700WLW/1530 RANT (Bengals Coverage Related)

[Wes Mantooth]

Ok, I'm not sure where to start out here. I guess first let me say that if you're not local you may want to ignore this, as it probably won't interest you in the least. Let me preface this rant by also saying that I understand this thread could probably be in a number of other places, but since it will get the most talk here and it is related to the Bengals I'm putting it here.

Ok, so.... Am I the only one is absolutely amazed by the amount of coverage and time that is given to the Reds by these two stations? It's honestly unbelievable how much these stations devote to one team. Yes, I understand that they have a monetary interest. Yes, I understand that baseball season is long and that they're a lot of games. I get all that. But for anyone that flips around the AM dial I think you'll find that an obscene amount of time is spent on the Reds.

Let's start with just the length of the season and games. That's built in coverage. You've got the end of March, April, May, June, July, August, Sept, and sometimes October. Just about 8 full months of baseball games. Usually 5 or 6 times a week. Obviously 162 games. Oh, and don't forget Spring Training, they got those covered too. Just in the game coverage that is a LOT of time for baseball fans to get their fix.

Now, let's talk scheduling. You're going to get Lance McAllister from 3-6 on game days. That's going to be 90% Reds talk, no matter the time of year or the place their in. Then you're going to get the pre-game from 6-7. Then you got the game from 7-10:30-ish. Oh, and then you got Extra Innings too. So basically, as far as sports coverage on game day, which 5 or 6 days a week, you getting pretty much all Reds, from 3 to midnight.

9 hours of Reds, 5 or 6 days a week, for 8 months, for a total of 162 days. Now, I know these numbers aren't close to exact, but if you were to total that it would 1,458 hours of Reds related programming during the season. For prespective, to be considered eligible for benefits in many job you need to work 1,000 hours. To listen to all the Reds discussion it would be like a full time job.

(I hope some people are still following me here cuz I'm just rambling but I will eventually get to a larger point.)

Oh, and did I mention that Eddy and Tracy talk a decent amount about the Reds? Did I mention there's a Dat Dude BP report? Did I mention that Eddie are Marty have a regular segment? Did I mention that even Ken Broo's weekened afternoon shows are dominated by Reds talk, even though they're on later that night?

Reds, Reds, Reds, Reds, Reds. When they suck, Reds. When the games are meaningless, Reds. Aroldis Chapman starter talk for the 1,454 time? Yes, please. Pitchers and Catchers reporting? Let's talk Reds in the winter. Winter meetings? Lets talk Reds in during football.

Baseball has a LOT of downtime during the games. A shit ton. There is ample opportunity between innings, pitches, the 3rd pitching change in 2 innings for a situational, to discuss on things Reds. You got that almost everyday. You got pre-game, got Extra innings, you got this for 8 ***** months. So much Reds coverage built into the schedule. So why do the talk shows surrounding the shit sandwhich of Reds coverage we're offered up still need to be dominated by more Reds talk?

UC has a darkhorse Heisman candidate, how much time is spent on Gunner Kiel? UC has a good chance of being ranked, but little to no discussion. Stadium upgrades, conference alignment, Mick Cronin's health, UC-Xavier back on campus, O$U football, the fact that Cincinnati has some of the best high school football in the country, local athletes, UK basketball, the state of recruiting.... The list goes on and on. None of gets any significant coverage.

Now to the Bengals. The Reds suck this year. You've spent all this time on them. Now that football is here why the hell is at least a 50-50 split on talk radio? I turned on Broo yesterday, and guess what? Reds talk. I remember a few years ago I turned on Lance the Friday before opening weekend in the NFL. I figured it would be nothing but NFL talk. Nope, he talked Reds, even though they had the Wildcard locked up and they were waiting for the regular season to end.

I'm sorry, but it drives me nuts. Even huge Reds fan can't want to hear Reds talk for 3 hours at this point. Right? For the love of God, please start giving more attention to the NFL, which crushed MLB in ratings, and start devoting more time to college teams!!! PLEASE!!!!

If I hear Lance, or Mo, or Broo, or whoever, open up another show talking about the Reds I may just drive into oncoming traffic!!!! Make it stop!!!! For someone who loves sports, I immediately turn off your programming because it sucks!!!

Rant over.... Whew, I feel better. Sorry, about the wall of words.

[Millhouse]

Haha yeah its ridicoulous. Whenever Mo starts on a Reds topic, I turn the channel cause he will bore me 2 minutes into a 20 minute chat about something trivial. I almost wish I could be a baseball fan again with how much they talk about it.

[Wes Mantooth]

Note: By far, my biggest gripe is with Lance McAllister. I would be willing to bet, that if someone somehow took the time to notate how much time he spends on each and every team on his show that the Reds would account for 75% of his total programming, minimum. That is absolutely ridiculous for the biggest Sports Talk (not REDS talk) program in town.

Not only is his constant Reds talk beyond boring, his show sucks. The other night I turned him and he actually wasn't talking Reds. Want to know what he was talking about? His 8th grade daughter's select soccer team. He had a whole segment on it. People calling in about youth club soccer. If it's not that it's Hostess cupcakes, 70's references, or terrible TV that he and is wife watch. Oh, and he's a huge dork. Not to mention that he's incredibly rude and condescending to callers that disagree with him and he's a ridiculously homer. Basically he sucks. He needs to go.

[Bengalholic]

You're exactly right. I love the Reds, but the constant Redleg talk is over the top. Hell, I think the Bengals could be playing in the Super Bowl and Lance would still be talking Reds.

I rarely listen anymore, but I use to be a big fan of WLW. A little of the general sports coverage topic, but I used to love the constant interactions between Furman and Cunningham. They used to go at it all day, and even walk in on each others show. And of course, the constant harassment of Seg. Then there was Burbank's "All My Bengals". Hell, even Jim Scott sounding half drunk in the morning and the Truckin' Bozo late at night. That stuff was all gold.

That station used to have a 'character' about it, because it was loaded with characters. The Bengals coverage used to be pretty damn good as well. These days, I barely listen at all.

[Lqhybrid25]

I totally agree with you. I don't live in Cincinnati anymore sadly. I'm trying to move back, but it was that way 3 years ago and the first 10 years of sports radio I listened too.

[Wes Mantooth]

(08-30-2015, 12:12 PM)Millhouse Wrote: Haha yeah its ridicoulous. Whenever Mo starts on a Reds topic, I turn the channel cause he will bore me  2 minutes into a 20 minute chat about something trivial. I almost wish I could be a baseball fan again with how much they talk about it.

I used to be a huge baseball fan when I was younger.  I watched or listened pretty much every night until right around when Griffey and Dunn were on their way out.

I used to think I quit watching as much because I hated the fact some teams spend 200 mil while others spend 40, but now I'm wondering if some of the local coverage has turned me off.  It's non-stop.  I used to really enjoy listening to Sports Talk but I just can't get into it anymore.  And I have to figure there's tons of people like that.  I don't understand the programming from a ratings standpoint at all.  How many people are turning in for 3 hours of Reds coverage on a Weds afternoon?  17?  32?  I just don't get it.

[CornerBlitz]

Man the only thing I listen to is Podcasts.

[Sweetness]

I usually try to listen to them because it's sports talk about (hopefully) Cincinnati teams, but I can't find myself  bring able to listen to Mo or Lance anymore for longer periods of time. I've found myself like Jay Mohr sports talk show and been listening to that. Not about cinci stuff usually but at least it's entertaining.

[Wes Mantooth]

(08-30-2015, 12:17 PM)Bengalholic Wrote: You're exactly right. I love the Reds, but the constant Redleg talk is over the top. Hell, I think the Bengals could be playing in the Super Bowl and Lance would still be talking Reds.

I rarely listen anymore, but I use to be a big fan of WLW. A little of the general sports coverage topic, but I used to love the constant interactions between Furman and Cunningham. They used to go at all day, and even walk in on each others show. And of course, there constant harassment of Seg. Then there was Burbank's "All My Bengals". Hell, even Jim Scott sounding half drunk in the morning and the Truckin' Bozo late at night. That stuff was all gold.

That station used to have a 'character' about it, because it was loaded with characters. Now, it's pretty run of the mill.

Willie has gone downhill big time.  Seg is still great though.  I was one of the few that enjoyed Paul Daugherty when he did Sports Talk.  He wasn't as good as Trumpy or Collinsworth, but I'll take him over Lance 100 out of 100 times.

[McC]

I don't listen to it. It is the flagship station of the Reds, so that probably explains it.

[BengalsRocker]

I live in Columbus and even I notice this crap you're talking about.

WLW is just sad.

[Bengalholic]

(08-30-2015, 12:26 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Willie has gone downhill big time.  Seg is still great though.  I was one of the few that enjoyed Paul Daugherty when he did Sports Talk.  He wasn't as good as Trumpy or Collinsworth, but I'll take him over Lance 100 out of 100 times.

Agree about Doc. He did a decent job. Also, the last time I heard Furball he was doing a show on FoxSports with Hawkins. I thought he was entertaining, at least. He could also stir the pot with the best of them.

[Wes Mantooth]

(08-30-2015, 12:25 PM)Sweetnes Wrote: I've found myself like Jay Mohr sports talk show and been listening to that. Not about cinci stuff usually but at least it's entertaining.

I might check that out.  Is that on 1360?  Time?

OT Jim Rome had the worst national show of all time.  I never had any clue what he was talking about.  "Spicy Dave from the Big Easy calling in, as always Sassy Mollassy and a hot take.  Don't hate.  Rack it."

[*Awful Llama*]

WM, I'm with you. Of course, I'm not baseball fan, and I was never a Reds fan when I was, so I am extremely biased against any Reds talk. I actually like when the Reds tank because it hastens the football talk. Also when they do make the playoffs it can screw with Bengals gameday parking and traffic (witness the playoff game about five years ago).

Having said that, I have no delusions that the Reds aren't the number one topic in town. Even in a country where the NFL is far and away the most popular spectator sport, here, it's the Reds. That has a lot to due with Mike and the team's on-field perfomance, but, I still understand the Reds' following and how they'll always be the prettiest pony on local radio.

I don't even bother listening to Lance unless he's hosting a dedicated Bengals show because, as you accurately represented, it's either a lot of Reds talk or straight-up bullshit. Broo is another one that annoys me in that regard. It'll be a Bengals Sunday late in the season, it's a home game and a lot is on the line, and on the drive down I'm wanting to hear Bengals talk, yet he'll waste segments on a baseball team that was buried in late July and drive me over to the Sirius NFL channel.

Just keep all the Reds talk in season, and when season is over (not mathematically over, because then talk would end weeks before Labor Day), keep it on the "Hot Stove" program WLW has and stop clogging up Sunday mornings post-Thanksgiving with talk of pitching rotations. That's all I ask.

[samhain]

I'm usually okay with Mo on 1530, but if I turn it on during my afternoon drive and hear Lance, it's likely to be a day that I listen to music in the car. He's incredibly annoying. He defends players and the organization to the end. Complete obnoxious homer.

I know it can't be helped by the station, but another thing that drives me nuts is getting into the car on a Sunday afternoon, turning on 700, and hearing a meaningless Reds pre game on when the Bengals are playing regular season game and the Reds are hopelessly out of contention. Just stop subjecting people to the uninspired crap. Lord knows the players don't give a shit anymore, why would anyone else?

[Millhouse]

(08-30-2015, 12:21 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: I used to be a huge baseball fan when I was younger.  I watched or listened pretty much every night until right around when Griffey and Dunn were on their way out.

I used to think I quit watching as much because I hated the fact some teams spend 200 mil while others spend 40, but now I'm wondering if some of the local coverage has turned me off.  It's non-stop.  I used to really enjoy listening to Sports Talk but I just can't get into it anymore.  And I have to figure there's tons of people like that.  I don't understand the programming from a ratings standpoint at all.  How many people are turning in for 3 hours of Reds coverage on a Weds afternoon?  17?  32?  I just don't get it.

Yeah same here, not a fan of the salary cap which doesn't help me being a fan. But my new-found sport the last few years I now follow second to the NFL is the BPL and La Liga in Europe (soccer) doesnt have a salary cap either. Watching Manchester United and Swansea as I'm typing this, and the excitement factor dwarfs any baseball game I can remember in last few years. Just to put it in perspective so to speak lol.

But yeah back to the radio, maybe they are getting paid off by the Reds or something to talk so many minutes about them based in the contracts they have between each other? Only thing I can think of that makes sense at this time of year since the Reds are terrible and will be terrible for quite some time from what they blabber about.

[McC]

(08-30-2015, 12:26 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Willie has gone downhill big time.  Seg is still great though.  I was one of the few that enjoyed Paul Daugherty when he did Sports Talk.  He wasn't as good as Trumpy or Collinsworth, but I'll take him over Lance 100 out of 100 times.

Does everybody know the origin of the nickname Seg?  Don't want to hijack the thread but it's a pretty funny story.  

[*jason*]

(08-30-2015, 12:35 PM)samhain Wrote: I'm usually okay with Mo on 1530, but if I turn it on during my afternoon drive and hear Lance, it's likely to be a day that I listen to music in the car.  He's incredibly annoying.  He defends players and the organization to the end.  Complete obnoxious homer.  

I know it can't be helped by the station, but another thing that drives me nuts is getting into the car on a Sunday afternoon, turning on 700, and hearing a meaningless Reds pre game on when the Bengals are playing regular season game and the Reds are hopelessly out of contention.  Just stop subjecting people to the uninspired crap.  Lord knows the players don't give a shit anymore, why would anyone else?

Chick Ludwhatever is horrible when he fills in too.  He hurts my ears.

[StoneTheCrow]

The Reds are the worst GD baseball team I've ever seen. I can't imagine anyone wanting to talk about them or hear about them. You make some very good points about interesting local goings-on. I hadn't heard about a promising UC team.

[grampahol]

WLW is pretty much right wing babble interspersed with baseball so I quit AM radio years ago. It's great if you believe that the president is a reptilian Nazi Muslim Communist atheist and the only thing wrong with the world is the billionaires don't elect a king to rule us with an iron fist all in the name of "freedom"..