Sports Radio News
Paul Finebaum Has Always Thought Callers Are “Most Important”
“I’ve always believed in that. I learned at some point that the callers were really the most important thing.”
Published
2 years agoon
By
BSM Staff
ESPN’s Paul Finebaum joined Bryan Curtis on his podcast, The Press Box for a discussion about Finebaum’s media career. On the podcast, Finebaum went through his history of starting as an investigative reporter for a newspaper in Alabama and how he slowly transitioned to a radio “pot-stirrer”.
Curtis asked a question about Finebaum’s choice of formatting his show. Finebaum’s program, from its inception, has been very caller-driven. Finebaum said he had always been a proponent of giving the listeners, the fans, a voice.
“I’ve always believed in that,” said Finebaum. “I learned at some point that the callers were really the most important thing”.
Finebaum also talked about how his relationship with the format and his callers has changed.
“At some point I went from being an antagonist to being a friend,” remembers the host. “It changed over the years. It changed even more dramatically in the last couple of years. Especially during Covid. Now I almost feel as if I am an advocate for the fans. I’m not trying to make this show into anything that it’s not, but most talk show hosts simply don’t care about the fans”.
Finebaum mentioned on former radio host and current ESPN personality that doesn’t understand why he would devote so much time on the air to callers.
“I was with Tony Kornheiser a couple of years ago on his podcast. Afterwards we grabbed some coffee… he basically said ‘why to you talk to these effin’ idiots every day?’ He can’t understand it. Why? He’s from New York. He’s opinionated. But he’s not alone”.
Finebaum would continue, “A lot of people in the industry think the callers make no sense, that they’re a waste of time. I’ve been criticized countless times Bryan, by people saying you could put anybody in that chair and do what he does. It takes no common sense. It takes no creativity. I would argue it takes patience, though. And I believe in the callers”.
Curtis then asked how do you make a caller “good”.
“You listen and you’re curious,” offered Finebaum.
Sports Radio News
AJ Hoffman Headed to Mornings on San Antonio’s Sports Star
“Excited for my next chapter post-Vegas and stoked to start building an audience in San Antonio!”
Published
1 hour agoon
April 19, 2024By
BSM Staff
AJ Hoffman announced via his X account he will be back on local radio in Texas doing mornings at San Antonio’s Sports Star. “Life announcement,” Hoffman wrote. “I’m moving back to Texas. Starting May 6, you can find me back on local radio, doing mornings on San Antonio’s Sports Star. Excited for my next chapter post-Vegas and stoked to start building an audience in San Antonio!”
Hoffman had worked for several years at ESPN 97.5 in Houston and was most recently in Las Vegas serving as the executive vice president and director of digital content for Pregame, an information site for sports wagering.
Hoffman had hosted the popular show, The Blitz, with Fred Faour for more than 10 years and then became the station Program Director in 2019. He exited the station in the summer of 2021 to take the position with Pregame.
San Antonio’s Sports Star made a change earlier this year in mornings when Rudy Jay left the station in mid-January. RJ Ochoa, Managing Editor of the ‘Blogging the Boys’ website, took over for Jay, doing the show with station Program Director Rob Thompson.
Life announcement.
— AJ Hoffman (@AJIsTheReal) April 19, 2024
I’m moving back to Texas. Starting May 6 you can find me back on local radio, doing mornings on @SASportsStar
Excited for my next chapter post-Vegas, and stoked to start building an audience in San Antonio!
Sports Radio News
Steak Shapiro About Pat McAfee: “Dude, Relax”
“That is the definition of cringe. You have to be authentic.”
Published
3 hours agoon
April 19, 2024By
BSM Staff
Sports radio has spent a lot of time during this football offseason talking about Bill Belichick. From his ending in New England to the search for a new head coaching position to being a free agent in the sports media world, his name has come up often. Steak Shapiro and Sandra Golden hit on the topic this week during The Steakhouse on 92.9 The Game in Atlanta.
A lengthy story from ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr., Seth Wickersham and Jeremy Fowler this week reported Belichick may not have landed the Atlanta Falcons head coaching position because of a conversation Falcons owner Arthur Blank had with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Another part of the story says the executives around Arthur Blank didn’t have Belichick in their top 3 of candidates which had interviewed for the position.
The same report also divulged that Belichick is expected to sign a deal with Omaha Productions to provide analysis and is interested in potentially coaching either the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles or New York Giants after taking this year off.
The same day, The Pat McAfee Show had Belichick on as a guest and announced the coach would join McAfee and team for their annual Draft Spectacular.
Shapiro and Golden talked about the article as it related to Atlanta, but also about Belichick’s appearance on McAfee’s show. “[Belichick] on McAfee trying to be this lighthearted guy that loves The Pat McAfee Show, it’s a stretch dude, that is a stretch.”
“That is the definition of cringe,” Golden replied. “You have to be authentic.”
Shapiro does an impersonation of McAfee talking excitedly about hanging out with Belichick and said, “Dude, relax, relax…the whole thing…I wish we hadn’t gotten started on this…”
Back in late January, McAfee had said on his show about Belichick, “I would like to let everybody know…I will make this promise that if Bill Belichick is going to do TV, ol’ Pat McAfee will be in the running to try to get Bill Belichick to join our progrum [sic],” McAfee said. “Belichick… knows everything about the NFL. Every game that’s ever been played…every player that’s ever been great — that’s why he was so great on [NFL 100 All-Time Team]. And after what we saw on College GameDay, he’s got moxie too. He’s great on TV, I think we’ll all be incredibly lucky if that’s the case.”
Sports Radio News
Howard Simon to be Inducted into Buffalo Broadcasting Association Hall of Fame
“I was at a loss for words when I got the call.”
Published
6 hours agoon
April 19, 2024By
BSM Staff
The 2024 Hall of Fame class for the Buffalo Broadcasting Association Hall of Fame has been announced and it includes longtime WGR 550 Sports Radio morning host Howard Simon. Simon hosted radio in Buffalo for 33 years, with the last 18 being at WGR with partner Jeremy White.
“I was at a loss for words when I got the call,” Simon said.
Simon ended his run with WGR in March 2023, however, he remains a contributor and also appears on WBEN in addition to fill-in hosting duties for the Buffalo Sabres and numerous local colleges and universities.
During his career, Simon covered four straight Super Bowl appearances for the Bills, the Buffalo Sabres in the Stanley Cup Finals, several NCAA tournaments and more.
The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on Thursday, Sept. 19. Actor, comedian and writer Nick Bakay, who has appeared many times on ESPN and used to write for NFL.com is also a part of the class.
