Comments (1) Best Sports Radio Talk Show - 2006

The Hardline

Mike Rhyner suffered a death in his name. Greg Williams took a mysterious mid-season sabbatical. And Danny Balis walked around crowing about the flask in his pocket. Through it all, KTCK-1310 AM The Ticket's 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. show remained as popular as it is polarizing. To critics, the shallow circus is immature fart drops, time-wasting chatter about personal lives and endless segments based on Corby Davidson ripping headlines from the newspaper. But to its loyal legion of fans--it owns a 3-1 listener edge over its ESPN competition--The Hardline is a perfectly intoxicating mix of locker room and boys' club. From Davidson's uncomfortable questions to Shaquille O'Neal about sucking his mother's teats during the NBA Finals to Rhyner--who no longer responds to the name Rhyner--keeping his anti-Cowboys 'tude by calling Bill Parcells "The New Jersey Con Man," The Hardline's improbable hitting streak lives on. Merkin.