Schopp & the Bulldog (and kind of a catch-all WGR thread)

[Jim]

So here's the deal. I moved to Florida in 1997 with my family when I was 12 years old. As a kid I listened to WGR quite a bit with my dad, when I wasn't listening to Yankees games on the radio cuz that was the only option (probably the last generation to have to do that). I remember Art Wander (there's no way he's still alive, is there?) and Coach Dickerson, and I'm sure I'd remember other names if people reminded me. It was still News Radio 55 at that point, but I remember tons of Bills talk. I'd always like to listen to it when we would come back up, either for a Bills game or whatever.

 

Well anyways, after hearing about One Bills Live from my Dad and listening to it at as a podcast, it then became clear to me that it was being originally broadcast on WGR. And so after starting to use Audacy it him me that I could listen to WGR regularly again. And it's been a breath of fresh air to hear programming on my car rides to and from work and whatnot from a Buffalo-centric point of view.

 

So anyways, I obviously gravitated quickly to Howard & Jeremy and especially Schopp & the Bulldog. Schopp has a great voice for radio and Bulldog does have an endearing regular guy fan sort of viewpoint. But after a while it became clear to me that Schopp's obsession with fantasy football (and both's affinity for gambling) is weird as *****. I personally have 1 fantasy team, but I can understand people having a handful (maybe 3 or 4 at the most). But why would one have over 200 fantasy football teams? Am I the only one who finds that ***** insane? That's a sickness. At that point why is it a bother to have  those teams at all? Who can you even remember to root for? Are all these leagues for money? That's gotta be a bit of a problem. And Bulldog, as a broadcaster, is actually really fun in my opinion. He's definitely a little less cerebral than Schopp but he's earnest. My issues are this: why does he firstly get to work from home despite it being 2023? I assume this started in 2020? Does he have a medical reason to be there instead of at the station with his partner? That leads me to my second issue, why does dude have SO much time off? He's sick nearly constantly and then quickly on vacation when he's not sick anymore. Perhaps he should just give this gig up. Also, the way his microphone pops on his "p"'s sounds so unprofessional. Maybe it doesn't sound so bad on the warmer, slightly hissy AM radio in one's car as opposed to the digital version that appears on my phone, but it's pretty agitating when trying to listen to some Bills commentary.

 

As far as the other guys, I really like Nate Geary. He's heart on sleeve and just fun. Howard was great in my opinion, I vaguely remember him with much more hair on Empire Sports Network from before we moved, and look forward to hearing more from him in the future, as his departure from the show didn't mean he wasn't gonna stay visible on the Buffalo sports scene. Jeremy is okay in a fratty yet mellow and cool way. His takes to me are usually pretty reasonable. Joe seemed fine as a fill in but is nothing special. The minor fill in guys are kinda fun honestly.

Edited October 16, 2023 by Jim

[loyal2dagame]

Schoop seems to be more of a hockey nerd than a football guy and I don't know how he is allowed to talk about all the non sports crap that he does

[Not at the table Karlos]

8 hours ago, Jim said:

So here's the deal. I moved to Florida in 1997 with my family when I was 12 years old. As a kid I listened to WGR quite a bit with my dad, when I wasn't listening to Yankees games on the radio cuz that was the only option (probably the last generation to have to do that). I remember Art Wander (there's no way he's still alive, is there?) and Coach Dickerson, and I'm sure I'd remember other names if people reminded me. It was still News Radio 55 at that point, but I remember tons of Bills talk. I'd always like to listen to it when we would come back up, either for a Bills game or whatever.

 

Well anyways, after hearing about One Bills Live from my Dad and listening to it at as a podcast, it then became clear to me that it was being originally broadcast on WGR. And so after starting to use Audacy it him me that I could listen to WGR regularly again. And it's been a breath of fresh air to hear programming on my car rides to and from work and whatnot from a Buffalo-centric point of view.

 

So anyways, I obviously gravitated quickly to Howard & Jeremy and especially Schopp & the Bulldog. Schopp has a great voice for radio and Bulldog does have an endearing regular guy fan sort of viewpoint. But after a while it became clear to me that Schopp's obsession with fantasy football (and both's affinity for gambling) is weird as *****. I personally have 1 fantasy team, but I can understand people having a handful (maybe 3 or 4 at the most). But why would one have over 200 fantasy football teams? Am I the only one who finds that ***** insane? That's a sickness. At that point why is it a bother to have  those teams at all? Who can you even remember to root for? Are all these leagues for money? That's gotta be a bit of a problem. And Bulldog, as a broadcaster, is actually really fun in my opinion. He's definitely a little less cerebral than Schopp but he's earnest. My issues are this: why does he firstly get to work from home despite it being 2023? I assume this started in 2020? Does he have a medical reason to be there instead of at the station with his partner? That leads me to my second issue, why does dude have SO much time off? He's sick nearly constantly and then quickly on vacation when he's not sick anymore. Perhaps he should just give this gig up. Also, the way his microphone pops on his "p"'s sounds so unprofessional. Maybe it doesn't sound so bad on the warmer, slightly hissy AM radio in one's car as opposed to the digital version that appears on my phone, but it's pretty agitating when trying to listen to some Bills commentary.

 

As far as the other guys, I really like Nate Geary. He's heart on sleeve and just fun. Howard was great in my opinion, I vaguely remember him with much more hair on Empire Sports Network from before we moved, and look forward to hearing more from him in the future, as his departure from the show didn't mean he wasn't gonna stay visible on the Buffalo sports scene. Jeremy is okay in a fratty yet mellow and cool way. His takes to me are usually pretty reasonable. Joe seemed fine as a fill in but is nothing special. The minor fiy.ll-in guys are kinda fun honestly.

He's by far the worst radio host I've ever heard. His takes on Twitter are even worse. Pretty much just hot takes trying to get people riled up. If he's on the air the station is getting changed. 

[May Day 10]

Yeah.

 

I think Schopp is a really good broadcaster.  Good voice and he can carry a show by himself if need be, which IMO takes talent.  Listen to Bulldog when Schopp is on vacation and I feel bad for him.  Often they will try to get Sal or Hamilton to sit in with him for hours at a time.  Schopp's schtick is also 'show me some tangible proof' to back up your point/statement.  That frustrates a lot of people and people who want to call in with their own fake trade proposals for Connor McDavid.  

 

The gambling and fantasy talk bores me though.  That show in general is very paint by the numbers and repetitive.  I actually kind of like when they go on a tangent away from sports because it is something different (I only typically listen on my commute home).

 

Bulldog, while he seems like a nice guy and all, really doesnt seem to particularly enjoy his job and he doesnt seem to put any effort in.

 

 

I think Jeremy White is terrific.  Duff and Biron do a fantastic job covering an irrelevant franchise every day.  I think Brown is very good, but Tasker annoys me and seems to come in and just fly by the seat of his pants... it pains me to say because I loved him as a player.  

 

 

The young guys all sound the same to me.  I cant tell them apart.  I almost always like their young staff to be honest because they are young, hungry, and put effort into their content.  They might even stray into subject matter that isnt 100% Bills, Sabres, or NFL.  Contrast that with Bulldog who hasnt left his attic to go to work in 3.5 years

 

And my last point... I wish the radio station strayed more from the Bills, NFL, and Sabres a bit.  I would like hearing more about MLB, NBA, NCAA Football, Bandits, UB Bulls, you name it.  Part of the great experience of the Empire Sports Network was that you have to wait through other stuff knowing that the Bills talk would be at the top of the hour and you had to watch some other content.

[Mark80]

Nothing worse than listening to someone talk about their fantasy teams or their gambling results.  No one cares.  At all.

[Fleezoid]

I've been listening to Schopp and the Bulldog on my ride home from work nearly every day since early this year. I too am in Florida. What bothers me a bit are their voices. Not necessarily what they say, but how they talk. strange voices and annunciation. Another thing, which another poster commented on, is how much these guys work. It's gotten better since the Bills and Sabres are back in action, but over the summer it was like one of them was taking off every Monday or Friday. I'm cool with days off, but they would leave one of them on the air by themselves. Horrible content when one guy just rambles about random crap for 20-30 minutes at a time. You need one other guy for that 2nd opinion or counterpoint. 

[US Egg]

ESPN has over 12,000,000 people registered to play FF, overall, it’s figured it’s nearly triple that.

 

Betting on the NFL is soaring, it’s estimated 75,000,000 are expected to bet on the NFL in the U.S. this year

 

The NFL is the 2nd most bet on sport in the world.

 

Given that, I’d bet many would enjoy hearing about FF/gambling on WGR.

[LabattBlue]

One of the weekend staffers on Saturday suggested that the fans should give Tyrod a standing ovation AND the Bills should have a scoreboard video tribute to him…because he broke the drought.  
 

Really?  You are trying to move up the airtime personality ladder, have all week to think about things to talk about for your small 2 hour window on a Saturday, and this is what you come up with?

 

😂😂😂

Edited October 21, 2023 by LabattBlue

[Jim]

On 10/16/2023 at 10:18 AM, I am the egg man said:

ESPN has over 12,000,000 people registered to play FF, overall, it’s figured it’s nearly triple that.

 

Betting on the NFL is soaring, it’s estimated 75,000,000 are expected to bet on the NFL in the U.S. this year

 

The NFL is the 2nd most bet on sport in the world.

 

Given that, I’d bet many would enjoy hearing about FF/gambling on WGR.

Yeah but talking about your fantasy team is a bit like somebody talking about crypto, or to put it more bluntly, playing with oneself. It might feel good for the person doing it, but it’s a real bore for the rest of us.

[May Day 10]

1 hour ago, Jim said:

Yeah but talking about your fantasy team is a bit like somebody talking about crypto, or to put it more bluntly, playing with oneself. It might feel good for the person doing it, but it’s a real bore for the rest of us.

 

I agree 100%.  I loathe when people talk about their fantasy teams.  My brain shuts off.  Same thing when people talk about their golf games.  Stop!

 

I like to place the occasional wagers... but constant betting talk is so dull.  It is people on the radio pretending they know what a good buy is, whether it is a team at 3.5 and jumping on it if it gets to 3.  Really?  This isnt investing.  How many people are actually making money betting on football games?  I also notice gambling talk is very sly in that they never disagree with one another or debate, lest people question the 'investment' and get uneasy.  The sponsors wouldnt like that.

[boyst]

their unrelenting attack of Araiza that almost seemed personal to them was about the most disgusting thing i had ever seen. one of them declared they knew the guy was guilty by the way he acted. they were one of the largest advocates for the whole ditching him.

 

they should be punched in the nuts.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

18 minutes ago, boyst said:

they should be punched in the nuts.

How about kicked?  
🌟MJ🏈10🌟 might need a new gig after this season.  He's a natural at it.

[RkFast]

Living in the NYC area, I can say that WGR is about a billion times better than WFAN. That used to not be the case, of course. But these days, the full lineup is full of unqiue personalities who all know their stuff, unlike WFAN, which is full of Mad Dog/Stern wannabes. 

 

My only overall gripe with WGR is that most of the hosts seem to make it a point to constantly brag about how awesome their jobs are. We all get it...youre all awesome and go to all the games and all the events and all the dinners and insider parties and all the rest of us are just working class slobs. 

Edited October 18, 2023 by RkFast

[mrags]

On 10/17/2023 at 3:55 PM, boyst said:

their unrelenting attack of Araiza that almost seemed personal to them was about the most disgusting thing i had ever seen. one of them declared they knew the guy was guilty by the way he acted. they were one of the largest advocates for the whole ditching him.

 

they should be punched in the nuts.

You only needed to type the bolded part. They are terrible and their show is like exactly the same every single day. Always has been. Schoop is a douche and Bulldog just worships him and agrees with like every single thing he says 

[Jim]

Could somebody explain to me why Bulldog works from home most of the time? As I said, it seems as though the production values are not as good from his home, as evidenced by the microphone pops you seem to hear at least once each segment.

Edited October 20, 2023 by Jim

[EmotionallyUnstable]

I much prefer the morning show with Jeremy and Joe. I listen to about 30 minutes each day on the way into work.