LcoalSports Talk Radio Who do you like and who do you hate

BWUHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

Soren Petro in KC is about the only guy I could listen to on a regular basis, especially when he was talking about the Royals when I was in the area. There a few others hosts I didn't want to kill, especially on his station, WHB, but most of the rest were terrible. Ears bleeding, pull of the side of the road and cry terrible. Stupid ignorant morons got their only information from the Star and a few quick internet searches, and spent hour and hour after hour arguing the most illogical and/or inane points.

 

KC sports talk is, in general, crappy. WHB was there first and has been able to keep up the pace. 610 Sports can't get any momentum even after taking Rome and the Royals away. And 610 also made the awesome move of getting rid of D.A. and Tim Grunhard so it could bring on Roger Twibill and move Chris and Cowboy to mid-morning so both those could have the ratings in those time slots drop by almost two thirds!.

At one point, 610 was making a bit of inroads in the sports talk ratings battle with WHB. Then, somehow, it choked it all away. I can't stand listening to 610 anymore unless Rome is on and I live far enough south that WHB's signal sucks, so I don't get a good listen.

 

Rome is on during Petro, the only guy I can stand, so I don't listen to Rome. Chris and Cowboy are just about the worst I've ever heard. I'll say they're unprofessional, but I want to qualify that. I don't mind the talking about booze and women or the laid back style. I do, however, mind that they don't know a damn thing about what they're talking about. Ever. If they did anything to prepare for that show other than watch Sportscenter, I'd be shocked.

Grunhard was really only good on football. He was great talking about the Chiefs ... lot of interesting points and comments the average fan would never notice. The other 8 months of the year he was clueless, though.

--Edit: Sorry. I listen a lot to all the sports stations when I lived there, and I spent a lot of time deciding exactly why I hated each individual host. Sick, I know, but it leaves me with plenty to talk about here.

 

The sports station in this market has a couple of hosts who actually show up on occasion and know what they're talking about, but some serious clowns as well.

The very high-ratings morning guy (mentioned by whoever it was who listed favorites in different markets) is entertaining, but he's been here like a dozen years, and I've never -- EVER -- once seen him at a sporting event. I'm sure he sits in the stands sometimes, but has never ventured into the working area of the stadium.

I find it infuriating when this guy pontificates on the dynamics of the clubhouse of the team I cover. He couldn't find the clubhouse if you provided him a sherpa.

 

The fact Tony Mercurio in Norfolk still has a job tells me all I need to know about sports-talk radio.

 

Warning: This post contains more than you ever wanted to know about the #52 market, Buffalo-Niagara Falls. Continue reading at your own risk.

When Entercom bought WNSA and flipped it to music -- part of the fallout from the Adelphia mess -- WGR once again became the sole full-time sportstalker in the market. That decision may have served Entercom's needs, but it hasn't done the same for their audience. GR stays right around a 4.5-5.0 12+ share when the Bills and Sabres are in season, but the negative, confrontational 'edge' on their afternoon drive has sent an increasing number of listeners to Sirius/XM for their sportstalk fix.

(At least that's what they're telling us when they bitch about GR on our site; can't go a week without another "Mike Schopp sucks and I'm never listening to him again" thread. Strangely, though, most of these threads are started by the same few people. Funny how that works.)

Personally, I never acquired a taste for Schopp's act, and I avoid him whenever possible. If he's on vacation and co-host Chris Parker is paired with a fill-in, the show improves. (Just my opinion, of course.) Middays are given to Cowherd and Rome. Thanks, but no thanks.

In morning drive, veteran host Howard Simon puts out a solid show. I'd sooner see him in the afternoon slot -- when he was on WNSA, he beat Schopp head-to-head -- but I'm assuming contractual obligations prevent that. Simon is part of a vanishing breed, hosts who would rather have a reasoned, informed discussion with guests and callers than devolve to the attacks-and-insults shoutfest currently in vogue. Long may he ride.

WIVB-TV sports director Dennis Williams recently took over the evening slot, then was unceremoniously dumped by Channel 4 when John Murphy's non-compete with WKBW-TV expired and he became available. I always thought Williams was something of a lightweight on television, but on the radio, he isn't afraid to give an opinion. Closer to Simon than Schopp in presentation. So far, not bad.

The guy whose job Williams inherited, Brad Riter, recently reappeared on WECK/WLVL. Haven't heard the new show; they're both 1kW stations I can't pick up this far south of the city, and they're still a month or two away from livestreaming. Always liked him on GR, though, and I'm looking forward to hearing what he does now that he's no longer at Corporate Parkway.

And if you've made it this far, don't blame me for your eyes glazing over. I did warn you ...

 

I don't listen to it in my neck of the woods, because the majority of it is caller-driven, lacks any kind of objectiveness and gives me a headache. If I listen, it's in small doses. Very small doses. In college, however, I used to listen to Bruce Keidan's afternoon show on Pittsburgh AM radio because I had my walkman (remember those?) and was either at the gym, on the bus or working/studying.

 

I think I recall listening to C & C one day when a fan called in to ask about K-State basketball and both of them had to admit that they didn't know what was going on there.

EDIT: This was intended to be a reply to Pilot, not myself. Oops. ;D

 

I've dealt with egomaniac columnists and beat writers for many years. None is a match for Schopp, the most arrogant human being in the under-40 category I've ever run across. I pray for back-to-back ratings-book bombs for him to teach Schopp a little humility.

 

If you heard Lance McAllister in Cincinnati, you'd change your mind.
There's nobody better.