By Mike Moore
C & G Sports Writer

Editor’s note: As part of our ongoing series about residents who have fun and interesting jobs in the world of sports, here’s a look at one of metro Detroit’s most popular radio duos, Mike Stone and Bob Wojnowski. For more from the series, follow the Summer Happenings link.

FARMINGTON HILLS — For the moment, things were very quiet.

On the second floor of the Clear Channel building in Farmington Hills, a small studio sat empty. Just three of the 16 overhead lights illuminated, shedding a faint glow on four computers, five microphones and a host of empty chairs.

Only the faint sound of a commercial hummed from the two large speakers that hung in the corner.

A minute after 3 p.m., however, that all changed.

As the only door into the studio swung open, the man known by many in the public as “Stoney,” flipped through a few papers, punched the keys on the computer in front of him and adjusted his headset.

A moment later, his cohort, commonly referred to as “Wojo,” entered through the same door. He set up his laptop, gave the clock one last glance, organized his notes and waited.
At precisely 3:07 p.m., the song began. The tune’s lyrics described what the next three hours would entail, “humor and bits, opinion and wits.”

“Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo,” Stoney screamed into the microphone.

With that, as it has been for the past 14 years, the “Stoney and Wojo Show” began.

Quite a journey
Mike Stone and Bob Wojnowski can’t help but laugh when asked about the success of their show. As proud as they are of the 14 years they’ve occupied the airwaves of Sports Radio 1130 WDFN, they are equally shocked at its longevity.

“Never, ever would’ve dreamed we’d get to this point,” said Wojnowski, 46, a Farmington Hills resident and award-winning columnist with the Detroit News.

“To last as long as we have is pretty incredible, pretty surprising,” added Stone, 49, a West Bloomfield resident. “When we first started out, I don’t think there were too many people who felt we’d last very long.”

When WDFN first went on the air in 1994, Stone did a Sunday morning show with Wojnowski and then teamed up with Rob Parker in the afternoons. When Parker left the station, Wojnowski stepped in to fill the void in May of 1995.

And the rest is history.

What you hear is what you get
Both agree that the key to being a successful on-air personality is to simply be yourself.

“Pretty much, we are who we come across as on the radio,” Wojnowski said. “I may be slightly more exaggerated, but my radio personality is essentially who I am.”

“People that listen know how public I am about myself and about my life,” said Stone, who routinely brings his personal stories to the air. “That’s just who I am — in real life and on the radio.”

Although their seamless on-air banter makes it appear as if they are simply two friends discussing the previous night’s sports happenings as their legion of fans listen in on their conversation, a good amount of preparation and topic discussion goes on prior to the show, mostly through e-mails.

And the respect they have for each other’s unique talent is impossible to miss.
“There’s no egos in here; there can’t be,” said Wojnowski. “We like to poke fun at each other and make jokes on the air, but when it comes down to it, this is a family of people working together.”

“That kind of makes us who we are,” Stone added.

“Wojo’s intelligent. I’m not. I’m more of a fan than he is. He’s more logical, where I tend to be more knee-jerk. We’re different in many senses of the word, but neither of us thinks we’re better than the other.”

A history of success
Stone, born and raised in the Philadelphia area, graduated from American University with a communications degree in 1980. Unable to get on the air right away, he followed friend and current WDIV Channel 4 sports anchor Bernie Smilovitz to Detroit and worked at Channel 4 before eventually catching on at WDFN.

Wojnowski, who graduated from the University of Michigan in 1983 with a communications degree, spent six years in Coco, Fla., working for a newspaper before moving back to the Detroit area.

Since taking the air for the first time together in 1995, the pair has redefined sports talk in Detroit.

Aside from continuously rating as the top drive-time sports show, they have provided metro Detroiters with a place to vent, listen, laugh, share stories and talk about everything from bad football teams, championship hockey squads or everyday life happenings.

“The secret to our success is we don’t take ourselves too seriously,” Stone said with a smile.

In many ways, they are as famous for their antics, games and even mishaps as they are for their opinions, and they have provided listeners with some memorable moments over the years.

“The best, without a doubt, was when Stoney accidentally gave out his cell phone number on the air,” Wojnowski said, unable to contain his laugh. “That was one of those moments that will go down in our station’s history.”

Professionals at every turn
Their contributions to the community go well beyond talking about sports. In fact, their annual 28-hour radiothon, which raises money for cancer research, is something they both take a great deal of pride in.

“Last year, we went over the $1 million mark in total money raised,” said Stone. “That’s pretty remarkable.”

“The relationship and trust we’ve built with the athletes and fans around here is pretty special,” added Wojnowski. “I remember after the Wings won their first Cup, Steve Yzerman called us from home the next day to tell us what was happening.”

How many more years they occupy these seats remains to be seen. Stone said he’d love another 15-20 years on the air, while Wojnowski admits, “I take it one year at a time.”
It’s an approach that has worked thus far, afternoon after afternoon, for 14 years and counting.

You can reach Sports Writer Mike Moore at mmoore@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1038.