Remembering Roberto and Rick

 

Just when you think the year is in the books, something happens that shakes your senses one more time. In both 1972 and 1985 such events occurred on the very last day of the year.

In '72, about 20 miles off the coast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, a Douglas DC 7 carrying relief supplies to victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua crashed killing all aboard. Among the dead, Roberto Clemente.

A similar accident took place in 1985 on the same day, December 31. This time, after performing a concert in Guntersville, Alabama, the Stone Canyon Band, aboard a leased 1944 Douglas DC 3, headed to its next performance in Dallas. . The plane never arrived, crashing just northeast of Dallas in DeKalb, Texas. Both pilots survived. All the band members were killed. Among them was lead singer Rick Nelson.

Clemente and Nelson were very different people. Roberto was a model citizen, a true humanitarian, a family man. Nelson lived on the edge. He was a free spirit and plagued by an addiction to drugs. Clemente and Nelson, however, did have two things in common--the way they died and the fact that both left legacies in their respective fields of endeavor.

Clemente is one of the greatest baseball players of all time. By the time of his death at age 38, and after a 17 year major league career, he had accumulated 3000 hits and has a career average of .317. He was fleet afoot and one of the most graceful athletes ever. He was an MVP and helped the Pirates to the 1960 World Series win over the New York Yankees. He was an All-Star 15 times, won 12 gold gloves was the 1966 MVP and was twice a World Series Champion with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960 and 1971. The 5-year rule was waived to allow Clemente immediate entrance into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The only other player ever to be accorded that distinction was Lou Gehrig.

Clemente was a national hero in Puerto Rico. Citizens pointed with pride to his accomplishments as the most famous Puerto Rican ball player ever. Kids idolized him. Many played on baseball fields he built. It was Roberto Clemente's vision to make his nation a perennial breeding ground for future major leaguers.

He was also a great humanitarian in other ways. It was at Clemente's behest that a relief effort was established to help the people of Nicaragua, who had suffered tremendous losses from that devastating earthquake that severely damaged Managua and surrounding areas. Clemente was concerned that relief supplies were being pilfered by profiteers and he wanted to make sure that when the next plane arrived, its supplies went to those in need. He decided to accompany the fourth flight to Managua. The pilot was late and the flight delayed. Clemente told his wife that if there was another delay he would not leave until the next morning. But the flight did leave with Clemente aboard. His remains were never found and it was later learned the plane was overloaded by more than 4000 pounds.

Rick Nelson was as great an artist in his own right as Clemente. Nelson is in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and produced a treasure trove of great singles and albums. Rick, first known as Ricky Nelson was the son of Ozzie and Harriet --a band leader and singer-- who broke into radio and then television with The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Both Ricky and his older brother, David, became part of the show and TV audiences watched them grow up on the air. Ricky's musical talent became obvious early and he often sang during the show. It was there audiences first heard the likes of Hello, Mary Lou, Travelin' Man and Poor Little Fool among many others. Even later in his career, Ricky wrote and sung Garden Party, one of his biggest hits. Nelson was just 45 when he died.

It's been 40 years since Clemente's passing. 27 since the world lost Rick Nelson. "Time flies," they say, but in the case of both these legends, time has stood still. Much of their work has been preserved, and for those who remember them in the prime of their careers, that memory will remain forever.

Right Call for Costas to Speak Out on Issue Related to Belcher Tragedy

Bob Costas’ Sunday night diatribe involving gun control in the wake of the Jovan Belcher murder-suicide has created a storm of controversy. Yesterday in press releases through spokesman Greg Hughes, NBC attempted to clarify what Costas said and why he said it when he did. According to Hughes, "In a short (on-air) time period he can cover only one aspect of a complicated issue. So he quoted (columnist Jason Whitlock) about the gun culture and an almost Wild West attitude in parts of this country. He is pro-sensible gun reform and pro-attitude adjustment on guns."

 

No one is more sincere or less prone to promoting a political agenda than Costas. He admitted on The Dan Patrick Show that if he were to do it again he would have couched his comments by saying that he was addressing one part of a complicated situation that also involves domestic violence, the football culture, etc.

He also admitted in retrospect that just over a minute was not enough time to cover the subject adequately.  He rightly stated that those who were most critical of him addressing the issue during halftime were really those who simply disagreed with what he had to say.

In our PC culture it seems almost anyone of note who comments on anything the least bit controversial is subject to harsh criticism. The issues in sports are often the same as those in society as a whole. When societal issues cross over into sports it is appropriate to comment.  And, while waiting for a better time might have caused less criticism, Costas decided to tackle the subject when it still remained in the forefront. As a “commentator” on Sunday Night Football, Costas has the right to address any related subject, and certainly the episode involving Belcher was one with a major impact on the Chiefs and the NFL and one that dominated sports reporting in the previous 24 hours.

Quick takes… Reviews are mixed on the Braves acquisition of B.J. Upton, primarily because of the size of his contract (five years for $75.25 million). Some say the Bravos could have picked up Chris Young for much less—a player with comparable numbers who went from Arizona to Oakland. Upton’s OBP has also dropped significantly over the years (from .386 in 2007 to .298 in 2012). However others say B.J. brings many plusses and is a better bet for the long haul…I filled out my Football Writers Association of America ballot for Coach of the Year and went with Bill O’Brien of Penn State. It was a tough decision to go against Brian Kelly of Notre Dame, but O’Brien took the job under the direst circumstances and, despite losing several top players, brought more than stability to the program.  He brought them a winning record (a remarkable 8-6) against good competition and extraordinary odds…Aaron Murray is really a standup guy. Interviewing him after the SEC game, he was not burying his head, but was upbeat, saying “losing stinks, but we have to move on.”  Hopefully he will do so with the Dawgs again in 2013…There are many reasons why Falcons players like Coach Mike Smith. In the locker room after the Falcons win over the Saints, Sean Weatherspoon came over and gave Smitty a big hug after which the coach said “You know when I yell at you I’m doing it because I love you.” Smitty was apparently hard on the 24-year-old linebacker during practice last week. As a result Weatherspoon stepped up big against the Saints… After a brief six-month stint with Bruce Murray on Sirius/XM, John Feinstein has left to go solo with the new CBS Sports network in January. WFOM (1230 AM) will be the Atlanta affiliate…Dan Patrick is now on NBC Sports net on TV and on WIFN (1340 AM) radio in Atlanta…Sad to hear that Chamique Holdsclaw had a run-in with the law not too long ago. She was accused of breaking a window and firing a shot into the car of former girlfriend and Atlanta Dream teammate Jennifer Lacy. Chamique was an outstanding pro player and was idolized at the University of Tennessee. She was once touted as one of the few women who might make it in a men’s league. Hopefully, her situation will be resolved in some favorable fashion and she will be able to return to a productive life…Also sad to hear of the passing of Rick Majerus, the coach of the St. Louis Billikens, who was one of the most-respected and most-liked coaches in all of basketball. He died of heart failure at age 64…Enjoying MLB’s coverage of baseball’s Winter Meetings, but you sometimes wonder who concocts all the rumors that surface during the course of the three-day gathering. Very few deals actually come to fruition, but I guess that’s what the Hotstove League is all about.

 

 

 

The Variety Store

"The Call"
Here’s an interesting perspective on “The Call” in the Braves-St. Louis game. According to one veteran observer, umpires are “never wrong” when it comes to the rules of the game. They may make mistakes on judgment calls (balls and strikes, fair or foul), but when it comes to rules, they always nail it. If you read the strict interpretation of the infield fly rule, the rule in question last Friday, umpire Sam Holbrook was right to call it on Andrelton Simmons pop fly. If you read the clarifying paragraph you also note that the word “judgment” plays a part in the ruling. Hence he was very right in considering the call, but perhaps wrong in his “judgment” that the play was “an infield fly” versus a routine fly ball to shallow left. 

Covering the Game

Covering a post-season game as can be rather interesting considering the increased deadline pressure and requirement for more interviews either live or on tape. Throw in the mix a controversial call and it gets really interesting. Unlike in the regular season some teams use a press conference format for the star(s) of the game and the manager. The Braves chose to do it that way and restricted access to the locker room until after the conclusion of the press conference.  Meanwhile, the Cardinals began their champaign celebration, which was stormed by media, particularly photographers, videographers and reporters interested in relishing the initial moments of the celebration. As usual, it all works out, but having to be in three places almost simultaneously makes covering a post-season game an exceptional challenge.

Fan Behavior

Poor fan behavior has always been a pet peeve. I can recall at least three times having to deal with it. Nothing major. Once was at Foxboro during a Patriots game when inebriated fans fell from the row behind us into the group with whom we were sitting. Another time, during a playoff game at Turner Field, a fan keep yelling and making threatening comments. We summoned ushers and that “gentleman” was put in the cooler for most of the rest of the game. When he did return he was much calmer. Another incident occurred in a multi-level parking garage at Cleveland Stadium. As we wound our way down, the car behind us kept deliberately tapping our car. Not sure if the fan was under the influence or just looking for trouble. Fortunately we were with a 320 pound former lineman who, upon emerging from our car, put an immediate end to the nonsense just by his mere size and fierce persona.  Which brings us to last Friday. There’s no excuse for fans firing beer bottles, cans and other projectiles onto the field of play. It was a very disheartening feeling to see it happen at Turner Field when you knew immediately it would be the lead story on Sports Center and give Atlanta an undeserved black eye. The reality is that even if 1000 fans threw things, there were more than 51,000 fans who did not. Of course the perception is that the whole stadium is full of hooligans, instead of a select group of morons, who don’t even deserve to be called fans.

Yaddie

Yadier Molina is a pros pro. He’s the consummate hitter and a real team leader. You could tell in the clubhouse that Yadier set the tone for the Cardinals, who at this writing are leading the Nationals 2-1. Should the Cards produce another championship run you can bet Yaddie will be a major factor.

Chipper's farewell

Chipper seemed very content at his post-game press conference. He admitted he was at least partially at fault for the Braves losing, but was able to take his final appearance in stride. It was yet another indication that Chipper is ready to move on. But what a marvelous run it was for him and for followers of the Atlanta Braves.

Collegiate Marketing 

I saw Tom Stipes with IMG Sports (formerly International Management Group, the company founded by Mark McCormick) at the Atlanta Touchdown Club Monday night. Stipes talked about the amazing range of activities in which IMG is involved from athlete representation, to broadcast rights to, believe it or not, fashion shows. He is headquartered in Atlanta and is the rep for Georgia Tech.

Coach Dooley

Vince Dooley remains very active and involved. A so-called retiree, Dooley has written books, taken history classes, traveled, consulted and followed the Dogs and the Tennessee Vols, where his son Derek is head coach. Dooley told the Atlanta Press Club last week that head coaches are always dealing with crises. This was before Georgia’s stumble at South Carolina and after Tennessee’s loss to Florida. He seemed a bit concerned that Derek might have problems keeping his job in Knoxville.

Hawks vs Miami

The Hawks looked good for their pre-season outing against Miami on Sunday. They are definitely a different group than last year. Josh Smith seemed to be content and looking forward to the season, despite his statements last winter that he wanted to be traded. Jeff Teague looks ready to step up and take more of a leadership role. Everyone is healthy.  If nothing else the Hawks 2012-2013 should be refreshing to watch as they begin a new era under Danny Ferry.

Art Modell—Public Enemy No. 1

He was one of the most reviled figures in Cleveland sports history. Even for those who felt LeBron James was the consummate traitor, Art Modell remains the true villain. While LeBron left Cleveland for the sunny shores of South Beach and decimated the Cleveland Cavaliers, the franchise remained. And it was, after all, the Cavaliers not the legendary Cleveland Browns.

The brash, young owner of the Browns as we remem-
bered him when he first bought the team in 1961.

Browns fans had good reason for their tremendous sense of loss. The original Browns were one of the greatest teams in NFL history. In fact their list of championships even predated the NFL, when they dominated the old All-America Conference, winning the championship in all four years of the league’s existence from 1946 through 1949. When the Browns moved to the NFL they kept winning, taking titles in 1950, 1954 and 1955. They were in a championship game for 10 straight seasons and won seven.  Then and all through the early 1960s they were led by Hall of Fame coach and football innovator Paul Brown. In the early years they also had another never-to-be-forgotten Hall of Famer, quarterback Otto Graham and a supporting cast including ends Mac Speedie and Dante Lavelli and fullback Marion Motey.  Then came the Jim Brown era—1957-1965.  Widely acclaimed as the greatest running back ever, Brown dominated the league, amassing numerous rushing records and dismantling even the best defenses such as those of the Sam Huff-led Giants, Ray Nitschke and the Packers, and the Rams Fearsome Foursome. It was Brown, Bobby Mitchell, Frank Ryan, Gary Collins and others that brought Cleveland the NFL title in 1964, the last time a Cleveland sports team has won a world a world championship.
 

 A Hated Figure

While Modell was hated after moving the team—and hate is not too strong a word—his recent passing cast additional light on the decision to leave Cleveland and also caused many to remember his contributions to the NFL. Most fans in Cleveland believe Modell could have saved the franchise --that with a 70,000 plus capacity stadium and lucrative TV contracts, no one, not even Modell, could lose money. Modell said he had to have the support of the city to survive. He said the Browns were ignored when the city was building new facilities for the Indians and Cavs, a statement that no one in Cleveland would agree with until last week, when former City Council President George Forbes said Modell was offered a spot for a stadium as part of the Gateway complex, home to what is now Progressive Field and Quicken Loans Arena. Even though the statement has been supported by others, Forbes shady past, including his conviction for ethics violations, puts what he says into question.

No one can doubt Modell had a big role in turning NFL football into a TV showcase. A slick Madison Avenue ad executive before he bought the Browns, Modell had the moxie to orchestrate television deals that have led to untold revenues for league even to this day.

Cleveland Municipal Stadium was the largest stadium in major league baseball and was second only to the L.A. Coliseum in seating capacity for NFL football. But as time went on the stadium became more and more outdated, not to mention the crumbling infrastructure—everything from splintered seats, to cracked walkways to frequently flooded rest rooms.

Deep in Debt

But with no financial help coming and the bills piling up, Modell said he had only one choice. When a sweet deal came along from Baltimore, he accepted. The rest you could say is history. Modell went on to win a Super Bowl in Baltimore. Cleveland was awarded a new team, with the Browns name, record and colors left intact. And the city finally came through with a new stadium.

Of course, that new team has never lived up to its name. Maybe if it did, Modell’s deed wouldn’t evoke the venom it still does some 17 years after he left the lake front. But until things improve--and perhaps long thereafter-- Art Modell, fairly or unfairly, will remain Cleveland’s Public Enemy No. 1.

Quick takes…speaking of Cleveland, last week was the anniversary of the Indians' Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller striking out 17 Philadelphia Athletics on September 13, 1936. He was just 17 years old…A couple of good trivia questions came up over lunch at the Commerce Club today. The first: three catchers on the 1961 Yankees hit 20 or more home runs. Who were they? Think about that while we pose the second question: who was the left fielder for that same team?...Answers below…Saw Vince Dooley today at the Atlanta Press Club meeting. He’s as fired up as ever, thinks South Carolina will be the big test for the Dogs…Will blog more on Dooley later…Trivia answers: Yogi, Elston Howard and Johnny Blanchard for the first question; Hector Lopez for question No. 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lessons Learned from Painful Defeat

Losing is never fun. Whether it’s not landing a job or not closing a deal, suffering defeat is always painful. Sometimes however the pain is worse, especially when victory is so close at hand. Such was the case on Monday when Georgia Tech’s Yellow Jackets went down to the 16^th ranked Virginia Tech Hoakies. With victory easily in their grasp, the Yellow Jackets defense gave up a fourth and four pass from Logan Thomas to Corey Fuller for 23 yards. That brought the ball to within field goal range of Cody Journell, who missed one earlier, but this time kicked a 41-yarder for the Hoakies to tie the game and send it into overtime.



Georgia Tech head coach Paul
Johnson must rally his team
after hearbreaking loss

Certainly this was a dagger in the hearts of the Jackets, but the worst was yet to come. On their first possession in overtime Georgia Tech had a third down situation and, instead of taking a sack or throwing the ball away, quarterback Tevin Williams fired blindly and under pressure right into the hands of Virginia Tech defender Kyle Fuller. Six plays later Journell kicked through the winner from 17 yards.

The problem for Georgia Tech is their 17-14 defeat to the Hoakies was more than just a singular loss. It put a serious dent in their hopes for a special season. In fact, Tech now must look at the daunting task of possibly having to run the table in order to finish ranked and have a shot at the ACC title. In order to accomplish both, the Jackets must beat Clemson, Oct. 6 at Death Valley and then top Georgia in Athens November 24. Beyond that the Jackets have BYU on October 27 at home and North Carolina at Chapel Hill on November 11. Both the Cougars and Carolina could also be among the top 25 by the time they meet Tech.

So how do you deal with a heartbreaking loss? How do you get yourself up for that next job interview, prepare for the next client presentation, or for that matter win the next game, or the next several. Believe it or not there are people out there—they are called mental training coaches— that study such things. One such individual is Rob Polishook who founded Inside the Zone Sports Performance Group (insidethezone.com). Rob has appeared numerous places, including on ESPN. He offers five ways to get over the downer associated with a bad defeat.

First, says Rob, you have to allow yourself to accept the disappointment, release the bad feelings and realize that when victory does come, it will be all the more satisfying. Second, know that you are one step closer to reaching your goal. Polishook uses the example of tennis player Raphael Nadal, whose first two years on the court were laden with setbacks. He also refers to Babe Ruth who said every strike out puts him one step closer to another home run. The third way to overcome defeat, according to Polishook, is to listen for feedback. Asks the mental training coach in an article for his on-line publication, “Was there every a great champion, individual or team, that didn’t learn from failures, setbacks and obstacles?” Next, the performance expert said “reframe” the defeat. What can be learned from the loss? And give yourself credit for, in the Tech example, not playing a cushy opponent to start the season. Finally, Polishook says your performance is another step on the road to your ultimate goal. You learn things in the heat of battle that you cannot possibly learn in practice.

The rest of the season for Georgia Tech will not only be a test of football skill. It will be a test of character, of their ability to fight back. It could provide a lesson for everyone who has ever seen a victory taken away in a most heartbreaking fashion.

Quick Takes…Sad to see Arthur Triche leave the Hawks as their head of PR. He was there over two decades after working for awhile with the Detroit Lions. We wish him the best…Braves continue to hold on to that Wild Card lead and seem destined for the one-game play-in game. If that should happen, manager Fredi Gonzalez has no choice, I believe, but to go with Kris Medlen as his starter. Medlen has been lights out, and, while you’d like to see a veteran like Tim Hudson take the mound, you have to go with the hot hand in Medlen—assuming he remains hot through the end of the season…For those who think four games is too many in the NFL’s preseason, check this out: the Cleveland Browns played seven preseason games in 1956, more than half the 12 regular season games. Six preseason games were standard in those days unless, as with the ’56 Browns, a team won NFL championship the year before. In that case the team would play in the annual College All-Star Game against a team of college graduates headed to the NFL, adding an additional game to the usual six-game preseason slate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s Hoping New Sports Talk Station Turns Down the Volume

ATLANTA, Georgia -- I don’t know if low key works anymore in sports radio, but it certainly would be nice if Atlanta’s newest sports station Dave FM 92.9 would take that approach when it goes on the air this fall.

Yes, if you haven’t heard there will be a third sports talk station to go along with 790/The Zone and 680 The/Fan (simulcast on 93.7). Actually if you add to the mix Fans 2 and 3, which air on AM stations 1230 and 1340 respectively, there will be five sports station in the nation’s eighth largest media market. And don’t look now but six is a possibility.

What’s precipitating this most recent move is the advent of 24-hour CBS Sports radio network, which, we assume, will provide a large chunk of national programming. Obviously there will be major emphasis on local sports too.
Although I am not a huge sports talk fan, I do like ESPN Radio and some of what they do, particularly shows like Mike (Greenburg) and Mike (Golic) in the Morning and The Herd with Colin Cowherd. The former offers great guests, solid opinions usually delivered in an intelligent manner. OK, so they do act silly now and then, but that’s part of the M&M shtick and helps them attract listeners. Cowherd is another who brings good guests and solid thoughts. He will turn up the volume now and then, but he is a reasoned individual, and his opinions make you want to listen.

Maddog Russo on Sirius/XM has such a great knowledge
of all sports his shtick doesn't get in the way 

I could go on and on critiquing sports talk show hosts—Mad Dog Russo on Sirius/XM is a raving maniac at times, but is highly respected for his overall knowledge of sports. Rarely can someone speak about the full spectrum of sports as well as The Mad Dog. And John Feinstein, the noted author, is also doing a gig on Sirius/XM with Bruce Murray. Like him or not—and he can be rather snarky—he know his stuff and has been around the block numerous times.

What irks me is that most talk radio hosts use an “in your face” approach. It’s almost like their day wouldn’t be complete if they couldn’t punch somebody in the mouth over whether today’s Olympic basketball team is better or worse than the original Dream Team. OK, valid discussion, but we don’t need to put on the gloves to talk about it. Imagine Bob Costas discussing that topic. It would be very analytical, he would have an opinion, but most of all he would present in a way that would be largely low-key and respectful of the audience.

Not everyone has the interviewing skill of a Bob Costas. In fact as far as sports interviewers go, Costas is at the top and you have to drop several rungs to find No. 2. But there is no reason, sports talk hosts can’t turn down the volume a bit and not act like every show is a Fox Sports Radio slugfest. And believe me Fox Sports is not the only network or station that does things that way. Yes, we all know it's done to draw in listeners. It's a show. Even if the hosts don't agree with what they are saying their "take" is designed to rile up listeners.

Unfortuantley many of those loudmouths are actually very smart, but camoflauge their abilities under the cloak of bombast.

So, back to Atlanta’s new entry into the sports radio business. Here’s hoping that what we hear is a new level of sophistication. Certainly CBS nationally has the resources to do it right and if the local station does the same, a fourth sports radio outlet might be a nice addition to the Atlanta market. Whether there are enough sponsors for four stations is another question for another time. BTW, that sixth station? NBC is also launching a radio network. Details coming soon.

Quick takes…a favorable schedule and the solid additions of starter Paul Maholm and outfielder Reed Johnson will assure that the Braves are in this race to the finish—be it wild card or division title. It is hard to imagine that the Nationals will remain as hot as they have been over the past few weeks, thwarting, at least up until the past few days, a Braves attempt to gain ground…Sad to hear about Montee Ball, a great running back for the Wisconsin Badgers, who was beaten up in an unprovoked attack on Wednesday (July 31). Doctors think he might have a concussion and his status for this season remains uncertain. What is certain is that the thugs who did this need to be taken off the streets pronto…Football is definitely in the air with the Falcons opening their pre-season against Baltimore August 9.

The Readers Write…Our blog on the Paterno scandal (Removing Statue Good; NCAA Penalties Not So Much, July 22, 2012) generated several interesting comments. Here are a few from

"Now all we have to do is find out when the NCAA first knew about the Sandusky mess. For some reason I kind of doubt this story snuck up on the NCAA." Washington, DC

"Very nice piece...I would have favored a bigger fine with less impact on scholarships. I don't have a problem with the 4 year ban on post season play, in light of the ban handed out at USC." Atlanta

“I too have to question why the NCAA sanctions for two reasons. One, with JoePa being dead and University President Graham Spanier and some other top-level officials being ousted, who are you punishing? Second, I believe this goes outside the realm of active players being involved such as grade tampering, illegal payments, and other direct violations. Though I knew Joe Paterno would be held culpable by not reporting Sandusky's child abuse acts to authorities instead of his athletic director, and the Freeh report affirmed that." Atlanta

"We're a PSU family and I agree with all the penalties. Only disagreement was when the head of the NCAA spoke about their mission of maintaining integrity and academics - why then do they allow Kentucky to run their basketball program with kids who are there for one year and out?" Harrisburg, PA

"One quibble. I don't think the athletes are at the heart of college sports. It is a game played for fans and alums, at least at major schools. You can argue it was pressure from these two groups behind the desire to win at all costs. I think the penalties sent the right message to the right people. I know there may be eligibility issues, but at least the younger players can transfer. Just my thoughts." Atlanta

"I don't think PSU victories dating back to 1998 needed to be vacated as part of NCAA sanctions. It's as if the players never bled, sweated, worked hard on and off the field, did the right thing, represented the school well, or...graduated. Do you know who NOW is the last winning quarterback on record? Yep. Mike McQueary. Can you spell i.r.o.n.y?!? Coach Bill O'Brien has a massive Mt. Nittany to climb. Saddens me on all counts. Still, victims' healing has to stay paramount. How much more can the Big Ten add to the punishment, though?" Elizabethtown, PA

"Too lenient." Atlanta

Here’s Hoping New Sports Talk Station Turns Down the Volume

ATLANTA, Georgia--I don’t know if low key works anymore in sports radio, but it certainly would be nice if Atlanta’s newest sports station Dave FM 92.9 would take that approach when it goes on the air this fall.

Yes, if you haven’t heard there will be a third sports talk station to go along with 790/The Zone and 680 The/Fan (simulcast on 93.7). Actually if you add to the mix Fans 2 and 3, which air on AM stations 1230 and 1340 respectively, there will be five sports station in the nation’s eighth largest media market. And don’t look now but six is a possibility.

What’s precipitating this most recent move is the advent of 24-hour CBS Sports radio network, which, we assume, will provide a large chunk of national programming. Obviously there will be major emphasis on local sports too.

Although I am not a huge sports talk fan, I do like ESPN Radio and some of what they do, particularly shows like Mike (Greenberg) and Mike (Golic) in the Morning and The Herd with Colin Cowherd.

The former offers great guests, solid opinions usually delivered in an intelligent manner. OK, so they do act silly now and then, but that’s part of the M&M shtick and helps them attract listeners. Cowherd is another who brings good guests and solid thoughts. He will turn up the volume now and then, but he is a reasoned individual, and his opinions make you want to listen.

Sometimes a raving maniac, Maddog Russo's
superior knowledge of all sports supercedes the sthick

I could go on and on critiquing sports talk show hosts—Mad Dog Russo on Sirius/XM is a raving maniac at times, but is highly respected for his overall knowledge of sports. Rarely can someone speak about the full spectrum of sports as well as The Mad Dog. And John Feinstein, the noted author, is also doing a gig on Sirius/XM with Bruce Murray. Like him or not—and he can be rather snarky—he know his stuff and has been around the block numerous times.

What irks me is that most talk radio hosts use an “in your face” approach. It’s almost like their day wouldn’t be complete if they couldn’t punch somebody in the mouth over whether today’s Olympic basketball team was better or worse than the original dream team. Ok, valid discussion, but we don’t need to put on the gloves to talk about it. Imagine Bob Costas discussing that topic. It would be very analytical, he would have an opinion, but most of all he would present in a way that would be largely low-key and respectful of the audience.

Now not everyone has the interviewing skill of a Bob Costas. In fact as far as sports interviewers go, Costas is at the top and you have to drop several rungs to find No. 2. But there is no reason, sports talk hosts can’t turn down the volume a bit and not act like every show is a Fox Sports Radio slugfest. And believe me Fox Sports is not the only network or station that does things that way. Unfortuantley many of those loudmouths are actually very smart, but camoflauge their abilities under the cloak of bombast.

So, back to Atlanta’s new entry into the sports radio business. Here’s hoping that what we hear is a new level of sophistication. Certainly CBS nationally has the resources to do it right and if the local station does the same, a fourth sports radio outlet might be a nice addition to the Atlanta market. Whether there are enough sponsors for four station is another question for another time. BTW, that sixth station? NBC is also launching a radio network. Details coming soon.

Quick takes…a favorable schedule and the solid additions of starter Paul Maholm and outfielder Reed Johnson will assure that the Braves are in this race to the finish—be it wild card or division title. It is hard to imagine that the Nationals will remain as hot as they have been over the past few weeks, thwarting, at least up until the past few days, a Braves attempt to gain ground…Sad to hear about Montee Ball, a great running back for the Wisconsin Badgers, who was beaten up in an unprovoked attack on Wednesday (July 31). Doctors think he might have a concussion and his status for this season remains uncertain. What is certain is that the thugs who did this need to be taken off the streets pronto…Football is definitely in the air with the Falcons opening their pre-season against Baltimore August 9.

The Readers Write…Our blog on the Paterno scandal (Removing Statue Good; NCAA Penalties Not So Much, July 22, 2012) generated several interesting comments. As expected they run the gamut from those supporting the decisions to those wh think it wasn't enough:

"Now all we have to do is find out when the NCAA first knew about the Sandusky mess. For some reason I kind of doubt this story snuck up on the NCAA." Washington, DC

"Very nice piece...I would have favored a bigger fine with less impact on scholarships. I don't have a problem with the 4 year ban on post season play, in light of the ban handed out at USC." Atlanta

“I too have to question why the NCAA sanctions for two reasons. One, with JoePa being dead and University President Graham Spanier and some other top-level officials being ousted, who are you punishing? Second, I believe this goes outside the realm of active players being involved such as grade tampering, illegal payments, and other direct violations. Though I knew Joe Paterno would be held culpable by not reporting Sandusky's child abuse acts to authorities instead of his athletic director, and the Freeh report affirmed that." Atlanta

"We're a PSU family and I agree with all the penalties. Only disagreement was when the head of the NCAA spoke about their mission of maintaining integrity and academics - why then do they allow Kentucky to run their basketball program with kids who are there for one year and out?""One quibble. I don't think the athletes are at the heart of college sports. It is a game played for fans and alums, at least at major schools. You can argue it was pressure from these two groups behind the desire to win at all costs. I think the penalties sent the right message to the right people. I know there may be eligibility issues, but at least the younger players can transfer. Just my thoughts." Harrisburgh, PA

"I don't think PSU victories dating back to 1998 needed to be vacated as part of NCAA sanctions. It's as if the players never bled, sweated, worked hard on and off the field, did the right thing, represented the school well, or...graduated. Do you know who NOW is the last winning quarterback on record? Yep. Mike McQueary. Can you spell i.r.o.n.y?!? Coach Bill O'Brien has a massive Mt. Nittany to climb. Saddens me on all counts. Still, victims' healing has to stay paramount. How much more can the Big Ten add to the punishment, though?" Elizabethtown, PA

 "Too lenient." Atlanta