Salk & Holley.......First Impressions

[thirdendorsed]

OK knuckleheads, we'll use sports metaphors and analogies to explain what local management is doing with WEEI.

No, not Wolfe. and not Kahn. The former is irrelevant, the latter was pushed aside.

WEEI has started to do what teams out of the pennant race in mid July do.

It's a salary dump.

Watch for Dennis and/or Callahan to get the boot when their deals are up. If they're brought back it will be
for significantly less money, simply because a) the ratings and thus the revenues have gone to Hades in a handcart and b) because the only reason to give them gobs of money last time was to prevent a competitor from gaining a foothold, a silly waste of money since a competitor managed to become established without taking any major talent from WEEI.

All that Bala Cynwyd cares about is the bottom line, so local execs will be saving their fannies by doing what you normally
do on at a failing enterprise, cut costs and hope you're spinning off enough cash to keep your job.

 

[ArtSpooner]

I think even us knuckleheads figured that out when they got rid of Pete Sheppard a couple years back. At this point the only cuts that would be significant would be D&C. The strategy of dumping salary is usually accompanied by a rebuilding plan. You are indicating that local management (Bala Cynwyd???) is trying to keep their jobs and hope they find a new one before WEEI goes off the air. It's been my experience that when you're with a failing enterprise you have to decide whether there's a future or not. If you don't see one, you get out, unless you think something magical is going to happen and save the day. I would think that others(stockholders?)would take notice of this and be curious about a plan for the future to protect their investment.

What would happen if Felger's contract came up for renewal? Would his price rise to the level of Ordway's and if so, would that then render his employer unprofitable? Would WEEI be a bidder or have they just quit?

One thing that I've noticed is that according to prevailing zeitgeist, John Dennis has become public enemy number 1. I can understand why Callahan would be the enemy here in the belly of the blue state beast, but Dennis has been the more moderate of the two. My biggest problem with Dennis is that he spends too much time on golf. He can be rude to callers, but I like that. I think if you call a radio station, you do so at your own risk.

 

[MCarney]

Felger walked away from WEEI for SportsHub. It was not pleasant. I don't think they would welcome him back with open arms. As for D&C, it may not be on-air issues (like political views) that makes the decision. It may be that Dennis is harder to deal with behind the scenes than Callahan. That will most likely be the deciding factor in who stays and who goes.

 

[StoJa]

I think if you call a radio station, you do so at your own risk.

Couldn't agree more. Just because you have a talk show does not mean you have to cater to idiots and stupidity and give them a forum to torture other listeners with it.

 

[ArtSpooner]

Felger walked away from WEEI for SportsHub. It was not pleasant. I don't think they would welcome him back with open arms. As for D&C, it may not be on-air issues (like political views) that makes the decision. It may be that Dennis is harder to deal with behind the scenes than Callahan. That will most likely be the deciding factor in who stays and who goes.

I know that D&C took their memorable "walk on the beach" at the same time so I assume that the date of their contracts are the same. So you think that they might ax Dennis and keep Callahan?

As I recall Felger had a part-time/fill-in role at WEEI. He had already been away with a competitor on another station that did 0.0 in the ratings. I have a feeling that WEEI didn't worry too much about him leaving at the time. I'm still puzzled by his success. When he was on WEEI, everybody hated him. He was constantly the butt of jokes and scorn, the most memorable by Sean McAdam and Peter Gammons. He goes over to TSH and knocks Ordway off in the space of a couple years. I just can't believe that hockey talk did that.

 

[BoredModerator]

Walking away from a part time gig to a full time is understandable to any employer. If Felger could bring biz to EEI then he'd be welcome any time...

 

[MCarney]

It's quite possible that Callahan is easier to work with. I have no direct knowledge, but things behind the scenes are often different than they appear on the air.

As for Felger, I've never gotten his appeal (or Gresh's for that matter). CSN has done audience studies showing both being well liked. When Felger left he was hosting The Baseball Show, which was then being simulcasted on WEEI and CSN. Felger did have a part time on-air role, but was also a big part of WEEI.com.

 

[ArtSpooner]

I'm still waiting to see why Salk is getting the red carpet treatment. I could understand if he came from a huge market like NY, LA, Chicago, but we're supposed to be impressed by Seattle? So far he seems pretty vanilla to me. I know he grew up around here, but he just doesn't sound like a dyed-in-the-wool member of the fellowship of the miserable. Holley seems to be much more knowledgeable about Boston sports history, and he's from Ohio. I fail to see how this arrangement will gain ground against Felger.

The more I hear out of John Saucier's mouth the more distasteful it becomes. They should relegate him to reading the scores only. He comes across as a sleazeball on the make, with an exaggerated opinion of himself, trying too hard to get noticed.

I predict that in six months, the ratings will be just the same as they have been. WEEI will get a curiosity bump for a few weeks and then it will revert.

 

[EnterCommunicator]

I predict that in six months, the ratings will be just the same as they have been. WEEI will get a curiosity bump for a few weeks and then it will revert.

Bet you're wrong. M&M are the new thing, and a smoother, more thoughtful listen.
There's a growing wave of irritation towards F&M with Felger's increasingly over the top accusations/ reactions. Just the Jeff Green business of this last week is an example.
Not saying WEEI takes over in the afternoon, but I believe you'll see the gap narrow considerably.

Also, the other day had an amusing moment watching Channel 7 news and the Sauceman's voice comes over the air to deliver the current rush hour traffic report. All I could think of were his stories of womanizing and boozing, ha.

 

[ArtSpooner]

I predict that in six months, the ratings will be just the same as they have been. WEEI will get a curiosity bump for a few weeks and then it will revert.

There's a growing wave of irritation towards F&M with Felger's increasingly over the top accusations/ reactions.

I certainly can see that happening, but I thought it would have happened after his first 6 months. It's been three years. Felger's act has always been anti-anything Boston. I remember him bad-mouthing Doug Flutie and saying that his work to help autism was phony. I don't know how, but he's gotten away with it much longer than I ever would have thought. He's basically Steve from Fall River, except he has the microphone instead of the telephone.

I just don't see Salk being the savior. Or was Ordway turning that many people off?