ESPN Radio

[wdm1219inpenna]

Forgive the post here, just wanted to 1. vent, and 2. see if anybody else feels as frustated...

I live in the Philadelphia area. I grew up in central NJ, and I detest all Philadelphia sports teams. I used to get ESPN Radio at work, with Mike & Mike from 6-10, then Colin Cowherd from 10-1.

While I still can listen to ESPN Radio at work, and get Mike & Mike in the morning. From 10am through the rest of the evening they have all the local yokels on. I can tolerate Tony Bruno, and semi-tolerate Mike Missinelli, but the 2 schlubs they have on from noon til 2 are just awful. Unlistenable.

My bigger gripe however, is from 6 to 10, it seems just about every single solitary day for the past 6 weeks, the only 3 things being talked about on Mike & Mike are Johnny "Football" Manziel, Ryan Braun, or A-Rod. I understand all 3 of these athletes are controversial, but can they EVER talk about anything that takes place on the actual field of play? Ever?????

(rant mode off)

[OnWis97]

It's been that way on Mike and Mike for years. It really should be called "Mike & Mike's NFL and Hot Topics Show". It's mostly NFL, every month of the year..."two a days" twice a year now. And then it's these ongoing controversies and intrigues. It used to be Favre and TO before that.

As for what takes place on the field...rare outside of NFL. But that's what TV's for.

[wdm1219inpenna]

Agreed. I will listen on Monday mornings following the football season, but other than that, probably not much.

[The Six]

Max Kellerman is all you need. Best who's ever done it.

[NJTank]

That is why I have not listened to Mike and MIke much over the last few months.

[KDubK414]

If you have a smartphone with a good data plan or wifi through your work, you should be able to download an app from the old station you used to listen to or something else so you don't have to listen to them.

[Needschat]

You're just realizing this?

Sports talk is generally NFL-speak sprinkled with some sort of criminal or drug activity by athletes. And now there's FS1? More NFL propaganda

[hbgoo1975]

You know what is worse? Hearing ESPN News reruns on radio. What is the point to hearing it when you cannot see the highlights? This is pointless! I would rather see ESPN News on TV that to hear the same broadcast on radio!

[Sport]

Here's what I know: I used to work construction with a guy who listened to ESPN radio every day. He was a big fan of Colin Cowherd. When I quit working that job my life got better because I wasn't listening to Colin Cowherd everyday.

There's so many better ways in 2013 to get sports coverage than sports talk radio. Podcasts are excellent. No commercials, they're longer, you can listen to them anywhere, you get to pick who you listen to, and they get to pick what they talk about because there's no agenda-driven station manager breathing down their neck. And the best part: NO LOCAL CALLERS!!!

I used to hate how the Columbus radio guys only ever talked about Ohio State football. It was OSU football discussion for 365 days a year and they'd barely mention any of the other sports. Really, they knew nothing about any of the other sports. When I found hockey and baseball podcasts it was one of the best things that ever happened to me.

[MadmanLA]

I listen to ESPN Radio every now and then, and I listen to their podcast content more and more--Bill Simmons/Grantland, Jemele Hill & Michael Smith, Around the Horn, and PTI. The local ESPN station here is the flagship radio home of the Lakers, and there's so much Laker propaganda I can take listening to, although Max Kellerman and Marcellus Wiley have grown on me.

Fox Sports Radio, maybe outside of the Petros & Money Show, is just terrible now. Their midday show (which would be rush hour time in the East) is shell of what it once was, especially with Pat O'Brien--just a unfunny, egotisical, self-centered bore. He says he's been in soberity for a few years now, he still sounds drunk.

[alxy8s]

Podcasts are excellent. No commercials, they're longer, you can listen to them anywhere, you get to pick who you listen to, and they get to pick what they talk about because there's no agenda-driven station manager breathing down their neck. And the best part: NO LOCAL CALLERS!!!

This is the way to go. The Grantland Network does a lot of great work. Even when they're talking about shows I don't watch or teams I don't care about, it's funny enough to listen. Bill Simmons kind of grates on my nerves lately, but he's always been worth a listen. If you're an NBA fan, I'd highly recommend The Basketball Jones.

I love Dan LeBatard's show, and luckily enough, they have a podcast. It's great to listen to a radio show in about 60% of the time it would take to do so in real time. Rumor has it that ESPN is buying the rights to broadcast it nationally, so enjoy it!

[RyanMcD29]

And the best part: NO LOCAL CALLERS!!!

Eh, that's 3/4 of the fun with Finebaum and Francesa

But yeah, I'd go the podcast route. Though WFAN's usually a good listen when it's not Francesa soap-box-for-an-hour time here in NY

[Funky Bunky]

With all the great podcasts out there (professional or amateur), there really isn't any reason to listen to terrestrial sports radio anymore.

[The_Admiral]

Youtube highlights of Mike Zaun getting pranked or having a nosebleed or otherwise looking like a village idiot are tremendous, but how can anyone listen to him on a regular basis as just The Guy Who Does Sports Talk In Our Market? He's actually kind of boring.

EDIT: the time he spoke with absolute authority about New York not getting the giant 20-inch blizzard it eventually got was a crowning achievement.

[tBBP]

All I wanna know is: why does Danny Kanell of all people (backup QB to Charlie Ward at Florida State before taking the reins after Ward left, only to later meagerly exist as a career NFL backup--bear in mind this is the same guy who was benched for Kent f-ing Graham, then cut after the Giants picked up Kerry Collins) have a ESPN radio show?

[Jigga]

Sup, Buc? Long time, family. Hope things are good for you and yours.

Kanell doesn't have his own ESPN radio show (yet). He's been a frequent co-host on Coach & Company, but only recently become a lead "fill in guy" on SVP. Frankly, he hasn't done a very good job. His show, UNITE, on ESPNU was recently canceled for low ratings. If you're gonna watch much college football on ESPN this fall, you'll be seeing quite a bit of him.

[Cosmic]

Here's what I know: I used to work construction with a guy who listened to ESPN radio every day. He was a big fan of Colin Cowherd. When I quit working that job my life got better because I wasn't listening to Colin Cowherd everyday.

My local station ran Cowherd from 10-12, but dropped him for a Sabres show. It made my month when he was gone.

[CS85]

I like the stuff Jeremy Schapp does. I think it's either The Sporting Life or an OTL extension podcast.

[Still MIGHTY]

Here's what I know: I used to work construction with a guy who listened to ESPN radio every day. He was a big fan of Colin Cowherd. When I quit working that job my life got better because I wasn't listening to Colin Cowherd everyday.

My local station ran Cowherd from 10-12, but dropped him for a Sabres show. It made my month when he was gone.

A station dropped a national ESPN show for a hockey show?!?!?! The blasphemy....

...the sweet, beautiful, glorious, why-cant-this-happen-elsewhere blasphemy

[CS85]

Here's what I know: I used to work construction with a guy who listened to ESPN radio every day. He was a big fan of Colin Cowherd. When I quit working that job my life got better because I wasn't listening to Colin Cowherd everyday.

My local station ran Cowherd from 10-12, but dropped him for a Sabres show. It made my month when he was gone.

A station dropped a national ESPN show for a hockey show?!?!?! The blasphemy....

...the sweet, beautiful, glorious, why-cant-this-happen-elsewhere blasphemy

Champaign/Urbana's kinda had that happen in reverse. 93.5 used to be this milquetoast quasi-conservative talk station, then it became a sports talk station (Illini and Cardinals mostly but a sprinkle of Chicago and mediocre hosts). Ultimately ESPN bought them up, created ESPNCU.com and fired everyone but 2 hosts.

Don't get me wrong: It's nice not to have to listen to C-rate talent talk about how delicious Mike Matheny's penis is, but at the same time it's not THAT much better having 4/5ths of the listening day devoted to yelling about the same 3 recycled NFL stories.

That being said I think Freddie Coleman's a great host.