WGR - Howard and Sal

[bbb]

Greg Bauch IS hilarious.

[Buffalo Barbarian]

These guys are awesome and gave 2 bills drive a shout out this morning re: Colin kapernick message board post. They love to lurk these boards but do they post?

 

On another note, bulldog and Paul Hamilton are just plain terrible. Major Douches!

 

No way, Bulldog is awesome and Hamilton is good for a hockey guy, Schopp is the D-bag.

 

My favorites are Sal and Joe B bc they're football geeks.

[Bills!Win!]

I think I've heard it said before that Schopp grew up not really liking football, and bulldog grew up not really liking hockey, so when they're forced to talk about it one of them always has something negative to say.

[Offside Number 76]

Agreed Buf. There's no need for hockey year round.

 

Oh yes there is.

[mrags]

 

 

Oh yes there is.

no there's really not. And the lack of support right now shows. If it was that needed, that important, that popular, there wouldn't be a lockout that will most likely cost them the season. And just a few short years after it recently happened.

 

NFL was on a strike. It lasted right up to the point where it would start costing the fans games and then they got right back to work.

 

Hockey is not a popular sport. If we're talking in the US. It's behind Football, Baseball, Basketball, NASCAR, Golf, maybe even Tennis. If you add in the world, then Soccer is in there too. Hell, everything drops because of soccer.

[Offside Number 76]

no there's really not. And the lack of support right now shows. If it was that needed, that important, that popular, there wouldn't be a lockout that will most likely cost them the season. And just a few short years after it recently happened.

 

NFL was on a strike. It lasted right up to the point where it would start costing the fans games and then they got right back to work.

 

Hockey is not a popular sport. If we're talking in the US. It's behind Football, Baseball, Basketball, NASCAR, Golf, maybe even Tennis. If you add in the world, then Soccer is in there too. Hell, everything drops because of soccer.

 

Yeah, but WGR covers Buffalo, not the entire US. Training camp starts in September, the season goes through June, and July is busy with free agency. I guess they can take August off, but I want my hockey coverage!

[wonderbread]

 

 

Something about the owners and fraud convictions and bankruptcy...

 

 

I like what Sal is bringing to GR.

 

I also like Jeremy White.

 

I also like Jim Rome.

 

And I actually like the non-sports "guy talk" that goes on throughout the day, too.

 

But I do wish that Schopp could be less condescending.

I'm with you on everything but white he irks me.

 

[mrags]

 

 

Yeah, but WGR covers Buffalo, not the entire US. Training camp starts in September, the season goes through June, and July is busy with free agency. I guess they can take August off, but I want my hockey coverage!

You make a good point. Hockey is big in Buffalo. They are definitely catering to the Buffalo hockey fans.

 

I guess my argument although might be 100% true doesn't hold water here. You are right my friend.

[bbb]

I think I've heard it said before that Schopp grew up not really liking football, and bulldog grew up not really liking hockey, so when they're forced to talk about it one of them always has something negative to say.

 

Whoever told you this couldn't be more wrong. Schopp was really into the Bills when he was young and Bulldog's favorite sport is and always was hockey.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

I think I've heard it said before that Schopp grew up not really liking football, and bulldog grew up not really liking hockey, so when they're forced to talk about it one of them always has something negative to say.

 

Then why did they get married?

[Stormin Norman]

My takes for what they're worth:

 

 

Schopp: Sounds arrogant and condescending most of the time, as if his opinions are intellectually superior to everyone else's. Grates on you if you listen to him beyond 20 minutes. Has the audacity to bemoan callers saying, "Hi, how are you guys?" as a waste of precious time when 97% of his "schtick" is exactly that. (And he's blatant about it... MIke never responds to a caller's "Hello."). Apparently, his humor is can only be understood by Bulldog.

 

Howard: An "every man's" style. He finds the middle ground between being a fan and being a sports personality. He has a good rapport with listeners even when he's chastising their points of view. Perhaps a bit bland, but that's not bad considering some of the other on-air talent.

 

Jeremy: Strikes me as a second-stringer who somehow got a top slot. I can't even explain why. With that said, he typically has the most reasonable and thoughtful point of view on any given topic. He shows restraint and pragmatism whereas others have a hair-trigger tendency to bounce off the walls at the smallest new development.

 

Joe B.: Very frustrating to listen to for only one reason: it always sounds as if he's over-thinking what he's trying to say. This causes him to stammer and pause repeatedly as if he's searching for the perfect word or phrase. (Think President Obama without the teleprompter). When he feels confident in what he's saying... it rolls out very naturally and effectively. So just a bit of constructive criticism for Joe: find a conversational style which isn't inhibited by thinking too much about what you want to say. You'll be excellent if you can do it.

 

Sal: Has really grown on me. He's upbeat and brings consistent energy without being over the top or contrived about it. He's a good addition and I would easily accept him over Schopp or Jeremy. I would accept anyone over Schopp, in fact.

 

Greg Bauch and Dan FIsher are simply... NOT funny. Nice guys. Not funny. When the on-air personalities engage with them, it feels like more of a distraction than anything.

 

Bulldog: I am torn here. I agree with folks who believe he seems to be more subservient to Schopp. But I also prefer listening to him without Schopp present. He brings an inner-fan's passion to his commentary when he is "on." But when he and Schopp go off on a goofy tangent that only they find funny, it is truly maddening. Bulldog's voice has always been grating, to say the least. But he is able to deliver fair and accurate criticism when it is warranted. Which leads me to my next point....

 

Buffalo teams have sucked for long enough that any one of these guys would have a hard time being "positive" about them. Optimism at the beginning of a season gives way to "WTF," and it just permeates all the commentary... perhaps unavoidably. It would be nice to listen to them when one of these franchises is actually contending.

 

Except for Schopp. Even if we won a Super Bowl and Cup in the same year, he'd still be arrogant and condescending.

[bbb]

Well thought out takes, Norman.

 

I think my biggest beef with Schopp is that mainly his entire thing can be summed up as "I'm smarter than everybody else." You're just bracing for him to blast the caller about some stupid stumble the caller made because he was nervous etc.

 

This whole thing about never punting drives me crazy. Mularkey lost his game by doing something stupid like that on Sunday. What works for some high school in Kentucky isn't going to necessarily work in the NFL.