Solid point. I think Tim & Sid complement one another well because they each bring something different to the table. Tim I would submit to you is one of the more knowledgeable guys on the station. Sid isn't as knowledgeable as Tim but he isn't the dumbest guy on the station either. Sid brings some humor to the show which keeps things entertaining. And Tim & Sid have great on-air chemistry with one another.
Dean Blundell Howard Stern wannabe new Fan 590 morning guy starting Monday
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I'll take chemistry over pure stats and information. If I just want facts I can look them up on my own.
Oh I wasn't talking about stats or about stuff that can't be looked up. I am not a big stats guy anyway. Stats don't impress me and I have no time for radio hosts who just rely on stats. Like Norm Rumack for example. That guy always used to just look stuff up on the internet. Jeff Sammut does that too. When a sports talk radio hosts relies on stats that much it tells me that he or she just isn't watching the games. I leave the stats to the fantasy geeks and the gamblers.
I was talking more about knowledge of the sports. For example Tim Micallef actually will sit there and say "hey did you see how good the Clippers pick-and-roll defense was against Westbrook last night?" where as someone like a Sammut or Lajoie will just read stuff off a boxscore. I like guys that watch games and then talk about what they saw and not necessarily stuff that shows up on a boxscore. I remember listening to an interview one time where Jeff Sammut basically took all his questions right out a Don Banks article.
To use another example Stephen Brunt I think is way more knowledgeable than Bob Mccown. Ever notice how Bob is so obsessed with QBs? I recall was listening to his show one day and he couldn't even remember Joe Thomas' name. Incredible considering the fact that he claims to be a Browns fan.
Ask Tim Micallef who the best inside linebacker in the NFL is or the best defensive guard is in the NBA. Bet you he will give some names. Ask Bob Mccown the same questions and he will have no answer.
Bob is entertaining. I listen to his show almost every day. But his knowledge base is not that great. I find it amazing that he is even on sports radio. Every game puts his feet to sleep or is unwatchable. Sometimes I wonder if the guy even likes sports. Maybe he chose the wrong profession. Sounds like a very difficult man to please because this game was unwatchable and that game put his feet to sleep.
But to clarify I was talking about non-statistical knowledge. I don't really consider stats knowledge anyway. Most people that quote stats just look them up off the net. That is not what I consider knowledge. Plus a lot of folks that quote stats do so because they didn't watch the games so the only way they can talk about the games is by looking up some numbers off the internet.
I will agree that they do have good chemistry, but without Tim there to keep him under control, Sid is such a waste of time. He was on the round table last week with Brunt, Blair and McCown. Was totally out of his element when they were talking baseball. He basically just spouts off a bunch of nonsense, and the smart guys (Brunt, specifically) make him sound like a know-it-all kid who actually knows nothing at all. He's not even funny, at least not nearly as funny as he thinks he is. He reminds me of Donny in the Big Lebowski. Sid is usually out of his element.
I suspect you are right when it comes to Sid when he is without Tim . I will have to monitor that going forward. Your point about Brunt is spot-on. Brunt is great isn't he? What I like about Brunt too is he is smart enough and not afraid to challenge Bob's opinions. Bob is an entertaining guy, I find his humor to be funny so he makes me laugh quite a bit but Brunt is way more knowledgeable than Bob and I love it when Brunt just knocks Bob down a peg or two because we all know Bob has a very high opinion of himself and thinks he knows more than everyone else which is the furthest thing from the truth.
Wow has morning radio gone to the shits in this market .. Two stations with on air guys laughing at their own jokes that are not funny
Agreed. I have to admit I wasn't the biggest Brady and Walker fan. I found Brady arrogant and condescending. He talked down to his listeners. I wasn't overly impressed with their knowledge. But at least I could listen to their show. And they had more thoughtful sports discussion than Blundell & Rusic. But Blundell and Rusic have even less knowledge. Rusic should be working with Sammut in the evenings or on Saturday afternoons. Not in a key time slot like weekday mornings.
Even though I wasn't in love with Brady & Walker they still put on a show that I could listen to. I honestly can't stand the FAn590 morning show with Blundell & Rusic. Its so bad that I would prefer listening to Mike Richards on TSN1050 and I don't even like Mike Richards much. But basically last few mornings I have decided that I will listen to WGR550 out of Buffalo in the mornings. Yeah it is less Toronto centric and more Buffalo centric obviously but there is more intelligent sports discussion on WGR550 and I find it enjoying. I don't need my radio to be Toronto-centric anyway so I can enjoy sports talk radio from almost any market.
Glad to hear I am not the only one that is disliking Blundell & Rusic. The crazy thing is when the change was imminent people were wondering whether Blundell would be a good fit or not and there was a lot of anti Blundell sentiment The funny thing is out of the two guys I dislike Rusic more. Rusic might be the worst part of the show.
My suggestion - don't even tune into Fan590 in the mornings anymore. I have stopped doing so. If enough people do that eventually management will realize change is necessary.
He does. But Rusic is just as bad - if not worse. How in the world did the programming director at Fan590 Don Kollins decide on George Rusic to be the co-host of this show ? On-air talent is SEVERELY lacking at this station if they had to pick Rusic as co-host.
Also getting turned off of Fan590 recently. Too many of the on-air hosts are far too arrogant.
Again I say both moring shows feel the need to think they are on the comedy network with their side kicks laughing at everything the hosts says .
For the first time in sports radio mornings history I put on music when driving in .. Both stations weren't talking sports but were acting like drunk sailors laughing at idiotic jokes ..
It may have something to do with morning radio cause drive home radio is filled with good guest and great sports talk .
I officially cannot stand Brady and Walker. My beloved 1-4 radio time is no longer fun.
I have tried to give them a chance but they are unbareably-dry. I actually now turn the radio to 1050 or even 1010 which I never would have fathomed in the past, (even when Tim and Sid talked about sports I had no interest in).
I have a digital Walkman so I can play the radio when I'm out and about and I like listening when I'm between apts or at home.
I really can't see this show continuing without changes...
So far, I'm pleasantly surprised by Dean Blundel and George. I'll take them over Brady and Walker anytime.
I have tried to give them a chance but they are unbareably-dry. I actually now turn the radio to 1050 or even 1010 which I never would have fathomed in the past, (even when Tim and Sid talked about sports I had no interest in).
I have a digital Walkman so I can play the radio when I'm out and about and I like listening when I'm between apts or at home.
I really can't see this show continuing without changes...
So far, I'm pleasantly surprised by Dean Blundel and George. I'll take them over Brady and Walker anytime.
The problem is Brady and Walker feel the need to try to be like Tim and Sid and it isn't working . Dean is trying to be like Howard Stern and to me that doesn't work on a sports radio show
If Blundel and the music programming soured you on 'The Edge' might I suggest Indie 88.1? The music programming is similar to CFNY in the old days, and the morning show is a bit bland, but unoffensive. Even with Blundel gone, I find I have little patience for 'Fearless Fred'.
Interesting. I actually find myself to be the opposite. Don't get me wrong - I am not a big fan of Brady & Walker either and I agree with you that they are a downgrade from Tim & Sid. The 1-4 pm slot isn't as good as it used to be. However, while I wasn't a big fan of Brady & Walker I didn't find it to be so terrible that I couldn't listen to it. I cannot stand George Rusic to be honest. I am just not impressed by Blundell's sports knowledge or Rusic's sports knowledge to be honest.
Agree with you on Blundell. Curious about your opinion on Rusic. Rusic might be my least favorite guy on the station. I think the Fan590 should put George back on with Jeff Sammut in the late evenings. At least then the station put two bad eggs in one basket. Now they have ruined 2 baskets (shows) by splitting them up.
Funny you mention this - I have found myself tuning into WGR550 out of Buffalo a lot more recently. I share your dislike for the morning shows on TSN1050 and Fan590. I find it amazing that Don Kollins the program director at the Fan590 cannot find better talent to do the morning show. Even Landry & Stellick weren't this bad.
Station has definitely deteriorated as far as overall quality of the shows. Guys like Mike Hogan and Jim Lang may not have been joking around as much but at least they were knowledgeable and informative. Seems like station management is going in another direction.
Hopefully the fix the debacle that is the morning show soon. I tried to give the new morning show a fair shot. Listened to it for a couple of months but I really cannot do it anymore. I tried. Its just not for me. I too have been checking in on WGR550 a lot more as the options locally are not great for that time slot.
