And Now, A Note From Brian Powell
14 years ago
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Why do we like them so much?
They're arrogant. Dismissive. Condescending. Frequently misinformed. And usually very rude. Yet they've been the number one rated afternoon radio show in the New York area for many years. The slots before and after them have been like a carousel, rotating colorful names like the Sweater, the Shmooze, Continent and Jody Mac to name a few. Yet Mike and the Mad Dog remain an institution. Why? You tell us. What is their appeal? Why do we keep coming back?
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10 comments:
i think gman, that there are a few sides. i think that with mike, he falls under the "love to hate" side. i hate a lot of the things he says, but i always want to hear what he has to say. it also feels somehow that you don't completely have the take on ny sports until you hear what mike and chris have to say about it.
but in thinking about it, i don't know if they are any different than the people out there who have programs with opinions that you want to hear. why do people read mike lupica's column? why pay attention to what andy rooney has to say on 60 minutes? why watch keith olbermann or chris matthews or tim russert?
you want their take.. that's my take
ok. but why do you want their take more than Richard Neer or Sid Rosenberg?
Gman, very, very good question. I guess in thinking about it, the best theory that I can come up with is that I have become addicted to Mike and the Mad Dog. In a way, they are like a drug. You know deep down, that they are probably not good for you, but sometimes you just need that fix. They give you that instant gratification. When something big happens in sports, it's one thing to talk about it with your buddies, but you just need that Mike and Chris take on the scenario. It's like when I was young, I loved Cocoa Pebbles cereal, but sometimes my mother would get Cocoa Krispies and I hated that latter because the Krispies were just an imitation. They looked like chocolate and sort of tasted like it, but you knew that the Pebbles were the real thing. That is how I feel about Mike and Chris versus other sports media outlets.
They fulfill a craving. And like any addiction, the more time you devote to it, it becomes harder and harder to give up. What used to maybe be a few minutes a week then became a few hours, then a day or two a week, until it's full fledged 'I can't miss a segment syndrome." The show has become a must-Tivo for me. And I even though I have the ability to pause the action at home on YES, I get annoyed if someone calls in the middle of a good segment. Don't get in the way of my drug.
But to more serious, Mike and Chris really have become THE authoritative voices on New York sports and national sports for that matter. They have created what I call the "Mike and Chris effect" which is when you read a sports story in the paper or you watch another sports show, and you realize that the opinions being offered in these other media forums are essentially the same ones that Mike and Chris put forth days or hours earlier. They have the ability to save a coach (Tom Coughlin) or run one out of town. They are uniquely powerful, despite their misgivings. And for me, they are a necessity.
Seriously. As soon as the Sweater and the Scmooze come back I am making my own blog on those two goofy bastards. Until then, I'll read this one.
Part of loving sports is arguing about sports. The media, like life, has a bunch of middling crap. It's fun to rail on these bitches.
Sid Rosenberg - is he from the Jerky Boys?
I hate Mike and the Mad Dog. Niether of them would know the game of baseball if they got smashed in the face with a baseball bat and were force fed baseballs down their throwts. By the way that's what it feels like everytime I hear those two idiots bickering over the Yankees. If I had a list of all the stupid thing I've heard them say over the years I could fill this entire blog.
Most recently the moving of Joba to the rotation. This is not the wrong move and it will help the Yankees now and for years to come. One game in Baltimore means nothing. A fifth starter that will start around 20 games from here on out that can get the ball to the bullpen is more valuable than a golden arm rotting in the pen; because the rotation can't hand the pen a lead more than twice a week. Cox and Melancon will be up shortly to help fill Jobas former role. Will they be Joba? Of course not. But will they bee better than the Hawk and the Farns? I'd bet the house on that.
joeybags - I totally agree. People need to stop overrating middle relief. Middle relief: Necessary, yes. Important, yes. Better than starting picthing, no fucking way.
John Wetteland is not walking through that door people. Move aside and let the big man start!
Let's focus here people. The question posed is "why do we like these guys so much?". New York sports fans crave sports talk radio as an unhealthy outlet for our unhealthy sports obsession. And Mike and Chris are simply the most informed and colorful combo around. Let's analyze the other options.
Sid Rosenberg- prick
Richard Neer- borrring.
Steve Summers- all shtick, no substance.
Jody Mac- Too straight forward. Shtick-less.
Continent- A solid option. Maybe 2 on the depth chart?
Tony Paige- Too nice. Laughs at unfunny callers.
Brandon Tierney- Pretty good. Continent/BT might be a good combo. Apparently SNY agrees.
Stephen A. Smith- Arrogant to the point of obnoxious.
Max Kellerman- See Smith, Stephen A.
You see? Nobody else has the same colorful bits, the range of knowledge, the good cop/bad cop routine. These guys are on top because they provide superior total package entertainment.
Now if we could just get Kenny Mayne and Keith Hernandez together...
MMD are horrible. They are in NY. ANd they are in the drive home time slot. Fatso has sucked since they booted his fat arse off the college basketball scene because he thought he couldn't be bothered doing the little things. Maddog got the job because of Imus. They both know NOTHING about NY sports compared to Joe B. They don't prepare. They are lazy, they are arrogant and they don't even KNOW what a sense of humor is. They treat atheletes and sports figures COMPLETELY different then they do the very people that pay their UNEARNED salaries.
But it IS obvious that their wives married them because of WHO they are........................YEAH, OK!!!!!!!
If there was ANOTHER talk show that focased on NY teams, especially baseball, OTHER than MMD, AND IT CAME IN CLEARLY, I, for one would NEVER LISTEN. As it is, I CONSTANTLY change the channel because I get sick to my stomach. The only other talk show about NY baseball that comes in SOMEWHAT clearly NEVER EVER takes calls. IMO, CALLERS make the sports talk shows.
Nice to have an alternative to the HORRIBLE mikefranscesca.com site. Thank God. About time.
i know this is an old post but did i just see sam weinberg put in a post " why do we listen to keith olberman"?????... we listen to mike and dog cause they entertain us and they DO get ratings..NO ONE watches MSNBC especially keith olbermann....chris matthews???????... you all right bro????
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