Big changes at CSNNE and WEEI.com

IpswichSox

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
2,790
Suburbs of Washington, DC
This is really heartbreaking news. Sean isn't just a good guy, but as Chad wrote he's an oasis of reason and careful analysis amid the nuclear wasteland of over-cooked hot takes and know-nothings that dominate today's local media. The horsepower Sean brings compared to most on the scene is so self-evident, I hope decision-makers elsewhere in Boston see that, too.

I wish I were John Henry. I would do three things: 1) fire everyone at NESN involved with or who thought it was a good idea not to renew Don Orsillo's contract; 2) fire everyone still around who was involved with or who thought it was a good idea to low-ball Lester on the contract extension; and 3) hire McAdam at the Globe to replace Cafardo.
 

the1andonly3003

New Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,364
Chicago
just noticed that Sports Tonight Early Edition and Sportsnet Central are not on from 6-7 tonight....does the new "cheaper" lineup start up immediately?

edit: reruns of Monday Night Patriots and Quick Slants
 
Last edited:

Rusty13

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 3, 2007
5,340
I wonder where McAdam will land for the upcoming baseball season.
My guess is he is going to turn up in another town. I think the opportunities for full time baseball writers and analysts in this region are dwindling.
 

Humphrey

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 3, 2010
3,142
Remy's (along with a few others). Sad to have to print that, but I don't like the sound of what I read today.
 

Byrdbrain

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
8,588
Chris Price announced on twitter that he is no longer employed at WEEI.
Hopefully he catches on somewhere as I thought he was really good.
 

Strike4

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 19, 2005
3,881
Portland, Maine
Does anybody stream the Celtics over Roku via the NBC sports channel? I had been doing that for over a year but now when I enter the login credentials it's blocked out due to local restrictions or something.

Edit: not sure this is the right forum but not sure which is...

Edit 2:...and game thread tips me off that tonight's game is on ESPN so I got it via that stream. Original issue remains though.
 

JimD

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 29, 2001
8,672
That podcast was an excellent listen. McAdam came off as very genuine - he didn't sugarcoat some of his feelings about how things went down at CSNNE but he was also forthright about knowing where the industry has been headed for some time now and about nobody owing him a job. I've always enjoyed reading his work and listening to him so I do hope he lands somewhere in the baseball media marketplace.
 

the1andonly3003

New Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,364
Chicago
That podcast was an excellent listen. McAdam came off as very genuine - he didn't sugarcoat some of his feelings about how things went down at CSNNE but he was also forthright about knowing where the industry has been headed for some time now and about nobody owing him a job. I've always enjoyed reading his work and listening to him so I do hope he lands somewhere in the baseball media marketplace.
saw McAdam push his appearance on Fox25 tonight...guess he is freelancing analysis/takes for now
 

shawnrbu

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
39,626
The Land of Fist Pumps
The late night show could be decent, would have been awesome 15 years ago when people were living and dying with each Red Sox game.

Who thought it was a good idea to give Gary Tanguay a 2 hour TV show? Does anybody watch his 30 minute show? This thing is going to flop huge. Hopefully, Trenni does not get hurt career wise for having to be attached to this Tanguay disaster.
 

the1andonly3003

New Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,364
Chicago
Minihane went on Early Edition last night and trashed the first segment complaining about not being on the new show, trashing CSNNE

they were supposed to discuss Butler and the Saints
 

double4life

New Member
Sep 13, 2015
60
Yeah but that doesn't equate to being a ratings draw. Kirk & Callahan (I can't believe I'm even referencing these two guys) last Friday alluded to the fact that when Tanguay is on the air (albeit the format is radio) ratings go down. That has to translate to television where people can just change the channel the minute something stupid pours out of his mouth.
 

allstonite

Member
SoSH Member
Oct 27, 2010
2,471
Minihane is such a joy!
He's so crazy! What will he say next?!

The fact that people can't stand him enough to talk about him means he's relevant.
Does it? This isn't a Felger situation where everyone talks about the stuff he says. Tanguay is usually brought up when people are wondering how he seems to keep getting steady work despite his lack of talent or charisma. I couldn't tell you one opinion he's ever had through his career
 

shawnrbu

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 14, 2005
39,626
The Land of Fist Pumps
Does it? This isn't a Felger situation where everyone talks about the stuff he says. Tanguay is usually brought up when people are wondering how he seems to keep getting steady work despite his lack of talent or charisma. I couldn't tell you one opinion he's ever had through his career
Tanguay opinion: Brady did it. Kraft was funneling hush money to Jastremski and McNally to keep them quiet.
 

Gorton Fisherman

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
May 26, 2002
2,485
Port Orange, FL
“We pride ourselves on providing Boston sports fans with the best coverage of their teams in the most informative, interesting and unfiltered way possible,” said Princell Hair, SVP and General Manager, CSN New England.
Nothing to add here, other than to note that the SVP and GM of CSNNE is named "Princell Hair".
As part of the new line-up, CSN will add a new nightly show Boston Sports Tonight presented by Town Fair Tire which will air every weeknight from 9PM to Midnight. This 3-hour show will be hosted by CSN’s Tom Curran and Tom Giles, along with WEEI’s Michael Holley and Kayce Smith who are both set to join the network next month.
Not a bad lineup. I like Curran. I mostly like Holley. Giles is fine. I don't know anything about Smith other than that she appears to be a hot blonde, which I am OK with.
The show will have a heavy social media interaction component
Oy. Just what we need on the teevee, discussion of dumb posts made by nitwit randos on Twitter and Facebook.
Also beginning April 3rd, CSN will expand its Arbella Early Edition program to two hours, airing weeknights from 6pm-8pm. The show will be hosted by new line-up of Gary Tanguay, Trenni Kusnierek and Michael Felger, who will join the show each night in-studio following Felger & Mazz.
As noted elsewhere: Tanguay sucks. It is truly amazing that people keeping hiring him and putting him on their air, while there are other available people who are smart and articulate and actually know things about Boston sports (e.g. Sean McAdam) that are out of work.

Trenni is generally good, maybe as a permanent co-host she'll be able to moderate or at least counterbalance Tanguay's egregious stupidity.

Interesting that Felger will be in studio. He just remotes in during this time slot now. How long is the drive from the 98.5 studios to CSNNE? I wonder if this means the end of Felger as an in-studio host for their later programming. He was host on the 10pm Sports Tonight fairly regularly. He's not mentioned at all in the blurb for the new 9pm-midnight show.
Early Edition will combine hot takes and opinion, with heavy debate from hosts and guests
Oy again. I guess this is not really any different what the show is now. But with an expanded 2-hour timeslot there'll be plenty of airtime to fill with even more HOT TAKEZ! Great.

It is also pretty depressing that the press release literally touts "hot takes" as a 'feature' of the show. *sigh*
 
Last edited:

joe dokes

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 18, 2005
30,131
Nothing to add here, other than to note that the SVP and GM of CSNNE is named "Princell Hair".

Not a bad lineup. I like Curran. I mostly like Holley. Giles is fine. I don't know anything about Smith other than that she appears to be a hot blonde, which I am OK with.

Oy. Just what we need on the teevee, discussion of dumb posts made by nitwit randos on Twitter and Facebook.

As noted elsewhere: Tanguay sucks. It is truly amazing that people keeping hiring him and putting him on their air, while there are other available people who are smart and articulate and actually know things about Boston sports (e.g. Sean McAdam) that are out of work.

Trenni is generally good, maybe as a permanent co-host she'll be able to moderate or at least counterbalance Tanguay's egregious stupidity.

Interesting that Felger will be in studio. He just remotes in during this time slot now. How long is the drive from the 98.5 studios to CSNNE? I wonder if this means the end of Felger as an in-studio host for their later programming. He was host on the 10pm Sports Tonight fairly regularly. He's not mentioned at all in the blurb for the new 9pm-midnight show.

Oy again. I guess this is not really any different what the show is now. But with an expanded 2-hour timeslot there'll be plenty of airtime to fill with even more HOT TAKEZ! Great.

It is also pretty depressing that the press release literally touts "hot takes" as a 'feature' of the show. *sigh*

So they are throwing in the towel when it comes to programming and just going with "talk radio on TV." Which will be opposite red sox baseball on most nights til October.

And you, Mr. Tanguay, your ratings...zero point zero . . .

 

the1andonly3003

New Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,364
Chicago
Nothing to add here, other than to note that the SVP and GM of CSNNE is named "Princell Hair".

Not a bad lineup. I like Curran. I mostly like Holley. Giles is fine. I don't know anything about Smith other than that she appears to be a hot blonde, which I am OK with.

Oy. Just what we need on the teevee, discussion of dumb posts made by nitwit randos on Twitter and Facebook.

As noted elsewhere: Tanguay sucks. It is truly amazing that people keeping hiring him and putting him on their air, while there are other available people who are smart and articulate and actually know things about Boston sports (e.g. Sean McAdam) that are out of work.

Trenni is generally good, maybe as a permanent co-host she'll be able to moderate or at least counterbalance Tanguay's egregious stupidity.

Interesting that Felger will be in studio. He just remotes in during this time slot now. How long is the drive from the 98.5 studios to CSNNE? I wonder if this means the end of Felger as an in-studio host for their later programming. He was host on the 10pm Sports Tonight fairly regularly. He's not mentioned at all in the blurb for the new 9pm-midnight show.

Oy again. I guess this is not really any different what the show is now. But with an expanded 2-hour timeslot there'll be plenty of airtime to fill with even more HOT TAKEZ! Great.

It is also pretty depressing that the press release literally touts "hot takes" as a 'feature' of the show. *sigh*
with the Holley/Giles/Curran show going from 9-midnight, they are re-merging the original Tanguay-Felger Sports Tonight show...Trenni replaces Dickerson (if anyone remembers the original early 2000s iteration)

Felger going from Brighton to Burlington was part of Minihane's rant last Monday

icymi, I believe Chad Finn reported that CSNNE hired Evan Drellich to replace McAdam's old Red Sox beat (with a more digital aspect to it)
 

the1andonly3003

New Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,364
Chicago
Why was Minnihane bitching about Felger's commute?
apparently annoyed that he wasn't approached to be part of CSNNE's new programming strategy
he dug into Felger for being "needy" doing his afternoon drive time show and then speeding up to Burlington for TV

if you don't care for your sanity, it provided fodder on WEEI
http://media.weei.com/a/118794640/omf-kirk-takes-a-blowtorch-to-csnne-s-new-format-3-21-17.htm

http://media.weei.com/a/118790500/k-c-kirk-says-goodbye-to-early-edition-and-comcast-3-21-17.htm (go to 8 minute mark)

http://media.weei.com/a/118790477/k-c-kirk-is-done-with-comcast-gerry-is-in-a-bad-mood-carrabis-takes-down-pete-abraham-3-21-17.htm
 

double4life

New Member
Sep 13, 2015
60
So what does this Evan Drellich guy bring to CSNNE over Sean McAdam that they had to rub it in the viewer's/listener's face that Evan is Sean's replacement? This guy has been making his rounds all over the place...CSNNE's website/mobile app (articles), Toucher & Rich, Sports Tonight w/Felger, The Baseball Show, SportsNet Central, Arbella Early Edition.
I'm in my early 30's and I love Sean's approach to reporting baseball and his experience. I listened to him on Kirk Minihane's podcast and he made it seem like he wasn't a draw for millenials and CSN felt he needed to be put out to pasture. Where did Evan come from and why does it seem like he has more of an importance in reporting Boston baseball?
 

Marbleheader

Moderator
Moderator
SoSH Member
Sep 27, 2004
11,726
Not only is Tanguay awful, he shouldn't be allowed within 50 feet of a female coworker. The guy is so uncomfortably creepy.
 

NortheasternPJ

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 16, 2004
19,236
apparently annoyed that he wasn't approached to be part of CSNNE's new programming strategy
he dug into Felger for being "needy" doing his afternoon drive time show and then speeding up to Burlington for TV

if you don't care for your sanity, it provided fodder on WEEI
http://media.weei.com/a/118794640/omf-kirk-takes-a-blowtorch-to-csnne-s-new-format-3-21-17.htm

http://media.weei.com/a/118790500/k-c-kirk-says-goodbye-to-early-edition-and-comcast-3-21-17.htm (go to 8 minute mark)

http://media.weei.com/a/118790477/k-c-kirk-is-done-with-comcast-gerry-is-in-a-bad-mood-carrabis-takes-down-pete-abraham-3-21-17.htm
I was just listening to Mut and Keefe on the way home and the whole feud thing between various hosts came up. Mut said flat out that WEEI believes that it helps ratings and listeners love it. So basically, the more fighting the better and it's encouraged. WEEI is being the WWE. Make sense with things like this and then Kirk's new feud with Keefe over nothing.

I find the host feuds not entertaining and unlistenable.
 

the1andonly3003

New Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,364
Chicago
Not only is Tanguay awful, he shouldn't be allowed within 50 feet of a female coworker. The guy is so uncomfortably creepy.
to think Sports Tonight has lasted way over 5000 shows (they hit that mark in the early 2010s i think, and someone thought it would be funny to put together this package for that show)
 

chonce1

New Member
Apr 23, 2010
191
Mixed feelings of new format. Obviously, CSNNE sending McAdam packing but giving Tanguay and Felger two more hours of time is annoying. But I suppose these really long talk shows are no worse than repeats on Sports Tonight and the news show that preceded it.

the problem is they basically have 4 hours of Felger and Mazz, two hours of Tanguay and Mazz and 3 hours of some other people. I like Holley, Curran and Trenni (probably my favorite of the lot, but she is picking up some bad habits from Tanguay.

Anyway, I would like to see more Trenni but if it means more Gary and Felger.... I don't know. Maybe the night show will be better.
 

double4life

New Member
Sep 13, 2015
60
Scal v Felger was good just now
No, Scal vs. Michael Holley on Boston Sports Tonight was GOLD. Scal looked and sounded like he was going to jump through the screen and strangle Holley, lol!

Also Tom Giles vs. Holley was kinda cringe-worthy. Poor Tom can't get a word in and gets stepped on by not just Holley but Tom E. Curran and that Kaycee (sp?) chick. Can't remember how many times the camera caught him mean mugging his cohosts or checking his cell phone during the conversations but man it was ugly.
 

the1andonly3003

New Member
Jul 15, 2005
4,364
Chicago
No, Scal vs. Michael Holley on Boston Sports Tonight was GOLD. Scal looked and sounded like he was going to jump through the screen and strangle Holley, lol!

Also Tom Giles vs. Holley was kinda cringe-worthy. Poor Tom can't get a word in and gets stepped on by not just Holley but Tom E. Curran and that Kaycee (sp?) chick. Can't remember how many times the camera caught him mean mugging his cohosts or checking his cell phone during the conversations but man it was ugly.
Scal looked like he wanted to strangled Felger