In preparation for Sunday’s Patriots/Broncos game in Denver (where snow showers are expected), head on over to Patriots Daily, and check out Trading Places – Chatting With The Mile High Report.

We’ve also got a little piece entitled Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics – Pats at Broncos. Check in later today for the Worry Wart.

Mike Reiss is worried that Josh McDaniels might be able to exploit some Patriots weaknesses with his knowledge of their personnel and how they do things.

Fred Taylor had ankle surgery yesterday, and while some reports indicate it isn’t a season ending procedure, at the very least he’s going to be gone for most of the year, it appears.  All the coverage is available over at PatriotsLinks.com.

The Bruins were also dominated by a team from Anaheim last night, as the Ducks came into the Garden and laid a 6-1 whipping on the Bruins. Get the game stories over at BruinsLinks.com.

The latest set of radio ratings are out, and Chad Finn notes that the new WBZ-FM scored a 2.5 overall for the month of September, compared with a 5.2 for WEEI. Jessica Heslam notes the demographic breakdown, where 98.5 got a 4.0 share in the male 25-54 segment, while WEEI took the top spot in that demo with a 7.7.

I think the numbers by WBZ-FM aren’t getting quite the attention they should. Finn says it “wasn’t a massive leap” – but really it was. The numbers by WBZ-FM blow away any numbers that a previous WEEI competitor had ever been able to grab. Perhaps this was just a case of people checking out the new station, but I think it’s more than that.

Published by Bruce Allen

Automattician.

22 thoughts on “Wrapping Up The Rest”

  1. There was never a doubt that D&C would beat T&R. Toucher and Rich are a bit better than I thought they would be, but not by a lot. It’s funny that people who say they turned to 98.5 to hear more sports have to listen to a bunch of guys who can be funny but know very little about sports. The other problem with T&R is that John Wallach is awful. He has no business bantering with the hosts because he clearly has no sense of humor or edge. No doubt the station added him because they knew that T&R weren’t well versed in sports and they thought Wallach would give them some credibiltiy. WRONG. The one thing that becomes clear immediately is that neither Toucher nor Rich (no idea which one is which) can stand him. That show is in for some big changes if it wants to be successful and it starts with dumping Wallach.

    Tanguay and Zolak is almost unlistenable. I always thought Tanguay was sort of benign. One of those guys just there on the landscape that you didn’t have a feeling about one way of the other. I was wrong. He is terrible. His opinions are inane and he tries too hard to be the contrarian. He’s just a dork with a creepy voice. Zolak is ok and that’s about it.

    As for Felger and Mazz, the show is excellent. So far superior to the Big O as to be ridiculous. Hopefully this will spur WEEI to dump some of the dead weight (i.e. Larry Johnson, Steve Burton, Fred Smerlas, etc.) and streamline the show. F&M is the real gem of 98.5 and I think it has a chance to be the standard of afternoon drive.

    The real bust of 98.5 is this Damon Amendolara. This guy is a know-nothing, say nothing, cliche machine, windbag. He just talks and talks and talks and says absolutely nothing. No matter what the sport he has a handful ready made cliches to fit the occasion. There is nothing original, funny, spontaneous, or controversial about him. He gets very uncomfortable when he has a caller that really knows what he’s talking about. In this case he usually drops the caller quickly so as not to be exposed. I don’t know how this guy got the Boston gig, but he has to go. The only thing he has going for him is that he has a good voice, but it’s like listening to an instrument play the right notes to a terrible song.

    If Michael Felger is rock and roll, then Damon Amendolara is Muzak.

    Like

    2. If this is the real Jack Edwards… NICE! I grew up watching you on SportsCenter! I loved your pseudo-mullet back then – in fact, check out my pic at 985thesportshub.com. I’m trying to bring it back. Always appreciate the feedback – we’ll try to be more original, funny, spontaneous and controversial. There’s no way to go but up baby! We’ll try to do better, although I think I’m going to make Jack stay on hold for 45 minutes when he calls to tell us how much we suck. Thanks to Ray, MandB97 and company. I’ll send you a Chuck Perks autographed 8×10.

      Like

      1. I’m trying to figure out if the real D.A. found this website. If it is, keep up the good work and don’t let the few detractors to your show get you down.

        Chuck Perks, bringing you SportsHub headlines every…………..(pausing for effect)…………………………………………(then pausing to hold DA’s audience captive)………………………………………………………….TWENTY MINUTES!!

        Like

        1. Jason-
          Found it? Don’t let any of the media blowhards fool ya, everyone in the Boston sports media knows about this site (if they don’t – they’re still on Prodigy’s dial-up). It’s a great roll-call of what everyone’s working on. Thanks – and I’ll be reading Sports Media Watch again….. in….

          Twenty minutes!

          Like

  2. Wallach is in there because Toucher (big Jets/St. Louis Cardinals fan), Crash (Miami Hurricanes and Dolphins), Adolfo (Cowboys) and Rich (really not sure who he roots for) aren’t actively rooting for any Boston team outside of the Bruins. So having them talk about the Red Sox, Patriots or Celtics is only going to go so far. I hear you that Wallach isn’t exactly a comic genius, but the appeal of T and R is always going to be Fred’s ranting, Rich’s movie reviews, Crash’s inability to act like an adult, making fun of Adolfo, random calls from the Gunner and the Chili Guy. Not necessarily their sports talk. Hence Wallach.

    Like

  3. I actually like DA. He mixes in the national format (many guests from around the country) with a bunch of insiders and lets liseners talk and have a converstaion. I never was a true mikey hater but I will not listen to him over DA. Who else do you want doing nights?

    Like

    1. My first choice would be to bring back Ryen Rusillo. He’s a local kid, has a natural rivalry with WEEI (if for no other reason the John Dennis affair) and he really knows his stuff. He mixes very solid sports takes with an edgy sense of humor.

      As far as DA letting listeners talk; that’s exactly what he doesn’t do. I think you are confusing not interrupting with having a conversation. Half the time he doesn’t even listen to what the caller says. He just goes off on his next formulated rant without addressing what the caller wanted to talk about. If you just want saccharine, straightforward -“gotta stop the run’…”defense wins championships”…”so and so has to step up” – pablum then he’s your guy. I just want something more than vanilla radio at night. That stuff plays great in smalltown America, but I prefer something with a little more attitude, not to mention humor.

      Like

      1. So the alternative is Mike Adams huh? That guy is a buffoon who tells the same damn fart jokes and gives the same Yankees suck talk every damn night. But he has attitude and is edgy so I guess he’s hilarious. Tell me that monkey story one more time, Mikey. You’re so hilarious!!!

        Like

          1. The fact that Mike Adams has a show on WEEI is reason enough NOT to listen to anything on that station.

            Like

  4. Bruce I think the numbers are actually disappointing. I really felt that there would be a dramatic shift in listenership when 98.5 started up. I know their numbers are higher compared to the other challengers but remember the coverage was minimal at best. We now have a station that has great coverage and still can’t get half of what WEEI gets. I believe that the morning and midday has been a big drag on the ratings.

    As far as the programs go, after getting off to a pretty good start T&R have become very boring and just unfunny. John Wallach is the only reason to listen and that is not saying much. The only time T&R are any good is when they crack on some of the other host. My feeling is that T&R will not be renewed.

    Gary Tanguay has become the worst local personality with his chicken little attitude and his screaming and hollering. His opinions are over the top and he believes everything. Yesterday Dan Shaughnessy, said for sure that Varitek would catch Beckett in game two. Shaughnessy had no basis for his argument but Tanguay said not only will Varitek catch game two but he will catch every game for Beckett next season because Francona will abide by Beckett’s wishes. Of course, now we know that Martinez is catching game two and Tanguay conveniently forgets that Martinez has already caught Beckett more than once. Zolak with his drama with Dave Portnoy shows he has thin skin. All he did was get more eyes on Barstool. D&H must be killing them.

    Felger and Mazz have improved immensely and I would not be surprised if they are passing Ordway. It has become a terrific show with great conversation.

    The best show by far is D.A.. He talks about a variety of topics. His guests range from local to national personalities. The conversation is civil and he does not demean any of them. He backs up his statements with facts. Ray you nailed it on the head and I could not disagree with you more Jack. D.A. is the best local talent around.

    Like

      1. You are comparing apples and oranges. How is T&R doing in comparison to D&C? They are getting clobbered. The other question I have is how were their rating over the first couple of weeks compared to the last two weeks. I will guess that those who like sports talk gave them a chance and eventually went back to D&C but that is just a guess. For me, I flip around the dial to both T&R and D&C until I can pick up 96.3 WLOB in Portland, ME and listen to Shoe and Joe.

        Like

        1. Actually, T&R’s ratings in younger demos beat D&C. And their 25-54 are steadily climbing. Remember, first month.

          Like

    2. Mandb, I think you’re being extremely shortsighted when it comes to calling SportsHub’s ratings a disappointment. Sportsradio WEEI has been on the air for eighteen years and has basically had the same hosts airing in the same time slots since they moved to the 850 spot on the dial (Dale’s midday cohosts and the Sarandis/Adams swap at night are the only signficant changes in about a dozen years). They also have a network of stations across most of eastern New England that make up for any signals that are relatively weak. Just because previously there was only one legitimate sports station in the Boston area, it’s silly to think most of their audience listened only because there were no other viable alternatives. I would guess about 75% of EEI’s listening audience consists of extremely loyal fans who enjoy the station and are unlikely to try and find something else on the dial.

      SportsHub should be pleased with their initial ratings, and with a little fine tuning (i.e. eliminating Tanguay) who knows how popular they might become. Having actual games broadcast on their station is a big help compared to previous so-called competitors.

      Like

      1. I do agree that it is a matter of time before Felger and Mazz takes over Ordway and D.A. takes over Adams but I feel that T&R and T&Z are just dreadful radio. I am very disappointed in T&R who I felt had a strong start but are now plummeting. As far as the ratings go versus the previous competition, of course WBZ is better because you can hear them. I never could hear 890 or 1510. WBZ should have better ratings.

        Like

        1. It sounds like they’ve been trying out some new segments over the past couple of weeks, like today I heard ‘Wide world of sports news’ as they try to discuss more national sports stories. It wasn’t great as it devolved into Al Sharpton talk. I switched over to EEI and guess what they were talking about? The same thing. Give T&R a little time to try different things to see what hits and what misses. If you felt their start was strong then you probably would’ve liked their BCN show, because with the exception of Wallach that’s what their first couple of weeks resembled.

          It’s also entirely possible that EEI will win some time periods during the day and the SportsHub others. It’s still fairly remarkable what they’ve done ratingswise with little press other than this site talking about the station a mere month before they debuted.

          Like

  5. I don’t care for the sports talk radio genre AT ALL……I’m a HUGE sports fan but to me it’s about THE GAMES THEMSELVES, not talking about, “breaking down” or analyzing the games ad nauseam. I find all these blowhards and the callers boring as hell….that being said, WEEI is just too entrenched. They are the 800lb. gorrila in the room and it’s not going to change…..to WEEI, “the Sports Hub” is just an annoying little fly.

    Like

    1. No question you have to listen in small does, AOB. Especially the case following a sports day like Sunday.

      Like

  6. I’m all for EEI getting competition but the “sports hub” programming in all honesty is simply not very appealing. Can’t stand the morning show, Tanguary is awful (Dale and Holley beat it hands down), and while I thought I’d love Mazz & Felger, they’re still a couple of windbags who throw around crazy opinions as out there as The Big O. So for now, yeah, I’m still on EEI.

    The one good thing 98.5 did was make EEI take regular commercial breaks. Tends to break up the monotonous anecdotes and keep the subject more on point, which is a good thing during the Big-O Show.

    Like

  7. The one thing we all are forgetting is that these are the ratings for a station that’s been on for ONE MONTH as opposed to a station that has been on for 20 years. Also have you ever seen an ad for the Sports Hub? Neither have I. This really is a fantastic start for 98.5.

    Like

Comments are closed.