David “Mad Dog” DeMarco is officially back on the airwaves in Lansing, launching both a podcast and a TV show through WLNS. This isn’t just a casual return, either, folks; the man has already taped seven episodes of his new television show.
“Beyond the Playbook”: The New Era for Mad Dog
DeMarco, who basically owned the sports talk radio scene in Lansing for 26 years before he bounced in 2022, is now rocking a weekly podcast and a weekly TV show, both aptly named “Beyond the Playbook, with Dave ‘Mad Dog’ DeMarco.” You can catch the TV action Sundays at 6 p.m. on WLAJ or Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. on WLNS. Seriously, seven episodes already in the can, that’s moving fast! The podcast, also from the WLNS studios, is dropping once a week too. DeMarco, at 66 years young, is describing the TV show as “Carson-esque,” meaning he’s bringing on guests for those deep-dive interviews. But if you’re looking for that raw, old-school Mad Dog vibe? He says the podcast “is more Mad Dog-ish than anything,” and if you ever tuned into his old WVFN 730-AM gig, you know exactly what that means. Pure gold, I bet.
From Alabama Newsman to Lansing Legend Again
Talk about a twist! After crushing it on Lansing radio for decades, DeMarco and his wife, Carole, packed up in 2022 and moved down to Cedar Bluff, Alabama. They even built a home right next to his brother and sister-in-law. Down there, he dove into radio news at WEIS, even saying, “I got intense. I wanted to be a really good newsman.” He also briefly hosted a sports talk show, but news was his main thing. Then, two years ago, they came back to Lansing for a friends’ get-together. That’s when it hit them: homesick. They put the Alabama house on the market, and 13 months later, it sold. Pure fate, right? In the meantime, Mychal Grenawalt, a retired Lansing radio sales executive, hit DeMarco up, asking if he was thinking about a comeback. Grenawalt tossed some feelers out, and WLNS jumped on the chance for the podcast and TV show idea. DeMarco himself said it “feels like time travel sort of” to be back. He’s not looking back at his old haunts like WVFN or Townsquare Media, noting, “There’s no room at the inn.” He sounds stoked though, saying, “I’m having a lot of fun with what I’m doing at WLNS.” No drama, no competition, just pure passion for the game, he’s an independent contractor doing his thing.
If you’re in the Lansing area, you can actually celebrate his return! DeMarco is hosting “The Mad Dog Sports Blowout Party” this Thursday, August 27, from 6-8 p.m. at One North Kitchen & Bar East in East Lansing. Everyone’s invited. It’s awesome to see a legend return to his roots with this kind of energy and a fresh set of shows.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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