1 week Ago By By JEFF BIRCHFIELD [email protected]
Listeners have heard a new voice over the past few weeks on the area’s top-rated morning sports show. Jacob Townsend is the new host of the “Morning Monster” on WXSM-AM after taking over for Bobby Rader who recently moved to a position of news director for WGRV in Greeneville. Townsend, 27, grew up in nearby Big Stone Gap, Va.
, where he was part of the first four-year graduating class at Union High School. Detroit Lions tight end James Mitchell was a freshman when Townsend was a senior. He attended ETSU where he worked for the student radio station and then for Jay Santos and the Buccaneer Sports Network.
Townsend didn’t grow up listening to the “Sports Monster,” but began once he moved to Johnson City. Townsend said it’s impossible to listen to him without hearing the influence of Rader, afternoon host Bill Meade, NewsChannel 11 anchor Kenny Hawkins and WXSM morning co-host Steve “Bud” Haas. There are other influences from the national scene.
“I grew up listening to the sports radio shows. Dan Patrick was someone I listened to as a kid and I’ve had the privilege of interviewing him once,” Townsend said. “I listened to a lot of SVP (Scott Van Pelt) and (Ryan) Russillo during their ESPN days.
Opinion-wise, Colin Cowherd does as well as anyone making his point.” The timing of the move wasn’t exactly how Townsend envisioned. Rader left for the Greeneville station around the same time WXSM’s parent company adopted a policy of only full-time employees as regular-show hosts.
That ended a 17-year run for Hawkins as a co-host. “Right now doing the show solo for three days a week, that’s not something that’s been done in the past,” Townsend said. “I still have Bud two days a week.
What was great about Bud two days and Kenny three days with Bobby, they brought something different each day.” Townsend is bringing his own differences. He described himself as a little more opinionated where Rader was a true host.
Most of the content remains the same with a heavy emphasis on the Vols and Bucs. “Obviously, we focus a lot on Tennessee football, men’s and women’s basketball, and now baseball where wasn’t something you probably didn’t worry about in years past,” he said. “We also keep the eye on softball team and ETSU.
We’re proud to be the Bucs’ flagship station. Football and men’s basketball are obviously the big two, but (women’s basketball) Coach (Brenda) Mock (Brown) has been phenomenal for the station as well.” There’s are other longtime segments featuring the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, as well as NASCAR content, especially around the major racing events at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Townsend has a great source of knowledge to lean on with Meade, who serves as the station’s program director. He’s impressed by Meade’s longevity in doing the afternoon show for 30-plus years. “It’s an honor to work with Bill,” Townsend said.
“He and I can sit around and talk about 1940s Tennessee, 1970s Tennessee when he was a student there or whatever has happened more recently. Nobody has done it longer than Bill. I’ve been blessed to have Bill and Bobby be wonderful to me.
” Townsend looks at Rader and Hawkins as mentors. He explained he wouldn’t be in the position if not for Rader pushing for him to have more opportunity. Hawkins gave him a start in sports media.
“Kenny has been a friend a lot longer than I’ve been at the radio station,” Townsend said. “I was an intern for Kenny at NewsChannel 11. But, I talk to Kenny more than when we worked together.
It has been a wild few weeks, but a pleasure to take on this role and move the show in a similar path that it’s been going.”.
