Yeah, they certainly twisted themselves into a hot take pretzel trying to criticize the hiring. Don't forget Mazz's "He seems like someone just happy to have the job."Felger "can't stand" the positive coverage of Ima Udoka and wants to root against him because of everyone saying positive things about him. Murray thinks we're being sold something.
Mazz thinks he's going to be a shill for Brad Stevens/ownership and won't challenge anything that they've done.
Those are the reason why: 1)I hope Felger loses his tongue in an accident; and 2) we're always hearing about coaches in all pro sports "challenging" the owners and GM of their team. Remember that time Stevens called a press conference and announced that he had no respect for losers like Ainge, Wyc and Pagliuca? We need more people like that Pitino fellow, whose first act upon arrival in town was to tell Red Auerbach to go back to the home.Felger "can't stand" the positive coverage of Ima Udoka and wants to root against him because of everyone saying positive things about him. Murray thinks we're being sold something.
Mazz thinks he's going to be a shill for Brad Stevens/ownership and won't challenge anything that they've done.
Mazz seems like someone unhappy with anything. I hope he gets the help he needs.Yeah, they certainly twisted themselves into a hot take pretzel trying to criticize the hiring. Don't forget Mazz's "He seems like someone just happy to have the job."
That level of assistance has yet to be discovered in the world of psychology.Mazz seems like someone unhappy with anything. I hope he gets the help he needs.
I think we are the only place with a Fellowship of the Miserable who gives hosts like this such good ratings. I just don't get the appeal. I mean, on a National "how can you support ideas like this" level I see that this kind of attraction existsDoes Boston have the market cornered on prominent sports radio hosts/columnists who don't show any enjoyment of sports? Sure seems that way, but I haven't spent much time listening to similar shows in NY, Philly, Chicago, etc.
Have you never listened to Felger? They could have hired his mother for the job and he would be rooting for them to fail regardless of skin color.Wants to , cough, cough, “root against” Udoka.......... Hmm, wonder why?....... for all the bullshit innuendo he’s trafficked in through the years, people should be hammering him for his objections to a young, successful, highly regarded African American getting the job.
And when the Giants got knocked out of the playoffs, Francesa was either devastated or legitimately angry about it. It was actual emotion. When Boston teams get knocked out it's nothing but pure glee and I told you so's from these guys.Francesa used to troll Mets and Jets fans, but he was generally supportive of home town teams. F&M's level of hot take negativity aimed at provoking a good % of listeners, makes them somewhat unique. And has been said of many things that I don't fully appreciate, apparently its a feature not a bug.
Many times. And I think you’ve missed my point. He’s spent years doing his snarky, wink, wink, this guy’s a cheater, that guy’s a cheater schtick. . A little turn about would be well deserved, whatever his motivation for ripping the hire. He’s earned no benefit of the doubt.Have you never listened to Felger? They could have hired his mother for the job and he would be rooting for them to fail regardless of skin color.
Would he have rooted against Rick Carlslie ..cough cough..cough... Sometimes Felger gives away his true feelings and intentions pretty easily.Wants to , cough, cough, “root against” Udoka.......... Hmm, wonder why?....... for all the bullshit innuendo he’s trafficked in through the years, people should be hammering him for his objections to a young, successful, highly regarded African American getting the job.
I mean, things may have changed since I moved, but Boston/New England has long been known as an area where showing enjoyment is not exactly the norm.Does Boston have the market cornered on prominent sports radio hosts/columnists who don't show any enjoyment of sports? Sure seems that way, but I haven't spent much time listening to similar shows in NY, Philly, Chicago, etc.
he rooted for years against bill belichick and tom brady while calling them out for fake scandals, so yeah probablyWould he have rooted against Rick Carlslie ..cough cough..cough... Sometimes Felger gives away his true feelings and intentions pretty easily.
he rooted for years against bill belichick and tom brady while calling them out for fake scandals, so yeah probably
As far as I can tell, he never gives anyone the benefit of the doubt, so why should he get it? Felger's hoping Udoka fails because of the color of Udoka's skin until Felger proves otherwise. But it's hard to prove a negative? That's right, Mike, it is.Would he have rooted against Rick Carlslie ..cough cough..cough... Sometimes Felger gives away his true feelings and intentions pretty easily.
I haven't heard any proof that it wasn't. Just giving him a taste of his own medicine. It *should* should be a firehose enema. He and his ilk are the the Alex Joneses of sports entertainment.I hate to be in the position of having to defend Michael Felger, but his hot sport takes on Udoka have nothing to do with race.
So I suppose its worth considering whether media members like Felger deserve the same treatment that they show towards the players, coaches, owners, etc... that they cover. I do think calling Felger a racist is an outlandish claim without merit, he's an equal opportunity hater of everyone. He is very obviously an elitist who looks down on the local fans, his listeners, callers, etc... and portrays himself as better than everyone else (regardless of their skin color). I tend to find that he and other media members are far more sensitive to criticism than virtually anyone else. Chris Gasper for example this past week on Twitter tried to portray Boston fans as being racist about the Udoka hiring all based on a single caller to Felger and Mazz, who was hung up on so quick his point wasn't entirely clear (it came off like he was being critical of Felger). When challenged on his claims Gasper got extremely defensive about it and ultimately blocked the person pointing out that he was trying to create a controversy over at most one caller. If media members are trying to cause controversies over something so flimsy, why are they exempt from the fans doing that to them?I haven't heard any proof that it wasn't. Just giving him a taste of his own medicine. It *should* should be a firehose enema. He and his ilk are the the Alex Joneses of sports entertainment.
Will never understand how anyone thinks this is a good thing, he's just a radio troll saying bullshit he doesn't even believeAgree with the last two posts.
As predictable as the swallows returning to Capistrano, Felger will find the most contrarian island and set up camp there. He's very good (and entertaining) while he does it, which is why they dominate the ratings book. Part of the allure for me is how predictable he is and how much it gets under people's skin.
FWIW-- I have never actually listened to the show. (its on at a time that listening to a game on 98.5 from the day or night before wouldnt cause to me to hear it, as I might have 15 seconds of Callahan on weei in the morning after a sox game). What I know about what they say I read here. Which is approximately the same level of knowledge that Felger and Mazz have about *anything* they talk about. (in fact, I get better info here, than they get from twitter or instaface or whatever supplies their blowholes). Therefore I am qualified to criticize them from *my* air conditioned couch as they do to others.Sille Skrub nailed it, in my opinion.
The entry following his is exhibit A.
At the very least give us a change-up twice a week and give us some honest analysis.Will never understand how anyone thinks this is a good thing, he's just a radio troll saying bullshit he doesn't even believe
They definitely do this. One example was Felger absolutely railing on the B's when they went with Rask in Game 6. He was doing it before the game even started. Also, their interview with Wyc Grousbeck the other day was phenomenal. They will ask the tough questions while most of the rest of the local media (especially the Celtics beat) will just lob softballs.At the very least give us a change-up twice a week and give us some honest analysis.
They'd be all over this Billups story from 1997.I hate to be in the position of having to defend Michael Felger, but his hot sport takes on Udoka have nothing to do with race. It does not matter who they hired, Felger and Mazz were going to bash them to death. Even if the Celtics went ahead and did what Felger and Mazz wanted and hired Chauncey Billups, they'd spend a day gloating and patting themselves on the back, then the next day they would proclaim how it was a massive mistake and spend the next 5 years bashing the decision relentlessly. They could hire Felger's neighborhood best friend from Wisconsin, they could hire Felger's wife, they could hire one of his current or formet cohosts and there's no bigger guarantee then him bashing them and the team to death immediately on his show to get attention.
I have to disagree with this perspective. The impression I got is that while true that they asked Grousbeck SOME questions that could be considered "tough", they also spent the majority of the interview trying to play 'gotcha' and asking questions that were thinly veiled attempts to validate the hot takes that they'd been trying to hump on the show for weeks. Grousbeck wouldn't take the bait, and at the conclusion of the interview Felger said, "Well that was a whole lot of nothing... I wish he'd answer the tough questions instead of being so PR conscious." I don't know why Grousbeck would want to play the sucker, so the F&M approach came across to me as (typically) cynical and a demonstration of bad faith media interviewing.They definitely do this. One example was Felger absolutely railing on the B's when they went with Rask in Game 6. He was doing it before the game even started. Also, their interview with Wyc Grousbeck the other day was phenomenal. They will ask the tough questions while most of the rest of the local media (especially the Celtics beat) will just lob softballs...
Yea, I heard that inter iew and the whole point of it was to get him to mess up and make F&M look right. He definitely called them out on it a couple of times.I have to disagree with this perspective. The impression I got is that while true that they asked Grousbeck SOME questions that could be considered "tough", they also spent the majority of the interview trying to play 'gotcha' and asking questions that were thinly veiled attempts to validate the hot takes that they'd been trying to hump on the show for weeks. Grousbeck wouldn't take the bait, and at the conclusion of the interview Felger said, "Well that was a whole lot of nothing... I wish he'd answer the tough questions instead of being so PR conscious." I don't know why Grousbeck would want to play the sucker, so the F&M approach came across to me as (typically) cynical and a demonstration of bad faith media interviewing.
And if the Bs had gone with Swayman Felger would rail on Rask for being soft and coming up small in the playoffs, that's not having an honest take, he's ignored facts and trashed Rask for yearsThey definitely do this. One example was Felger absolutely railing on the B's when they went with Rask in Game 6. He was doing it before the game even started. Also, their interview with Wyc Grousbeck the other day was phenomenal. They will ask the tough questions while most of the rest of the local media (especially the Celtics beat) will just lob softballs.
For someone who doesn’t understand why they are popular, you sure do listen a lot.And if the Bs had gone with Swayman Felger would rail on Rask for being soft and coming up small in the playoffs, that's not having an honest take, he's ignored facts and trashed Rask for years
Yeah it's not like there's a 214 page thread on this board that gets updated after every asinine take that they have or something.For someone who doesn’t understand why they are popular, you sure do listen a lot.
"You're right, Mike!"What will Mazz say about the Red Sox if they manage to win a series in Oakland, a place where they've sucked since the As moved there from Kansas City?
He couldn't be happier.Mazz says he is coming into the studio one day this week wearing a Rizzo Yankees jersey and eye black.
The show has somehow become a parody of itself. They always had hot takes mixed in but they somehow spiraled to a point where they are all trying to out hot take each other now. And sadly it won’t end given their ridiculously high ratings. Only thing that will change it is if ratings start dropping.In case anyone is wondering, Jim Murray is already saying it much be time to call Mac Jones a bust.