RIP, Legendary WTKA Caller High-Octane Mike
Just saw that longtime and legendary WTKA called High-Octane Mike (aka Mike King) passed away earlier this week. WTKA noted that it's been a tough year - the legendary JJ (a regular on the afternoon show with Jamie Morris) also passed away last year. Rest in peace, Michigan brothers.
Speaking of WTKA legends, does anyone know what became of Linda?
January 19th, 2023 at 2:39 PM ^
The only legend I remember whenI was able to tune in, was Phil.
January 19th, 2023 at 3:40 PM ^
Phil is a hater
January 19th, 2023 at 2:58 PM ^
I was wondering what happened to JJ... I always miss about the first half hour of the show and they were talking about him one day in a post mortem type of way and I never gave it a second thought... I just thought I wasn't hearing him call in because he always called in later on in the show when I was already home...
January 19th, 2023 at 3:39 PM ^
I think Ira mentioned that JJ from Lincoln Park passed away. He seemed like a nice guy and could carry on an interesting conversation.
January 19th, 2023 at 4:28 PM ^
JJ from Lincoln Park passed away sometime in Jan 2022. WTKA got that news about a month later an announced it. JJ had been a caller to WTKA since the late 1990s when it first become a sports talk format station. I met JJ a few times. He was a U of M swim and diving alum. We had a few things in common being former student athletes.
Prior to his passing, another popular caller was "Big" Al from Romulus. He passed in 2019 or 2020 (I'm not sure) Big Al was well liked by Sam Webb and Ira.
January 19th, 2023 at 3:03 PM ^
Mark in Novi.
Knew more about recruiting than Sam.
January 19th, 2023 at 3:04 PM ^
I can't recall his name, but there was a guy who would regularly end his calls with a Bob Ufer impression. I haven't heard him in a long time, hope he's doing well.
Edit: I think his name was Dennis from the OC.
January 19th, 2023 at 3:17 PM ^
Yes. Dennis from the OC
January 19th, 2023 at 3:25 PM ^
Yeah what happened to Dennis from the OC? I actually met him a few years back, at a uofm luncheon at andiamos on telegraph (the jimmy hoffa restaurant). Super nice guy. Hopefully he's still around.
January 19th, 2023 at 3:34 PM ^
Dennis from the OC seems like a nice guy but for some reason I found his calls so annoying I couldn't listen to them.
January 19th, 2023 at 4:19 PM ^
Is he the one that talked fast? Yes he was annoying.
January 19th, 2023 at 4:32 PM ^
Dennis from the OC is alive and well. He called the M-Zone on Tuesday giving his condolences about Mike's passing. Dennis is a season ticket holder for football. He can seen tailgating near the Big House on game day and sometimes gets into the Victor's Lounge from WTKA.
January 19th, 2023 at 4:33 PM ^
WTKA isn't a call-in station any more; they have a regular daily roster of guests so each day is pretty well booked.
January 19th, 2023 at 4:37 PM ^
Jamie Morris (M-Zone) reserves the 5-6 PM hour for call-ins each day. It's usually the same 4 or 5 guys calling but Oh well.
January 19th, 2023 at 6:00 PM ^
I remember a guy named Don who would call in regularly....
January 19th, 2023 at 10:42 PM ^
The Hoffa restaurant was the Machus Red Fox.
January 19th, 2023 at 4:17 PM ^
Dennis was great. Legit good caller, and his Ufer was perfect.
One of my all-time favorite moments was when Fithian was interviewing some out-of-town guy, I forget who, and the guy took a mild swipe at the winged helmets. Not sure what Mike Wickett was expecting when he put him through, but suddenly Fithian was taking a call from Dennis… and there was zero greeting, no pre-amble, no goodbye. Just an all-time Ufer rant about the helmets and Meeeeshigan and Yost. Probably only took 30 seconds, but it was epic. The other guy was totally bewildered.
January 19th, 2023 at 4:43 PM ^
Back in those days there was this guy named Greg from Saginaw who'd call in in the weeks after games, and he'd constantly complain about this or that. He was the opposite of High Octane Mike, who was always upbeat and positive about Michigan sports. I can still hear that voice on the radio - "I'm sick of it! I'm sick of Lloyd Carr!" I haven't heard him in a very long time fortunately.
RIP Mike.
January 20th, 2023 at 6:18 PM ^
Was that the guy who kept calling people an “empty suit?”
January 19th, 2023 at 3:14 PM ^
Wow. That name takes me back. Very sorry to hear this.
January 19th, 2023 at 3:14 PM ^
When do they have people actually calling in? I usually listen between 730 and 10am
January 19th, 2023 at 3:19 PM ^
Sorry, but I don’t miss Linda from Transylvania. Whole show came to a screeching halt.
January 19th, 2023 at 3:28 PM ^
I still miss Andy.
January 19th, 2023 at 4:46 PM ^
Me neither. She’s a one-trick pony. Also rather full of her importance to call-in sports shows
January 19th, 2023 at 3:27 PM ^
Is high octane mike the guy who would constantly repeat himself over and over at a million mph?
January 19th, 2023 at 3:34 PM ^
I think so. A friend of mine ran into him at tailgates years ago and said the nickname really fit..
January 19th, 2023 at 3:37 PM ^
Do people still call into the show? They seemed to have phased it out. I wonder if it had something to do with COVID.
January 19th, 2023 at 4:46 PM ^
The M-Zone with Jamie Morris takes calls from 5 to 6 PM on his show. The Michigan Insider in the morning does not take calls, maybe goes back before COVID. Sam used to take call in his recruiting round up but that was few years ago.
January 19th, 2023 at 8:36 PM ^
I called in during the mgoblog roundtable years ago... probably 2013 because there was a lot of Borges gameplan postmortem. Haven't listened as much lately and didn't know they phased out the callers. I remember Phil the Hater, Don in Sylvania, Linda, and another hater-ish guy who had a bit of a stutter. Can't believe that was 10 years ago already (and the Dave Shand era was 15+)
January 19th, 2023 at 3:38 PM ^
Rick from Dearborn. That dude was….something. Him and Karsch’s interactions were unintentional comedy.
January 19th, 2023 at 4:12 PM ^
Rick has taken his nutjob act to twitter.
January 19th, 2023 at 5:14 PM ^
Rick Dunaway is his actual name and he is on his 100th account on Twitter now because all of the others have been suspended... he also became a trusted source of info for Yoder at one time which was pretty sad and hilarious at the same time...
January 19th, 2023 at 7:16 PM ^
Dude has been around since the mid-90’s.
Is that a beagle in your avatar?
January 19th, 2023 at 3:43 PM ^
What about Jake. One play one moment one game at a time. I will hang up and listen go blue I will hang up and listen go blue.
January 19th, 2023 at 4:42 PM ^
H/O Mike was not only a great caller but a very smart dude. He knew as much about the game of football as many HS football coaches. Mike was also an avid NASCAR fan and had vast knowledge about the rules and race teams. I tailgated with Mike on many occasions and got to know him. He will be missed. I met a lot of people through Mike. He was that kind of popular people person.
January 19th, 2023 at 5:38 PM ^
Didn’t be work at Fingerle for years? I remember a Mike delivering a flatbed worth of lumber to a few of our jobsites. Wasn’t very friendly to me but I thought I recognized his voice with Jamie or Sam.
January 19th, 2023 at 7:13 PM ^
Mike was a long time employee at Fingerle, then many of those employees went to Mann's Lumber, where Mike worked until his unfortunate passing.
RIP, my good friend.
January 19th, 2023 at 5:33 PM ^
If Mike's family reads this testimonial to his positive personality and influence on the M community, please accept my sympathies. May he rest in peace. He will be missed by all!
January 20th, 2023 at 12:46 AM ^
Hello.. Just a note, this was viewed by Jake the one who always calls in. He lives with my husband and I, life hasn’t been easy for him, he is autistic, that is why he is always talking to fast along with some other disabilities. He is one of the biggest fans of Michigan sports and is very passionate. Ask him stats he knows them, it’s what makes him happy to call in and pump people up. Or so he thought. He is very upset and hurt to see the people making fun of him. He just wanted to fit in and make people happy. Yes, he is 40, but making fun of him for sounding like a kid is something he can’t help. All it takes is a little kindness and understanding. He used to be a Spartan fan a long time ago came back Michigan because Spartans fans made fun of him. Please be a little kinder, he doesn’t want to call now. We are telling him not to give up on what makes you happy. This guy lives and breathes Michigan sports truly
January 20th, 2023 at 7:56 AM ^
I'm sorry Jake had to read the negative comments. I for one always enjoyed his calls, his enthusiasm and excitement about Michigan is what it's all about! I have mostly been working from home lately but I remember Jake calling during my morning commutes pre-covid, As well as many of the other regulars. And even myself I've been calling in since the Doug Karsch and Dennis Fithian days. Lol. But anyways if Jake is reading this please don't stop calling and being involved! Ignore the haters! Go Blue!