John McClain - 610 Radio

Next Year is the Year

5:08p, 1/31/24

Interesting to see one of the old ones finally pushed out of the door in relation to Houston sports. I wasn't his biggest fan, but it will be interesting to see who will replace him as THE Houston NFL media guy.

Houston media icon John McClain laid off at SportsRadio 610 (chron.com)

Ag_07

5:44p, 1/31/24

Good that guy sucks. It tend to think he lost his sources from within the Texans but I'm not sure he ever had any.

He would say the stupidest most generic shlt and I'd be sitting there thinking 'Why do they have even this dude on?'.

I can go on the radio and say 'Yeah I don't know who the Texans are gonna pick. No one does but maybe a couple people. It's kinda pointless to guess since it's just a guess. [insert fat man wheezing into the mic] But have yall seen Spring Breakers yet?'

AMW2010

5:52p, 1/31/24

I work for the Texans and still see him in and around the building all the time … fwiw

Diggity

6:08p, 1/31/24

They have excellent snacks

94chem

6:17p, 1/31/24

Saw him at the Houston Sports Awards last night. Basically the point is to induct Warren Moon, Lance Berkman, and Cynthia Cooper in the Houston Sports HOF. He was one of the b-listers who had a cameo to introduce someone else. They cram a bunch of other awards around these inductions. Most of the recipients didn't even show up. The best part of the evening was when Robert Earl Keen sauntered out to serenade Lance Berkman. Well, and to see our wheelchair basketball coach to win an award for community service!

94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough

I Am A Critic

6:17p, 1/31/24

10 years overdue

Username checks out.

Milwaukees Best Light

6:42p, 1/31/24

I thought for sure he would stroke out before they took the mic from him. Dude must have a gigantic enlarged heart to keep him above ground.

Chewy

6:42p, 1/31/24

I honestly thought the dude was working for free to seem relevant. Can't believe he actually got paid.

I don't hate the guy but he's definitely a relic from a by gone era.

You can bet he'll still be around the Texans as he's smartly never said a bad thing about the McNairs so he could keep his connection there.

BBRex

7:03p, 1/31/24

When I worked in the Chronicle sports department from about '08-14, he came to a couple of meetings but mostly worked remotely. The old Chron building downtown was sort of pieced together, and it took some walking to get from the car to the department's conference room. The few times I saw him I wasn't sure he was going to make the walk to the conference room and back. Even then I think he was more mailing it in and living on Oilers stories.

Jugstore Cowboy

7:29p, 1/31/24

In reply to BBRex

I've heard stories from older Chron guys about the glory days of the sports department, when McClain or whoever could pick out whichever NFL game they wanted to fly to that week, and the Oilers press guy who's job it was to entertain reporters in the hospitality suite at the dome. They had it good back in the day.

BBRex

7:41p, 1/31/24

In reply to Jugstore Cowboy

Yeah, I signed up too late for those glory days (and I worked the copy desk, so I was in the office editing stories and laying out pages). But I've heard life was good back then for those NFL guys.

Stat Monitor Repairman

7:47p, 1/31/24

Him and Charlie Pallilo could team up and do a show where John sits there and breathes during Charlie's dead air.

HtownWilly12

7:50p, 1/31/24

In reply to Stat Monitor Repairman

Stat Monitor Repairman said:
Him and Charlie Pallilo could team up and do a show where John sits there and breathes during Charlie's dead air.

A whole new meaning to dead air

BoxingAg84

1:48a, 2/1/24

1) This will take a few tweets, so please bear with me. For the first time in 24 years, I won't be appearing on @SportsRadio610 because I've been laid off. Friday is my last day. I'd been making 6 appearances, writing 4 columns and doing 3 Houtopia Football Podcasts each week.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 31, 2024

2) This will be the first time in 39 years I won't be doing radio in Houston. Sports talk has been great for me, first at KTRH and then @SportsRadio610. I want to thank Jerry Trupiano for hiring me at KTRH in 1985 and Moose Rosenfeld for hiring me at KILT AM 610 in 2000.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 31, 2024

3) I always wanted to be on Oilers and Texans flagship stations. I was honored to have those opportunities for 39 years. I actually started doing radio with Jerry Trupiano in 1976, my first year at the Chronicle, when I covered the original Aeros hockey team with Gordie Howe.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 31, 2024

4) When I retired from the Chronicle after the 2022 draft, my plan was to keep doing radio at 610 for another season before riding into the sunset. Then the station asked me to write columns for the website and to do Houtopia Football Podcasts, and I had a blast doing them.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 31, 2024

5) I'm sad about getting laid off because I love talking about sports on the radio, but I understand the business. It's happened to so many friends, and now I'm joining their ranks. I was treated like royalty during 47 years at the Chronicle, 15 at KTRH and 24 at @SportsRadio610
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 31, 2024

BoxingAg84

1:50a, 2/1/24

6) I want to thank GM Sarah Frazier and PD Parker Hillis for my years @SportsRadio610 where I was always treated with respect. I felt sorry for Parker because he had to deliver the bad news after Tuesday's show. I have no bitterness at all because getting laid off is commonplace
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 31, 2024

7) Through the decades, I worked with so many exceptional people at KTRH and @SportsRadio610 both on the air and behind the scenes. I want to thank all of them for helping make my appearances so much fun and rewarding.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 31, 2024

8) I'll miss my weekly appearances in the morning with @SeanTPendergast and @SethCPayne during middays with @LandryLocker and @LopezOnSports and afternoons with @ClintStoerner and @RealRonHughley. It's been a blast being on with all of you. I'll see you when I see you!
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 31, 2024

9) And I want to thank the exceptional producers for my weekly appearances: @BiggieBen in the morning @TheFiggyFig in the midday and @tmilrealdeal in the afternoons. You guys did outstanding jobs helping me sound better than I should. A BIG thank you!
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 31, 2024

10) Now, I'm about to make my last appearance with @SethCPayne and @SeanTPendergast at 8:23. Sean and I will record my last Houtopia Football Podcast Thursday. My last appearance will be Friday at 4 with @ClintStoerner and @RealRonHughley. Thank you guys very much.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 31, 2024

BoxingAg84

1:51a, 2/1/24

11) I'll still be tweeting and retweeting. I also do weekly shows in Nashville, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Waco, San Antonio and Austin. I plan to keep doing doing them as long as they'll have me talking about the Texans and the NFL.
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 31, 2024

12) And, finally, thanks very, very much to all the listeners and readers who've listened and read me through the decades at the Chronicle, KTRH and 610. I appreciate it very much. I don't plan to disappear. I just have one fewer station to appear on every week. THANK YOU!
— John McClain (@McClain_on_NFL) January 31, 2024

Milwaukees Best Light

6:39a, 2/1/24

In reply to BoxingAg84

That is a pretty classy way to do it. I don't care for the twitter platform, but that shouldn't take away from the words he typed.

TJaggie14

7:58a, 2/1/24

Furlock Bones

8:14a, 2/1/24

Good F em. He's a mouth breathing moron that has infected Houston sports media for far too long.

Ferris Wheel Allstar

8:20a, 2/1/24

In reply to Milwaukees Best Light

Milwaukees Best Light said:
That is a pretty classy way to do it. I don't care for the twitter platform, but that shouldn't take away from the words he typed.

was thinking the same thing as I was reading it

MAS444

8:31a, 2/1/24

I couldn't listen to the dude with his constant wheezing and gasping for air.

Furlock Bones

8:42a, 2/1/24

In reply to MAS444

MAS444 said:
I couldn't listen to the dude with his constant wheezing and gasping for air.

someone on twixer said his voice was "iconic". is breathing into the microphone iconic?

chimpanzee

9:00a, 2/1/24

I had a 2.5 hour commute before the days of streaming or podcasts or anything like that, so I probably listened to months of Houston sports radio. I don't know how any of those guys maintained any kind of energy to go on talking about mediocre football for decades.

Not to be an apologist for the guy, I wasn't a fan, but to have Houston sports as your required professional speaking subject from ~1995 to 2015 meant one run to a championship game/series over 60 seasons. It's amazing they all didn't keel over from the uppers they had to do to get animated enough to get out of bed.

David_Puddy

10:52a, 2/1/24

In reply to AMW2010

AMW2010 said:
I work for the Texans and still see him in and around the building all the time … fwiw

You know Roland? He's one of my best friends

MelvinUdall

11:00a, 2/1/24

I have no issue with McClain, he had a tremendous career as a writer, he is not always on his "A" game, but that doesn't take away from his career. It will be interesting to see who they do fill his void with at 610.

I Am A Critic

11:14a, 2/1/24

In reply to MelvinUdall

MelvinUdall said:
It will be interesting to see who they do fill his void with at 610.

At least two, maybe three people if they're Asian.

Username checks out.

Diggity

11:26a, 2/1/24

In reply to Furlock Bones

I mean, if you hear that voice, you do think of Houston sports...so I can get the comment

tommyjohn

12:24p, 2/1/24

More time for his acting career.

Maybe the can tell more stories about his role in HOF voting.

Al Bula

12:47p, 2/1/24

Was it ever confirmed that he was banging Anna-Megan?!

Jugstore Cowboy

1:44p, 2/1/24

In reply to Al Bula

You think she had to do anything more than laugh and pat his knee when they talked about cheerleaders' bodies?

maroon barchetta

12:13p, 4/22/24

Is Cal McNair actually John McClain's real identity?

Kind of a Higgins/Robbin Masters situation?

Furlock Bones

12:19p, 4/22/24

In reply to maroon barchetta

Cal is living it up now. It's pretty hilarious.

Big Cat `93

12:39p, 4/22/24

In reply to maroon barchetta

maroon barchetta said:
Kind of a Higgins/Robbin Masters situation?

ccolley68

1:45p, 4/22/24

In reply to Furlock Bones

Wouldn't you if your sole purpose in life was to own your dads NFL team with a couple $B in your pocket?

cypress-ag

9:30p, 4/22/24

I'm embarrassed Cal went to CyFair but fitting he is a sip.