"Bad Boston"

[SVN]

http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/

I meant to post this last week, but totally spaced it. The Phoenix had a feature entitled Bad Boston, on 27 things that drive us crazy about the city. Nestled in right after a complaint about the lack of lesbian bars in the city was this:

Snake-biting This town dearly loves its sports teams. So why do so many in the media seem to hate them so much? Boston’s POISONOUS SPORTS MEDIA can’t seem to get in enough licks.

Exhibit A: Dan Shaughnessy. Whether it’s Theo Epstein (a “boy wonder” whose hand was “held” by Larry Lucchino during his “wonder years”), Pedro Martinez (“The Dominican Diva”), or even David Ortiz (whom he purportedly called a “giant sack of you-know-what” on TV before Big Papi had even taken a swing in a Red Sox uniform), the Shank takes evident glee in skewering this team and typifies the worst impulses of the bitter Boston sports fan. At least he can’t keep flogging that “Curse of the Bambino” crap.

Sort of a Shaughnessy-lite, Steve Silva, proprietor of BostonDirtDogs.com also traffics heavily in petty negativity. He exhorted fans last June to boo Martinez, perhaps the most transcendent pitcher ever to wear a Red Sox uniform, for defecting to the New York Mets. Interestingly, when Johnny Damon returned to Fenway in a Yankee uniform, he pleaded for people to cheer long and loud. Curious, that.

Meanwhile, the Globe’s Ron Borges is a fine boxing writer. But his football columns are tainted by his consuming, unquenchable hatred for the New England Patriots, especially head coach Bill Belichick, who’s won us three Super Bowls in the past five years. Then there’s WEEI, the powerhouse sports-talk station that’s all but antithetical to nuanced and knowledgeable sports discussion. Whether they’re running clueless blowhard Glen Ordway or crass bigot Gerry Callahan, the station caters to the lowest common denominator, whipping listeners into a racist, sexist, homophobic lather. Stop listening. Stop reading. Write letters and ask for offensive on-air “talent” to be fired. Support the city’s good sportswriters — Edes, Ryan, Silverman — and keep tabs on the bad ones at Boston Sports Media Watch and Dan Shaughnessy Watch. Get your news from Sons of Sam Horn. And if you need sports radio, tune in online to New York’s WFAN. Sure, they mostly talk about Yankees and Mets. But you learn more any time Mike and the Mad Dog spend even a half hour on the Red Sox than you do listening to an entire week of 1440 AM.

Even if they didn't mention this site, I'd be applauding that section.

 

[patsgo]

its real bad in this town the negative talk and writing is awful there arent many good ones Riess is good and Mike Lowe of the Portland Press in maine met both and both are claas acts and objective good writers the rest are trash eei sucks i listen to espn on xm

 

[PromisedLand]

I wrote to WEEI once a couple of years ago, to complain about Ordway's disrespectful, rude and overbearing manner and the way he shouts down callers. I got a phone call (!) from the station manager who, rather than accepting that my point of view was representative of at least a portion of his potential market and thanking me for taking the time to share it with him, told me that Ordway was a "very good talk show host". It would be a waste of time to ask that station for anything. The only thing that will change things over there is to stop listening. Which I did. When their advertisers see falling ratings, the station will lose revenue and will either be forced to listen or will sell their broadcast license, leaving an opening for a sports talk show oriented to something greater than the lowest possible element.

 

[pats1]

I wrote to WEEI once a couple of years ago, to complain about Ordway's disrespectful, rude and overbearing manner and the way he shouts down callers. I got a phone call (!) from the station manager who, rather than accepting that my point of view was representative of at least a portion of his potential market and thanking me for taking the time to share it with him, told me that Ordway was a "very good talk show host". It would be a waste of time to ask that station for anything. The only thing that will change things over there is to stop listening. Which I did. When their advertisers see falling ratings, the station will lose revenue and will either be forced to listen or will sell their broadcast license, leaving an opening for a sports talk show oriented to something greater than the lowest possible element.

Did you expect them to tell you they agreed, and that your opinion was shared by the majority?

BTW, BostonDirtDogs is my homepage.

I don't agree with everything they say, but I think a lot of what they do say does get a bad rap. They (he) certainly doesn't hold anything back, and I credit Steve for that.

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

I wrote to WEEI once a couple of years ago, to complain about Ordway's disrespectful, rude and overbearing manner and the way he shouts down callers. I got a phone call (!) from the station manager who, rather than accepting that my point of view was representative of at least a portion of his potential market and thanking me for taking the time to share it with him, told me that Ordway was a "very good talk show host". It would be a waste of time to ask that station for anything. The only thing that will change things over there is to stop listening. Which I did. When their advertisers see falling ratings, the station will lose revenue and will either be forced to listen or will sell their broadcast license, leaving an opening for a sports talk show oriented to something greater than the lowest possible element.

I wrote to EEI once about the morning show's biggotted comments, lack of sports talk, and lack of general sports knowledge; and was told that I was the one who needed to change because the ratings were high and I was the problem, not the show.

This is the price we pay for success. As the teams succeed, the sports station's ratings increase as the interest by the casual fan is piqued and they tune in. Since the winter of 01, you have had a pretty good run here with the Celtics having a deep run in 02, the hype over the Pats in 02, the super bowl runs that followed, the sox world series (and a near miss), and then two deep playoff runs by the pats the last two years. If this were circa 1994 and things were not going well for any of the teams, ratings would be down.

 

[SWelker]

Did you expect them to tell you they agreed, and that your opinion was shared by the majority?

BTW, BostonDirtDogs is my homepage.

I don't agree with everything they say, but I think a lot of what they do say does get a bad rap. They (he) certainly doesn't hold anything back, and I credit Steve for that.

I use to think DirtDogs was a pretty funny site until that whole Pedro Campaign he put on last June, that was a pathetic display by Silva.

 

[PromisedLand]

Did you expect them to tell you they agreed, and that your opinion was shared by the majority?

BTW, BostonDirtDogs is my homepage.

I don't agree with everything they say, but I think a lot of what they do say does get a bad rap. They (he) certainly doesn't hold anything back, and I credit Steve for that.

I expected them listen respectfully, to thank me for taking the time to give them my opinion, and to weigh it along with other opinions in determining whether they were reaching the audience they want to reach.

 

[pheenix11]

I can't believe Dennis & Callahan are still on the air. How many times do they have to get suspended for racist comments before they get **** canned?

I like the Big Show, they are pretty funny ragging on each other, but these asses in the morning need to go.

 

[oldskool138]

I can't believe Dennis & Callahan are still on the air. How many times do they have to get suspended for racist comments before they get **** canned?

I like the Big Show, they are pretty funny ragging on each other, but these asses in the morning need to go.

I feel exactly the opposite way. D&C are alright (except when they talk about their man-crush on Jack Baur ).

I don't like Ordway or his crew because they spend too much time with "guest callers" who I suspect are on WEEI's payroll (i.e.- "Dakota" and Frank from Glouster). Besides the fact the Big O (I guess he got that nickname because his head looks like the number 0 or letter O) is a big-time shill for the Celts because he covered them once upon a time.

I really hate that guy who does the terribly un-funny bits and intros (you know, the guy who says "Yeah, bay-be!).

Bottom line, all the on-air personalities try to make themselves part of the Boston sports scene and then dump all over the fans for being optimistic "homers" (stupid term, IMO). And then turn around and say the town is too negative. Those guys have no idea how lucky they are to have the job that they do. They get to go to all the sporting events on their company's dime. Eat free (or at a reduced cost) food brought in by the team and get to rub shoulders with Boston sports icons, that you and I will never meet outside of a autograph signing. And the write about it...

Am I jealous? A little, but mostly because I feel that I can do a better job.

 

[pats1]

I feel exactly the opposite way. D&C are alright (except when they talk about their man-crush on Jack Baur ).

Any obsession with 24 is healthy.

'Headlines' is a great segment.

I don't like Ordway or his crew because they spend too much time with "guest callers" who I suspect are on WEEI's payroll (i.e.- "Dakota" and Frank from Glouster). Besides the fact the Big O (I guess he got that nickname because his head looks like the number 0 or letter O) is a big-time shill for the Celts because he covered them once upon a time.

Ordway isn't too bad, but some of the guests can be irritating.

I really hate that guy who does the terribly un-funny bits and intros (you know, the guy who says "Yeah, bay-be!).

Pete Gustin is hilarious.

petesbits.com

Bottom line, all the on-air personalities try to make themselves part of the Boston sports scene and then dump all over the fans for being optimistic "homers" (stupid term, IMO).

One reason why DeOssie annoys me. Whenever he and Ordway call Sheppard and Smerlas "homers" or "pom-pom wavers" for simply being optimistic, I cringe. It's like this forum at some times.

And then turn around and say the town is too negative. Those guys have no idea how lucky they are to have the job that they do. They get to go to all the sporting events on their company's dime. Eat free (or at a reduced cost) food brought in by the team and get to rub shoulders with Boston sports icons, that you and I will never meet outside of a autograph signing. And the write about it...

Am I jealous? A little, but mostly because I feel that I can do a better job.

Some could.