Cleveland might offer an opportunity, but I don't think he'd take it. His act has been done by many hosts prior to him- Pete Franklin invented it there, in fact.
Nobody really did his schtick in Pittsburgh before. Goose Goslin, I'm told, did it a bit at KQV in the early '80s and Bruce Keidan could often look down his nose to you, and maybe Stan Savran has a justified temper when a caller was saying something really dumb, but Mark was truly one of a kind.
In Cleveland, he'd be act No. 5. Plus he'd be discussing topics he'd hate- the NBA instead of the NHL, the Browns, the Indians.
Not a good fit.
The main story on Radio Info today about Dan Snyder possibly buying 980 in DC is worth watching.
Here's why-
A- Snyder's Red Zebra is run by Bruce Gilbert, the PD who hired Mark in the '90s. Gilbert also brought Madden on to host his national show on ESPN Radio.
B- The current crop of local hosts on that station is sickly. John Thompson, the former Georgetown coach, hosts a show. IT IS UNLISTENABLE!!!!!!
Give me Madden at his most intolerable any day ahead of Thompson.
I can actually say that I think Pittsburgh radio, on the whole, is better than Washington radio- meaning formats, talent, etc. That might be surprising considering all the great radio talents that have come out of DC, but in today's scene give me WDVE- even as critical as I am of them- over anything in Washington today.
So Madden would be the guy you'd tune into immediately in DC.
And with the ratings 980 gets, they need to do something new.
C- Historically sports talk in DC was hosted by Ken Beatrice, THE most engaging host I have ever heard (even more than Myron Cope). Beatrice was a guy who would treat his callers with intelligence, dignity and respect and therefore got it from his audience.
Hopefully Madden wouldn't do it to Beatrice personally, but that is the sort of sacred cow Madden has been known to totally tear apart.
And don't give me Washington is too sophisticated for him. This is the market that launched Howard Stern and The Greaseman. Heck, George Michael even used to show pro wrestling highlights on his WRC sportscasts.
D- Washington has hockey AND an honest to goodness soccer team called DC United that would absolutely adore any attention, critical or otherwise, Madden would give them.
The Redskins become his Penguins as the team that does no wrong- which would also endear him to the populace.
A real hard-hitting, critical host of the other teams would be easily tolerated because so much of Washington's population moved from somewhere else. Nobody grew up with the Nationals- he can rip them and it will only endear him to the audience more.
E- 980 isn't ESPN- it's FOX. No conflict.
F- Washington, Snyder, Gilbert, and FOX- which is desperate for a real personality- would offer Madden the chance to be a national sports figure in time.
G- Leonard Shapiro of the Washington Post already chimed in with an anti-Madden column. So he has a built in critic to rip and also give him attention- which would mean ratings and the sort of print-broadcast war in a major market that people just eat up.
But also, because it is Washington, Shapiro could not focus in on Madden the way Bob Smizik could in a smaller market.
H- Snyder asked Myron Cope to quit calling his team the "Redfaces" during the last game at Three Rivers. If that isn't karma I don't know what is.
