Sports Radio

[CincyUte]

I think Salt Lake has more than its fair share of sports radio options.  Three stations seems excessive to me, considering the size of our market.  But that’s not really the point I want to make.

Sports radio consists of national shows and local shows.  The national shows generally have high-level talent/content/production, but the topics are usually of very little interest to me.

On the flip-side, the local shows cover topic’s I’m more intereted in.  But the quality/content/talent is abysmal.  The only local show I can stomach listening to on a regular basis is Bill Riley’s afternoon show on ESPN 700.  I actually really like Kyle Gunther too, but his co-host is unbearable; thus, it’s just not worth listening to.

Everything else is crap.

What we need is sports radio that combines the best of both worlds: the high-quality you expect from national show plus the relevant topics you get from local shows.  The solution: regional sports radio!  How cool would a Pac-12 radio network be?  Or even a regular show that covers the Salt Lake and Denver markets?  Say, for instance, the ESPN affiliates in Salt Lake and Denver air a regional show that covers pro and college sports in those markets.  Cover the same topics you hear on national shows, but emphasizing the Jazz and Nuggets, Broncos, Rockies, Real and the Rapids, and of course, the Pac-12. Bring in some professional talent that knows how to produce shows that aren’t obnoxious and juvenile.

One problem with this might be the fact that Salt Lake and Denver aren’t really a natural combination.  There’s quite a significant distance/geographic divide.  But I wonder if a regional network wouldn’t actually help bridge the gap.  

Anyway, I’m just throwing it out there.

[ProudUte]

I agree with you on Bill Riley.  I totally disagee with you on Gunther.  He is a self proclaimed “know it all” and if you disagree with him – he simply belittles you.  I find him almost as annoying as PK (not quite).  I actually like DJ, but I can’t stand his partner which makes the show very difficult to listen to.  I would rather listen to a sick cat than than listen to them.  IMO, they have the worst show on local sports radio.  The mid-day hacks on 1280 are just that.  I listen when I am in the car to see if there is any updated sports news.    

[Anonymous]

I listen to sports talk on the radio when I can which is rarely so I am probably not the best judge.  I agree with you on Reilly he is the most professional in the local market.  I don’t like the Soccer talk at all.  I enjoy Swinney but OC is hard.  He can be really good at times and then he is just repetitive and amateurish.  

Gunther is ok when he can focus.  He needs meds or something to stay on task.  I would like a show with Gunther and Swinney if Gunther could be slightly professional.  Hans Olsen is ok but I never switch to 1280 because all of the talent outside of Hans are aholes.

I would never listen to Denver sports news.  I hate Colorado and Denver is the butthole of that entire state.  (Just my opinion which actually doesn’t matter)

[Tony (admin)]

I’ve grown tired of the “ESPNification” of sports.  More often these days, especially in TV, it isn’t about the sports, the players, the teams.  It’s about the announcers and their dumb sayings and how funny or cool they think they are.  I stopped watching ESPN.  

I don’t listen to sports radio either, except Ute pregame and postgame. 

[89ute]

Along the same line of thinking you have pointed out (@CincyUte), BYU must die.  Imagine if BYU talk would be at the same level as Utah State, Weber and SUU.  The BYU void would be filled with Pac-12 talk, and there is plenty there to talk about.  When the local stations have Pac-12 analysts on, it’s a great show.  With BYU out of the picture, we’ll have in local talk radio what you have described above.

Reason number (there are just too many) why we should not play BYU.  The quicker they become locally irrelevant the better.  I believe it’s inevitable, I just don’t know how much longer it will take.   

[CincyUte]

I keep telling myself the reason we’re still playing them is because Zoobs in the Legislature have promised us a baseball stadium and SEZ expansion if we agree to help keep BYU on life support. 

I’m not saying that’s what I really believe.  That’s just what I tell myself.

[UteBacker]

You’re dead-on Cincy. I listen to podcasts most of the time. I like that I can listen to only the topics I like. I have a Utes podcast, a Pac12 podcast, and a national college football podcast that I enjoy. I also like the limited commercials on a podcast. ESPN national shows are so commercial heavy that they have become unbearable.

[bighand]

UteBacker, I would love some recommendations for Pac12 podcasts.

[UteBacker]

Podcast of Champions is good.   it is run by a USC fan and a UCLA fan but they are reasonable and have good insight. I like to get an idea of what the LA Market thinks of us.

Some others:

Ultimate Pac12 Podcast

Solid Verbal

BlockU

ESPN700 Ute Interviews

Phil Steele

 

Would love some other ideas!

 

 

 

[CincyUte]

During basketball season, pachoops.com is an absolute must read.  He also does a weekly podcast.

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