27
2009
Sports Talk Radio – Time For A Nap
An article by Former Writers
Sports talk radio has gotten so boring in New York, that I rarely listen anymore. Five minutes of Mike Francesa is too much. Believe it or not, I’d rather listen to Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.
As history has recorded, July 1, 1987 marked the birth of WFAN and 24 hour sports talk radio. At 3:00 PM on 1050 AM radio, Suzyn Waldman signed on and was the first voice heard. Other “originals”, included Greg Gumbel, Jim Lampley, Art Shamsky, Howie Rose, and Steve Somers. Of course, sports talk radio has a much longer history than 1987.
I can remember as a 13 year old, in 1969, listening to WMCA (after it had changed from “The Good Guys -top 40 music). Jack Spector, Ed Baer, and John Sterling (yes, the Yankee broadcaster) had shows. I remember calling in to Ed Baer, one Saturday afternoon, and talking about the Cazzie Russell/Dave Stallworth controversy as to who should start for Knicks. After I made my witty and profound argument for Stallworth, I closed with “and the Jets and Giants in the Super Bowl this year”.
All time great broadcasters, Bill Mazer (WHN) and Marty Glickman (WNEW), also had late night shows. Remember Art Rust Jr. on WABC? When he talked about the Yankees, he would preface his remarks by saying “In the big ball yard in the Bronx”. Rust Jr., a black man born in Harlem, also was an accomplished author. His first book, published in 1976, controversially titled “Get That Nigger Off The Field”, explored the rocky beginnings of blacks in baseball.
Many of the people named above, whom younger fans have never heard of, were icons in the sports media world back in the 1960′s and 70′s. Now it’s all about Mike Francesa, and Joe Benigno, and their unbearable, repetitive rants. It’s bad enough to listen to three hours of Benigno and Roberts in the morning, but to follow that up with five hours of Mike Francesa is downright exhausting.
The only person I can listen to is Steve Somers, aka the Schmoozer. When he is on the air, during a rain delay, or following a Mets game, it is a pleasure and so entertaining to hear his long monologue about the “Metropolitans”. He has longer conversations with the callers than anyone else, mostly because there are personal stories behind the drudgery of the same news being repeated. And Somers, has a subtle sarcasm that if you understand it, makes it hilarious.
Here is my suggestion to WFAN. Clean house. Fire virtually everyone except for Steve Somers and a few others (like the traffic girl). Find some new, fresh voices. Be more creative and innovative, like bringing in different fans for a daily show. Run a trial for the overnight show, and if it works, implement it during the 10 AM show.
Please; I’m already tired of Limbaugh and Hannity.
About the Author: Former Writers
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I due apologize for spellin Francesa incorrectlee, and maybey using a few xtra commaz. Otherwize, eye dont agree width u
I remember Art Rust Jr. I was the first caller to speak with Billy Williams when Art had him on his show after being elected to the Hall of Fame.
The FAN is trash now, except Steve Somers and Tony Paige. Being a Black dude I personally would rather listed to Fat Mike Francesca instead of that racist slob and druggie Rush Limpbaugh or that insane uneducated bigot Hannity.
That being said it’s shamefull what the FAN has now in this trailer trash Craig Carlton, and that crazy Benigno dude who needs some English speaking classes, I’d rather listen to the Maddog than Benigno. Evan Roberts is ok, Boomer is ok. Steve Somers is the best and Tony Paige need more air time. Adam the bull is a loud mouth bloke, and Richard Neer is ok.
Goodness Gracious………thank god I live in Maryland now so I don’t get that hideous Suzan Waldman woman…..out of everyone mentioned she is the Worse. Matter fact all of those Yankee announcers are the most horrible announcers in the history of baseball announcers. I cringe and channel whenever the MLB network uses that idiotic soud bite when those Yankees win a game………oh by the way:
LET’S GO PHILLIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You shouldn’t use the word doofus to describe him. All these guys are entertainers. You don’t have to like him, but calling him names without giving some back up doesn’t accomplish much
Grey you live in Maryland now but you take the time to get on the computer and log on to the WFAN web site to listen becuase you HATE the station so much??!
Am I missing something?
MASK, AS ANOTHER OUT-OF-TOWN DISPLACED NYer I DO NOT LOG ONTO WFAN; BUT WASN’T IT ONE OF DANNY K’s “TRIAL” GIGS THAT BROUGHT US FLIPPIN’ BINGO-JOE IN THE FIRST PLACE? I DO, HOWEVER SUBSCRIBE TO SNY ON SAT. & HATE WHEN HE’S “DROPPING” IN ON DNL.
Uhhh… How did I get into this? I don’t remember commenting.
I remember calling in to Art Rust Jr show when he had a 19 yr old Mark Messier on talking about the him and Gretzky WOW that was a long time ago. Sterling not only had a call in show (he was a real jerk nasty with callers) but he was theplay by play man for the NY Raiders of the WHA.
As much as I love baseball WFAN is about 15 hrs a day baseball the rest football. Back in the day basketball and hockey was musc better covered and discussed on sports talk radio
I think steve Sommers is an uninformed doofus. I think he stinks. I agree with a lot of the rest of what you said though.
So your post is about getting rid of all the BEST people whether you agree with them or not and keeping only the people you like and agree with.
Yeah right.
First of all this post is a waste of time, very childish, reeks of a 13 year old angry Mets fan and has nothing to do with reality. Your comment about WFAN cleaning house is worthy of a Francesa wave within the first 3 seconds of your call. It’s so stupid it’s beyond belief. And what makes it worse is that it’s coming from a middle-aged man.
How old are you? 53 or so? Do you have kids? I hope you’re only kidding here.
I’m used to better posts than this on MetsMerized.
Bayonne, the guy is entitled to his opinion. If you don’t like it, then dont read it. And what does having kids have anything to do with it? Do you have any? If so, then I hope they learn better lessons in life than you could probably provide.
Childish?
How about this you said in the Comments Box
Bayonne Mets Fan
How are the Mets gonna top the Phillie’s core of Victorino, Rollins, Howard, Werth, & Utley…those guys have vinegar in the veins….and that’s not even counting the pitching. The Mets have Pink breas cancer awareness ribbons in their veins
Details
10/26/09 11:46 PM #
Let me TELL YOU THIS………Those PINK BREAST CANCER RIBBONS signify more guts and glory then any professional athlete could ever dream of, and HOW DARE you bastardize such a symbol, you just insulted every woman and man that have gone through the process of Breast Cancer (and YES I did say MAN – look it up) So your ANALOGY is way off…….because if they did have that in their veins they would be invinsible, but they are not they are JUST athletes……
just saying……..
Kay, great comment!!!!!!
Kay,
Don’t ever listen to Howard Stern or you’ll be needing a new color for Female GastroEnteric Ulceritis Ribbons.
You gotta be able to tell when an opinion is mixed with creative writing and chill out about it. I’m not part of the 21st century politically correct sensitive-awareness crap so be ready for more. Chill out. I’m not gonna change. That pink crap in baseball irritates me.
Kay you know what he ment, alright ?
This argument is symbolic
Kay and that 2009Mets guy are like the politically correct sensitive Mets fan that are too soft and can’t take the heat and my comments are like the tough Phillies who are in your face come into 2B with the spikes flying high. Guess who’s in the World Series and who’s home complaining?
Nah Bayonne, I just never like what you have to say.
Now I’m sensative and politically correct – what a broad stroke you paint because I don’t like your analogy, and no I do not waste my time with Stern – he hasn’t been funny in 20 years.
You know NOTHING about me, you don’t know that I’m an engineer working on a billion dollar construction site with men, so I know all to well how to live in a NON politically correct world as a matter of fact I WAS TOLD I had to attend sensativity training, so stop with the ASSumptions.
I am saying those YOU CROSSED THE LINE, and even if you don’t want to be PC, there is always a line.
Keep calling people childish I’ll buy you a mirror.
You sound just like my friend jake!. You are entitled to your opinion. I just hope you keep reading my stuff.
Next time I see a blog by you i’ll make sure to skip it. Know your stuff before writing a blog. WFAN after all these years continues to be a success even with ESPN having a NY sports radio station here the FAN finds a way to crush it’s competitors. Why is FAN such a success in this town ? Because it truly is NY. And to say Somers is listenable ? The guy has passed his prime many years ago, to hear him trying to break down the NFL playoffs last year I mean I would rather listen to Minaya break down the farm system and tell me why he resigned Ollie. Somers does not know sports, ask him to talk about college football. Oh and his stuff is so repetitive, the same audio, the same skits, the same garbage. I listen to WFAN religiously,been hooked to the FAN since I was a kid and i’m still enjoying it…………….. with the exceptions of Tony Paige and Somers, 2 idiots who don’t know sports. Fire everybody that knows sports and keep the idiot who doesn’t ?!?!? You know what ? Just stick to Rush and Hannity.
I dont always agree with Francesa, but I try to tune in when I can because he’s entertaining and conducts great interviews. There’s a reason why his show is the number one sportstalk show in the country. You do know that right? The guy they should get rid of is CBS’s John Sterling who is a hack and Waldman who is the most unprofessional sloth on the airwaves. I’ll never forget her outrageous behavior when Clemens was in the owners box and she broke her water on air when she delivered her swine. I dont know any of those other people you mention but I’m sure they entertained your generation, but Francesa is king in our generation.
“Sports talk radio has gotten so boring in New York, that I rarely listen anymore. Five minutes of Mike Francesa is too much. Believe it or not, I’d rather listen to Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.”
Joe, maybe you should prohibit political comments. It doesn’t lead anywhere that is good.
By the way Limbaugh has received from all those geniuses who defamed him by fabricating a quote he never made.
By the way Limbaugh has received a retraction from all those geniuses who defamed him by fabricating a quote he never made.
It’s always best to avoid politics and religion in the context of sports.
Sports talk is always boring when your the team thats the joke in town. I’m sure Yankee fans love NY sports talk right now because they are the center of attention.
I do think they need to bring back Mike and the Mad Dog, Francesa is better with someone else, and they complimented each other pretty well
MIke F. is never leaving the WFAN. I wish he would but he’s not. Why do you think Mad Dog left? Station Management wanted to keep the “Mike And the Mad Dog” format continue their salary differential in their new contract despite the fact that Mad Dog had developed into more of a talent. So Mad Dog say’s Ok. See ya. Good for him. Now Let Mike F. be exposed.
“Mike know it all mouth talk-over-your-little people callers”
Management loves Mike F. Mike F. brings in the most advertising $$$$
He’s not going anywhere until his advertising dollars slip and from what I hear they have a Lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng way to go before he is a financial burden on the station.
I see now that I should have written this blog differently. Yes, current sports talk radio does bore me. But that’s just me. I should have written more about it’s history.
I’m getting nostalgic now. I want people to comment about their experiences in calling in to different hosts – what they spoke about and how they were treated. And also of course about their experiences in being a listener.