University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: Behind The Media Blitz
August 24, 2006 | Football
Aug. 24, 2006
By Adam Lucas
If you turned on your radio Wednesday morning, you probably heard John Bunting. It doesn't really matter what station you prefer--in the Triangle, he was on almost all of them.
But what really happens when the head coach of the Tar Heels makes a whirlwind tour to 12 different media outlets in four hours? I tagged along to find out.
5:28 a.m.: I meet media relations honcho Kevin Best. We are two minutes ahead of schedule. Surprisingly, it turns out that there are other human beings out and about at 5:30 in the morning. Who knew?
5:43 a.m.: We pick up Coach Bunting at his house. The travel party is complete. The head coach has been up since 3:30.
6:10 a.m.: On the way to the 101.5 FM studios, Bunting extols the virtues of WRAL traffic guy Mark Roberts. "I like that Mark Roberts," the coach says. "He's my favorite guy. I'm going to give him a plug. I'll give him the traffic conditions from our ride over here."
6:25 a.m.: We are in the 101.5 FM parking lot waiting for the 6:40 interview. "Dancing in September" by Earth, Wind & Fire comes on the radio. Bunting begins dancing. "This is my winning ballgames song," he explains. "This is what we play at my house when we win." He cranks the radio in Best's car to volume level 41. Kevin was previously unaware a volume level 41 existed.
After listening to his winning ballgames song, Bunting knocks out a quick phone interview.
6:50 a.m.: Sheri Logan, the other half of Bill and Sheri, arrives at the studio. It turns out that some of that spontaneous banter you hear in the morning is actually previously taped.
Sheri is followed by her two kids, Sydney and Stephen. She informs Bunting that the only other time they've wanted to come to the studio to meet a guest was for Clay Aiken. No one is sure whether this is a compliment or not.
7:20 a.m.: The first in-person interview ends. Bunting is not asked about the Carolina quarterback situation. This is an oversight that will quickly--and repeatedly--be remedied.
7:31 a.m.: A rampaging Mitsubishi in the parking lot of our next stop almost mows down Bunting.
7:40 a.m.: Bunting goes live with 94.7 WQDR. It turns out that host Mike Wheless is a big Tar Heel fan.
7:41 a.m.: Wheless is a big Tar Heel fan...so the first quarterback question was just asked. Give the WQDR guys credit. It's one of the most illuminating interviews of the day in terms of football talk.
7:48 a.m.: Bunting is in the studio with 680 WPTF. The atmosphere in this studio is completely different from any other interview the rest of the day. I don't think they tell too many jokes in the WPTF studio.
By the way, if you listened to more than one of Bunting's interviews and noticed the questions sound remarkably similar, that's because all the hosts are given fact sheets about the coach ahead of time. Some have done their own research and have their own questions; many don't. If you've been following the training camp coverage on this site, you've heard virtually everything Bunting said in every interview. But the blitz isn't really designed for the hardcore fan who seeks out information regularly about the Tar Heels. It's intended to hook more casual fans who might need to be reminded that the season is about to start.
8:00 a.m.: A WQDR employee asks Bunting for a pair of autographs. As usual, the coach wants to sit down somewhere to sign. Keep that in mind if you encounter him and want a signature--he takes pride in his autograph and thinks sitting down provides the fan with the best-looking signature.
8:02 a.m.: We're in the studio with 96 Rock. The contrast between the seriousness level at this station and our last stop at 680 is as stark as the 40-yard dash times of Rabbit Waddell and Brian Chacos.
One of the 96 Rock hosts just introduced himself as, "Salt." Just Salt.
8:05 a.m.: My man Salt just ripped off his jacket to reveal an NC State basketball jersey. Hilarity ensues.
8:12 a.m.: Bunting is playing air guitar to Van Halen's hit song, "Panama."
8:20 a.m.: Say this for Salt and his co-host Demetri--they put some effort into this interview and it's one of the most unique of the morning. Vince Papale, the former Eagles player whose life story was made into the movie "Invincible," just called in. The two former teammates have a nice chat. "I was your biggest fan," Papale says. "I just wanted to get your autograph and a sweatband in case they cut me really quickly."
8:30 a.m.: We are in the hallway outside the G105 studios. Is there anyone else who remembers way back when "Bob & the Showgram" first came to the area and was known as "Bob and Mike?" Mike's gone, but Bob remains. There is some discussion in the hallway of Bob's past hijinks when interviewing Bunting. About that time, Bob's voice booms out of the studio while on the air and apparently having a very interesting discussion: "I mean, I've been laying here in my own oatmeal!" Bunting raises an eyebrow.
8:40 a.m.: If you're from the Triangle and have a mental picture of what Bob looks like it, you're almost certainly wrong. He's much more normal-looking than you think.
8:42 a.m.: Josh Kelley was in the G105 studio performing earlier today. None of us know who Josh Kelley is, unless he is possibly the 3rd-string tailback for South Florida. Whitney Martin, the wife of sports information staffer John Martin, clues us in. "He sings, `You're Amazing,'" she explains. An appropriate song for our motley crew (Not Motley Crue, that's a different band).
8:50 a.m.: The following conversation occurs upon entering the 106.1 WRDU studio:
Me: "Hi, I'm Adam Lucas."
DJ: "What's up, dude? Blade."
It turns out the DJ's name is Bob the Blade, but he frequently just goes by Blade. So far today we have met people named Blade, Salt, and Wicker. The radio world is kind of like a Dr. Seuss book.
9:10 a.m.: A moment of Raleigh radio greatness as Blade and Bob from G105 pass in the hall. Bob does not get a, "What's up, dude?" I am special.
This also explains how Bunting can be in so many different studios on the same day. WQDR, WPTF, 96 Rock, G105, and WRDU are all in the same building.
9:25 a.m.: We're in the NewsChannel 14 conference room as Bunting knocks out three straight radio interviews on the phone. He is asked about the quarterbacks for the sixth, seventh, and eighth times in the past three hours. To his credit, he always answers it as though it's the first time he's ever heard it.
10:35 a.m.: Bunting tapes an appearance with Jim Connors on News Channel's Sports Night program. As veteran Sports Night watchers know, the show is usually completely live. They're making an exception to fit the media blitz schedule.
10:50 a.m.: The last interview is finished. Bunting has spoken directly to 13 different media outlets this morning and answered nine questions about the Carolina quarterback situation. The rest of his day is filled with meetings--there are three training camp practices remaining before game week preparation for Rutgers.
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. He is the coauthor of the official book of the 2005 championship season, Led By Their Dreams, and his book on Roy Williams's first season at Carolina, Going Home Again, is now available in bookstores. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly or learn more about Going Home Again, click here.
