Frank Beckmann to retire from WJR

[Colonel Flagg]

Frank announced he will retire March 26. If I still worked in the Fisher Building, I'd gladly hold the door open for him on his way out.

Chris Renwick, Frank's producer, is a great talent, and should take over the show...if there's still a show to take over. Now, if they would only get rid of Guy Gordon...

[Realist]

Good bye and good riddance, Frankie. Your know it all, arrogant attitude won’t be missed.

Like you said, don’t let the door hit you in the ass...

[fuzzpower]

Budget cuts? I know Beckmann and Haefner are older, but both retire around the same time? Has Haefner been replaced, that is another news anchor hired?

Could Cumulus run it like their smaller market stations and air a syndicated show in Beckmann’s slot?

[semihemi8]

Good bye and good riddance, Frankie. Your know it all, arrogant attitude won’t be missed.

Like you said, don’t let the door hit you in the ass...

I've listened to Frank for many years and he never sounded like that to me.

maybe you don't agree with Frank's politics.

[craig11152]

I quit listening to him in about 2008. It was before the election and he was somehow trying to connect Hitler-Nazi-Obama dots.
It was a long time ago so details are no longer in my head but that is when I knew the guy was delusional.

[ZenithCKLW]

I wish him well in retirement. That length of time on the same station is quite an accomplishment, and I know he had many loyal listeners. I stopped listening a long time ago when the politics seemed to move further away from my views and I couldn't relate.

Any speculation on if this announcement is related to Cumulus's recent directive regarding election fraud theories on the air?

[WOHO]

They wouldn't dare move Mitch into Frank's slot, would they? All News Radio 760 sounds more probable each day. Especially if Rush hangs it up this year, they could stick with news all day, and easy listening music all night (NightFlight 760) and I'd be okay with that.

[atariboy]

We used to listen to him for comedy 15 years ago. Whenever a guest came on he disagreed with politically, he'd cut them off and get 'the last word' in after they were gone, essentially talking behind their backs. He never could hang in a debate, so that was his only recourse. Indeed, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out, Frank.

[Bryce]

Yeah boy's, what a shitty career this man has had...

Named “Best Midday Personality” by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, Beckmann has been cited as Michigan’s top sportscaster for his work as the only person to broadcast games for all four of Detroit’s major sports teams and his creation of Detroit’s first sports talk show, “Sportswrap,” in 1981. He was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, and has also been inducted into the Michigan Associations of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and the VIP Mentoring Coaches Challenge Hall of Fame.

He was honored as “Top Michigan Sportscaster” numerous times, and in 2014, he received the Chris Schenkel Award by the National Football Foundation, making Beckmann a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

[Colonel Flagg]

Yeah boy's, what a shitty career this man has had...

Named “Best Midday Personality” by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, Beckmann has been cited as Michigan’s top sportscaster for his work as the only person to broadcast games for all four of Detroit’s major sports teams and his creation of Detroit’s first sports talk show, “Sportswrap,” in 1981. He was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, and has also been inducted into the Michigan Associations of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and the VIP Mentoring Coaches Challenge Hall of Fame.

He was honored as “Top Michigan Sportscaster” numerous times, and in 2014, he received the Chris Schenkel Award by the National Football Foundation, making Beckmann a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Best midday personality compared to WHO??? It's easy to win an award for "best" when there's nobody else!

Sportswrap was a great show, and that's precisely where Frank belonged. Management shit canned Sportswrap in favor of Hannity (on delay, no less) While I appreciated Frank as a sports guy, his skills as a host of a current events talk show are sorely lacking. He gets the same lame callers, every show. Charlene from Troy, Mr. Positive, Rod from Plymouth, etc everyday. With each show, it's obvious that very little to no show prep whatsoever occurred prior to air. Twenty five years ago, when Chuck Fritz had WXYT 1270 running on all cylinders as a news/talk station, Frank would have never made the cut.

The "mentoring" stuff is hard to imagine. Frank usually seemed paralyzed with fear when it came to dealing with management, over anything even slightly controversial. There were a couple of incidents where he clearly threw coworkers under the bus. That's not anyone I'd want as a mentor, but hey, it looks good on a press release.

[MotorCityRadioFreak]

My dad will be disappointed.

[jsf]

He had a great career in sportscasting and to blast him because of his politics is just what Lib's do.

[Colonel Flagg]

He had a great career in sportscasting and to blast him because of his politics is just what Lib's do.

Nice try, but I'm not a "Lib" and never have been. My political views are pretty much even with Frank's. Regardless, he still puts on a very uninformed, uninspiring show.

Chris Renwick would be the best replacement, but my fear is MW is correct, it'll be Guy Gordon, or Steve Courtney...another excellent sports guy, but about as interesting as dry white toast when it comes to current events/political talk.

The ONLY sports guy I have run across who can pull off a decent current events talk show is Ken Broo, on 700 WLW in Cincinnati.

[matt1]

Did NOT compete with the late great Michigan Wolverine Football announcer Bob Ufer whatsoever (who died in 1982)!!!

[radioandtventhusiast]

I've listened to Frank's show a few times recently. He seems like he doesn't want to be there and sounds bored throughout, I'm sure it could be age though. I did listen to some of his old Michigan announcing. Pretty good. Best of luck in retirement.