Every couple months someone in sports will call out their rival and it becomes low hanging fruit for sports radio hosts (and columnists alike). It always seems to follow the same formula so we decided to break it down for the next time it happens. This way everyone will know their lines, hit their marks and compelling radio can be enjoyed by all. Aspiring broadcasters should consider this a how-to... a how to be awesome at radio. Note for hosts: Feel free to elaborate on any of these points to keep the exhilarating discussion going for as long as possible.
Host: Welcome back, you're listening to [show name]. I saw something that caught my eye yesterday. [Co-host name], did you see where [Team name] [choose one: owner/coach/position played] [name] took a shot at [rival team's name]? Here's what he said, "The bottom line is [I/we] [choose one: don't care for/strongly dislike/hate] the [rival team name]. They're [soft/crybabies/bitches]."
[Co-host name], I don't see the need to do this. You get a chance to settle this on the [field/court]. Don't give the other team extra motivation.
Co-host: Well [host name], you may not believe it but I love this stuff. It reminds me of a better era in [sport being discussed] when team's didn't like each other. They weren't going out together after the game and shooting commercials. Back in the [decade], the [rival team A] and [rival team B] didn't just dislike each other, they HATED each other. And when I say HATED, I mean HATED.
(skip next section if football is topic)
and besides that, it's good for the sport.
(If off-season): Look, it's [month] and we're talking about [league]. How often do we talk about the [league] in month? Not very often.
(If during the season): Now this week's [series/game] becomes must see TV. I doubt I would've watched this [series/game] if it wasn't for [name]'s comments.
Host: Well, you're right about that.
(If player has been successful)
I just don' get why a guy like [name], who has accomplished so much needs to be taking shots in the media.
(if player has not been successful)
but, who is [name] to be talking trash about anybody? What have you done in your career that makes you think it's your place to call out another team? i mean, if it was [successful player] ok, I can understand, but you're [name]?!? [name]!!! Give me a break!
We want to know what you guys think, give us a call...
(Fast forward to show following [game/series])
Host: You have to give [name] credit. He talked the talk and he walked the walk.
or
Host: This is why [name] never should've opened his mouth. Let your play do the talking or you run the risk of looking like a [fool/idiot/big dummy].
Co-host: Yea, the [rival team] really made him [shut up/eat his words/head home with his tail between his legs].
And scene. (Expound as necessary to fill segment)
Tuesday, August 24
The Formula for Talking about Trash Talk on Sports Radio
Tuesday, March 9
The State of Sports In The Newspaper Business
It is becoming a common occurrence. Newspaper writer lashes out at other sources of media in response to his own dying medium. There are sports journalists from the old school that refuse to hold new forms of media on the same ground. They believe they hold a greater position in sports than any of their contemporaries. What they fail to realize or accept is that in this day and age, everyone who cares to know has the access to game scores, stats, and breaking news that they thought only they were privileged to attain. Their "inside the locker room" analysis can now be trumped by more truthful banter from a player or coach's twitter account.
When I thought about this situation one metaphor came into my head, the Rite of Spring from Fantasia. Granted I did not know the name was Rite of Spring or that Igor Stravinsky was the composer, but I remember the piece from Fantasia. The parallel I draw is to the last movement of the piece, where the Earth has changed and the dinosaurs are slowly going extinct. They struggling to find nourishment, get stuck in tar pits, and eventually collapse onto the sand as the hot sun beats down on them. The last we see of these beings who once ruled the world are them marching in procession into a distant and cold future. Once they are gone only the memory of their bones remain as the world begins to change ever more violently and becomes more cold and remote.
The same way that these old writers have been left with a dwindling sports section, stuck in the tar pits of newspapers refusing to recognize the relevance of online reporting and blogs(even if they write online). Their only refuge is to lash out harshly against this new world in which they cannot survive and deem it a turn for the worse when in reality it is simply the way of the world, the flow of time that has ended their era.
Friday, July 24
ASD Shameless Plug Time!
It's not often we get to promote ourselves for anything on the blog so please excuse. Today at 6:40 pm EST, our very own Catfish is going to be on the local sports radio station here in Charlotte as part of a local contest. Yes, kind of the same format that Baltimore tried months ago to less than stellar results. However, while there were plenty of those in this contest, we are in the second round so much of the boom goes the dynamite material has been washed away. Catfish was one of the best of the early rounds and while there is no fan voting for the winner, tune into 610 AM if you live here in Charlotte, or you can go to this link and click the "listen live" button. Tune in today and support our Catfish!
Continue reading...Tuesday, April 21
When Ignorance Speaks
Yesterday, a local radio host insulted a sport that 99% of the general population does not even remotely think about. He contested that rowing is not a sport because you "sit on your ass and go backwards." Now, many members of talk radio and especially this particular one are prone to make statements without any knowledge of the subject because they feel they are important enough to have the opinion off the top of their heads be heard by the masses. I happen to fall into that 1%. I was a rower in college and coached both high school and college rowing for two years after that so I took it personal when this windbag insulted the sport that means so much to me.
I thought immediately I would make this post about my feelings about rowing. Perhaps enlighten whoever came across this our blog to how much dedication it took to be a rower, how close I was with guys that I rowed with or coached, or how despite being an ignored sport rowers are some of the best athletes in the world. I could have gone on and on, it would have perhaps been our longest post ever. But then I thought that was the wrong way to go about it. Those stories deserve to be told; the story of Lance Armstrong attempting to take up rowing in Austin, Texas to stay in shape but quitting soon after because he thought it was too difficult. But they cannot be told in a tone of one attempting to prove to some shithead with a microphone that has no concept of what athletic competition is about because he will never know what it takes and probably does not care. He does not care about a member of the 2004 gold medal team in the men's eight that was a firefighter who was there at ground zero and had nightmares with only the drive of winning an Olympic gold medal fueling him. So I will not digress into that.
Rowing has its place in the world and it is very small and only for a people willing to put themselves through it. I used to take insults on the sport a lot more seriously, like when I was reading Bill Simmons years ago and he took a shot a rowers. Now here is a guy that screams Boston favoritism and in virtually every post alludes to his beloved beantown yet he puts down a sport that in that town is one of the few places in the country it is valued. I wrote him what was assuredly too lengthy an email about why I thought he was wrong to make that comment. Surprisingly I never heard back. The point is that it is no use trying to defend something most people have never experienced. I know, my old rowing buddies know, but others never will and I cannot hold that against them. Unless they act like jackasses about it, like our friend.
So when this jackass of a radio host or others like him voice their opinion I have to let it slide. Besides, this guy spouts off a slew of idiotic things everyday so it is not like it is out of the norm for him. I am not going to say I will boycott the show because it is the only show on locally at that time and I like to listen to sports radio when I workout in the afternoons. He loves to cover golf and I believe even played it in college and also loves buttering up to NASCAR(sitting on your ass and moving forward?) people he has on his show. Well let's take a look at a few examples:
Top-level rowing athletes:
Top-level Golfer:
Top-level NACAR driver:
A horrible spectator sport it is, a largley ignored sport it is, a misunderstood sport it is but still a sport. If you enjoy reading, I recommend The Amateurs by David Halberstam. It gives you a glimpse into the world of rowing and is a very captivating and easy read.
