Is WGR doing a disservice to the Sabres?

[inkman]

I listen to WGR an absurd amount.  Usually anywhere from 4-7 hours a day.  I try to catch any and all Sabres content they provide.  The Instigators is great for this. Sports Talk Saturdays are usually heavy with Sabres content.

But the stations two mainstay shows, Howard & Jeremy and Schopp & Bulldog have been super light on content, in particular the last week or so.  With the team looking so good, the kid line tearing up the NHL, Tage bursting into a superstar, Dahlin looking like a Norris nominee and Power and Samuelsson blossoming into NHL stalwarts; finding Sabres content on WGR has been frustrating.  
 

I realize NFL and the Bills are king in Buffalo.  I just think with the team struggling to get butts in the seats, there would be a push to promote the aforementioned things rather than dedicating hours upon hours to OBJ watch.
 

Is it just me?  

[Weave]

Its always been that way.

The Bills are the 600lb gorilla in the room when it comes to revenue production.  The Sabres don’t have a chance.

[Porous Five Hole]

 

17 minutes ago, Weave said:

Its always been that way.

The Bills are the 600lb gorilla in the room when it comes to revenue production.  The Sabres don’t have a chance.

I don’t think it was always quite this way. I think it has gone from 65/35 to 95/5.  
 

Remember when Schoop & BD used to broadcast live from the arena on game days? Remember the weekly chats with Darcy & Botts during the afternoon drive show?

 

Schoop was (and maybe still is) a season ticket holder. But like a lot of us (I am an ex-holder), I think he’s made it clear over time that he became disillusioned.

It was a lot more hockey-centric in the past. 

However, I do agree with your overall point that it has always been Bills first. It has just multiplied due to the Bills success and Sabres ineptitude.  

[JoeSchmoe]

15 years or so ago when the Sabres were good and the Bills were bad, the Sabres were the primary topic of conversation on the morning and afternoon shows. 

[Eleven]

30 minutes ago, inkman said:

I listen to WGR an absurd amount.  Usually anywhere from 4-7 hours a day.  I try to catch any and all Sabres content they provide.  The Instigators is great for this. Sports Talk Saturdays are usually heavy with Sabres content.

But the stations two mainstay shows, Howard & Jeremy and Schopp & Bulldog have been super light on content, in particular the last week or so.  With the team looking so good, the kid line tearing up the NHL, Tage bursting into a superstar, Dahlin looking like a Norris nominee and Power and Samuelsson blossoming into NHL stalwarts; finding Sabres content on WGR has been frustrating.  
 

I realize NFL and the Bills are king in Buffalo.  I just think with the team struggling to get butts in the seats, there would be a push to promote the aforementioned things rather than dedicating hours upon hours to OBJ watch.
 

Is it just me?  

I feel like I hear a fair amount of Sabres talk between 7 and 8.  As much as in 2006?  No way.

[mjd1001]

46 minutes ago, inkman said:

I listen to WGR an absurd amount.  Usually anywhere from 4-7 hours a day.  I try to catch any and all Sabres content they provide.  The Instigators is great for this. Sports Talk Saturdays are usually heavy with Sabres content.

But the stations two mainstay shows, Howard & Jeremy and Schopp & Bulldog have been super light on content, in particular the last week or so.  With the team looking so good, the kid line tearing up the NHL, Tage bursting into a superstar, Dahlin looking like a Norris nominee and Power and Samuelsson blossoming into NHL stalwarts; finding Sabres content on WGR has been frustrating.  
 

I realize NFL and the Bills are king in Buffalo.  I just think with the team struggling to get butts in the seats, there would be a push to promote the aforementioned things rather than dedicating hours upon hours to OBJ watch.
 

Is it just me?  

I agree with you. To me the Sabres have better stories...there is more growth/development...more material to talk about. With the Bills, its kinda the same thing over and over and over.  I drive a lot for work (on the days I'm not home) and sometimes turn off WGR for 2 reasons:  1.)  When the aftenoon show doesn't talk sports but talks gambling too much, about their personal lives, a friend they haven't seen in a while, the crazy number of fantasy teams they are in (much of which they do in the morning but in the AM they get to sports quicker) or 2.)  When I have had enough of the same Bills talk over and over and over saying nothing really new but repeating it anyway.

Not much shows this better than whey they interview the head coaches. I like McDermott as a coach, but he is Billicheck-lite...he answers every question without really answering it, bordering on the arrogant 'we'll keep this in-house' on most things.  Granato I don't want to miss...he is much more open, talks honestly (at least in the postive) ways about his players, and often times says stuff that the typical casual fan never thinks about.  Just for me, a lo more to the Sabres talk than the Bills talk.

Edited December 7, 2022 by mjd1001

[tom webster]

TV and RADIO and have been on the cutting edge of analytics since the 50’s. They broadcast what their target demographics want, it’s that simple.

[cltbills]

Think it has anything to do with the fact that the Bills are a Super Bowl contending team and the Sabres haven't been relevant in a decade and a half? 

I love the Sabres, but I can understand it. Good news is that it seems like the Sabres are on the uptick, so hopefully they'll start getting a little more time. Problem is, we've seen a lot of great pre-Christmas runs by the Sabres in recent years, only for it to all fall apart. Nobody is buying in until they prove it.

I mean the second-highest non-pinned topic ON THIS BOARD (a Sabres board) is titled "Buffalo Bills 2022-23"

Edited December 7, 2022 by cltbills

[matter2003]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

I listen to WGR an absurd amount.  Usually anywhere from 4-7 hours a day.  I try to catch any and all Sabres content they provide.  The Instigators is great for this. Sports Talk Saturdays are usually heavy with Sabres content.

But the stations two mainstay shows, Howard & Jeremy and Schopp & Bulldog have been super light on content, in particular the last week or so.  With the team looking so good, the kid line tearing up the NHL, Tage bursting into a superstar, Dahlin looking like a Norris nominee and Power and Samuelsson blossoming into NHL stalwarts; finding Sabres content on WGR has been frustrating.  
 

I realize NFL and the Bills are king in Buffalo.  I just think with the team struggling to get butts in the seats, there would be a push to promote the aforementioned things rather than dedicating hours upon hours to OBJ watch.
 

Is it just me?  

The problem is, the Bills are just as entertaining if not moreso, except they are the best team in the NFL, the Super Bowl favorites and by DVOA, the best Bills team of all time.

They get the majority of the coverage and rightfully so at this point.

Sabres want more? Go earn it in the standings.

Edited December 7, 2022 by matter2003

[inkman]

1 hour ago, tom webster said:

TV and RADIO and have been on the cutting edge of analytics since the 50’s. They broadcast what their target demographics want, it’s that simple.

I get it.  Maybe it’s time to listen to the podcasts that are out there.  Lots of content, not sure how much is listenable. Maybe I’ll start my own.  😀

[inkman]

2 hours ago, Eleven said:

I feel like I hear a fair amount of Sabres talk between 7 and 8.  As much as in 2006?  No way.

The night cap does tend to have more Sabres content as the young dudes that have been hosting the last few years are more Sabres centric.  

[Mustache of God]

Isn't it more exciting to listen to those guys talk about fantasy football?

[JoeSchmoe]

Like Inky, I used to listen to quite a bit of WGR, but now I've pretty much given up.

Even in the car, I can do about 1 hour total per week of listening to Bills coverage, then it just gets too exhausting. 

I don't know how anyone can listen to so much football talk and still be entertained.  There's only 1 game a week. That's not a lot of material to talk about. At least with hockey there's usually a game every 2 or 3 days.

Then there's the gambling and fantasy talk... NO THANKS!

[Zamboni]

Does one want to listen to hockey talk? Or does one want to only listen to Sabres talk?

because there is plenty of decent hockey talk through Podcasts and other national radio shows IMO.

I know everybody has their preference, and that’s fine, I simply can’t stand to listen to WGR more than an hour a day.  At the most. and I think the worst show by far is Schoop and Parker. The Content, the lack of research, the low brow entertainment value. I just find it terrible personally. but again everybody has their preference.

[SwampD]

Shopp loves the drama around sports way more than the actual sports themselves. At the height of the Tank, I remember him saying how awful it was going to be when they would have to be discussing who should start at second line right wing again. 

There is no drama with the Sabres right now. It's just a workman like rebuild so it holds no interest to him.

[tom webster]

1 hour ago, inkman said:

I get it.  Maybe it’s time to listen to the podcasts that are out there.  Lots of content, not sure how much is listenable. Maybe I’ll start my own.  😀

I hear you. I’ve tried podcasts, some by friends, and I find them unlistenable. They spend ten minutes telling you what they are going to talk about and it goes down from there…..

[Brawndo]

3 hours ago, inkman said:

I get it.  Maybe it’s time to listen to the podcasts that are out there.  Lots of content, not sure how much is listenable. Maybe I’ll start my own.  😀

Maintenance Day with Joe Yerdon and Lance Lysowski is great. 
 

Expected Buffalo and The Instigator Pod are good as well. 
 

Sabres Live is on Tuesday thru Friday and they release a weekly Pod on Mondays usually. 
 

 

[mjd1001]

1 hour ago, Zamboni said:

Does one want to listen to hockey talk? Or does one want to only listen to Sabres talk?

because there is plenty of decent hockey talk through Podcasts and other national radio shows IMO.

I know everybody has their preference, and that’s fine, I simply can’t stand to listen to WGR more than an hour a day.  At the most. and I think the worst show by far is Schoop and Parker. The Content, the lack of research, the low brow entertainment value. I just find it terrible personally. but again everybody has their preference.

I'm up in Niagara county so I sometimes will pick up 590 out of Toronto.  In Erie county it is hit-or-miss whether it can be picked up but they do a good job with Hockey.  Most of their shows of course lean toward the Leafs, but they touch on the rest of the league quite a bit.  3-5pm....Kyper and Bourne is the show...is probably the one that is best with Hockey...again a lot of Leafs stuff, but they frequently talk, and sometimes have had interviews with people from other cities around the league.  I usually start on WGR, but often if I'm in the car then I'll switch over to 590.

And even when they do focus on the Leafs, who I do not like, I find it  more interesting to listen to than the WGR afternoon show. 590 talks about the teams, the games.  They talk about hockey issues...much better than listening to Schopp go on and on about his fantasy teams and bets he places....I hate that so much, its a sports talk show, can you at least stick to the actual games and teams MOST Of the time?  

Edited December 7, 2022 by mjd1001

[Radar]

WGR is bad. Of course, in my opinion, most sports talk radio is. In my perfect world sports radio would focus interviews GM's , coaches and players. Hosts hopefully less entertaining and better interviewing. Oh, please no call ins as most of the calls are just terrible.

[Kr632]

5 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

15 years or so ago when the Sabres were good and the Bills were bad, the Sabres were the primary topic of conversation on the morning and afternoon shows. 

I remember Schopp and Bulldogg were at my job doing a show with Jerry Sullivan. It was shortly before the draft, the Bills had a pretty high pick and there was something that happened that day or day before that related to the Bills. I asked if they were going to talk about it, I was laughed at and told no. It was all sabres talk back then. 

[PromoTheRobot]

7 hours ago, inkman said:

I listen to WGR an absurd amount.  Usually anywhere from 4-7 hours a day.  I try to catch any and all Sabres content they provide.  The Instigators is great for this. Sports Talk Saturdays are usually heavy with Sabres content.

But the stations two mainstay shows, Howard & Jeremy and Schopp & Bulldog have been super light on content, in particular the last week or so.  With the team looking so good, the kid line tearing up the NHL, Tage bursting into a superstar, Dahlin looking like a Norris nominee and Power and Samuelsson blossoming into NHL stalwarts; finding Sabres content on WGR has been frustrating.  
 

I realize NFL and the Bills are king in Buffalo.  I just think with the team struggling to get butts in the seats, there would be a push to promote the aforementioned things rather than dedicating hours upon hours to OBJ watch.
 

Is it just me?  

Once the Bills are done it'll be all Sabres. That's how it's always been. You'll see more sellouts too.

Edited December 8, 2022 by PromoTheRobot

[grinreaper]

3 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Like Inky, I used to listen to quite a bit of WGR, but now I've pretty much given up.

Even in the car, I can do about 1 hour total per week of listening to Bills coverage, then it just gets too exhausting. 

I don't know how anyone can listen to so much football talk and still be entertained.  There's only 1 game a week. That's not a lot of material to talk about. At least with hockey there's usually a game every 2 or 3 days.

Then there's the gambling and fantasy talk... NO THANKS!

The proliferation of gambling and its promotion on sports shows and even during intermissions of games gives professional sports not only a black eye but does real harm to the way those leagues are and will be seen in the future. I have nothing against gambling and if I wanted to give up being an actual fan I might decide to take the time to be knowledgeable enough to make a living at it. I like being a fan and specifically keep up with the Bills & Sabres as part of my fandom. Years ago I was involved in fantasy sports in the NFL, NHL, MLB, PGA and probably more other sports that I really didn't give a crap about. Not only did they take up a lot of my time but I found out that being involved with fantasy leagues changed my perspective as a fan and gave me mixed feelings about the specifics of a game. It was easy, straightforward and somewhat pure to root for your team to dominate and blow out their opponent. Just hoping for them to win while allowing my starting fantasy WR that happened to play for NE or Miami to do well made me feel sort of dirty and less of a fan. I began to not enjoy sports in general or my favorite teams as much. I ended up quitting all fantasy leagues and have no regrets. Sports are fun again and my emotions are focused on my teams rather than that missed field goal by Barney Fife that caused me to lose this week to "JetsRNY'sBestTeam". 

Gambling offers the same problems and issues that fantasy leagues do but it takes away from the game in a more fundamental manner. Until recently, professional sports leagues have always had a no tolerance position on gambling. League officials in all sports were of the opinion that gambling led  to public distrust of the honesty and purity of games. Gambling on games was generally illegal and the gambling that did happen was done in the shadows and with the characters that were involved there wasn't much publicity. After all, even those who do gamble on sports need to trust that the leagues would never tolerate the fixing of games. Same with casual fans who may not invest money but do invest their support and emotions. A case in point regarding the importance of trust is the lack of gambling on professional wrestling. Anyway, it seems like sports leagues have changed course over the years and are now cozying up to the people and practices that may actually contribute to their demise. 

[gomper]

First mistake is listening to GR. Find a podcast.  Plenty of them around. 

[Eleven]

7 hours ago, inkman said:

The night cap does tend to have more Sabres content as the young dudes that have been hosting the last few years are more Sabres centric.  

Sorry man--I meant between 7 and 8 am!

[Brawndo]

They might get 10 whole minutes of airtime tomorrow.

The opening segment on HJS will probably be all about Tage.