Changes at WEEI

[brightonboris]

Anyone know the contract status of T&R or F&M?

Both T&R and F&M re-upped for another five years in 2012.

Not true. Felger and Mazz signed their 3-year contracts in spring of '11.

 

[ArtSpooner]

but rather than adjust his role, they just dropped him. Holley and Ordway don't make a good team, two know-it-alls. Actually the one thing that improved was getting rid of the D-listers on the Big Show. I certainly don't miss LJ, Burton, Sterns, Smerlas et al

Jason also has no clue on how to deal with hockey fans.

Short term WEEI has to admit the Bruins are the best shot of a championship team in the market and try to bring hockey fans back.

Plenty of hockey calls today. Why? Because of the fight during last night's game. There is usually not very much talk about hockey per se, but instead, it's fight talk or concussion talk. Hockey in itself is pretty boring. Without the fights, would anyone watch? There's a reason that the NHL is the only league that allows it. In any other sport even a pushing shoving incident results in fines and even suspensions, if actual punches are thrown. I know that Shaughnessy dubbed sports radio "Nit wit radio" a few years back and it's during the hockey fight calls that you have to agree with him. You hear a lot of knuckleheads calling about the three other sports, but the hockey fight nuts are the worst. I have to say that I was never a fan of Eddie Andelman, but he did squelch the "hockey-krishnas".

 

[reelyreal]

but rather than adjust his role, they just dropped him. Holley and Ordway don't make a good team, two know-it-alls. Actually the one thing that improved was getting rid of the D-listers on the Big Show. I certainly don't miss LJ, Burton, Sterns, Smerlas et al

Jason also has no clue on how to deal with hockey fans.

Short term WEEI has to admit the Bruins are the best shot of a championship team in the market and try to bring hockey fans back.

Plenty of hockey calls today. Why? Because of the fight during last night's game. There is usually not very much talk about hockey per se, but instead, it's fight talk or concussion talk. Hockey in itself is pretty boring. Without the fights, would anyone watch? There's a reason that the NHL is the only league that allows it. In any other sport even a pushing shoving incident results in fines and even suspensions, if actual punches are thrown. I know that Shaughnessy dubbed sports radio "Nit wit radio" a few years back and it's during the hockey fight calls that you have to agree with him. You hear a lot of knuckleheads calling about the three other sports, but the hockey fight nuts are the worst. I have to say that I was never a fan of Eddie Andelman, but he did squelch the "hockey-krishnas".

Uhh.... Have you ever heard of a game called football? They have a whole league and everything, it's called the NFL. Pretty violent sport.

That whole rant was definitely written by someone who doesn't understand hockey. It's highly entertaining and involves a high level of skill. Sure, it isn't as popular as the NFL, MLB, or NBA, but the league has a huge following here in New England. That's why The Sports Hub is the home of the Bruins, and does very well financially carrying the games.

 

[ArtSpooner]

The NFL is violent, but fighting isn't allowed. I have yet to hear an explanation (other than the sport is boring) of why fighting is allowed in hockey. All I ever hear is that I don't understand the game. Basketball is played by extremely large men moving at high rates of speed. They are pushing and shoving and have no pads and play on a hard wooden floor. There are many collisions and struggles for the ball. Fighting is not allowed. If you fight you get ejected and suspended.

Here's my impression of hockey fights. Someone decides that it's time for a fight. One guy goes over to another and says "Eh, you wanna go?" The players drop their gloves, the refs stand and watch and stop it when one guy starts to lose. Fisk and Munson collide at home plate and come up swinging; that's a fight. These hockey fights are orchestrated. No one is mad at anyone, they just decide that it's time for a fight. It reminds me of roller derby. I remember Dale Arnold saying that there were times when a young player would actually ask an older player's permission to fight him. Dale loves hockey, he wasn't trying to be critical, but that told me a lot. Is the fighting some sort of Canadian custom?

There's an old theory about NASCAR that says most of the people watch because they want to see crashes. That actually makes sense. I don't understand how anyone can watch cars making left turns for hours. Is the same true of the NHL. If they take out the fights what will happen to their fans?

 

[Dighton Rockhead]

I have to say of Eddie Andelman, he did squelch the "hockey-krishnas".

He was far from being the best informed person on the world of sports....and his voice probably the worst this side of Andy Gresh....

BUT.....in spite of all his shortcomings.....there will always be a tender spot in my heart for the senior Mr. Andelman.

"Jambalaya !"

 

[iyiyi]

The NFL is violent, but fighting isn't allowed. I have yet to hear an explanation (other than the sport is boring) of why fighting is allowed in hockey. All I ever hear is that I don't understand the game. Basketball is played by extremely large men moving at high rates of speed. They are pushing and shoving and have no pads and play on a hard wooden floor. There are many collisions and struggles for the ball. Fighting is not allowed. If you fight you get ejected and suspended.

Here's my impression of hockey fights. Someone decides that it's time for a fight. One guy goes over to another and says "Eh, you wanna go?" The players drop their gloves, the refs stand and watch and stop it when one guy starts to lose. Fisk and Munson collide at home plate and come up swinging; that's a fight. These hockey fights are orchestrated. No one is mad at anyone, they just decide that it's time for a fight. It reminds me of roller derby. I remember Dale Arnold saying that there were times when a young player would actually ask an older player's permission to fight him. Dale loves hockey, he wasn't trying to be critical, but that told me a lot. Is the fighting some sort of Canadian custom?

There's an old theory about NASCAR that says most of the people watch because they want to see crashes. That actually makes sense. I don't understand how anyone can watch cars making left turns for hours. Is the same true of the NHL. If they take out the fights what will happen to their fans?

Sez the guy most likely to call the cops if you pointed at him or raised your voice at him in an argument...

Have some oaf on skates, traveling at a very high rate of speed check you into the wall for no legitimate good reason. Please share your feelings with us at that time.

Thanks!

-

 

[ArtSpooner]

So the difference is skates? A 7 foot, 280 pound NBA player, running at a high rate of speed, decides that he's going to knock your padless body into the photographers behind the base line, you're supposed to be in a good humor? You better be, because if you start swinging, you're out of the game and probably the next couple.

 

[MUGrad]

The NFL is violent, but fighting isn't allowed. I have yet to hear an explanation (other than the sport is boring) of why fighting is allowed in hockey. All I ever hear is that I don't understand the game. Basketball is played by extremely large men moving at high rates of speed. They are pushing and shoving and have no pads and play on a hard wooden floor. There are many collisions and struggles for the ball. Fighting is not allowed. If you fight you get ejected and suspended.

Here's my impression of hockey fights. Someone decides that it's time for a fight. One guy goes over to another and says "Eh, you wanna go?" The players drop their gloves, the refs stand and watch and stop it when one guy starts to lose. Fisk and Munson collide at home plate and come up swinging; that's a fight. These hockey fights are orchestrated. No one is mad at anyone, they just decide that it's time for a fight. It reminds me of roller derby. I remember Dale Arnold saying that there were times when a young player would actually ask an older player's permission to fight him. Dale loves hockey, he wasn't trying to be critical, but that told me a lot. Is the fighting some sort of Canadian custom?

There's an old theory about NASCAR that says most of the people watch because they want to see crashes. That actually makes sense. I don't understand how anyone can watch cars making left turns for hours. Is the same true of the NHL. If they take out the fights what will happen to their fans?

Fighting in hockey used to be about policing the game. You took a cheap shot on someone, you expected to have to face consequences and drop the gloves rather than have a game of tit-for-tat escalate as the game goes on. Or if you were taking liberties with the "unwritten rules", somebody would put you in your place. Kinda the same mentality as in baseball when pitchers used to brush back hitters more often...it was either retaliation or a territorial thing (taking back the inside half, making the hitter uncomfortable, etc).

Now a days, the referees do a whole lot more of the policing in the name of safety...plus they've got an extra ref on the ice that they didn't used to have and cameras that catch stuff the refs don't. Stuff that used to go un-noticed by officials and needed to be "settled" by a fight or two is caught and punished more often. Fighting in general is a lot less necessary than it used to be, but it still plays a role in the game.

It does bring the casual fans in, just like casual viewers watch NASCAR for the crashes. But I think if it was eliminated, there'd be plenty of nuance and strategy to satisfy the hardcore hockey fans. Just like there's plenty of nuance and strategy in a "boring" pitchers duel that doesn't feature a bunch of home runs or a defensive battle of a football game where the teams aren't marching up and down the field scoring touchdowns video game style.

 

[fmradio1]

Olympic hockey, which runs by the international rules that don't allow fighting and limits checking, did well in the ratings during the previous games in Vancouver. But, it's a more wide open game with a bigger rink surface. Much more attention is paid to passing and defense than the NHL product. I'd love to see the league move to this style of play. But, most of the existing rinks really can't convert to the larger surface without major renovations. If the problems continue with concussions though, I wouldn't be surprised to see them do this eventually. Then we'll really see how devoted the fans are. If fighting and violent checking on small rinks is the only way to draw fans, maybe hockey just won't work in most markets.

 

[ArtSpooner]

Somehow this has turned into a hockey discussion. I apologize for my involvement.

Back to the title of "Changes at WEEI". Get rid of Muttnansky, Mustard, and the guy who replaced Meter. That choice was another swing and a miss by Jason Wolfe. The guy just has a very irritating voice and he yells constantly. I never thought I'd miss Meter.

I have long been a Larry Johnson hater, but on Saturday morning my radio was still on'EEI and the first voice I heard was Pete Shepard's. For the first time in years I listened to the show and without Mustard it wasn't bad. Pete must have scared off their menagerie of callers, The only one I heard was Mike from Canton( he's still a jerk), but no Joey, Danny, Jack from Lynn, or Steve from Fall River. In that I don't hear Larry 3 times a week on the Big Show anymore, my hatred has abated somewhat.

 

[BoredModerator]

Pete is great, great co host

 

[SonicOverload]

the real reason Eddie Andelman didn't want hockey talk on his show was because of a long-time feud with Harry Sinden. The Sports Huddle was great fun in the 70s but Eddie stayed on the air about 25 years too long.

 

[Fenway1912]

Globe looks at the WEEI focus group last month

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2...b-listeners/bLw5p7w3wPsrpCzzkYveLJ/story.html

 

[ArtSpooner]

This morning D&C had their new producer playing guitar on the air. Why don't they just hire the Man On The Way Up? I guess that the new flash guy and the guitar player are their answer to T&R. They're trying to be comedic...............it ain't working. I can't stand the new flash guy and this is making it worse. Make Meter an offer he can't refuse.

At one time WEEI was my P1. If they keep going like this I won't even turn them on until 2. They lost me from 10-2 a while ago.

By the way a couple times this AM, I got an old fashioed TV test pattern when I brought up this site. Blizzard related?

 

[Blackroc]

The Globe piece was weak. EEI isn't going to come back. Additional voices won't help. They're beat, it's that simple.

Bringing in females, Michael Smith?, loud flash guys will
accomplish nothing.

 

[Dighton Rockhead]

Bringing in females

One female I would really like to see brought in (if she could be peeled away from the Yankees)...is Suzyn Waldman. I've always liked and respected her work.

As for D&C?......For all the world, they remind me of those two old geezers from "The Muppet Show"...."Statler" and "Waldorf"....the guys who automatically hated everything and everyone.

Talk about life imitating art! ;D

 

[reelyreal]

Oh lord, a period of low ratings after a couple of decades on the air and the geniuses are ready to write the obituary.

Things are bad, they'll get better. This is not the end, by far.

 

[CraigSevens]

I just saw on Toucher and Rich's twitter account that their contract is up beginning of next year. Think they would jump if WEEI came knocking?

 

[ArtSpooner]

The Globe piece was weak. EEI isn't going to come back. Additional voices won't help. They're beat, it's that simple.

Bringing in females, Michael Smith?, loud flash guys will
accomplish nothing.

The fascination with Michael Smith has always been lost on me. He comes across as a race-baiter to me. Every time I've heard him he works race into the discussion. The all time doozy was when he said all major league records prior to 1947 should be erased.

Three years ago if you said WEEI would be in trouble, people would have called you crazy. I wouldn't count them out yet. Felger was known by a well deserved nickname whose initials are DB. Now he's on top of the world...........go figure. Somebody at WEEI seems to be panicking and trying things like Dan Sileo and Kevin Winter. I think it's time for a new decision maker.

 

[CTListener]

The Globe piece was weak. EEI isn't going to come back. Additional voices won't help. They're beat, it's that simple.

Bringing in females, Michael Smith?, loud flash guys will
accomplish nothing.

The fascination with Michael Smith has always been lost on me. He comes across as a race-baiter to me. Every time I've heard him he works race into the discussion. The all time doozy was when he said all major league records prior to 1947 should be erased.

I remember Jimmy Myers taking offense to the uniform jerseys of black basketball players being displayed on white busts (or torsos, or whatever you call the rough form of shoulders and chest that they were put on) at the Basketball Hall of Fame back in the '70s!