Nats get a shut out; Harp hits 2 HR, and...

[varoadking]

Grant and Danny are slowly turning into standard sports talk radio wind bags. The only one I can stand is Czabian and that's just because even he knows he's absurd and he at least makes me laugh once in a while

I would sooner listen to Chris Russo than Grant Paulson.  Both fall somewhere below nails on a chalkboard...

[HondoKillebrew]

I would sooner listen to Chris Russo than Grant Paulson.  Both fall somewhere below nails on a chalkboard...

I recognize that some folks don't like the sound of his voice, but I don't mind it and I think he's the most well-rounded and insightful (across the range of the major sports) host in the local market.  As for Russo, I liked listening to Mike and the Mad Dog whenever I got the chance but I don't like him as much without Francesa. 

[bluestreak]

Russo has an awful sounding voice and is a flat out idiot to boot.

[HalfSmokes]

My taste is questionable since I still prefer bill Simmons to any of them, of course he's talked more wizards lately than anyone local

[varoadking]

My taste is questionable since I still prefer bill Simmons to any of them...

Boy, you're not kidding...questionable indeed...

[MorseTheHorse]

Al Galdi does a good job with baseball on the AM station, but he doesn't have a huge role there. 

That's true. 

[mdnatsfan]

This is not true.  Philly and NY spend a lot more time on their other teams.

Absolutely true. I'm from Philly. From August to February, it is all Eagles, but between February and July, the other sports get a lot of time on each show. Not just one show.

As to the importance of the Kirk contract, it is important, sure. But Cooley and his partner talk incessantly about all "angles." It is speculative, nonsense and terrible radio. I don't want to hear this.

If the Junkies talk nats first thing, what time is that? 5 am? By the time I tune in (around 7:30) they are talking about BS personal topics. I hated Kornheiser because all he talked about was himself for 4 or 5 hours (his house in Bethany, golf, his contact, his tv show). 

Why not talk about the Nats for 10 minutes every hour?

Czaban is okay (isn't he a philly guy?).

Kirk, kirk, kirk. blah blah blah.

When did sports radio become about the blatant self-promotion of one's self and less or not at all about the town's teams?

Anyone here want to start a DC Sports Podcast with me?

[mdnatsfan]

I think this particular instance has more to do with the franchise tag deadline approaching. QB news in DC is always top billing. I'd say the Caps fans have it far worse than any other team in this area. They've been good for 10+ years and nobody seems to care.

Not true. 980 has been talking about this contract since February every morning for 4 or 5 straight hours.

[mdnatsfan]

Do you think St. Louis spent as much time on the Rams as they did with the Cardinals? Or anything in Texas gets as much talk as the Cowboys? It's not exclusive to this area.

The Bullets/Wizards have been horrible forever and the Caps and Nats have won nothing. The Redskins have three Super Bowl titles and have been to five. It's not really hard to understand why they're so popular in this area even in the off-season. With that said, local sports talk is insufferable. Grant and Danny are absolutely awful and 980 is just Cooley being stupid at this point. Don't expect anything groundbreaking from here.

I actually thought Cooly was ok when he was just a member of the Czaban show (I think, or someone else's). Now he is an insufferable ego maniac. I can't stand him and he's rude.

[mdnatsfan]

I'm interested in the Nats and the Redskins.  Cousins is big news and so is the Nats' bullpen.  I want to know whether the Skins sign Cousins and the Nats sign a closer.  Right now, the Nats are more important with the fantastic season they're having but as soon as football starts, I'll be just as much into that.

So how does Cooley and the Junkies talking about the contract for 10 hours a day help you know if Cousins signs? All they do is speculate.

[DPMOmaha]

As an outside observer who only gets his DC sports talk via podcasts, Grant and Danny have the most Nats talk by far. They even have a whole podcast dedicated to them every Monday. Beyond that, there's not much with any consistency beyond that. Rizzo on the Junkies once a week, but other than occasional appearances by beat writers or broadcasters, it can be slim pickings.

[mitlen]

I would sooner listen to Chris Russo than Grant Paulson.  Both fall somewhere below nails on a chalkboard...

Paulsen sez his goal is to do play by play.    I hope he gets the 'skins' radio broadcast.    I'd never hear that voice again.

[HalfSmokes]

Nats are in the same boat as the capitals and wizards locally- coverage will ramp up leading into the playoffs and then tail off once they get bounced. If you look at local ratings, it makes sense, none of the local teams are really even a blip

[spidernat]

Anyone here want to start a DC Sports Podcast with me?

I'll do the Redskins end of it.

I can't stand him and he's rude.

Very true. I heard him say something on the air to one of the guys who works on the show that was completely out of line. I don't care who it is, there is no way someone will talk to me like that without some push back.

[HondoKillebrew]

From what I can tell from the times I've listened to NY's WFAN, a big difference between that station and both of DC's sports talk stations is that the majority of their format is "open line," with callers able to raise whatever topic they want.  Often, the discussion will gravitate toward a prevailing issue and callers will express various opinions, such as whether the Yankees should be buyers or sellers at the deadline, but then a guy may call in to ask about the Jets QB situation.  This allows the listeners and callers to direct the conversation, but I don't hear that format used often with the DC stations, except for a couple of the shows that are more "guy talk" and not as sports oriented.  For the most part (at least for the shows I get the chance to listen to), the hosts here limit the discussion to the topic they've chosen for each segment.  Sometimes that means callers discuss the topic with the host, sometimes the host discusses the topic with a guest such as a beat reporter or player, and sometimes callers can ask questions of guests.  But it's always about the topic selected for a particular segment.  I think one of the reasons for that here is that the hosts aren't that conversant with the full range of sports and players and need to set up each segment with preparation and notes and probably lots of stuff on the computer screens in front of them.  And I really think that applies to baseball in general and the Nats in particular.  Can you imagine asking some of these hosts -- out of the blue -- their opinion about the long term prospects of Goodwin vs. Taylor?  Or to ask them to diagnose Roark's performance this season?  Yikes.  I know Ken Beatrice (for those of you who remember him) was accused of making some stuff up in order to seem encyclopedic in his answers, but a lot of folks enjoyed his format of accepting questions on all sports topics. 

[HalfSmokes]

they have bits where the see if they can get any Nats or wizards calls, usually not enough to sustain a segment

[mitlen]

they have bits where the see if they can get any Nats or wizards calls, usually not enough to sustain a segment

There is no rhyme or reason to their whining.    G & D will talk football for 45 minutes and then wonder why no Nat's fans call at 11:48 AM  ...   just before their bits on local teams at noon.    If they would say everyday at 10:30, they'll talk Nats.     Then they may have a point.

[HalfSmokes]

I've just given up, I listen to the junkies or czabe when I'm in my wife's car and I don't care about whatever is on npr in the morning/afternoon. Other than that podcasts or audiobooks

[mitlen]

I've just given up, I listen to the junkies or czabe when I'm in my wife's car and I don't care about whatever is on npr in the morning/afternoon. Other than that podcasts or audiobooks

I've grown to like the Junkies.     Like you, my car time is radio time.    I used to listen to Czabe but I don't get AM radio in my '97 Saturn or on my Nano.

[HondoKillebrew]

they have bits where the see if they can get any Nats or wizards calls, usually not enough to sustain a segment

If a host doesn't know enough about the team to answer anything more in depth than Harper's favorite football team, then why call in?  It would help if the hosts were capable of actually discussing the team.  Also, if the Nats were a topic of discussion more regularly, then I think more Nats fans would listen regularly, and call in when there are opportunities to do so.  I kind of think the hosts complaining about a lack of Nats callers when they do open it up randomly for that purpose is somewhat of a self-made problem. 

[HalfSmokes]

once they stop talking about sports, they're entertaining, kind of like czabe and Kornheiser before him

[HondoKillebrew]

There is no rhyme or reason to their whining.    G & D will talk football for 45 minutes and then wonder why no Nat's fans call at 11:48 AM  ...   just before their bits on local teams at noon.    If they would say everyday at 10:30, they'll talk Nats.     Then they may have a point.

Agree.  Various shows will do pretty much exactly this.  Focus on football for the vast majority of the time and then randomly request calls on the Nats for a brief segment, and then act surprised when they don't get a big response.  Don't get me wrong -- I like football discussion and I follow all of the local sports teams, but I think the many of the hosts in this market would rather avoid talking about anything other than football on a regular basis. 

[mdnatsfan]

Yikes.  I know Ken Beatrice (for those of you who remember him) was accused of making some stuff up in order to seem encyclopedic in his answers, but a lot of folks enjoyed his format of accepting questions on all sports topics.

Good point about show format.

I remember Beatrice from when I first moved down here in 1993. Was he on the air at night?

[mdnatsfan]

once they stop talking about sports, they're entertaining, kind of like czabe and Kornheiser before him

This is the problem with DC sports radio. They don't talk sports. Kirk's contract is easy. The Redskins is easy. Talking with knowledge about a 25 man MLB roster is hard. Talking with knowledge about a 22 man NHL roster is hard.

[mitlen]

...   and I think the whole damned staff at 106.7 is on a weight loss program.