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Sports Squawk

S

SirRoxalot

Is there a less enthusiastic sports broadcaster in the country than Mike Schopp? Most sports guys would LOVE extra time to talk about their team in the midst of a playoff run. For him, it's been a inconvenience.

Today, he opened the 10AM hour with "I was sad". Apparently he was too sad to do any analysis, any homework, any show prep. He was simply "tired of thinking about it".

Well, guess what, cupcake. Guys walk into a studio every day when they're sad, suck it up, and deliver a lot more than "woe is me, my job is intruding on my personal life". If Schopp has any real interest in sports left, I haven't heard it lately. He may be Mr. Mensa, but he's a lousy analyst whose knowledge of hockey is limited at best. For heaven's sake, get somebody in there who CARES. Or put him in a studio with Danny Gare, who's opinions are at least valid. Maybe Mensa Mike could be bothered to handle the "radio" stuff, like getting in and out of interminable commercial breaks surrounded by tired, lengthy promo material.

Schopp flirted with network sports at one time. His material now isn't worthy of a weekend overnight fill-in, let alone a PM drive slot. He has the nerve to talk about athletes "not showing up"? Maybe he needs a good look in the mirror, and an aircheck session with somebody who knows how to really program sports talk.
 
I couldn't agree with you more, Rox. I used to like him but you catch him on the wrong day or wrong caller and yikes! I think he needs interesting guests to keep him stimulated since most of the listeners aren't worthy of him. ::) Back in the 107.7 days I used to love when he was still enthusiastic and respectful and particularly when he had Mike Robitaille and the late Jim Kelley in studio with him. Ever since he went to GR he's much less tolerable to me and many others. Now that the Sabres season is over they can talk about the NFL draft for a week or so and then it will be unlistenable.
 
I'll tell you who is most likely happy about the recent "Sabres News" are the folks at 50 James E Casey

As it was said, the draft talk will be unlistenable. Shredd & Ragan will obviously do some of it having the broadcasting rights to the Bills, but they don't have to stick to it. I bet a sigh of relief happened Tuesday night for all involved over there
 
Can't really saw much about Mike's recent body of work because I very rarely listen to that show. It's tough to take Mike seriously when he's constantly moaning and complaining about how difficult his job is. He knows how many people would kill to do what he does for a living, so why does he keep ranting and raving about his dislike for the gig, especially because it involves him watching the NFL and every single Bills game each season.
I'm disappointed. Mike is talented. He knows how to do a good radio show but his effort level is questionable at best. He even brags on the air about how he doesn't do much show prep some days because his personal life takes him in different directions sometimes and how watching the NFL is "boring."
They are the only game in town as far as an all-sports format goes. I sample WECK from time to time and have to say when Brad Riter has Scott Wilson (both former WGR staffers who sound like guys who want to do a broadcast that is the OPPOSITE of what Schopp is doing on 550 AM) on for the last hour or so of his show I'll stick with that even through commercials as opposed to going back to Mike's manifestos about how screwed up pro sports are and how we shouldn't care about anything if it doesn't involve the Buffalo Sabres.
Sorry to rain on your parade if you are a fan of Mensa Mike, but I am not. He was engaging and articulate and fun to listen to on WNSA but lately his work on WGR is nauseating. You know who I actually feel bad for? Chris Parker, a guy who has somehow survived the evil world of corporate radio and has persevered despite having less than stellar speaking skills. He must really dread those moody days when Mike makes it clear about 45 seconds into the show if he's willing to take to callers or instead just go on endless diatribes and seek any opportunity to avoid conversations about.... SPORTS!
Mike had great potential but has chosen to go the lazy route. Disappointing but it happens. He may still be able to turn it around but it would have to take a big change (move to AM drive? move to another market?) to provoke him to wake up and realize what he's doing to his career.
 
EdTheEngineer said:
Mike had great potential but has chosen to go the lazy route. Disappointing but it happens. He may still be able to turn it around but it would have to take a big change (move to AM drive? move to another market?) to provoke him to wake up and realize what he's doing to his career.
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Heh. In these days of Internet streaming, would YOU hire "Mensa Mike" if you programmed a station in another market? Sounds like he needs a career change to me. And his position won't be hard to fill. Ever looked at WGR's numbers when the Sabres aren't on?

BTW, I agree with you about Chris Parker. He deserves better.
 
SirRoxalot said:
EdTheEngineer said:
Mike had great potential but has chosen to go the lazy route. Disappointing but it happens. He may still be able to turn it around but it would have to take a big change (move to AM drive? move to another market?) to provoke him to wake up and realize what he's doing to his career.
Click to expand...

Heh. In these days of Internet streaming, would YOU hire "Mensa Mike" if you programmed a station in another market? Sounds like he needs a career change to me. And his position won't be hard to fill. Ever looked at WGR's numbers when the Sabres aren't on?

BTW, I agree with you about Chris Parker. He deserves better.
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I've heard him say that whenever this gig is up (I think he even said he knows he's going to get fired by crossing the line on something) - that he is going to run as far away from sports as possible.

I agree both on the Bulldog point and with Ed's assessment of Mike's potential and of the entertainment and info value of Brad and Scott. I love when Scott's on - they really have a great rapport and Scott is very funny.
 
Mensa Mike is a smart guy and he'll be the first to tell you. Some people who hold genius IQ status spend too much time pondering the meaning and triviality of their existence, who they are, what they do and what it's all about. This is not intended to be humorous or snarky, but Schopp may be bi-polar or he may have serious issues. If this is the case, he needs and deserves help. But if it's simply a matter of being a radio diva, maybe he needs to walk through Wal-Mart or Wegman's and consider what life's like working the check-out lane. Radio is entertainment, a noble craft, but not exactly cancer research, rocket science or brain surgery. Mike should seek professional counseling. If he's not hurting, he should get a grip on reality and enjoy his cushy gig.
 
Put Jeremy White on in the afternoon. Put Bulldog in mid-days. You'll improve 3 dayparts. Or at least mornings and mid-days.
 
Schopp is shot. He sounds tired and angry and basically burned out.

I actually think Mike would be good doing general talk in another market. He needs something to get him excited and reinvigorated.

I only listen to him and Bulldog when Jerry Sullivan is on and for the Sabres pregame shows. In other words, I'll only be listening for one hour a week from now until September.
 
Schopp is a sad case. He does have passion for sports and lots of knowledge... but, not in topics that concern Buffalo (i.e. Bills/Sabres and nothing else). I can sympathize because I'm similar.

However, why he continues to do local radio in Buffalo, for 14 YEARS, when he obviously has no passion for it and clearly hates his job many days, I do not know. Oh, it's because ESPN Radio dumped him and nobody else wants him. :):):)
 
Mike may be looking to leave radio and go into a totally different industry. He referenced something on his Saturday morning sports collectibles show a week or two ago about how much he enjoys hosting THAT show but at times can't stand - his words - doing what he does weekday afternoons on WGR.

Mike should be up front and honest with Chris Parker, Andy Roth and Greg Reid. If he is not happy, help them phase him out and allow him to find a profession and a job he will enjoy working.

He needs help. Now that the Sabres season is over, he will be airing more of his woe-in-me-the-NFL-sucks-I-miss-my-Sabres-season-ticket-friends takes that just cause more and more of us to flip to another station or turn the radio off altogether.
 
Schopp is a smart guy. Probably wonders what he's doing talking to people whose entire lives seem to revolve around sports day in and day out, even though that's an erroneous supposition because only about 10-20% of Sports Radio listeners are hard core fans. Most listeners tune in for updates, get a sports fix and a little entertainment. Sports stations, especially in Buffalo, can't serve up a consistent diet of sports stats, sports analysis and sports talk. There are about 378 guys who wish they had Mensa Mike's gig, but he may think it's time to move on and apply his perspicacity toward med school, law school or getting his MBA. IF he decides to abdicate the throne of afternoon drive sports talk, Entercom should consider re-hiring... Brad Riter. Stranger things have happened. Riter and B-dog would be a good combo and it also would create another hurdle for W**K.
 
Sports talk is something that every fan THINKS they can do, but it's very difficult just talking coherently for 3+ hours while many listeners are waiting to scrutinize you. And the pay isn't great at the local level. It's not a job I would want.

Riter and Lapdog would be tough because I assume Riter would never take any callers, and you'd have two guys with limited sports knowledge.
 
Brad back to WGR would be shocking to some. I just don't see it happening as long as Andy Roth is around at Entercom Buffalo.

He's the one who pulled the plug on Riter's employment despite efforts by out WGR staffers to warn Brad that he was on thin ice.

If Roth is moved somewhere else or seeks employment elsewhere, maybe Bulldog and Jeremy White can convince the new guy to hire Brad. But until that happens, Brad will stick with WECK as long as Dick Greene wants to pay him to be a PD and the host of their top rated show.
 
Tom Modrak fired today by the Bills. Gives the sports squawkers something to ramble on about for the next few days.
 
WOW...I really feel alone.

Apparently I'm the only one who enjoys Schopp. I think his off-handed comments are quite funny. To be honest, and nothing against bulldog, but I am much more likely to listen to that show when Mike is on (alone or with Chris) than I am when he's not on.

I don't quite get all the hate or discontentment with his work.

Also, I don't know why anyone would want to do sports talk. Sometimes there's just nothing interesting in the niche to fill a show with.
 
jas2525 said:
Also, I don't know why anyone would want to do sports talk. Sometimes there's just nothing interesting in the niche to fill a show with.
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These have to be the worst of days for a sports talk host in Buffalo. With the Sabres out of the playoffs and the NFL in lockout, what is there to talk about? Yeah, the Stanley Cup and NBA playoffs continue. But they're happening outside of Buffalo, so it's hard to create the kind of controversy that generates calls. Frankly, I've tuned in WGR just once since the end of Sabres season. And I'm sure I'm not alone. WGR should be praying to the sports gods that the appeals court lifts the lock-out.

Even the TV stations are finding it hard to fill three minutes of time on their sportscasts. Last night at 6pm, Channel 2 led with yet another follow-up on Doug Whaley's promotion as director of player personnel with the Bills. There was nothing knew there. Adam Begnini was reading copy that read as if Whaley had been promoted yesterday rather than earlier in the week. The report included a clip from a news conference two days ago that Whaley doesn't wear his Steelers' Super Bowl ring. LOL!

If a TV sportscast can't find quality content to fill three minutes, imagine what is must be like for Schopp and the Bulldog to fill four hours during this lean time of the year. They have my sympathies. But they don't have my ears!
 
WGR is tough to listen to from May-August. They feign that they care by suggesting ludicrous trade/FA offers, and it gets a few callers, but most listeners know it's nonsense. This is the time of year when they should do their food drafts and such... the problem is that they do it when sports stuff is actually happening. One reason of many why Schopp & Lapdog receives so much negativity.
 
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