High quantity of sports radio, quality often lacking
Living and working in the D.C. metropolitan area, I get the pleasure of spending a decent amount of time in my truck going to and from work. Being a passionate sports fan, I spend a lot of that time listening to sports radio. I had the pleasure of taking in two hours of programming during a soul crushing commute just last night.
Since I am constantly reading, writing and talking about sports, I feel, like many of you probably do, that I could do sports radio better than at least half the people that are actually employed as sports radio "talent." After getting frustrated again this morning listening to Cooley and Kevin on ESPN 980, I decided to take a quick look at how sports radio shows are currently rated.
Barrett Sports Media rates the top 20 national sports talk radio shows each year. But their list was filled with syndicated shows from major media entities. Some of the worst sports radio are the national shows that can't devote time to local audience interests. Not to mention, these shows can be awful, but still get slammed down a local affiliate's throat due to contractual obligations.
Their top 3 rated programs quickly made me skeptical of their rankings:
1. Colin Cowherd, Fox Sports - top notch and does his homework, deserves a high ranking
2. Dan Patrick, Fox Sports - not good, relies on shtick and frat bro humor
3. Mike and Mike, ESPN - awful, constantly relying on the jock and nerd motif; their guests can be great and welcome relief from their poor efforts at humor and commercial plugs for ESPN programming and sponsors
You probably have to suck down Mike and Mike or Dan Patrick during your morning drive. To get good sports radio you need quality local content. Where can you find top rated local talent?
Talkers.com does a Heavy Hundred ranking that takes into account more than just listener ratings that would be heavily weighted towards nationally syndicated shows. Talkers.com assesses shows on qualities like courage, effort, impact and uniqueness. They also have clearly researched and examined local sports talk teams.
In the Talkers.com rankings, Dan Patrick dropped to fifth while Mike and Mike sank all the way down to 35th. I am smelling what these guys are stepping in.
I have spent a lot of time in the D.C. metropolitan, Seattle and New York City markets over the last ten years. Therefore, I have little knowledge of some of their highly rated teams in Boston, San Francisco or other larger markets that the Army never saw fit to maintain a significant presence. I was surprised that Detroit had multiple top-rated teams. Looks like sports radio might be a salve for hard times, for many.
Quick thoughts on talk show teams to give a listen or avoid (Talkers.com rating in parenthesis):
(1) Mike Francesa, WFAN, New York - has lost his fastball, but still popular; turn the dial, you have other options driving across the George Washington Bridge
(2) Boomer and Carton, WFAN, New York - on during the morning drive and allow you to ignore Mike and Mike; they do the jock and nerd shtick too, but they don't rely on it as much as their ESPN brethren
(14) Sports Junkies, WJFL, Washington, D.C. - excellent; local focus and very funny
(22) Dave "Softy" Mahler, KJR-AM, Seattle - knowledgeable and no manufactured outrage here
(25) Brock Huard and Mike Salk, KIRO, Seattle - great back and forth; I met Huard at an event on Joint Base Lewis-McChord - he was willing to talk sports at length with me
(29) Clay Travis, Fox Sports - you might get this guy on an affiliate; always quality
(35) Mike and Mike, ESPN - see, told you; any high rating is based upon weighted numbers...not that good anymore
(37) Petros Papadakis and Matt "Money" Smith, KLAC, Los Angeles - I have been able to catch these guys on occasion when Fox Sports used to play them nationally; have that West Coast edge like Rome and different perspective than most East Coast talent
(40) Chris Russo, SiriusXM - you can certainly catch this guy if you have satellite radio, but I would just watch the 30 for 30 about him and Francesa; lost a little something since their split
(44) Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts - I liked these guys when I was in the New York City market; something cool about hearing that accent when you are up there
(52) Mitch Levy, KJR, Seattle - lived there, don't remember him...take that for what it is worth
(61) Michael Kay and Don Le Greca, WEPN, New York - Kay has a voice for radio and Le Greca is a good second fiddle; just a little too corporate for me
(63) Steve Somers, WFAN, New York - Somers is unique; he is solo at night and sometimes puts together crazy stuff like this interview with former NY Giants coach Tom Coughlin (I think this was set up, but still funny)
(64) Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman, WMVP, Chicago - I have never heard Waddle's radio show, but anytime I have heard him as a guest he has been excellent; this show has to be good
(70) J.T. the Brick and Tom Looney, Fox Sports - actually was on air from Iraq once with these guys; typical Fox, West Coast show which makes it different for your regular fare
(72) Bob Stelton, Dave Grosby and Tom Wassell, KIRO, Seattle - just like Levy, I don't remember these guys either...I did live close to post and didn't have much of a commute out there
(77) Kevin Sheehan and Chris Cooley, WTEM, Washington, D.C. - can't believe these guys are rated ahead of Steve Czaban, who works in the same market; if the topic isn't football, Cooley is clueless and cocky at the same time - dog poop
(79) Paul Finebaum, ESPN - another syndicated asset that all of us can get; if you are into the SEC, there is no better source
(81) Chad Dukes, WJFK, Washington, D.C. - he isn't bad, but sometimes spends too much time talking about food
(87) Doc Walker, Brian Mitchell and Scott Jackson, WTEM, Washington, D.C. - not during a drive time anymore, never get to listen to these guys; not bad from what I remember
(89) Steve Czaban, WTEM, Washington, D.C - my favorite; this rating system clearly isn't perfect
(93) Ryen Russillo and Danny Kanell - Kanell got the axe during the last round of ESPN cuts, but Russillo is excellent on his own
(94) Doug Gottlieb, CBS - Not good unless talking college hoops, and this guy is nationally syndicated; turn the dial if his drivel is broadcast in your area
(100) Tiki Barber and Brandon Tierney, CBS - another national team that is built on a former jock and trained talent; Tierney is excellent and Tiki is the fat that comes with the steak
(Not Rated) Dan Dakich, WFNI, Indianapolis - all my contacts in Indy hate this former Hoosier basketball role player; straight up donkey
(Not Rated) Bomani Jones, ESPN - I don't know how this guy didn't make the Heavy Hundred; he is excellent
There is a lot of sports radio out there. A lot of it isn't that good. All that quantity can't be top quality.
Use the Heavy Hundred to find your best locals and augment with quality nationally syndicated programming. If you are in a barren wasteland for sports talk radio, give my name to your local station manager. I can guarantee you I would do it better than most and for a hell of a lot less.
Since I am constantly reading, writing and talking about sports, I feel, like many of you probably do, that I could do sports radio better than at least half the people that are actually employed as sports radio "talent." After getting frustrated again this morning listening to Cooley and Kevin on ESPN 980, I decided to take a quick look at how sports radio shows are currently rated.
Barrett Sports Media rates the top 20 national sports talk radio shows each year. But their list was filled with syndicated shows from major media entities. Some of the worst sports radio are the national shows that can't devote time to local audience interests. Not to mention, these shows can be awful, but still get slammed down a local affiliate's throat due to contractual obligations.
Their top 3 rated programs quickly made me skeptical of their rankings:
1. Colin Cowherd, Fox Sports - top notch and does his homework, deserves a high ranking
2. Dan Patrick, Fox Sports - not good, relies on shtick and frat bro humor
3. Mike and Mike, ESPN - awful, constantly relying on the jock and nerd motif; their guests can be great and welcome relief from their poor efforts at humor and commercial plugs for ESPN programming and sponsors
You probably have to suck down Mike and Mike or Dan Patrick during your morning drive. To get good sports radio you need quality local content. Where can you find top rated local talent?
Talkers.com does a Heavy Hundred ranking that takes into account more than just listener ratings that would be heavily weighted towards nationally syndicated shows. Talkers.com assesses shows on qualities like courage, effort, impact and uniqueness. They also have clearly researched and examined local sports talk teams.
In the Talkers.com rankings, Dan Patrick dropped to fifth while Mike and Mike sank all the way down to 35th. I am smelling what these guys are stepping in.
I have spent a lot of time in the D.C. metropolitan, Seattle and New York City markets over the last ten years. Therefore, I have little knowledge of some of their highly rated teams in Boston, San Francisco or other larger markets that the Army never saw fit to maintain a significant presence. I was surprised that Detroit had multiple top-rated teams. Looks like sports radio might be a salve for hard times, for many.
Quick thoughts on talk show teams to give a listen or avoid (Talkers.com rating in parenthesis):
(1) Mike Francesa, WFAN, New York - has lost his fastball, but still popular; turn the dial, you have other options driving across the George Washington Bridge
(2) Boomer and Carton, WFAN, New York - on during the morning drive and allow you to ignore Mike and Mike; they do the jock and nerd shtick too, but they don't rely on it as much as their ESPN brethren
(14) Sports Junkies, WJFL, Washington, D.C. - excellent; local focus and very funny
(22) Dave "Softy" Mahler, KJR-AM, Seattle - knowledgeable and no manufactured outrage here
(25) Brock Huard and Mike Salk, KIRO, Seattle - great back and forth; I met Huard at an event on Joint Base Lewis-McChord - he was willing to talk sports at length with me
(29) Clay Travis, Fox Sports - you might get this guy on an affiliate; always quality
(35) Mike and Mike, ESPN - see, told you; any high rating is based upon weighted numbers...not that good anymore
(37) Petros Papadakis and Matt "Money" Smith, KLAC, Los Angeles - I have been able to catch these guys on occasion when Fox Sports used to play them nationally; have that West Coast edge like Rome and different perspective than most East Coast talent
(40) Chris Russo, SiriusXM - you can certainly catch this guy if you have satellite radio, but I would just watch the 30 for 30 about him and Francesa; lost a little something since their split
(44) Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts - I liked these guys when I was in the New York City market; something cool about hearing that accent when you are up there
(52) Mitch Levy, KJR, Seattle - lived there, don't remember him...take that for what it is worth
(61) Michael Kay and Don Le Greca, WEPN, New York - Kay has a voice for radio and Le Greca is a good second fiddle; just a little too corporate for me
(63) Steve Somers, WFAN, New York - Somers is unique; he is solo at night and sometimes puts together crazy stuff like this interview with former NY Giants coach Tom Coughlin (I think this was set up, but still funny)
(64) Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman, WMVP, Chicago - I have never heard Waddle's radio show, but anytime I have heard him as a guest he has been excellent; this show has to be good
(70) J.T. the Brick and Tom Looney, Fox Sports - actually was on air from Iraq once with these guys; typical Fox, West Coast show which makes it different for your regular fare
(72) Bob Stelton, Dave Grosby and Tom Wassell, KIRO, Seattle - just like Levy, I don't remember these guys either...I did live close to post and didn't have much of a commute out there
(77) Kevin Sheehan and Chris Cooley, WTEM, Washington, D.C. - can't believe these guys are rated ahead of Steve Czaban, who works in the same market; if the topic isn't football, Cooley is clueless and cocky at the same time - dog poop
(79) Paul Finebaum, ESPN - another syndicated asset that all of us can get; if you are into the SEC, there is no better source
(81) Chad Dukes, WJFK, Washington, D.C. - he isn't bad, but sometimes spends too much time talking about food
(87) Doc Walker, Brian Mitchell and Scott Jackson, WTEM, Washington, D.C. - not during a drive time anymore, never get to listen to these guys; not bad from what I remember
(89) Steve Czaban, WTEM, Washington, D.C - my favorite; this rating system clearly isn't perfect
(93) Ryen Russillo and Danny Kanell - Kanell got the axe during the last round of ESPN cuts, but Russillo is excellent on his own
(94) Doug Gottlieb, CBS - Not good unless talking college hoops, and this guy is nationally syndicated; turn the dial if his drivel is broadcast in your area
(100) Tiki Barber and Brandon Tierney, CBS - another national team that is built on a former jock and trained talent; Tierney is excellent and Tiki is the fat that comes with the steak
(Not Rated) Dan Dakich, WFNI, Indianapolis - all my contacts in Indy hate this former Hoosier basketball role player; straight up donkey
(Not Rated) Bomani Jones, ESPN - I don't know how this guy didn't make the Heavy Hundred; he is excellent
There is a lot of sports radio out there. A lot of it isn't that good. All that quantity can't be top quality.
Use the Heavy Hundred to find your best locals and augment with quality nationally syndicated programming. If you are in a barren wasteland for sports talk radio, give my name to your local station manager. I can guarantee you I would do it better than most and for a hell of a lot less.
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