Welcome to the DL

Jayson Stark Rumbles and Grumbles on the DL

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:16:22 -0400

Jayson Stark from ESPN brings his Rumblings and Grumblings to the DL to talk (what else) BASEBALL!

If you’ve ever read Stark’s work, you know that he writes like he talks and his enjoyment for the game really comes out in his columns. He’s never backed down from talking with fans and readers and I think he just really, really loves being a baseball writer.

We ask him to compare what it’s like working for ESPN to covering a beat, and if he ever wishes he were still covering one team throughout the entire season. At its core, baseball is a colloquial game – a front porch transistor radio experience that other sports just aren’t able to capture. So working for a megamart like ESPN takes the neighborhood feel away from the game, and we ask Jayson if he misses that.

We talk about the myriad of responsibilities he has at the WWL. It’s also a wonder to us how he manages to keep such a light-hearted and genuinely excited tone with both his writing, and his ‘alternative’ media endeavors. Seriously, he writes a column, he writes a blog, he does a weekly chat, he does video blogs to go with his columns, he does TV, he does national radio, he does local radio in many markets, including Philadelphia and I think my ring tone is now his voice saying “Manny being Manny.”

We talk about the All-Star game marathon, including the pre-game ceremonies that had many of the living Hall of Famers. We also ask why it was ‘many’ and not ‘all’ of the living Hall of Famers, bringing up the specific examples of Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench and Sandy Koufax. Sure some people are old, but some just don’t feel like showing up for this kind of stuff. We discuss the notion that players owe it to the fans to be at events like this - especially Sandy Koufax.

Listen, there aren’t many great Jewish ballplayers. When I was growing up, I don’t know if there were any prominent members of the Tribe I could look up to. Would it be so much for Koufax to show up to thinks like the All-Star celebration once in a while? I’m not asking for him to be Phil Rizutto for the Money Store but letting us know what one of the heroes of our generations past is still alive isn’t so much to ask.

We spin the Koufax talk to Stark’s book, (linked to Amazon here and above) where he named Koufax the most overrated lefty of all time. Wow. We talk about Koufax and Nolan Ryan (his most overrated righty) and ask Stark if he felt handcuffed by the term ‘overrated’ or if it ended up being a shrewd marketing tool for the book. We also ask how Scott Boras feels now that Andruw Jones has been totally exposed as a player. Boras.

We end with some talk about the Phillies and while we all still think they CAN win the division, we wonder IF that will happen.

We talk Uncle Charlie and wonder how he’s regarded as a manager in league circles. We talk Brett Myers and debate the logic behind teams trading top prospects instead of calling them up and just going with them. If a guy is good enough to ‘eventually’ be a front-of-the-rotation starter, why not bring him up to learn on the job as the 4th or 5th arm?

Last, we ask Stark about the Elias Sports Bureau. How big is that fruit basket he sends each Christmas, anyway?

Link to this:

Brian Powell of Awful Announcing Joins the DL

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:38:47 -0400

Brian Powell from AwfulAnnouncing.com joins the show to talk about his website and the vast and diverse world of sports media.

This is our 60th episode, so we expanded it (by happenstance) to 60 minutes.

First, we talk about Awful Announcing, and how he started the site. We discuss the nature of someone whose job it is to watch sports ALL THE FREAKING TIME and if he is able to maintain any semblance of a social life having to watch, listen to and clip sporting events all day and night.

That’s the thing most people don’t realize...people who watch sports for a living can usually just read a box score and watch SportsCenter in the morning to get caught up. Helll, that’s what we do (and even without most of the SportsCenter). But he has to actually watch everything, listen to every word, visualize every chyron and bumper and bug on the screen for that one time when someone is up with a 4-2 count or when a teaser for the new Fox show Fringe is spelled wrong and turns into a promo for German soccer highlights. (Note: click that freaking link).

We talk about how he’s able to make a living stealing footage from major companies and has yet to be sued. This brings up an hilarious potential spinoff for the site my wife created, Lawful Announcing (patent pending).

We go in depth about why everyone is so enamored with Erin Andrews. There have been other sideline reporters before, but nobody gets the coverage on the blogosphere that EA receives. It’s just mind-boggling the numbers she produces for blogs, and I’m not sure there’s any real reason other than the obvious fact that she’s attractive, good at her job and came along at the exact right time. Maybe it’s that simple.

Even though he runs Awful Announcing, I ask Brian about some of the announcers he actually does like. Some of the names might surprise you.

We then move to the more awful side of the street to talk about the demise of Billy Packer and to discuss the enigma that is Joe Buck. He’s great and awful rolled into one, and that fascinates me. That spins us to the Life of Reilly and if Rick Reilly will ever justify his paycheck, commenting specifically on his terrible and unnecessary appearance at the Home Run Derby.

Reilly gets us to Bob Costas, and the newly-named Friends of Bob (or FOB) that will be joining him at the Olympic games in China. Did you know the Olympics are only days away? Can’t wait.

We close with a talk about, what else, ESPN. The World Wide Leader is exactly that, and we discuss the fact that everyone has seemingly backed off their attempts to even try and give viewers any alternative programming other than covering events. I mean, I guess Fox tries, but halfheartedly at best. We wonder what the world would be like without ESPN.

We also wonder if ESPN has left itself vulnerable to the growing world of interwebs and if their lack of focus in the digital world has made it possible for some of the rest of us to thrive.

Let’s hope so.

Link to this:

Chris Cooley talks Blogs and Skins on the DL

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:51:51 -0400

Redskins All-Pro tight end Chris Cooley joins the show to talk about his career....as a blogger. Chris writes the best athlete blog in the ‘sphere and also does some work for Yahoo!’s Shutdown Corner so we wanted to have him on to talk about how much fun blogging is.

Of all the NFL players HBO could have picked to be on the panel for Costas Now, how did nobody think of Chris? We talk to him about that and if he feels like he gives too much information out to the fans and maybe has over-exposed himself.

We get into the role of blogs for athletes and if it’s an end-around on the media. It seems like more and more athletes use their websites to make announcements rather than hold a press conference. Websites have become a way to directly relate to the fans, and Chris has an interesting take on why athletes do it and why fans seem to like it so much. In essence, he thinks writers are boring (and lazy) and if it’s not interesting, why would someone want to read it. And you know, he’s not wrong.

We also get pretty in depth on some of his recent posts, including his thoughts on the owners opting out of the labor agreement and why some players dont’ seem to get ‘it’ with regard to their roles in the lives of their fans. We’re looking at you, Chad Johnson.

We ask about the ‘Skins and specifically working for Dan Snyder and new coach Jim Zorn. We’re shocked to learn that the ZornStar (thanks Jamie) is more of a hard-ass on the players than the venerable Mr. Gibbs. Translation, the hot pants will now be replaced with team issued shorts and sweats. Sorry ladies.

There is so much drama in Philly we wonder if there is any in DC, other than, you know, Clinton Portis dressing up like Johnny Drama for a media lunch or something.

We talk a little Brett Favre and ask him what he’d do if he were Aaron Rogers. We also ask what thinks the best rivalry in the NFL is why everyone hates the Cowboys. We talk about the toughest player he has to face (Eagles fans will be happy with his choice) and ask who the dirtiest player is. Frankly, if you’ve watched the NFL in the last few years, the name is not a surprise.

We close by asking Chris what he plans to do after football (answer: lots of golf) and how married life is treating him. My list of favorite football players starts with Giants Center Shaun O’Hara and continues down the line of Rutgers alums, but Chris Cooley is now on that list. He’s really great. Listen to find out why.

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Jenn Sterger talks Erin Andrews and radio mishaps with the DL

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:38:26 -0400

We sneak in a fourth show(!) this week to introduce Jenn Sterger to the DL. Jenn got in some heat this week with the blogosphere after reportedly telling a Tampa radio station that Erin Andrews can ‘suck it.’ Here’s the quote, via Deadspin:

“She's very talented. But it's so funny because if you look at her old tapes back when she worked at the Lightning, it was the most dreadful stuff you've ever seen in your life. People compare me and say, well, she's no Erin Andrews ... and I'm like, well, who's No. 1 on the computer. Suck it."

Jenn joins us to refute that and give an explanation as to what she actually said. Note: Jenn does not want Erin Andrews to suck it. Or anything. In fact, she tells us:

“Believe me, I say a lot of off color things, but that’s definitely not one of my choice put downs. I have a lot of respect for Erin Andrews. But it’s so frustrating because people will continually compare us because she is the most notable sportscaster that initially found celebrity because of her looks.”

She goes on, in what might be the best explanation:

I would never utter those words. It was a combination of bad miking and people talking over people. Its pretty obvious what I said. I was making points. I said, number one, Im on the computer. Erin isnt really a presence on the internet. Shes on televisionand then second and I said SECOND, I can spell it for you if youd like and I went to make my next point. I was listing off these points and I kept getting interrupted by these two guys. They will both tell you that I did not say it.

While she’s here, we take the time to ask her about her career and how – or if – it compares to EA. We talk about the shelf-life of an internet phenom and what she plans to do in the coming years to stay relevant.

We also talk about why guys are so enamored with ‘sports gals’ and if she regrets doing the photo shoots with Maxim and Playboy.

Last, I just double-check to clarify what she says about Andrews and we have the following exchange:

“You do not want Erin Andrews to ‘suck it, to suck anything…you like Erin Andrews,” we asked.

“What is there to suck? Seriously. I’m a girl.

“Everyone is trying to screw everyone else. They’re going to try to take things out of context. People like controversy. They thrive on it. The way I explain it – would you rather watch a couple in a grocery store fight or make out? You wanna watch them fight, let’s be real.

Link to this:

PW Show - Mayor Michael Nutter Joins DL

Wed, 9 Jul 2008 11:17:51 -0400

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter sits down to talk about what it's like running one of the biggest cities in the country. We discuss the roles of being Michael Nutter the mayor and Michael Nutter the man and how he's able to maintain balance. I ask him if he can even have a personal life with his professional life being so public and I can honestly say that this was the first time in my life that I was "Punk'd" by a public official of his stature. A milestone moment for me.

We talk about the upcoming Presidential race including his role to this point and what he sees for the coming months. It was national news that Mayor Nutter supported Senator Clinton over Senator Obama, much to the chagrin of many residents in the city of Philadelphia. I ask the mayor about his feelings on that now that Senator Obama has won (presumptively) the nomination.

We also talk about race and politics and I wondered if young African-American kids now have a different career arc – a different "when I grow up...." dream – now that Senator Obama is one step from becoming President Obama. To follow that, I ask him if he's thought about his career goals and what he wants to do after his time as Mayor of Philadelphia is finished.

We discuss several issues facing the city, including education and crime. Did you know that while 45.8-percent of the population in Philadelphia County is African-American, yet that number jumps to 76.7-percent for the incarcerated. As the leader of this city, I ask the mayor how he feels about those numbers and what he plans to do in hopes of leveling that discrepancy. (Note: he does not like my suggestion).

We then talk about green...as in making the city a greener place to live with different recycling programs and initiatives to become more efficient. That conversation is juxtaposed with a discussion about the ever-changing skyline of the city and if big buildings means big business for the city. We spin that to a conversation about business in the city and if the laws are actually hurting small business owners in order to help large corporations.

Finally, we talk sports, including the problems the Phils are having on the bump and if Pat the Bat should be an all-star (he, like I, thinks yes). I violate several interstate commerce laws to ask him which team he'd bet on to win the next title in the city and we close with some quick hits about his favorite cheesesteaks, top movies of all time and what he really thinks of Nutter Butters.

The mayor is a great sport and honestly the coolest mayor I know.

Link to this:

Daulerio Runs Deadspin - Talks On the DL

Tue, 8 Jul 2008 08:11:45 -0400

AJ Daulerio is back on the show to talk about his first week as king of the sports blogosphere. We talk Deadspin and the changes that have been made and are going to be made, including the first day of new Senior Editor Clay Travis. We also talk about AJ’s last few weeks, and if he knew what he was getting in to. And by that, I mean did he know I was going to email him every day asking for a job. Turns out, I’m not the only person doing that. Nice!

We then get in the groove by talking about A-Rod and Madonna (see what I did there), wondering if A-Rod has a prenup and posing the question of how this compares to the Kobe Bryant story. What happened to that story, anyway?

We then go across the pond to talk tennis, and wonder if Sunday’s final at Wimbledon was the best match of all time (and why things always have to be the best of all time all the time).

We also talk about the WIlliams sisters, and wonder if there’s ever been a pair of siblings who have dominated two different sports. If you know of anyone, email us because we can’t think of anyone.

We delve deep into the world of balls and sticks to debate if the CC Sabbathia trade was as good for baseball as people claim. I think it was good for baseball now, but it’s not like he won’t just sign for top dollar next year. People are making it seem like it’s a coup for the little guy, but all its done is weaken one small market team now and another in the future, while next year one of the big market teams will just pay him his money and reap the benefits. If the Brewers win this year, it’s great for baseball, but if it’s like the Astros and Beltran (an example AJ brings up), I question if it’s good for the sport at all.

We also talk about the violence that has escalated the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry and how it translates locally to the “terrible” Phillies fans. I blame Bill Simmons in completely joking fashion, but somehow AJ takes it literally and we debate his role in the conflagration of obnoxiousness (a term I am now coining, thank you very much) in Red Sox Nation.

Last, as it was just the Fourth of July, we talk wieners. Lots of wieners.

Link to this:

PW Show - Jaws Lands on the DL

Tue, 1 Jul 2008 05:35:34 -0400

Former Eagles great and current analyst for Monday Night Football Ron Jaworski joins the DL to talk about his career on the field and life after football. Jaws lives and breathes football, and nothing in life excites him more than to talk about the sport he's worked in – as a player, analyst, reporter, team president and owner – for more than 40 years.

We talk about Jaws' career on the field and ask him who he thinks is the best quarterback in Eagles history. We also discuss the drama constantly surrounding the Birds and ask if he feels there was as much drama when he was a player. I ask Jaws if he thinks that a change of scenery helps a player, and while says he does in many cases, he specifically talks about the situation with Donovan McNabb.

Jaws also gives his insights on the changes to Monday Night Football for the coming season, and talks about the role of Tony Kornheiser on the telecast. We talk about the reduced role the sideline reporters will play and ask Jaws what he thinks of the shift in philosophy.

Next, we chat about his favorite part of the job - breaking down game tape. We discuss the NFL Matchup show, and I ask if he's ever wanted to throw Merril Hodge through the telestrator. If you watch the show, you know you have.

Jaws also addresses the groundswell of animosity toward players who walk off the field and into the analyst chair without going through the years of work it takes to hone such a difficult craft. People are handed a lot of jobs they didn't deserve, so we wanted to get Jaws' thoughts on people like Emmitt Smith and Michael Strahan getting cushy desk jobs right off the field (or in Emmit’s case, right off the dance floor) when he has worked for 17 years in television to reach his level of success.

To end the show, we talk a little Soul with their big playoff game coming up this weekend. We also talk about the philanthropic efforts of the team and how they are one of the most successful teams in the league, yet don't make any money. We also discuss the role ESPN has in the AFL.

That leads us to a discussion about players after football. As we’ve said, Jaws may be having a better post-playing career than he did in the league – and he was an MVP. But most players don’t have that kind of success. We talk about if the league is doing enough for its former players.

To close, I do my best duck and cover to take a quick jab at Jaws....and break some big news for next Monday Night Football season in the process.

Link to this:

The End of a Blogera

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:52:21 -0400

Yesterday, Deadspin did a FANTASTIC roast of one Mr. William F. Leitch, including posts by every influential blogger out there, a fantastic spoof on the HBO show by J.E. Skeets and guests spots by the crew at KSK, Scott Van Pelt and Bill Simmons!!!!

Just fantastic. We had Will on twice in the last few months, and really, we owe a lot of our success to Will and Daulerio, both by coming on the show as much as they have, and giving us an unjustifiable and unreciprocatable amount of publicity and links.

So to add to the roasting of Will, I wanted to offer this...a little taste of Will “off” the record.

Thanks for everything, Will, and good luck at New York and in the fast paced world of uncorrectable typos.

Link to this:

Blog Show Reunion On the DL

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:19:22 -0400

This is either the best show we’ve ever done, or a complete train wreck. Either way, it was without a doubt the most fun Nick and I have had trying to host this show. I emphasize trying.

We talk with Jamie Mottram – aka Mister Irrelevant – and Dan Steinberg of Washington Post’s DC Sports Bog, in a lengthy yet hilarious interview. (Note: this show is long, so we had to compress it more than usual. If that annoys you, email me and I’ll send you a better version).

We talk with Jamie first, discussing his career and what it’s like being one of the real power players in the sports blog universe, having started AOL’s Fanhouse, and now running Yahoo! Sports blog division.

Our claim is that Jamie would be on the Mount Rushmore of Sports Bloggers. Before you kill us for acting like MSM radio folk (Mike and Mike probably have patented the ‘Mount Rushmore of Whatever’ time killer) we were being ironic. And honestly, we think he would be on there. We ask him who he’d put on the mountain next to him. (Hint: one’s leaving his job, one’s on this interview as well, and one is is a writer for one of the top comedies on TV. He mentioned after the show that he wished he added Blez from SB Nation, so throw him on too.)

We ask Jamie why he decided to leave the DC area for North Carolina, and if he thinks that will impact his blog. We ask him who is a better blogger – Gilbert Arenas or Chris Cooley – and we ask if he was invited to the Cooley wedding last month.

We ask Jamie about ESPN and their lack of real presence in the blog world. And I think at one point, I beg Jamie for a job. Since Jamie used to frequent the famed Cold Pizza show, we ask him why ESPN insists on creating new, live, original content in the mornings when they can just run old SportCenter and we’ll all be happy. If they are that concerned with breaking news happening, keep Cindy Brunson or Robert Flores on call in the ESPNews studio just in case something breaks during the reruns. But I digress...

Steinberg comes in to talk about the end of Blog Show. We talk about the run of that show, and debate the cultural resonance of the show. We ask them about the Erin Andrews interview and I ask if they thought it was as awkward doing the interview as it came off on tape. In their defense, they weren’t as awkward as staring at Steinz’ crotch the entire show. Turns out, Dan never watches himself. That’s a shock.

We ask Dan about Jemele Hill’s suspension, and if he thinks Hitler jokes are funny. My point (tongue in cheekedly) is that if something is funny, it’s funny. Nobody thinks about the racist, sexist or anti-semetic undertones to something when it’s funny. It’s just funny. But when it’s NOT funny, we look to figure out why - oh, because it was racist. Or because it was sexist, or whatever. The moral of the story. Be funny if you’re trying to be funny.

We also go into some depth about the LA Times article that called Mister Irrelevant edgy and independent. We ask if this article, and the subsequent fallout, will cause a big rift in the blog world with the “Deadspin” crew and “Big Lead” crew. When you’re a Jet you’re a Jet all the way. Or something like that.

We finish up with some Olympics talk, before Jamie and Dan officially take the show over.

Great stuff, and honestly, as much fun as we’ve ever had. I hope that translates.

Link to this:

Leitch Leaves Deadspin - Joins DL

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:54:17 -0400

Now THAT is a professional headline tease.

Will Leitch from Deadspin joins the show to talk about his departure from the sports blogging world for a cushy job in the swanky, high profile realm of magazine editors. For those under a rock for the last month, Leitch is leaving Deadspn – the site he created with his own blood, sweat, and carpal tunnels – to work as a contributing editor at New York Magazine.

Will asserts that he’ll still be floating around the Deadspin corner of the internet, in a Tom Brokaw-and-NBC capacity. I ask if he thinks he’ll be more like Bill Parcels (or Larry Brown) where he says he wants out, but he can’t ever really leave.

We talk about where he sees Deadspin going in his absence and who he thinks will (and should) get one of the top jobs in the sports world. All signs point to Daulerio, which is probably why Gawker will go with someone else, in my opinion (yes, we vote Balls on this one). I ask Will if Gawker is faced with the philosophical conundrum of running ‘Will’s Deadspin,’ which AJ is an extension of, or Gawker’s Sports site, coincidentally (and fortunately) named Deadspin, which may warrant a fresh start. Will doesn’t think it’s that cut and dry, and he lauds AJ for being his own man, and frankly, a talented one at that.

We also spend a lot (note: A LOT) of time talking about Will’s bombshell of a post today, linked here, responding to the LA Times article on sports blogs. And here is the link to the LA Times.

If you don’t want to read the article, basically it asserts that sports blogs have changed in the wake of Buzz Bissinger’s mad ranting on Costas Now Live Now....Live...With Bob Costas (Costas Costas Costas). Now. Will’s post was a response to that article, keying a scathing defense of blogging for integrity’s and NOT popularity’s sake, taking shots at many of those quoted, including Jason McIntyre at The Big Lead and Mike Florio at PFT (and Deadspin’s own Daulerio.) in a blog post that will make the little Jerry Maguire in all of us proud. (My Jerry looks like L. Ron Hubbard.)

There are many quotable moments in that cut up (to the right, tagged Mission Statement), but this is one of my favs:

...
“I’ve never understood this notion that we need to ‘legitimize’ blogs or something. Whether something is legitimate should be in the eye of the individual reader, not as some sort of....media group that we’ve all decided okay, ‘once we’ve gotten THEIR stamp of approval, we’re okay.’ I think it’s absolutely ridiculous.”

and this:

“Just because Buzz Bissinger won a Pulitzer Prize doesn’t make him any more educated on what a blog is. He continues to be a great writer and a great journalist, but it doesn’t mean he knows what he’s talking about. That’s where this got off the rails a little bit.”
...

We also talk sports. While he is still a professional sportswriter, I take advantage to ask Will about the upcoming Olympics. We talk about the issues facing the sportswriters going to China, and debate the relevance of the Olympics in today’s sports landscape (teaser: it’s not.)

After the interview with Will, friend of the show AJ Daulerio stops in to answer a few questions in rebuttal.

What’s this? I’m acting like a REAL journalist? Indeed. I called Daulerio for comment on his LA Times quotes, to see if he was actually misquoted. His reply: “Yeah, I was f-ing misquoted!” (Note: I may have misquoted him there.)

AJ also takes a few minutes to talk about how many blogs, including the one he writes for, are mainstream media, whether traditionalists admit it or not. And we somehow end up back on his quotes, and Will’s post today. Is there a catfight brewing at Deadspin? Listen to find out.

Link to this:

Trey Wingo talks ESPN and NFL on the DL

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:45:20 -0400

Trey Wingo – host of ESPN’s NFL Live – joins the show to talk about this country’s fascination with football and ESPN. If you ever wanted to hear two guys who were emailng each other at 4:15 am talk on the phone 11 hours later, trying diligently to hide in their voices the immense amount of caffeine streaming through their veins (note: I assume on his part, and I know on mine), do we have a show for you.

We chat about the year-round transformation of the NFL, and if that is attributable to the jingoistic nature of our country.

We talk about former athletes invading analyst desks and broadcast booths on every station and if he thinks its fair that athletes get to play the sports we grew up wanting to play AND get to cover those sports as well. I ask him if he thinks Kornheiser is better than Kornheiser thinks Kornheiser is, and I ask him who he’d put in the Monday Night Football booth, if they let him book one game.

In the best moment of the interview, I ask about the way blogs have covered some of his colleagues, including Chris Berman’s videos and Sean Salisbury’s phone photos, and (as expected) he does a great job of deflecting before mentioning that he things blogs have evolved, and will continue to evolve. He even dropped this on my lap:

“Remember when ESPN started, we were nothing. In 1979, you couldn’t find us with a police blotter. You could hide from the authorities on ESPN. And I think the thing that ESPN has done better, that nobody gives it credit for … we went from being the mom and pop shop – we were the bloggers, essentially, in 1979. We were trying to find a way to put something on the air that somebody would pay attention to.

“And somewhere along the way, over a vast period of time, we went from the mom and pop shop, the blogger that nobody really reads so we can say whatever we want out there, to suddenly the most powerful entity in sports in this country. “

Yes, he said that ESPN started out as a blog. There’s hope for all of us yet.

We also talk about SpyGate, and if ESPN over-covered the story, before addressing the rash of robberies and assaults that seem to be afflicting NFL players, most recently putting Javon Walker in the hospital.

Shifting gears to a lighter subject, we talk women’s basketball. Hey, Trey is the host of the NCAA tourney, so we talk a little women’s hoops.

To finish, I ask him why everyone is afraid of Tiger Woods, and I rip Tiger for acting like such a child on the course – throwing clubs, cursing, dropping his putter on the green. Well, Tiger’s out for the year, so I guess that’s that.

Link to this:

Philly Weekly Takeover - Rhea Hughes

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:05:08 -0400

In this episode, the first lady of Philly sports talk radio, Rhea Hughes, joins the show to talk about her career and what it’s like being one of the guys. Hughes is one of the busiest people in town, so we get a glimpse at her daily routine — and what waking up at 3am for a decade does to one’s social life.

We talk about her role on the WIP morning show, and if she ever feels like she’s betraying her gender while being party to some of WIP’s staple bits, like Miss WIP and the Wing Bowl. She has some pretty strong feelings about the role of women in sports, even taking direct shots at TV executives for putting people like Lisa Guerrero on the sidelines of Monday Night Football. Her viewpoints seem to directly conflict with much of the discussion and many of the on-air gimmicks on her show, so I ask what she thinks of the disconnect and how she justifies being a part of things she clearly has no taste for.

We also discuss the wave of suspensions and firings in media today (including Bill Conlin from Daily News Live and Kidd Chris from WYSP), and if members of the media feel the need to dance on eggshells in today’s social and financial climate.

Speaking of eggshells, we talk about Andy Reid and how they constructed their line of questioning when Reid visited the studio last month. I juxtapose their interview and the topics they chose to ask with my interview with Darren Daulton and ask Rhea where the line is between asking the questions that need to be asked and avoiding some topics in order to get the interview.

We finish by talking about the brewing radio feud between Mike Missanelli at 950 and seemingly the entire WIP roster. Rhea worked with Mike, so it’s interesting to get her take on his onslaught on WIP since his return.

And we even manage to talk a little Fightins.

After the interview, I steal a few minutes to mourn the loss of one of America’s great newsmen in Tim Russert. We talk a lot of politics on this show, and I know for me, this Presidential race will not be the same without Tim and his whiteboard come November.

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Jeremy Schaap talks work and family on the DL

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:28:06 -0400

Our 50th show brings Jeremy Schaap to the DL. We talk with Schaap about the similarities of our lives growing up in the shadows of our fathers. With Father’s Day coming this weekend, we wax nostalgic about the legacy of Dick Schaap, including how he is, in a way, responsible for me doing this show.

(For those who don’t know, my dad was a writer of some consequence in this industry, having created the Best of Philly for Philadelphia Magazine, and having done some of the best sports interviews, including Pete Rose and Terry Bradshaw, for Playboy. I had many an autographed ball on my shelf as a lad, and I learned my two hand backhand from my dad, who learned it from...Jimmy Connors. Or so the story goes. The stories I heard were about the biggest names in sports, but the shadow my dad’s career cast over me is sometimes the biggest thing of all. And one of my dad’s early mentors was the elder Schaap.)

Jeremy also talks about the legacy of the recently-passed Jim McKay and the notion that the old-school style of sports journalism has passed us by, in favor of a SportsCenter, in-your-face style. My assertion was introduced because of comments by John Feinstein, who took a shot at people like Chris Berman in lauding McKay’s understated style. I ask Jeremy what he thinks about media members who have become more popular than the people they cover, including Wilbon, who was photographed partying with porn stars yesterday.

We also talk Bob Knight, and what Jeremy thought when ESPN hired him. And I ask him about his award winning story on Bobby Fischer and if he ever felt like he was becoming the story, rather than covering it.

To close, we talk Olympics, and I ask Jeremy if the Chinese Government or PEDs will be the bigger story. We also talk about the Blade Runner, Oscar Pistorius, who is trying to qualify for the Olympics as an amputee runner. Jeremy did a great news piece for E:60 about Pistorius, but I ask him for his opinion on whether or not the Blade Runner should be allowed in.

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Daulerio Talks Deadspin Shakeup

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:20:05 -0400

AJ Daulerio from Deadspin is back on the show to talk about the big changes at one of the best sports blogs in the country. AJ gives some heartfelt thoughts on the departure of Deadspin editor Will Leitch and we ask how this huge news has impacted his week professionally, and personally.

It’s a tough spot for AJ to be in. He went back to Deadspin a few months ago, then Will drops this bomb, and says that it has been in the works for a while – dating back to before the HBO debacle. So conspiracy theorists, of which I am one, might surmise that AJ was brought back with his head down and hand extended behind him, waiting for the baton to be passed his way. That said, this is a VERY public situation, and without any firm decisions, it’s hard for AJ to give his thoughts on things. In listening to him, I honestly don’t think he knows anything firm – at least not anything that he can say on the record. It’s clear from what he says to us, however, that the head job is one that he wants.

AJ also gets the chance to rip me for the Darren Daulton interview and we discuss ‘real’ journalism, and somehow equate me to Jay Mariotti.

After a weather delay, we talk NBA Finals and the Kobe Bryant rumors and if horse racing and boxing are being replaced by the likes of NASCAR and MMA.

Last, it’s Father’s Day weekend coming up. Is it the best weekend in all of sports?

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Back to our Roots

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:49:59 -0400

Due to some scheduling quirks, Nick has been gone for a while, but he’s back on the show. We had scheduled to talk with AJ Daulerio from Deadspin in his monthly spot, but he too had some scheduling issues, so we’re going back to our roots - Dan and Nick, turning around and talking out of their asses.

We discuss Nick’s trip to Nationals Park and the Phillies surge to the top of the NL East.

We also talk about several retirements, including Michael Strahan, Dominik Hasek and Hillary Clinton. Yes, we put a giant punctuation mark on the Democratic Primary season and look to the future.

We make note of Wayne Rooney sporting a Rutgers hat, including the giant R I designed. Yeah, yeah, it’s just an R. But Wayne Rooney is wearing it.

Oh, and my kid is now walking. It’s the end of the world as we know it.

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Tony Kornheiser Has Hernia - Lands on DL

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 05:25:53 -0400

Tony Kornheiser - he of PTI, Monday Night Football, Washington Post and radio fame - joins the show to yodel with us for a thirty or so good minutes.

(For those of you who know me, you know that I have what some might call an unhealthy obsession with the Orange one. I listen to his radio show every day, religiously. I have made no bones about the fact that this show is ostensibly a rip-off of his show.

So that made this interview both incredibly easy, and incredibly difficult. This show could have been a three hour tour of Mr. Tony’s life and career. How do you condense everything you’ve ever wanted to ask a guy you spend 2.5 hours a day listening to into a neatly packaged just-over-half-hour presentation? I did my best.)

We talk about his many professional hats, and why he still works so much as he nears 60. I ask if he’s getting softer in his old age (answer: no) and get his response to Norman Chad thinking he’s dead.

The Chad stuff leads into a interesting conversation about Tony’s notoriously thin skin, and how he’s made a career writing about himself for so long, yet hating what OTHERS write about him.

We also talk about the Cheeseboy, and where he sees blogs being...and going...as a part of the media landscape. And he responds to my assertion that PTI is a blog, just on TV. We also talk about if he thinks PTI may have ‘jumped the shark.’

We talk a little about Monday Night Football and how long he’ll do it. I ask him about the difference between working with Jaws and Joe T and, after giving his requisite praise for Theismann, he has some interesting thoughts on what he would do in the booth.

My last question is about family. I just read his first book, The Baby Chase, which is about his - and his wife’s - struggles to have children, getting caught up in a Black Market adoption ring. While it was written in 1983, it was fresh in my mind, so I get a little sappy, a little personal, and ask him about fatherhood.

Then, because it’s Mr. Tony, we somehow end up talking about Ari Emanuel’s golf swing, James Lipton’s beard color, and if I’ll ever be able to get the dinner with me, Tony and Larry David together. Norman Chad was the fourth, but, well, I’m not sure that’s going to work out.

I’m sure I left stuff out in this recap, so make sure to listen to the whole show. I’m also sure I missed something one of the Littles would have wanted me to ask. So make sure you email me to tell me how this interview stinks (stinks).

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Philly Weekly Takeover - David Aldridge

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 11:29:08 -0400

This show one of our PW episodes, and to get the whole show, you’ll have to click the link to the right. I did you the favor of putting in some clips, below.

In this episode, we talk with David Aldridge of TNT, and formerly of the Philadelphia Inquirer. David has had quite the career, working for the Washington Post and ESPN before his most recent stops, covering everything from the Redskins and Bullets in DC to the big four in Philly to Stanley Cups and World Series to the Barcelona Olympics in '92. And that's not forgetting his fantastic work covering the NBA.

We talk with David about the change in the industry of sportswriting, and how the career arc has changed to fit TV into the model. I also ask David about where blogs fit into the mix, and if sportswriters feel that bloggers are taking a shortcut in the industry and haven't paid their dues.

David was one of the few sportswriters who left his job in the last few years on his terms. He wasn't forced out, didn't take any buyout, just left on his own. I wanted to know why this was the right time for him to leave. I also wanted to talk about his time with the Inq, specifically the criticism he would get for being a sportswriter living in a different city.

I couldn't have a guy like DA on and not talk about one of his colleagues at the Inquirer – Stephen A. Smith. We have a lengthy discussion about race, and the lack of a strong African-American presence in sportswriting in the city. DA states it's a nation-wide issue. I press him on if SAS has become the de facto spokesman for black sports commentary, and David's thoughts are both candid and well thought out, which leads to an interesting conversation about race and media and where to find strong black voices.

We finish with some quick hits about the NBA Finals, Kobe Bryant and which is a bigger problem for the league - drugs or gambling. And since David is one of the biggest political buffs around, we ask him who will be our next president.

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Daniel McQuade Will Do on the DL

Thu, 29 May 2008 08:51:25 -0400

Holy Cross-Promotion Batman! Dan talks with Daniel McQuade, blogger at Philadelphia Will Do, the super blog at Philadelphia Weekly.

Yes, the same Philadelphia Weekly who runs this show twice a month. We talk to DMac about the industry from one of the few full-time career bloggers out there. We talk about his editorial process covering a city by himself, and delve into his other blog life at Drug Roar.

Drug Roar is a site that McQuade writes about the legalization, or lack their of, of drugs. But it’s not a “pot rules, bro” site. It’s really smartly aggregated and talks about both sides of the drug war coin in this country. We also chat about his musings and how that meshes with his job at PW.

We also get into how difficult it is to critique the media while being a member therein. It can’t be easy writing daily critiques of other (and in some cases, more prominent) writers, so we get his thoughts on that.

And, of course, we discuss the abundance of sports blogs taking over the town.

I also ask who in the city he’d want to have a blog - and get a response I find hilarious.

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Darren Daulton lands on the DL in a Special Episode

Thu, 22 May 2008 15:27:00 -0400

A special third show this week, as Darren Daulton - former Phillies All-Star - lands on the DL...a place he unfortunately was familiar with during his career. This time, however, it’s not a bad thing.

We talk with Dutch about his memories of the ’93 team that came oh so close (and ask him about rumors he’s writing a book on the season). We also compare that team to the current squad.

We ask Darren about baseball players having a hard adjustment in the ‘real world’ after they leave the game, and if he thinks players today have it harder because their every move is being watched, photographed and reported upon.

We also ask him about the importance of fundamentals in the game and help him plug his camp teaching said fundamentals. And we ask if he thinks catchers are the smartest players on the team.

Oh, and I think he’s going to help me sue my parents.

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Glen Macnow Joins the DL

Thu, 22 May 2008 08:06:42 -0400

Glen Macnow from 610WIP joins the show to talk about his move back to mid-day and thoughts on the tumultuous nature of the sports media industry.

Glen is a big proponent of blogs, and quoting and citing the internet, while others (on his station) are not. He gives us his thoughts on the difference between the collaborative nature of the internet, while the mainstream media still remains divisive.

That spins us into the competition from ESPN950 in Philly and specifically his new “rivalry” with old partner Jody Mac.

We ask Glen about Eagles writer Dave Spadaro’s claim that using anonymous sources is a cop-out, and as an old newspaper writer, Glen doesn’t hold back on his feelings.

We jump on that to ask which team in Philly gets their fans the best, and he takes the opportunity to laud one, and vilify another. Guess who....well, or listen and find out.

Finally, we talk about the Santa Claus incident (and how his book chapter on the incident should be required reading for out-of-town media) and what else Glen has coming up, including a new book, and a new TV show.

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Philly Weekly Takeover - Rachel Sklar is Next

Tue, 20 May 2008 12:55:37 -0400

This is the second installment of the Philadelphia Weekly takeover. We are very excited about this, so please check it out and share with people you know.

In this episode, we talk with Rachel Sklar, editor of the Huffington Post’s Eat the Press page. We talk about her career, going from high-powered attorney to freelance writer to media editor and TV talking head, and what advice she’d give up and coming writers and reporters.

We talk about where she sees the landscape of the industry going and also chat about her role as a member of the media, covering the media. We do spin it local, as I bring up the fact that while Chris Matthews and Tim Russert make $5 million per year, they Mayor of one of the biggest cities in the country makes $186,000 and the President makes $400,000 (sure, with lots of free stuff as well). I use that example to ask who is more influential in today’s political climate, the politicians or the people covering them, which Rachel promptly and (seemingly) effortlessly refutes the notion that in this case, the money matters.

We talk a lot about the Keith Olbermann rant on George Bush from last week, and I ask Rachel if she thought it was necessary or just piling on at this point. We also address her story from a few weeks ago in which Olbermann claimed someone should take Hillary Clinton into a back room and only he, indicating Obama, would come out. Rachel took that as an inadvertent advocation of beating up a woman, and spun that to bring up many gender issues in this political campaign. Following on that, I ask if this campaign season has shown this country to be a more sexist or racist nation.

Oh, and we even manage to sneak in a little American Idol, too.

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Norman Chad Wamboozles the DL

Thu, 15 May 2008 07:15:19 -0400

Norman Chad joins the show to wamboozle us (yep, did it) with his thoughts on the current state of poker, his relationship with the poker brass (and all the backlash for the wife jokes) and his future with ESPN and the WSOP.

We ask Norman about the controversial decision to move the Main Event final table to November (the rest is played in July) and if he thinks the poker boom is over and the game has found its final resting place in the market.

We then keep him on the line to talk about his widely-read weekly column, his $1.25 payouts and if he thinks the demise of newspapers will help his syndication, or hurt it.

Then, in a shock to us, we find out that Norman’s rift with Tony Kornheiser is real. We brought up Tony as the Orange One retired from the Post yesterday, and Norman gives him one hell of a ‘via con Dios.’ Just.....wow, what you think is media schtick – but these two worked together for a long time, and Norman explains why he feels a bit betrayed. He even goes so far as to drop a big Sopranos reference, and that can never be good for a relationship.

“With Tony it’s been more problematic and it goes beyond that, but as I like to tell people about Tony, who I’ve known forever and haven’t now for, actually, several months – if not more than a year – to paraphrase Tony Soprano in The Sopranos, about his mother, ‘Tony is dead to me.’

WOW.

Moving on...we also get Norman’s thoughts on Costas Now, and the fallout from Buzz Bissinger (I know, who cares at this point, but he was on the show, so it’s pertinent). He has some interesting things to say about the subject, as well as some thoughts on Deadspin and Will Leitch - including his response to the column he wrote about watching 24-hours of ESPN. He had some Deadspin readers come at him a bit after that, so he explains to us, and them, the circumstances.

We end with his likes and dislikes in the sports media world and remind people he does have a book out there, somewhere.

Honestly, this was the most fascinating and fulfilling telephone conversation I’ve ever been a part of, and my wife lived in California for a year. Oh, and I think next time he’s in town...we’re going to lunch.

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Daulerio Takes over the DL - Again

Tue, 13 May 2008 08:59:18 -0400

AJ Daulerio from Deadspin is back on the show for our 40th episode. AJ will be joining us every month to talk about the goings on at Deadspin, the sports world, and to yell at us a little.

In this episode, we tackle the HBO special, and get AJ’s thoughts on how things went down on the show, and how he dealt with the aftermath at the reigns of Deadspin the next day.

We didn’t really give our thoughts on the whole Bissinger thing, but I’m sure you can tell where we stand with the interviews we’ve done on the show. That said, some of the blogs out there are hurtful. And lude, and lascivious. But how is that different than Page Six? How is that different than what some of the shows on ESPN do or some of the books and magazines we read every day? Just because it’s on a computer we’re supposed to think it’s the end of the world?

But I digress...

We also ask AJ about some of his Deadspin projects since becoming full-time, including his interviews and “The Dark Side of the Locker Room” series.

We spin it a little more local, as we’re all Philly area folk and talk about the desecration of the Rocky Statue (and AJ yells at Nick for caring), the perils of Lenny Dykstra and the apathy for the Reid family woes.

We then discuss the Marvin Harrison situation, and debate the merits of being like Harrison or being TO.

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The Big Baseball Show - Tom McCarthy and Will Carroll land on the DL

Thu, 8 May 2008 08:29:13 -0400

The Big Baseball Show. We’re joined by two of the best in the business: Tom McCarthy and Will Carroll.

McCarthy, play-by-play man for the Phillies, joins us to talk about his fantastic weight loss, his return to the city, and the Phightins season so far. We get Tom’s thoughts on his role as with the team and what the future holds for the broadcast team of the Phils. We also talk about they gray area between being an employee of the team and a member of the media and ask him about the Pat Gillick era, the leadership construct in the clubhouse and if Ryan Howard will ever come back.

Seriously, when we started talking about having guests on the show, Tom was the first person we wanted to get. Of course, as the St. Joe’s pbp guy, then flying back and forth to Florida, Tom had a pretty busy spring. He was able to join us from Chase Field before calling yet another Phils victory last night.

Carroll is from Baseball Prospectus, and is one of the smartest baseball guys you’ll ever see, read, or in this case, hear. This guy seriously knows everything. We talk about a typical day as a baseball savant, the fascination in this country with fantasy (sports, not actual fantasy) and his thought on the Phils.

We also talk with Will about the methodology of teams with regard to scouting and if baseball is in danger of becoming football...and if that’s a good thing.

Last, Will gives his candid thoughts on who has a better chance of ever working again - Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens.

And with a show called on the DL, it’s about time we did a huge baseball show, isn’t it? This one was worth the wait.

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Philly Weekly Takes us Over - Dan Gross is First

Tue, 6 May 2008 11:51:15 -0400

This is the first in what hopes to be a long line of shows that are taken over by the fine people at Philadelphia Weekly. Currently, our deal is to have two of our shows per month most likely every other Tuesday) featured on Philadelphia Weekly’s website. For more information, click the bevy of links to the right.

This partnership is one of the most exciting things that has happened to this little show, and we hope you take the time to check it out. The more views we get over there, the more they’ll want us to do it, so we hope you’ll visit often and share with your friends and colleagues.

In the first episode for Philadelphia Weekly we talk with gossip king Dan Gross of the Daily News. We chat about the lifestyle of being a gossip columnist and the benefits and challenges of covering celebrities in a town like Philly.

We also talk about the difference between gossip and news (and if there even is one) and discuss how the industry has changed, specifically with how the internet and new technology has made everything different. Oh, and of course we get to some of his best dirt.

A really fun episode about nearly everyone’s favorite topic.

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