C'mon, Rob. You've been acting like a cheerleader for the new station and overblowing everything against WEEI. As for "mediocre radio" any station with call-in formats will be mediocre. The next one I hear that's not will be the first. Frankly, the number of non "mediocre" free radio stations in the country can probably be counted on one hand, and maybe on one finger.
I want the new station to be successful and raise the bar for local sports radio for itself and WEEI. Why is that a bad thing and why is that not on everyone's priority. If WBZ is remotely decent and provides alternative programming to the endless Red Sox talk and over-rehashed hot button topics that WEEI is discussing (for example an hour a day per show on Patriots' training camp talk), how is that something you don't want to cheer on. If WBZ gets ratings and WEEI sees that there is an untapped market for Patriots talk and spends even a little more time on the Pats and less on the Sox, why would you be upset about that?
I have been down on WEEI for a long while. I have been bashing them for a long while especially D&C and Pete Sheppard. It is long before I even knew that there was a possibility of a FM based sports radio station. My distain for WEEI has been a long process.
As for them compared to other stations, I compare them more to themselves in the earlier parts of this decade and the late 90s. That was when WEEI was actually good. D&C actually talked sports and didn't really focus that much on politics. They always had their headlines segment, but politics didn't dominate other parts of the show like it does now. The Big Show always had their lowbrow humor (hence the Globe ban in 1999), but they have dumbed down the show quite a bit. Fred Smerlas used to be one of my favorite co-hosts, but when he doned the mink for the first time was when he decided to play a character rather than talk sports.
I have seen what WEEI has to offer and I haven't been impressed for a long time. People are writing off WBZ before they even broadcast a single minute of broadcast. We don't know for sure which Felger will show up. He could be the one who did an excellent talk show in the early days of his 890 show. I like Zo. I don't hate Tanguay. Why wouldn't I give it a shot? I think even if I don't listen to it, it will force WEEI to be better (there are already signs that they are changing their programming a bit to stave off WBZ FM). Again, why is that a bad thing?
Personally, I am just happy that there will be someone talking Patriots on a regular basis on one of the shows from now until the first week of September. I am guessing WEEI will not be that someone.
I don't get why everyone isn't a cheerleader for WBZ to be successful and hopefully decent to good. If they are, it is only a positive even if you don't listen to them. It benefits the listening public if they are successful and good. It benefits no one except the people at WEEI if they fail.
As for the comments Deus stated, I don't take them personally and am not offended.
