Sports Talk Radio in Utah

First of all, let me say there is far too much of it. Go up and down the AM dial and you are bombarded with it. Is sports such an integral part of our lives that it should dominate the airwaves? Perhaps so.

As a general critique of Utah's sports radio broadcasting, I'm always amazed at how little actual sports talk takes place. It doesn't appear to me that the radio personalities actually research in great depth the subject matter. An occasional exception to that is Gordon Monson who writes a column so I suppose it makes him think about atleast some sports related issues.

What I tire of is the "manly man" talk of so many of these personalities. 1280 "the zone" actually has a show called "The Manly Morning Show" which I refer to "The Mainly Boring Show". Also on 1280, paired with Gordon Monson is a high-pitched, sniveling whiner named Kevin Graham (whom I've nicknamed "the soprano man, Kevin Graham"). For some reason, Kevin seems obsessed with trying to define and internalize that definition of "manhood". I don't know why he got dumped back in high school or got cut from the football team or whatever humiliating event happened in his life, but his obsession with trying to play up his pseudo-masculinity is funny in a rather perverse way. But after a while, it becomes grating and my CD collection is far too good to be spending alot of time listen to "Brunhilde" wail away about what a true fan is or isn't, or just how unsophisticated you have to be to have a Y chromosome.

What is really interesting to me is the contrast between some of the national radio shows and the local variety. The Jim Rome show is not only entertaining, but actually quite enlightening. Rome's ability to ask the right questions to get the most telling answers is quite impressive. Rome obviously does his homework and pays attention to detail, something sorely lacking in local broadcasts. The Dan Patrick show is another where the quality of the questioning is very good and the subject matter is generally entertaining. Though Patrick hasn't created his own sub-culture the way Jim Rome has, his wit and insights are far ahead of our local broadcasters.

So local guys, let's step it up. Same with local callers. I'm tired of every caller starting with, "hey, uh." Take a deep breath and address the personalities with "hello guys, I've got a take I'd like to discuss....." or something to that effect. Hayuh is feed for Maine cattle, not a word to start your take with.