Cowherd Cutback: Less Can be More

Enjoyable and entertaining ESPN Radio host Colin Cohwerd told listeners Friday that his four-hour nationwide show would move to just three hours beginning April 5 -- and it's a cutback he championed.

"I begged," Cowherd said of his discussions with management. Because he also co-hosts "SportsNation" on TV, Cowherd said he felt as if he was sprinting from show to show and not doing the quality of work he wanted.

Many affiliates only take part of the show, "The Herd with Colin Cowhed," and it's four-hour format makes it a midday program on the East Coast and a morning drive offering on the West Coast. Both New York City and Los Angeles affiliates carry the show.

For other markets that only get part of the show, the downside might be more Jim Rome as stations look for options to fill an hour of air time.

Cowherd believes his radio show should benefit greatly from the move. Few single-host shows run for four hours, and he sounded genuinely upbeat when announcing the move.

"I say this all the time, less is more," Cowherd said. "I have no interest being on the show for six hours. I'd rather have a tight, fast show."

In an unrelated move, "The Herd" is losing producer Amanda Gifford as well. She's leaving next week, with Wednesday as her last show, to take a management position with ESPN Radio -- overseeing some weekend programming and g and moving to a position that will allow her to mentor and teach a bit. For someone who earned undergraduate degrees in communications and education, it's a natural and savvy move.

She brought the show a lot of heart and personality, and her planning was key to many unseen aspects of its success. Hopefully, she'll get the appropriately appreciative and appropriately fun, sendoff she deserves during her final show.