I live in Boston and visit the 'Burgh regularly. Just a few observations...
Everyone here seems to think that the new Fan will be like the Zone. It will be nothing like that. The management that brought Jack and Free-FM (and the Zone) to CBS stations around the country is long gone.
Go take a listen to WBZ-FM online (98.5 The Sports Hub.) CBS signed that station on in August when WBCN went away. It's all local from 6am-11pm during the week, and they have a couple of local weekend shows along with various play-by-play. Fox Sports Radio fills the overnights and fringe shifts. They have the advantage of having the Patriots and the Bruins, but they're making a name for themselves with their talk programming. It's well executed. The imaging is top notch. CBS is marketing the heck out of it, and the ratings are showing it. They're already cuming higher than the established AM sports station here, WEEI.
If the Fan brings in all of the laid off sports talk talent around the market and executes it the way they are in Boston with the Sports Hub, I think you guys will be pleasantly surprised.
I'm bummed that B-94 is going away again. I listened quite a bit to it when I was in town over the holidays. I'll reserve judgment on the new 100.7 until they get the kinks out of it, which may take awhile with all the music and talent changes. Kiss is too cookie cutter. It sounds like the Kiss stations in Harrisburg, Rochester, Youngstown and Cleveland. It should...they all use the same 75 song playlist! CBS has been doing a decent job with CHR/Hot AC in their other markets. I'll give them a chance with 100.7.