Honesty check: are people rooting for The Fan to fail?

[Talk_Dude]

I'm an old guy so what I think dosn't matter, but my son, age 25, is the demo that does matter and he has found "the fan" mostly booring. he says they "put to many callers on the air and not enough sports writers and reporters". on the way to work he says he mostly listens to "Mike and MIke" and on the way home he listens to either "the Drive" on espn1250 or Madden on the X. He also tells me the jingles on "the fan" drive him "up the wall". if 93.7 can't reach a 25 year old male died in the wool sports fan (he is 2 fantasy f-ball leagues AND a fanasy baseball league at the same time) they arn't doing things quite right.

What would a "dyed in the wool" sports fan get from Madden?

Lanolin?

 

[equalinercard]

I'm no longer in the area, but I listen online a lot to the Fan. And I think, for the most part, it's very entertaining radio.

And from what I'm hearing, there's not much danger of it going away. It's starting to do well in the adults 25-54 and, especially, M 25-54 demos. And, more importantly, it's already making money.

 

[FreddyE1977]

Their main advantage is that they are running live, local shows 24/7, including at times when the other sports stations in town are taking feeds off the bird, or running infomercials, or in the case of 970, dead air or multiple programs running over top of one another. When I flip over to 93.7 it is generally because 1250 is running some canned show about online betting or hair replacement.

For how long CBS is going to continue to be willing to pay for that is the $64 question.

 

[Parttimer]

For how long CBS is going to continue to be willing to pay for that is the $64 question.

If anything, they will throw more resources at it rather than less.

 

[FreddyE1977]

For how long CBS is going to continue to be willing to pay for that is the $64 question.

If anything, they will throw more resources at it rather than less.

You may be right. At some point they have to make their stand someplace, or
else seriously consider exiting the business. They can't run a bunch of messes like
KDKA-AM everywhere.

 

[Parttimer]

You may be right. At some point they have to make their stand someplace, or
else seriously consider exiting the business. They can't run a bunch of messes like
KDKA-AM everywhere.

The commitment is there from corporate to make it work.

 

[pman44]

I listened to the Fan a good bit yesterday and it was better radio. They had a lot more national guests on to talk NFL and finally had a fantasy expert on. The morning show is tons better since the change, although Alexander is still holding them back. Adding the Steelers Ryan Clark once a week will help.

Having Josh Miller as the "Steelers expert" is still something of a head scratcher. He's well spoken but he's a punter and doesn't offer any greater insight than the typical fan who was watching the games on TV. There are much better choices out there.

 

[fromtheinsideout]

Agreed on the morning show, I personally would have rather seen them keep Burton and lose Alexander from that shift, but Giannoti to mornings was a good move, it gives the show a little energy that it lacked before.

They had been using Steve Elling as a guest for some segments on golf, would like to see more of this cross promotion with the website (www.cbssports.com) and maybe with the guys calling the games for CBS. They have the opportunity within the company umbrella to get some knowledgeable guests without too much work, not unlike what ESPN does when they interview their own insiders.

I don't mind Josh Miller as a Steeler insider, I just don't expect much from him from an X's and O's perspective, he seems better suited for maybe the mentality inside the lockerroom than actually breaking down action, though he is well spoken and comes across well on the radio, which can't be said for many players or former players.

 

[dB]

Since The Fan is the Pitt flagship, I'm surprised not to have heard Bill Hillgrove as a guest.

Did I just miss him, or is there a conflict with his Steelers' employment that keeps him off 93.7 except for game day?

 

[Parttimer]

There was some discussion out there that since Clear Channel carries the Steeler games, they were even going to try and make Hillgrove choose between the Steelers and Pitt.

Obviously that didn't come to pass, but he probably has to balance that outside of the game broadcasts.

 

[Pratte4Life]

I have no problem with Miller as the Steelers insider.

One of the first things he did when he was on The Fan was to contrast the differences in coaching styles between Bill Belichick, Bill Cowher, and Jeff Fisher. Highly informative analysis nobody else could have given.

To say that Miller can't provide the x's and o's is to say Tunch Ilkin and Craig Wolfley can't give you analysis of defenses or break down the idocyncrities of a passing game. I know of field goal kickers who went on to be offensive coordinators, so this is really not a valid criticism of Miller.

Besides, if a host spends too much time breaking down the 3-4 defense on the air, he's going to lose his audience. Better to be articulate and likeable, which Josh Miller certainly is.

 

[pman44]

P4L--Offfensive players, even linemen, have to know defenses because they spend their whole time in meetings trying to solve them. Punters do not spend any time in offensive or defensive meetings and are often subject to ridicule or being dunked in the whirlpool if they try to offer an opinion to an offensive or defensive player.

Josh Miller--nice guy, articulate, but just doesn't have a lot to add that a typical fan doesn't.

 

[Talk_Dude]

P4L--Offfensive players, even linemen, have to know defenses because they spend their whole time in meetings trying to solve them. Punters do not spend any time in offensive or defensive meetings and are often subject to ridicule or being dunked in the whirlpool if they try to offer an opinion to an offensive or defensive player.

Josh Miller--nice guy, articulate, but just doesn't have a lot to add that a typical fan doesn't.

But any savvy football player knows his career isn't going to last forever, and that he has to pay attention to preparing himself for his next gig after he's done playing. The fact that punters and kickers in general might not have their opinions welcomed by their teammates doesn't mean that any smart punter and kicker isn't paying attention on the sideline, doesn't volunteer to do clip board work at practice, and otherwise learn as much as he can about the game in order to someday be a good broadcaster or coach.

Unless you personally know Josh Miller and his credentials, you have no place condemning his qualifications just because you have a certain opinion about all punters in general.

 

[pman44]

Unless you personally know Josh Miller and his credentials, you have no place condemning his qualifications just because you have a certain opinion about all punters in general.

I condemn his credentials because I've listened to him a number of times. Other than offering keen insight to the folly of having the current punter trying to do kickoffs, there really hasn't been anything there.

 

[dB]

I think Josh is fine for the job. The requirements are pretty strict:

• Must be an ex-Steeler (or at least a very famous Panther)
• Must be a relatively recent player (Sorry, Frenchy)
• Must actually want to do it (There goes Lambert)
• Must be available five or six days a week for five or six months
• Must be at least somewhat witty and articulate (there goes L.C.)
• Can't cost too much $$$
• Can't have burned his bridges with either Pittsburgh or the Steelers (No Plax, no Santonio)

Don't know what he's doing, but Dermotti Dawson is about the only other name that comes to mind that might fit all those.

 

[dB]

This morning 93.7 carried the NFL Show from FAN 660 in NYC.

Guess not everyone got the memo, since some 660 ID's and at least two commercials for New York area businesses were broadcast on 93.7.

My first big complaint about The Fan: The show wasn't a nationally focused show, it was largely Giants and Jets and their opponents this weekend. I don't need a local show from another market.

 

[Wbzfm2010]

they do that up here in boston as well i listened online to the wfan stream at work yesterday though because the radio stinks but last year they did that too and sometimes they forgot to pod down the audio and the 660 part made it over the air. the fact that they take calls from mostly new yorkers is strange i dont get it but i think there trying to cut costs and have a cbs football show instead of 5 or 6 different ones especially for stations who dont have football on thier airwaves like the fan in your town .

 

[fromtheinsideout]

I have no problem with Miller as the Steelers insider.

One of the first things he did when he was on The Fan was to contrast the differences in coaching styles between Bill Belichick, Bill Cowher, and Jeff Fisher. Highly informative analysis nobody else could have given.

To say that Miller can't provide the x's and o's is to say Tunch Ilkin and Craig Wolfley can't give you analysis of defenses or break down the idocyncrities of a passing game. I know of field goal kickers who went on to be offensive coordinators, so this is really not a valid criticism of Miller.

Besides, if a host spends too much time breaking down the 3-4 defense on the air, he's going to lose his audience. Better to be articulate and likeable, which Josh Miller certainly is.

I pretty much agree with everything you said. I don't know if Josh Miller could talk X's and O's, only that for the most part he doesn't, and I think it is for the better, I am not sure discussing the differences between a Cover 2 and Cover 3 makes for all that interesting radio talk, whether Miller knows the differences between the two or not. The most important thing, at least from a station perspective is that he is a former Steeler and as an added bonus he comes across well on the air.

 

[Parttimer]

I have no problem with Miller as the Steelers insider.

One of the first things he did when he was on The Fan was to contrast the differences in coaching styles between Bill Belichick, Bill Cowher, and Jeff Fisher. Highly informative analysis nobody else could have given.

To say that Miller can't provide the x's and o's is to say Tunch Ilkin and Craig Wolfley can't give you analysis of defenses or break down the idocyncrities of a passing game. I know of field goal kickers who went on to be offensive coordinators, so this is really not a valid criticism of Miller.

Besides, if a host spends too much time breaking down the 3-4 defense on the air, he's going to lose his audience. Better to be articulate and likeable, which Josh Miller certainly is.

I pretty much agree with everything you said. I don't know if Josh Miller could talk X's and O's, only that for the most part he doesn't, and I think it is for the better, I am not sure discussing the differences between a Cover 2 and Cover 3 makes for all that interesting radio talk, whether Miller knows the differences between the two or not. The most important thing, at least from a station perspective is that he is a former Steeler and as an added bonus he comes across well on the air.

CBS already thinks the hosts do too much X's and O's.

 

[Boss Radio]

This morning 93.7 carried the NFL Show from FAN 660 in NYC.

Guess not everyone got the memo, since some 660 ID's and at least two commercials for New York area businesses were broadcast on 93.7.

My first big complaint about The Fan: The show wasn't a nationally focused show, it was largely Giants and Jets and their opponents this weekend. I don't need a local show from another market.

It is absolutely a killer to have non-local football talk on a Steelers game day.