Is local sports talk radio becoming irrelevant????

[DarrylS]

Out and about during the midday, and as usual looking for some Patriots tid bits I could savor...

Gresch and Zo.. on and on, about Gronkowski and the porn star wearing a Patriots Jersey and how the "brand" might be damaged, what would be the outcome of his faux pas.. even went as far as worrying about the loss of the Patriots Moral Compass after the passing of Myra Kraft... changed the channel to WEEI.

Merloni and sidekick.. hoping that the RS would make John Farrell the Red Sox Manager, because the players were "afraid" of him and all ills would be solved. Pretty sure that if you have a guaranteed contract of 10+ million not too many managers will "scare" you. Then they morphed into concerns about TB's 5th target, Ocho Cinco, and trying to create more controversy that was left over from Friday's show which I also tuned out of when they were trying to fabricate controversy there as well.

Then switched to the IPOD...

Perhaps I am becoming less tolerant about this type of stuff, but used to savor Patriots Monday.. and now the contiual Red Sox talk and worrying about a picture of Gronkowski has diluted the overall quality. The medium has become the message, and the medium sucks.. all of these shows are becoming unbearable to listen to. Never mind the other slots, they are as bad if not worse.

Thank god for this message board, as there is no hysteria here only respectful factual discourse.

 

[Clonamery]

Out and about during the midday, and as usual looking for some Patriots tid bits I could savor...

Gresch and Zo.. on and on, about Gronkowski and the porn star wearing a Patriots Jersey and how the "brand" might be damaged, what would be the outcome of his faux pas.. even went as far as worrying about the loss of the Patriots Moral Compass after the passing of Myra Kraft... changed the channel to WEEI.

Merloni and sidekick.. hoping that the RS would make John Farrell the Red Sox Manager, because the players were "afraid" of him and all ills would be solved. Pretty sure that if you have a guaranteed contract of 10+ million not too many managers will "scare" you. Then they morphed into concerns about TB's 5th target, Ocho Cinco, and trying to create more controversy that was left over from Friday's show which I also tuned out of when they were trying to fabricate controversy there as well.

Then switched to the IPOD...

Perhaps I am becoming less tolerant about this type of stuff, but used to savor Patriots Monday.. and now the contiual Red Sox talk and worrying about a picture of Gronkowski has diluted the overall quality. The medium has become the message, and the medium sucks.. all of these shows are becoming unbearable to listen to. Never mind the other slots, they are as bad if not worse.

Thank god for this message board, as there is no hysteria here only respectful factual discourse.

Move to NY. Radio commentary is okay just don't read the newspapers.

 

[Rob0729]

At least Felger and Mazz are talking real football. Granted it is Jets football, but it is real football.

But I am sure when it is time to talk Pats/Steelers Friday or next Monday, there will be some hot stove Red Sox clubhouse issue that will dominate their time.

I agree that local sports talk radio has become a joke. WEEI has been doing this crap for years. 98.5 started out with real Patriots talk and has regressed to the same crap that WEEI does.

I will kinda forgive the Gronk porn star crap because I don't think Toucher and Rich or Gresh and Zo know how to talk real football talk outside the Pats. With the Pats on a bye, that leaves them with nothing to talk about. WEEI has no problem continually rehashing Red Sox issues that were beaten to death two weeks ago and now are just mind-numbingly irritating.

 

[Deus Irae]

Local sports talk radio is doing fine.

 

[PatsSox363804]

The Sports Hub is usually fine. The Gronkowski stuff today was ridiculous but hey it's a bye week.

 

[Sicilian]

For all the competition they try to provide each other, 98.5 and WEEI suffer from the same problems across all their shows:

Morning - Both shows barely focus on sports at all. For D&C it's politics, for T&R it's college radio stunts.

Midday - Both shows are insufferably dry and boring.

Afternoon - Both shows are occupied by horrible douchebags.

The thing is, I'm not sure it was different ten years ago... I think we just hadn't burnt out on the medium yet. There's only so much content you can use to fill 12 combined hours a day, and thus there's only so much a listener can hear it day after day, year after year before it just becomes bland and uneventful.

 

[lurker1965]

You mean it used to be relevant?

I stopped listening when a Patriots Monday featured Smerlas and DeOssie breaking down a four team trade of Manny Rameriez. (Remember him? I think he played left fioeld for the Red Sox, but my memory can be off.)

 

[Frezo]

What's the difference what they're talking about? When they get around to football, a lot of people complain about what they're saying anyway. From my point of view personnel is a larger issue than content.

 

[Rob0729]

For all the competition they try to provide each other, 98.5 and WEEI suffer from the same problems across all their shows:

Morning - Both shows barely focus on sports at all. For D&C it's politics, for T&R it's college radio stunts.

Midday - Both shows are insufferably dry and boring.

Afternoon - Both shows are occupied by horrible douchebags.

The thing is, I'm not sure it was different ten years ago... I think we just hadn't burnt out on the medium yet. There's only so much content you can use to fill 12 combined hours a day, and thus there's only so much a listener can hear it day after day, year after year before it just becomes bland and uneventful.

I think the way WEEI did it ten years ago has been burnt out, but the format isn't. You listen to other sports radio venues and you can find compelling radio. Sirius NFL radio is mostly compelling stuff. The problem is access to it and the fact it is NFL focused, not the Patriots.

I also don't think that the format 10 years ago is totally like it is today. Like sitcoms, the characters become cliches and charicatures of themselves over time. Felger ten years ago (or whenever he started being on the radio regularly) wasn't a contrarian. Ten years ago negative celebrity callers were like Butch from the Cape who actually brought something to the table in their negativity. Now we have Steve from Fall River and Dakota from Braintree that bring nothing but negative stupidity that the hosts can ridicule. Ordaway has become a blow-hard who loves the sound of his own voice too much.

 

[Deus Irae]

What's the difference what they're talking about? When they get around to football, a lot of people complain about what they're saying anyway. From my point of view personnel is a larger issue than content.

There's really nothing wrong with local radio per se, IMO. The problem is with the people posting here. They think every minute not spent on the Patriots is some sign that the stations are screwing the team over. They also ***** about hosts who tend to kiss the team's ass (i.e. Ordway), Hosts who fall in the middle (i.e. Merloni/Amendolara) and about hosts who tend to do just the opposite (i.e. Felger), for various reasons which all basically can be summed up as "if you disagree, you're no good".

I think the 98.5 hosts are pretty lousy, particularly the 2-6 pairing, but the general state of local sports talk seems to be fine and healthy, and that's been reflected in the ratings for those stations, both in the past and today.

 

[Rob0729]

What's the difference what they're talking about? When they get around to football, a lot of people complain about what they're saying anyway. From my point of view personnel is a larger issue than content.

I think there is a definitely a problem with many of the radio personalities on both stations. But I think the content is still a problem. I do think based on what I have seen elsewhere, they feel that we are not smart enough to either comprehend or pay attention to real sports talk and would rather deal with controversies and non-on the field related issues.

 

[Rob0729]

There's really nothing wrong with local radio per se, IMO. The problem is with the people posting here. They think every minute not spent on the Patriots is some sign that the stations are screwing the team over. They also ***** about hosts who tend to kiss the team's ass (i.e. Ordway), Hosts who fall in the middle (i.e. Merloni/Amendolara) and about hosts who tend to do just the opposite (i.e. Felger), for various reasons which all basically can be summed up as "if you disagree, you're no good".

I think the 98.5 hosts are pretty lousy, particularly the 2-6 pairing, but the general state of local sports talk seems to be fine and healthy, and that's been reflected in the ratings for those stations, both in the past and today.

Dancing with the Stars is the highest rated show on television. Two and a Half Men is the highest rated scripted show on TV. Ratings and quality have no correlation with each other.

 

[Frezo]

I think there is a definitely a problem with many of the radio personalities on both stations. But I think the content is still a problem. I do think based on what I have seen elsewhere, they feel that we are not smart enough to either comprehend or pay attention to real sports talk and would rather deal with controversies and non-on the field related issues.

It is kind of comical. People complain about sports radio. People call in to complain. People complain about people complaining, etc. I suppose the hosts are just feeding the majority of the listeners. Maybe Pitino had a point about the fellowship. I'll tune in when a major story is breaking, but I have no use for the normal day to day blah, blah, blah.

OTOH It is successful. Both stations are still around. It cracks me up that 98.5 still calls itself "Boston's New Sports Radio Station".

 

[Frezo]

There's really nothing wrong with local radio per se, IMO. The problem is with the people posting here. They think every minute not spent on the Patriots is some sign that the stations are screwing the team over. They also ***** about hosts who tend to kiss the team's ass (i.e. Ordway), Hosts who fall in the middle (i.e. Merloni/Amendolara) and about hosts who tend to do just the opposite (i.e. Felger), for various reasons which all basically can be summed up as "if you disagree, you're no good".

I think the 98.5 hosts are pretty lousy, particularly the 2-6 pairing, but the general state of local sports talk seems to be fine and healthy, and that's been reflected in the ratings for those stations, both in the past and today.

Red Sox talk is the first sign of the apocalypse. There seems to be little talk about the basketball lock out anywhere. The football lock out drew a lot more media attention. I haven't been pleased with any of the hosts for awhile. My favorite sports listening comes at night with JT. That loon from Chicago drives me crazy though.

 

[Jackson 2]

The Sports Hub is usually fine. The Gronkowski stuff today was ridiculous but hey it's a bye week.

Sorry, last week was the bye week. They should all be talking Pats/Steelers and/or Jets/Chargers from yesterday, at least. The RS stuff has become absolutely ridiculous.

 

[bruce_w]

I switched to Ipod 3 years ago. Except when Brady and Belichick are on.

 

[Deus Irae]

Red Sox talk is the first sign of the apocalypse. There seems to be little talk about the basketball lock out anywhere. The football lock out drew a lot more media attention. I haven't been pleased with any of the hosts for awhile. My favorite sports listening comes at night with JT. That loon from Chicago drives me crazy though.

This is the Boston radio market. If you can't handle talk about the Boston Red Sox, you should shove a pencil through your ears, because it's around everywhere, on radio and off. Even pay radio won't insulate you from the off time talk about it.

 

[groundgame]

Would not surprise me if Lou Merloni is Boston's #1 radio sports personality within 3 years.
Honesty and smarts combine with insights from his professional playing career.

 

[Frezo]

This is the Boston radio market. If you can't handle talk about the Boston Red Sox, you should shove a pencil through your ears, because it's around everywhere, on radio and off. Even pay radio won't insulate you from the off time talk about it.

I prefer to just not listen. Anyway, I was being sarcastic with the apocalypse. You can't stop Red Sox talk.

 

[Deus Irae]

I prefer to just not listen. Anyway, I was being sarcastic with the apocalypse. You can't stop Red Sox talk.

That's what I'm saying....