Jim Traber has returned to his usual combative form on the Sports Animal Radio Network, even though he is still hampered after his colon surgery on March 13.
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Wednesday afternoon, Traber and network colleague Mark Rodgers, also KOCO-5 sports director, got into a heated argument over the OU baseball program and coach Sunny Golloway, which ended with each calling each other a joke and Rodgers saying he was "done” with Traber. By Thursday afternoon, the segment had been downloaded more than 800 times on the podcast page of www.thesportsanimal.com.
Traber claimed Golloway, as an assistant coach with OU in 2004, worked to earn the job of head coach by backstabbing then assistant coach Ray Hayward, which caused then head coach Larry Cochell to fire Hayward. Traber also said the OU program was a huge disappointment as it struggled to qualify for the Big 12 Tournament.
Rodgers said the Golloway scenario was his opinion and not fact. He also defended the 2008 Sooners, noting the strength of the Big 12 Conference, which had four teams in the top 10 at one time.
Traber said the reason Rodgers was defending Golloway was because Golloway let Rodgers and KOCO-5 sportscaster Chris Callahan coach the Sooners in an intrasquad game last year.
Traber: "You're a joke!”
Rodgers: "You're questioning my integrity! You're ridiculous!”
After Rodgers hung up, Traber said: "I don't care if you ever come on here again! If you're going to be all upset at me questioning your integrity, don't come on here again!”
Reached Wednesday evening, Rodgers acknowledged Traber made him mad, but said it was nothing personal. "It was a passionate sports argument,” he said. "That's what makes the radio station good.”
Rodgers did not appear on Traber's show Thursday.
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Eddie in Mustang is a Moron. Just had to get that out there. Since 2001 OU has played in 4 BCS bowls. Won 4 Big XII titles and been in the top 10 at the end of every yr. Winning a Bowl games is something that will happen again but winning double digit games EVERY year but 1? Sorry man that is waaaay above avg
I could not agree more with JJ and Matt. The Sports Animal has de-evolved into a gangsta/WWF production with a lot of air time to fill and no one or no-thing to fill it with. I turned it off long ago, what a joke. And as far as OU goes, I haven't turned a radio broadcast on since Barry took over the calls. I can't believe a major university has him doing, or trying to do, the play by play.
Rodgers done with Trabor? You must be joking. Do you honestly think anyone cares? The worst radio station in the country with the worst gathering of loud mouths who collectively know nothing about sports. And you think anyone is interested?
I quit listening to 640 AM years ago. It used to be one of my favorites. Trabor and Weird Al were more then I could stand. Trabor thinks he is some kind of genious and Al is a racist...against white people of all things! And then to top it off, half the time they are having talk shows when ball games are on. It used to be if there was a big national game on, tune to 640 AM and you couold hear it. Now, tune in during a big game and you hear these bozos talking about movies and other things. They just got too full of themselves! THe sports Animal sucks!
The dude's colon exploded. Do you need to know anything else. Sure this is a disappointing year, and missing the Big 12 is very embarrassing, but in Sonny's defense, his top two starters were lost before the ump called play ball on the season. Definately another year. Galloway has been successful in his preevious gigs. Had the top program in the state at ORU several years. Seems I recall people being unhappy with Hayward also, so who knows where the truth lies, but there does appear to be factions in the ou baseball family.
trabor is an idiot. ive seen him yelling at 6 year old kids because the didnt make a "play". i quit listening to sports anamil along time ago. not because of him, but because of those stupid martha burbridge-lane commercials.
Jason, the 2001 team was Blake's, check it out. What is his bowl record since. Look, I am probably a bigger O.U. fan than most. I have season tickets, even had them thru all the bad times, so I am not fair weather. But, I can see a team not finishing and losing their direction. O.U. used to sign players than grew up with a dream of being a Sooner. That is not what is getting signed any more, the players, not all, but most never had that dream, so it is easy for them to lose their motivation and drive. They just don't know what it means to be a Sooner. That is the coaches fault. Those superstars usually don't pan out.
Traber is a flat out idiot and is by no means a journalist, reporter, etc...He is a loud mouth with a microphone and he only has that mic beacuse he had a cup of coffee in the majors (and couldn't even hit his weight). There are a number of guys around here you could get to do his job that had a better career than he did and have more broadcasting talent in their little toe than Jim has in his whole body. Joe Carter would be an excellent host on the SA and could give a heck of a lot more insight than the "Big Man, Yard Bird" Traber can. As for Rodgers, well let's just say he isn't exactly tearing it up with his sports casts. Hell, the nepotism duo has a better sports cast than he does even though the Senior of the dou makes more errors than your average kid playing teeball. You have to be pretty bad to be let go by OU when you look at the fact Senior last got a call right when gas was still referred to as petrol and Moonpies were still a nickle and yet he still remains in the booth calling games. And by calling games I mean repeating everything you hear the spotter say in the background 5 seconds before Senior says it. (This is where I throw down the mic ala Chris Rock and walk off to a thunderous applause.)
eddie, anyone who says Stoops is average and claims the NC was John Blakes team needs to just keep it to themselves... the world doesn't need to know how clueless you are.
Didn't even know who traber was until this story. I haven't followed sports animal. Is it now on the old WKY? I was just happy the spanish language format failed miserably. I didn't even know it changed until I was check and EAS receiver at work and sure enough it was no longer blurting out spanish dribble.
Well Troy I just don't agree, and you seem to be a fair weather sooner fan if you call any sport at OU laughable during a down season. I'm very close to the University and I don't think you have to be a mean spirtited person to be a sports radio personality. Al is cut out of the same cloth as Traber but you take the Hump Man, Jack, Dean and a few others and they can get the callers going without being a bully. Your are right about one thing, I am crazy but not stupid enough to buy anything Traber is selling.
ok i swore i wasnt gonna comment on this topic but this is such a waste of paper space and as far as traber is concerned NO he shouldnt have to apologize....just because he went after another ou defender doesnt mean he should have to apologize...ou shouldnt be fighting to get in the big 12 tourney and no way should they give up 39 runs to a lowly kansas team even though i enjoyed it thouroughly as an OSU fan but in all reallity the spooners from norman should have 6th place or better locked up by now and not be fighting to get in....
For an Oklahoma sports fan living out of state, listening on the radio, I think James Hale and Jimbo Elrod on KOKC from 4 - 7 pm are much better. Traber, although knowledgable, just wears me out. You can listen to him and before long, you realize you are tired from just listening to the radio.
Trabor and Rogers are two peas in a pod. They both think they know everything. But in baseball, I give Trabor the edge, he did play the game. O.U. baseball has gone straight to hell with Galloway, just like Sherri's girls. Greg, you are right about not being impressed with the coaches. I disagree on Capel,he is doing a great job. His team improved every game. Coale has done nothing with the most talented team in the country. A team she recuited, that now she says has no talent, except for the two amazons. Stoops has been average since 2001(A John Blake team). His teams have fallen apart at the end of each season since. There would have not been Big 12 Titles if the North wasn't so bad. I am sure glad we play Texas early.
What are we, a bunch of high school girls? Who cares if Jim & Mark are fighting and who's side everyone is on. I quit listening to the Animal. Nothing personal against any one person. I just get tired of all the arguing. The fans that call in are just as bad if not worse.
Michael you are crazy. You are describing all radio personalities with your remarks. Disagree with Al on something, Mark is the exact same way. They are all opinionated and that is what makes the ratings. ESPN is a collection of the best of that type of person. Traber knows more about baseball than the rest of WWLS combined, and as a sooner fan I agree. He was the wrong hire in the first place, and was a backup to Stevenson. OU baseball is laughable this season and you should be upset when any program gets to this level. No way should Baylor and KSU field a better team in baseball with the talent in our state alone. Show more class yourself before making comments like this.
Let's not forget Traber also had a situation with Dean Blevins like this a few years ago. It made you cringe to hear them go after each other. Bloviators like Traber and Rush Limbaugh have to ratchet things up a notch so people don't notice they don't know what they're talking about.
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