WEEI: Patriots Monday...and Friday [UPDATE: Felger out at 890 and Herald]

[BradyManny]

Actually, if Felger is going to be on Dennis and Callahan, that could mean that the intelligent, insightful, and balanced Felger will be back and he will drop the Borges Jr. act (yes, it was an act, not Felger's true thoughts to try to generate ratings). He will need to revert back to his true self to conteract the moronic banter on the D & C show.

I agree this could happen. They are all a bunch of attention-whoring contrarians (Felger, D&C), but when faced with D&C's idiotic opinions on every sports subject, he may play contrarian to them. Felger may be as big an attention whore as D&C - but he at least does have a general knowledge and appreciation for sports.

So, I do agree - Felger MAY end up having something to offer to the morning show.

Or...he could end up being an even louder, obnoxious version of Dennis and or Callahan. But I at least have some hope he could - if he has some role on the show - steer it towards a little more informative sports talk.

 

[BradyManny]

I've heard similar stories about Flutie arrogance and totally opposite stories from Natick FD guys I met playing hoops at a Club Med in '86 who played local Natick ball with him.

Yup - like I said, it's one story. It definitely stuck with me at the time and informed my view of the guy. But bottom line, I'm sure anybody and everybody can look like a total jerk on any given day - and I admit to form an opinion on a person, celebrity or not, from a few hours of interaction, isn't always fair...

 

[Rob0729]

Intelligent, insightful and balanced Felger. His natural state?
I think not. I see little evidence for that position. I will agree that he DID change his media persona over the last several years but he strikes me as being disengenuous and extremely self important. I don't need to waste my moments watching a phoney.

Of course Felger was Mike Reis before Mike Reis was Mike Reis. Prior to about 2005, Felger was very much the voice of reason in this town and people looked at him as the guy to get the balanced report.

I'm sorry, but people loved this guy when he schooled Cafardo and Borges week after week on Sports Final while they were calling for Bledsoe to get his job back and Felger was correctly stating that Brady had "it". Or when Cafardo claimed how the Pats couldn't win without Terry Glenn and Felger laid out why Glenn should never come back. How quickly people forget.

Most radio hosts have radio personas. Do you really think Glenn Ordway or Dennis and Callahan are really like they are on the radio. Or even non-sports radio hosts from Howard Stern to Don Imus to Rush Limbaugh to Opie and Anthony. They all act differently on the radio than they do in real life because their real life personas aren't interesting enough for the radio.

Hey I hate Felger's Borge Jr. persona, but I also hate Pete Sheppard's Brady/Belichick rump swap persona too. Or how about Meterperel's which is so outlandish that you can tell he isn't to selling the BS he spews most of the time. Some radio personalities decide to choose annoying on-air personas, but most radio personalities have radio personas.

 

[Rob0729]

I agree this could happen. They are all a bunch of attention-whoring contrarians (Felger, D&C), but when faced with D&C's idiotic opinions on every sports subject, he may play contrarian to them. Felger may be as big an attention whore as D&C - but he at least does have a general knowledge and appreciation for sports.

So, I do agree - Felger MAY end up having something to offer to the morning show.

Or...he could end up being an even louder, obnoxious version of Dennis and or Callahan. But I at least have some hope he could - if he has some role on the show - steer it towards a little more informative sports talk.

The only reason I have hope for Felger is now he isn't responsible for drawing ratings to WEEI. He is just an on air contributor. That means he doesn't have to piss off the Pats fans to get them to listen to him and talk about him. I bet Borges was better read by Pats fans when he started to let his personal feelings for Belichick skew his columns more than when he was a Pats supporter prior to Belichick. I think that was Felger's rational for his persona.

I am hoping now that he isn't responsible for drawing in ratings, he will drop the persona and be more of himself again. I enjoyed Felger before he started the Borges Jr. act. Against, Dennis and Callahan's self-righeousness and Meterperel's contrarian to the point of stupidity, they need a voices of reason to come on like Boomer Easison (before he got his own show), Adam Schefter, etc. to come on and provide balance.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Of course Felger was Mike Reis before Mike Reis was Mike Reis. Prior to about 2005, Felger was very much the voice of reason in this town and people looked at him as the guy to get the balanced report.

Felger and Reiss are very different types of reporters. Reiss is a details guy and Felgie never was. Revisionist history I'd say.

I'm sorry, but people loved this guy when he schooled Cafardo and Borges week after week on Sports Final while they were calling for Bledsoe to get his job back and Felger was correctly stating that Brady had "it". Or when Cafardo claimed how the Pats couldn't win without Terry Glenn and Felger laid out why Glenn should never come back. How quickly people forget.

Most radio hosts have radio personas. Do you really think Glenn Ordway or Dennis and Callahan are really like they are on the radio. Or even non-sports radio hosts from Howard Stern to Don Imus to Rush Limbaugh to Opie and Anthony. They all act differently on the radio than they do in real life because their real life personas aren't interesting enough for the radio.

Word is that Callahan in person is much like he is on D&C.

Hey I hate Felger's Borge Jr. persona, but I also hate Pete Sheppard's Brady/Belichick rump swap persona too. Or how about Meterperel's which is so outlandish that you can tell he isn't to selling the BS he spews most of the time. Some radio personalities decide to choose annoying on-air personas, but most radio personalities have radio personas.

No, Pete Sheppard really does have a man thingy for Tommy B.

 

[Rob0729]

No, Pete Sheppard really does have a man thingy for Tommy B.

First, Felger wasn't exactly like Reiss, but he was like Reis in that he was the voice of reason in this town when it came to the Patriots. He was fair and balanced and insightful. That isn't revisionist history.

As for Callahan, he may be the exception to the rule, but most radio personalities are very different off air than on air. My brother lives in the same town as John Dennis and he has met him a few times and he is very different than what he is like on air. My friend's boss lives in the same building as Felger on Comm Ave and she says that Felger is very different than what he is like on the air and he was very different as a contributor on WEEI and Sports Final (at least prior to getting his own show) than he was on ESPN890.

Also, if you can't see that Sheppard is playing up his crush on Brady for entertainment value, you aren't paying attention. It is a bit and nothing more. Sheppard's on air character is the obsessed fan.

 

[patchick]

Meterperel is just awful because he is the guy designated to say stupid outrageous contrarian things to rile up the callers.

No question about it, I fully recognize it, but it doesn't make it bearable. The key to me isn't the outrageous or contrarian part, it's the stupid part. Why should I spend time listening to anything that's deliberately dumbed down so far that there's literally zero chance that I'll gain any new insights from it? I guess it's supposed to be funny, but no dice.

(Perhaps they decided to make their contrarian character stupid because an actual intelligent contrarian could mop up the floor with D&C on football. Those two do the stupid thing effortlessly.)

 

[Rob0729]

No question about it, I fully recognize it, but it doesn't make it bearable. The key to me isn't the outrageous or contrarian part, it's the stupid part. Why should I spend time listening to anything that's deliberately dumbed down so far that there's literally zero chance that I'll gain any new insights from it? I guess it's supposed to be funny, but no dice.

(Perhaps they decided to make their contrarian character stupid because an actual intelligent contrarian could mop up the floor with D&C on football. Those two do the stupid thing effortlessly.)

I agree that there isn't a more annoying character on local radio than Meterperel. He is a big reason I don't listen to Dennis and Callahan other during certain interviews like Brady or Adam Shefter. I don't know who decided that Meterperel had to play the contrarian to the point of stupidity, but they really should be shot. I find Meter more annoying than either Dennis or Callahan.

 

[BelichickFan]

When he's not being a stupid jerk, Felger can be very good. He has the combination, to me, of access to the team while also talking like a guy you'd talk football with in a bar (I mean that as a compliment). Unfortunately he's been a little priss for a while now.

 

[signbabybrady]

When he's not being a stupid jerk, Felger can be very good. He has the combination, to me, of access to the team while also talking like a guy you'd talk football with in a bar (I mean that as a compliment). Unfortunately he's been a little priss for a while now.

not sure his access to the team is what it once was...he has pissed of some guys in that locker room.

 

[BelichickFan]

not sure his access to the team is what it once was...he has pissed of some guys in that locker room.

Agreed, but he still gets to watch the media allowed practices and be in the locker room, etc.

 

[BradyManny]

The only reason I have hope for Felger is now he isn't responsible for drawing ratings to WEEI. He is just an on air contributor. That means he doesn't have to piss off the Pats fans to get them to listen to him and talk about him. I bet Borges was better read by Pats fans when he started to let his personal feelings for Belichick skew his columns more than when he was a Pats supporter prior to Belichick. I think that was Felger's rational for his persona.

I am hoping now that he isn't responsible for drawing in ratings, he will drop the persona and be more of himself again. I enjoyed Felger before he started the Borges Jr. act. Against, Dennis and Callahan's self-righeousness and Meterperel's contrarian to the point of stupidity, they need a voices of reason to come on like Boomer Easison (before he got his own show), Adam Schefter, etc. to come on and provide balance.

I agree 100%. Felger wasn't always this way. If he can somehow lose the "harbinger of doom" aspect - coined by Bradford - he really would be a boost to the show. His radio show was pretty decent actually - there were times when The Big Show would be off in complete make-believe-land (ie, "will the Sox sign Barry Bonds?? Let's talk about it for 4 hours") and Felger's show provided an occassionally solid alternative.

 

[signbabybrady]

I agree 100%. Felger wasn't always this way. If he can somehow lose the "harbinger of doom" aspect - coined by Bradford - he really would be a boost to the show. His radio show was pretty decent actually - there were times when The Big Show would be off in complete make-believe-land (ie, "will the Sox sign Barry Bonds?? Let's talk about it for 4 hours") and Felger's show provided an occassionally solid alternative.

I actually liked felgers show but for reasons other than Felger.....THEY ACTUALLY TALKED FOOTBALL ON THE SHOW.

Note: now I have a better solution and have for a while Serius NFL radio.

 

[pats1]

Felger starts at WEEI today with Haggerty (who used to do shows with Felger on 890), filling in for D+H. He said that he's 39 and was with the Herald for 20 years, but they weren't going to publish any more of his stuff in the actual paper.

It's pretty strange to hear Felger on 850 - he said he'll be back on for Patriots Friday and will start writing for the site by the first preseason game.

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

Felger starts at WEEI today with Haggerty (who used to do shows with Felger on 890), filling in for D+H. He said that he's 39 and was with the Herald for 20 years, but they weren't going to publish any more of his stuff in the actual paper.

It's pretty strange to hear Felger on 850 - he said he'll be back on for Patriots Friday and will start writing for the site by the first preseason game.

what site writing will he be writing for??? And he is no longer associated with the Herald??? I just tuned in now..

 

[drew4008]

Would somebody be kind enough to let me know if it is possible to listen to such broadcasts online? And if so, how would I go about doing so?

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

You can listen online at www.weei.com Click on listen live.

He will be writing for WEEI.com also. They are "revamping" their website to include blogs from people like Felger and Rob Bradford.

 

[cstjohn17]

As sports talk junkie this is right in my wheel house.

I listen to all the stations all the time. It is bad and it is sad... but enought about me.

My quick review of the on air talents.

Felger - I don't mind him, even when he is trying to be "Mr. Go Against the Grain" at least he is talking football. Personally I like people to challenge or at least discuss the patriots from different angles and perspectives, the constant rah-rah of "BB knows all, never makes a mistake" is too one sided for me.

Zolak - Typical goofy ex-player but he does provide some insight and hsitorical context. Typical question "Hey Zoe, remember that time you were clubbed in the head by a 300 pound lineman?". He is also not afraid to call it as he sees it.

D&C - Very poor as sports talk show hosts, constantly contrived and simple minded opinions. Lots of political BS, but at the same time they did a great job of interviewing Tom Brady for the past two seasons.

Smerlas - Awful, terrible, very hard to listen to or take with any level of credibility.

DeOssie - Pretty good when he doesn't jump into amateur lawyer mode and try to "outwit" a caller. It is like a bad SNL skit.

Gresch - He has a national show that runs on ESPN, he talks football and is not afraid to take shots at himself or anyone else. Knows the game, one of my favorites.

 

[Pats726]

Good grief....Felger on EEI...yuck....

 

[Pats726]

As sports talk junkie this is right in my wheel house.

I listen to all the stations all the time. It is bad and it is sad... but enought about me.

My quick review of the on air talents.

Felger - I don't mind him, even when he is trying to be "Mr. Go Against the Grain" at least he is talking football. Personally I like people to challenge or at least discuss the patriots from different angles and perspectives, the constant rah-rah of "BB knows all, never makes a mistake" is too one sided for me.

Zolak - Typical goofy ex-player but he does provide some insight and hsitorical context. Typical question "Hey Zoe, remember that time you were clubbed in the head by a 300 pound lineman?". He is also not afraid to call it as he sees it.

D&C - Very poor as sports talk show hosts, constantly contrived and simple minded opinions. Lots of political BS, but at the same time they did a great job of interviewing Tom Brady for the past two seasons.

Smerlas - Awful, terrible, very hard to listen to or take with any level of credibility.

DeOssie - Pretty good when he doesn't jump into amateur lawyer mode and try to "outwit" a caller. It is like a bad SNL skit.

Gresch - He has a national show that runs on ESPN, he talks football and is not afraid to take shots at himself or anyone else. Knows the game, one of my favorites.

Felger?? Yes at times when he was first on, I went with that rationale as well..he talked football AND that was better. IN time, it wore out...and his pompousness and contrarian schtick took over. Yes, it's not all that good to just hear the "rah-rah" stuff, but Felger's views are hardly deep or all that full of knowledge. I listen to him now at times, until either 20 minutes is up or when I wish to vomit, whichever comes first. Usually it's the latter...and if I survive 20 minutes of his nonsense I'll listen longer. For someone who used to have Patriot haters like Schlereth on all the time, he hardly challenged them...which was I am sure the way it was suppose to be. D&C...what can be said..the bottom of the barrel. D and S?? Homers...but entertaining and with apoint of view...at least a bit fun listening. I really never got a chance to hear much of Zolak and Gresh on the Score, but heard them in other ways. Gresh always seemed more like the loudmouth who added nothing; more over teh top, no substance. Maybe in another context over time, he was calmer and knowledgeable, but he always has irritated me. Zolak was the ex-jock who added some interesting things here there; more like the color guy as opposed to the in depth one.