Radio Row at the Super Bowl: The worst week in sports talk radio

[poindexter]

The formula is always the same:
Your local (or national) host is at the Super Bowl
*Talk about the city's steak house and strip clubs
*Talk about interview day at the stadium, and the non-journalist who was asking wacky questions
*Bring on guests, which follows the same formula - He is a former NFL great, who spends the first 3 minutes talking about his career, then the next 3 minutes talking about some website, product or foundation he is being paid to sponsor. Neither half of the interview is even remotely interesting.

It'll be books on cd for my commute this week.

 

[Boom_70]

The formula is always the same:
Your local (or national) host is at the Super Bowl
*Talk about the city's steak house and strip clubs
*Talk about interview day at the stadium, and the non-journalist who was asking wacky questions
*Bring on guests, which follows the same formula - He is a former NFL great, who spends the first 3 minutes talking about his career, then the next 3 minutes talking about some website, product or foundation he is being paid to sponsor. Neither half of the interview is even remotely interesting.

It'll be books on cd for my commute this week.

You forgot Peter King showing up on every one of those shows.

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

...everyone just says the same **** trying to be contrarian, but only enough so you don't look stupid when the game comes out just as predicted. "I don't know, Arizona's not going to be an easy out...If Ben plays a perfect game, he'll tough to beat...I'm not sure Pittsburgh's corners can stop Larry Fitzgerald."

You know whom I miss this time of year? Dr. Z. Hope he's doing better.

 

[Boom_70]

...everyone just says the same **** trying to be contrarian, but only enough so you don't look stupid when the game comes out just as predicted. "I don't know, Arizona's not going to be an easy out...If Ben plays a perfect game, he'll tough to beat...I'm not sure Pittsburgh's corners can stop Larry Fitzgerald."

You know whom I miss this time of year? Dr. Z. Hope he's doing better.

Yup - Dr Z's curmudgeon view of things will be sorely missed.

Be interesting to see if it changes dynamic of HOF voting. Z was very outspoken and knowledgeable of those who should not get in. He was a big roadblock for candidacy of Paul Taglibue

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

...everyone just says the same **** trying to be contrarian, but only enough so you don't look stupid when the game comes out just as predicted. "I don't know, Arizona's not going to be an easy out...If Ben plays a perfect game, he'll tough to beat...I'm not sure Pittsburgh's corners can stop Larry Fitzgerald."

You know whom I miss this time of year? Dr. Z. Hope he's doing better.

Peter King took a break from stressing about melted kit kats and airplane cutlery to give an update on Dr. Z, and it's not that good...

8. I think so many of you have written and called with questions about Paul Zimmerman, and I wanted to give you an update on his condition. To sum up: Paul had a third, minor stroke while in his New Jersey rehab facility, and some of the progress he'd made in the first few days in the place was lost. He is battling and working as hard as he's ever worked on any story in his life, and I can confirm that because I've seen it with my own eyes. But as of now, he cannot speak, has difficulty reading because of the effects of the strokes on his eyes, and does not have full use of his right side, including his arm and leg. He gets about three hours of therapy per day and is being trained to speak and walk again. It is probably going to be a long haul back to normalcy for Dr. Z -- and now we have to hope that the insurance company will see that his case needs more time in rehab. That's the thing Linda, aka The Flaming Redhead, is battling now.

I had an idea. This is the first Super Bowl in 41 years that Zim is missing. It'd be a great if any of you would see fit to drop Paul a card or get-well letter this week in care of SI.com and we'll deliver all the mail to him this weekend in time for the game. Yes, he's watching the games. And still loving them.

Send to:
Paul Zimmerman
c/o Dom Bonvissuto, SI.com
1271 Avenue of the Americas
32-113B
New York, NY 10020

And if you'd like to send e-mail, address it to Dr. Z at [email protected].

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

All the best to Dr. Z, of course.
And, this just in, the latest from Radio Row..

 

[playthrough]

Hang in there, Dr. Z.

The worst is when you're flipping between channels and the guest you just heard is about to go on another show. It sounds like they're just walking up and down the rows -- because they are, along with PR flaks who are trying to get their product, er, guy on every station.

 

[Boom_70]

If the NFL has a sense of humor they will put Francesa and Mad Dog side by side.

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

I'm torn about saying "hang in there, Dr. Z."

It sounds like he is irreversibly damaged in areas of his body that allowed him to live the life he loved.

Now, perhaps for him every day of breath is a gift.

For me, though, I would now want to go as quickly as possible.

Here's to you getting where you want to be, Dr. Z.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

If the NFL has a sense of humor they will put Francesa and Mad Dog side by side.

I'm telling you, Boom. This is one of your greatest mornings, my brother.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Is there ever a good week in talk radio?

That line of work, more than anything, has led to the complete erosion of the coach-media relationship.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Is there ever a good week in talk radio?

That line of work, more than anything, has led to the complete erosion of the concept of human speech.

Fixed.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Is there ever a good week in talk radio?

That line of work, more than anything, has led to the complete erosion of the concept of human speech.

Fixed.

Rack him.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I had this conversation with a Hall of Fame player at the Super Bowl several years back. This player had ties to the city where I was working.

"So, does coming back to the Super Bowl bring back memories of what you did at the Super Bowl 12 years ago?"

"It does."

"What is your fondest memory from that game? (This was a question I had to ask because were were doing full pages of quotes from former NFL greats)"

"There were a lot of them."

"Does one stand out more than the others?"

"No."

"What about the touchdown pass to Player X, that's considered one of the signature plays from that game?"

"OK, but what I'm really here to talk about is Axe body spray."

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Is there ever a good week in talk radio?

That line of work, more than anything, has led to the complete erosion of the concept of human speech.

Fixed.

Rack him.

Thanks for the vine, man.
Out.

 

[playthrough]

This is an EPIC week in the jungle.

 

[Bubbler]

I'm on our local radio show from time-to-time and nothing pleases me more than contradicting the host, who like most hosts, builds his temple around his own opinions.

"So Bubbler, your team is 4-16. You know I'm a season-ticket holder and a big supporter, I know they're close to turning it around ... what are some of the positives?"

"There aren't any. They're 4-16, I don't think that can be sugar-coated. I'd say watching every game is like letting a part of me die, but since I'm not a fan, it's like watching them die. Sixteen deaths by turnovers, stupidty and talent that was woefully overestimated by the coaching staff."

[awkward silence]

"How 'bout so-and-so? He's only 25 percent from 3-point, but by God, he can hit some big shots sometimes."

"The rare instances where he hits a big shot is more than mitigated by the fact that his matador defense probably means his man is averaging 15 points per game."

[more awkward silence]

"Let's talk about the NFL! I think the Cardinals have a shot on Sunday! Larry Fitzgerald ... my teenage son calls him the bizzomb!"

"That's HILIARIOUS, but I disagree. They're a 9-7 team who got hot at the right time. The Steelers' defense is good enough to keep them under wraps."

"Yeah I see what you mean, Ben Roethlisberger is so solid too."

"Actually, Roethlisberger is the one man who can screw it up for the Steelers. He has grit, but often times doesn't have the brains to match. See the Colts-Steelers game back in November."

"Let's go to commercial!"

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Sports Reporters on Line One for you, Mr. Bubbler.

 

[Beaker]

Well done, Bubbler.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I'm on our local radio show from time-to-time and nothing pleases me more than contradicting the host, who like most hosts, builds his temple around his own opinions.

"So Bubbler, your team is 4-16. You know I'm a season-ticket holder and a big supporter, I know they're close to turning it around ... what are some of the positives?"

"There aren't any. They're 4-16, I don't think that can be sugar-coated. I'd say watching every game is like letting a part of me die, but since I'm not a fan, it's like watching them die. Sixteen deaths by turnovers, stupidty and talent that was woefully overestimated by the coaching staff."

[awkward silence]

"How 'bout so-and-so? He's only 25 percent from 3-point, but by God, he can hit some big shots sometimes."

"The rare instances where he hits a big shot is more than mitigated by the fact that his matador defense probably means his man is averaging 15 points per game."

[more awkward silence]

"Let's talk about the NFL! I think the Cardinals have a shot on Sunday! Larry Fitzgerald ... my teenage son calls him the bizzomb!"

"That's HILIARIOUS, but I disagree. They're a 9-7 team who got hot at the right time. The Steelers' defense is good enough to keep them under wraps."

"Yeah I see what you mean, Ben Roethlisberger is so solid too."

"Actually, Roethlisberger is the one man who can screw it up for the Steelers. He has grit, but often times doesn't have the brains to match. See the Colts-Steelers game back in November."

"Let's go to commercial!"

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