Top 10: St. Louis Sports Media Power Rankings

The ten most powerful St. Louis sports media figures, as determined by the Riverfront Times. For the full list of 50, go here: The 2012 St. Louis Sports Media Power Rankings

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10. Tom Ackerman
KMOX (1120 AM)

A straighter shot than I-70 to Kansas City. Tends to be a homer, but that might be a job requirement at the "Mighty 'MOX."
RPI: .750

9. Mike Claiborne
KMOX (1120 AM), St. Louis American

His smug demeanor can make him come across as a know-it-all, but truth is he does know an awful lot about St. Louis sports.
RPI: .795

8. Joe Buck
FOX-TV

Anybody who shares a podcast with Tim McKernan has, ipso facto, some serious character flaws. And though he's not in the same league as his fellow Joe (Strauss), he can redline the assholemeter from time to time. But props for his knowledge and dry humor.
RPI: .800

Illustration by Dan Zettwoch

7. Mike Shannon
KMOX (1120 AM)

As he rolls on into the deepening twilight of a long broadcasting career, the Moon Man's eyesight fails him with increasing frequency. Words, however, never do. A local treasure.
RPI: .815

6. Steve Savard
KMOV-TV (Channel 4), ESPN Radio WXOS (101.1 FM)

KMOV sports director/Rams radio play-by-play man is among the most well-informed and smartest journos in town. Astounding that he doesn't have his own radio show.
RPI: .838

5. Derrick Goold
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, KTRS (550 AM)

Cardinals beat writer doesn't have his own radio show, but he might be the local sports landscape's only Twitter must-follow, offering scoops, humor and unequaled fan-reporter interaction.
RPI: .850

4. Joe Strauss
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, KTRS (550 AM)

On a scale of 1 to 10, Strauss is an 11 -- in his book. Do we hate him because he's an asshole, or do we love him because he's an asshole? The answer depends on whether we're in the mood for anal.
RPI: .850

3. Martin Kilcoyne
KTVI-TV (Channel 2), KTRS (550 AM)

Smart and witty, a pleasure to tune in. Nightly rant, "The Kilcoyne Opinion" (a.k.a. TKO), guarantees the FOX newscast a happy ending.
RPI: .892

2. Bob Costas
NBC-TV

One word sums up this pint-size sports-media personality's outsized stature: gravitas. Costas, who got his big break at KMOX, has it in spades.
RPI: .976

1. Bernie Miklasz
ESPN Radio WXOS (101.1 FM), St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Most powerful media personality in St. Louis sports. Be it radio, TV or print, the Big Dog holds fanbase and franchises alike in his sway. On top of all that, unlike his fellow columnists/pundits, he actually takes the trouble to enter the locker room and report.
RPI: .987