bunch of classes at OU, and his was one of my absolute favorites.

Awesome post. Thanks for some real insight into someone I've listened to for longer than any other.

Some may remember Al left WWLS in the early 90's to take a job with a Kansas City sportstalk station, I think it was KCMO. Anyway, after a few years he was back in OKC and has been ever since. I figured the KS/MO people didn't much care for him, but it's the opposite from what I've been told since living here. One of the midday shows is filled with guys who worked with Al. Every Friday, they have a segment named "stump the chump". Al used to have it on his show on Friday nights. I called in one day and asked if they got it from Al or if Al got it from them and they said got it from Al with his permission/blessing. They asked me if I knew Al, and I said I've listened to him all my life but didn't know him. They then went on to talk about what a great guy he is, and every one of them genuinely likes him. Al has called in before, in 2010 when he was traveling to Columbia to watch the OU football team play MU. They had him on for 15 minutes and it wasn't planned, he just called in. It was awesome.One of the guys imitates Al on stump the chump and does Al's signature "Seeee yaaaaa".

So, Al is a good dude. You may not agree with him or his opinions but Al the person is a real nice guy and most everyone who knows him will tell you this. That says a lot about a person. It can't be said about me...I know some people who know me that don't like me.

 

[sdcloud9]

Al left KC because the station he worked at was bought and changed formats.

Like him or not, he was doing sports radio in the late 1970's when it was a new genre. He was truly a pioneer in the business. I have spoken with him a few times, very cordial.

I used to laugh when he and John Brooks used to do the OU games in tuxes, lol.

 

[garyeb2]

Al left KC because the station he worked at was bought and changed formats.

Like him or not, he was doing sports radio in the late 1970's when it was a new genre. He was truly a pioneer in the business. I have spoken with him a few times, very cordial.

I used to laugh when he and John Brooks used to do the OU games in tuxes, lol.

I had almost forgotten John "let's play hockey" Brooks. Al may be a great to know in person guy. But, his public persona is like finger nails on a chalkboard to me.

 

[MNsooner]

I want to echo what some have said about Al being one of the few people who cared about basketball at OU in the local media.

Regardless of what you think about him or his show, we as a board should be better than random unprovoked personal attacks. I know he is public figure and has probably heard worse (and certainly heard more clever) insults. Still, we are above this. There are some boards that might appreciate that kind of stuff, but I for one hope this isn't one of those boards.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I had almost forgotten John "let's play hockey" Brooks. Al may be a great to know in person guy. But, his public persona is like finger nails on a chalkboard to me.

To each his own, I guess. When I'm in OKC, I listen to Eschbach (and Trabor). Eschbach doesn't follow recruiting like he used to, but he's still very knowledgeable about sports and OU sports in particular. You ask that guy a trivia question about OU and he knows it. I also think he's funny. I'd rather be entertained than told about some high school kid who runs a fast 40 time. But that's just me...