One of the great joys of having had a few days off is that I got the chance to be a P1 again -- that is to listen to 1310 AM The Ticket, the best sports radio station on the planet.

Yes, I understand that Oklahoma City already has six stations, and they're not half bad. In fact, I think the competition that has sprung up over the past couple of years has resulted in better radio. For example, Toby Rowland on KREF is vastly underrated as a host as is my colleague Mark Rodgers. I'm also a fan of fellow Henryettan Dave Garrett whose sense of humor is very underrated as well.

These are three guys who I think could fit in with a station like The Ticket, which is a culture unto itself. Seriously. If you listen to Oklahoma City sports radio and think you know what the great 1310 AM would be like simply by reading about it, you'll be in for a very welcome surprise, particularly if you're in the male 25 to 54 demo.

The best way I can describe The Ticket for those who have never listened (just go to www.theticket.com, and you can listen live 24/7) is that it's as if their on-air talent have been drinking buddies forever. Basically, they hold a conversation throughout the day, and it's one part sports, one part TV and pop culture, one part chicks, one part drinkin', one part life, and they have a loyal, loyal following, and they essentially dominate Dallas radio right now.

The Ticket has been around since 1994, and I started listening in Year 2, which is how a P1 identifies himself. A P1 is somebody who sets his first radio setting to X station and basically never leaves it throughout the day, and there are people who listen to this station all day, every day.

There are many treatises on this here blogosphere touting the greatness of the little Ticket, so I won't delve into it. However, if I were to consult with any of the sports stations hoping to compete with The Sports Animal (and Jox 930), I would strongly advise them to adopt The Ticket format.

So, who locally would I recruit for this station? Besides myself?

If I'm picking a dream team from OKC sports radio to start this venture, I pick: Mark Rodgers, Toby Rowland, Dave Garrett, Curtis Fitzpatrick, Pork and Mike Steely. In fact, the entire "Morning Animal" team would be perfect for this station. They're about as close to The Ticket as we get here in OKC.

The thing about The Ticket is that they feature people of various media backgrounds. I went to school with Oklahoman entertainment editor George Lang, and I think he'd fit in there quite well. Maybe Rob Collins from the Gazette, too. You see the mix I'm going for here -- fairly young and not too sportsy. You do notice some of the names I'm omitting, right?

Norman's own Clay Horning, a running buddy of mine in college, would be solid as well. I can't tell you how many conversations we had regarding the value of singles versus albums in the early 1990s, and these conversations invariably ended up with him espousing the greatness of Iron Maiden.

Another of my colleagues, Chris Callahan, would be a solid choice, too. The great John Brooks might be good for this; he kind of reminds me of Mike Rhyner a bit.

Two guys I failed to note before I submitted this, dudes I'd add to this mix, include T.J. Perry from KREF and whoever the new guy working with Al Eschbach is. Not Rusty Olsen, who left for his own radio show on the REF. I'm talking about the voice who speaks with Al from time to time.

Could you do a day's worth of programming with this crew? Who knows. Truth is, a lot of what makes 1310 so excellent isn't its stars; it's the bit players. And, this wouldn't mean that this station would have to forego sports. Heck, The Ticket is the flagship station for the Dallas Cowboys, and they have featured SMU football and high school sports live as well.

The difference is that they have turned commuters who happen to turn their radios on into listeners 24x7. They are master branders, but it all starts with content, and the little Ticket has hit a gold mine with what wins a 25 to 54 male audience.

And it has zero to do with sports talk, idiots calling in to inquire why Brent Venables hasn't done a better job. Heck, I'm not sure that the little Ticket even takes calls anymore. That's how good the content is.

All I know is that what plays in Dallas would definitely play in Oklahoma City, and with six sports stations saturating the market, somebody is missing a big opportunity.