25 years of WFNZ in Charlotte

WFNZ “The Fan” a sports radio station in Charlotte North Carolina is celebrating 25 years on the air. WFNZ has been around since the 1940's but became a sports talk radio station in August of 1992. Gerry Vallincort and  Michele Tafoya were two early hosts on WFNZ when it went to sports.

I have been an avid listener of WFNZ for about 15 years. I started listening after a well known WFNZ caller (James from Maiden) kept raving about the station to me, we used to be good friends. Long time listeners of the evening shows may have heard me on the Whiner Line, I was known as the “Two Z's Guy” a nickname given to me by then producer QCB.

My first impulse was to write a smear job of the station because they seem to have banned me since I wrote an article on another blog bashing them for firing QCB. I drive around all day on my job and I listen to all the shows and often text them. I used to have a lot of texts read on the air but not anymore unless they read one and don't attach my name to it.

But I have had a lot of boring driving hours made better listening to WFNZ over the years and will give an honest opinion of all the shows that are on the station now. My favorite shows on WFNZ since I started listening was Brenston Buckner with Frank Garcia, and Taylor Zarzour with Marc James. I know Mark Packer was popular with listeners but I thought he was an ass. I did love the Mac Attack when Jim Celania was on there. T-Bone who produces the Mac Attack is my favorite producer ever on the station and is a class act.

I had cut back on my listening of WFNZ recently because I started to listening to a Christian radio station more often. Then when the NFL season got started this year I went back to listening to more WFNZ because that is by far my favorite sport. I was glad then Tony “The Hitman” was named as the programming director of the station after it was sold and they had to replace D.J. Stout.

My review of the current WFNZ shows

Mac Attack

I was more of a fan of Mac when he had Jim Celania as a co-host. To me he is a bit much to take that early in the morning when he gets a little hyper. Mac does have his fans thought and there was recently a nice write upabout him in the Charlotte Observer.

Garcia and Bailey

This is probably my favorite WFNZ show right now. I said very early that Kyle Bailey was the best new WFNZ hire since Taylor Zarzour. Teaming Bailey with Frank Garcia was great work in my opinion. I like Frank because he tells it like it is and because he was an original Carolina Panther.

Primetime

Primetime with Chris Kroeger is also a great show. Kroeger proved to be a genius years ago when working for another station he called me a “NFL Encyclopedia” when I was a regular caller of that show. Krog's likes his Hornets a little much for my taste as I am a NFL fan only. Still he has a great knowledge of all the sports and I always like the rotating co-host format of the Primetime show on WFNZ.