In Minneapolis, Kent Youngblood notes T'Wolves radio play-by-play voice Alan Horton tonight "will call his 1,000th regular-season" game for the team. Horton, who has been in his role for 12-plus seasons, said, "You kind of take the players' mentality, just one broadcast at a time." Horton began working with the T'Wolves prior to the start of the '07-08 season and "does his broadcasts alone." Over time, the "influx of statistical analysis has affected his job as much as the game, giving him more information as he prepares for a broadcast" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 1/7).
SPILLING THE BEANS: NEWSDAY's Neil Best notes for former WFAN radio personality Bart Scott, the "combination of radio and TV" in his new role at ESPN Radio 98.7 N.Y. was the "no-brainer" in his decision to leave WFAN after his contract expired. Scott said that he was "displeased with how WFAN handled the firing of his former partner, Chris Carlin, last September, as well as by WFAN's initial contract offer, which he said was non-guaranteed." Scott confirmed that WFAN "sought to keep him with a more acceptable contract offer." But he added, "That was super-late in the game. I was checked out" (NEWSDAY, 1/7).
WELCOME RETURN: Illinois-based WROK-AM's Joe Dredge noted White Sox TV analyst Steve Stone yesterday wrote on Twitter that he will be back with the team for "multiple years." Stone's contract had "expired with the White Sox and [he] was technically a free agent heading into the winter." This is "great news for Sox fans and just fans of baseball in general." The White Sox booth with Stone and play-by-play man Jason Benetti is "one of the best in baseball and should entertain anyone that is interested" in the sport (1440WROK.com, 1/6).
TIP OF THE CAP: In Dallas, Robert Wilonsky notes Mike Rhyner, who began on Dallas radio in '79 and co-founded KTCK-AM in '94, "has retired." Rhyner made the "stunning announcement" yesterday via social media. Rhyner said that he "did not tell his co-host, Corby Davidson; nor the station's program director, Jeff Catlin." Wilonsky notes only Cumulus Media Regional VP Dan Bennett "was in the loop" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/7).
