Dear ESPN Programming Officials:
Once upon a time, you had a talk show during the evening drive (on the National feed, not local) called SportsBrothers, featuring Erik and Chris Kuselias. Good show, good banter, great listen. One day, Chris decided it wasn't for him and the show became the SportsBash, hosted solely by Erik. This show was brilliant as the host was awesome. Intelligent, former attorney (meaning he knows how to build and make a case in an argument) leading the way. {What would you expect from a guy who attended Brown University (undergrad), Michigan Law School and got his Ph.D. from Columbia?}
After a few years, you decided to pull Erik from the show to lead a NASCAR show ("NASCAR Now"). Travesty. Why you'd put a NorthEast-centric former-attorney in the lead for a NASCAR show is beyond me. You put John Seibel and later added the mumbling Orestes Destrade on the show now called, lamely, SportsNation ("It's not my nation, it's your nation!"). This show has become unlistenable. Just awful.
Getting to watch/listen to Erik Kuselias fill in for Mike Greenberg every morning this week has only reminded me what a great asset you are burying on your bench. Relegating him to a "Fantasy Draft Show" or whatever else you have him doing is akin to having Brandon Webb in your rotation but only pitching him 3 times a month.
Erik now has a Saturday morning show but that's too small a forum. Please, I am begging you, put Erik Kuselias back into a national spotlight show. Have him take his old chair back during the afternoon drive. As someone who is in the car for at least an hour at night, I implore you to consider it.
I am telling you this as thanks to the miracle of satellite radio, I have so many other choices than the pathetic SportsNation, and I am not afraid to use them.
Thank you for your time,
Jason
Friday, August 29, 2008
Open letter to ESPN Programming suits
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
4 comments:
Jason,
I've just recently discovered your blog and I have to say, it is quickly becoming a daily read for me. Your thoughts on the Yanks and baseball in general usually reflect my thoughts only in a more clear and concise manner. However (you had to know this was coming) I cannot believe what I just read. Erik Kuselias, while he may be knowledgeable and intelligent, is one of the worst sports radio hosts I've ever endured. When he replaces Mike Greenberg on M&M, I find the show to be almost unlistenable. He can't carry Greeny's jockstrap (if Greeny were to ever wear one, which is doubtful :) ). I can't give you any solid examples or really put my finger on what he does that makes me detest him so, but his delivery grates on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. He talks in list form a lot...that's one thing. Think about that next time you listen and you'll see what I mean. And his transitions are horrendous (usually non-existant).
I have this fear that one of the Mikes will eventually leave M&M and the replacement will be EK. That will be a sad sad day as I will be forced to listen to some other station during my hour plus drive to work each morning (and it won't be Boomer and Carton....don't even get me started on those two!)
Anyway...keep up the good work. I'll be reading.
Dean,
Happy to have you on board.
As far as Kuselias, we'll just have to agree to disagree. Arguing for or against any one sportscaster or announcer is a futile waste of time.
Hopefully you won't hold it against me! ;)
Keep the comments coming!
I agree that we should agree to disagree. :) I've probably already put more time into that one comment than the topic deserves but I don't think I've vented to anyone about my distaste for EK outside of my wife who just responds with the ol' "yes dear" and we move on. :)
Dean,
I'm honored you are sharing with me.
Now take out the trash and I have a headache.
Post a Comment