Sports Talk: A Journey Inside the World of Sports Talk Radio

Sports columnists and TV pundits don't know what to make of him. We, the legion of his followers, don't care. Hell, we're not even sure we like him. We certainly don't always agree with him. But we always, always tune in.

Sports Talk is definitely for smack listeners everywhere. --Michael Ferch

Product Description

A Journey inside the World of Sports Talk Radio

Their voices explode over the airwaves -- with names like Mike and the Mad Dog, the Stinkin' Genius, Hacksaw, and JT the Brick. They broadcast in drive time and downtime, from rush hour to the dead of night. And yet, millions of fans tune in around the clock to hear their favorite larger-than-life radio personalities rant, rave, critique, predict, and mix it up with callers -- the dedicated fans of sports talk radio.

Never before has this cloistered world opened its doors to a no-holds-barred, behind-the-scenes, full-access look at itself. Noted journalist (and fan) Alan Eisenstock embarks on a journey through the American sports radio landscape and gives readers a front-row seat -- from breakfast at the kitchen table of Eddie Andelman, Boston's godfather of sports radio, to the WFAN commissary with Mike and the Mad Dog in New York; from the plush home game room of Chicago's hot dog-vendorturned-#1 DJ Mike North to the empty 3 AM studio parking garage with nationally syndicated JT the Brick. Eisenstock goes into the studios, homes, and lives of these and many other of America's hottest and most-listened-to sports talk hosts.

Filled with hilarious and entertaining tales of what makes these hosts tick -- as well as the unbelievable stories of how they got where they are today -- Sports Talk paints a picture the fans never see. Eisenstock shows us the blood, sweat, and tears of program directors with their reputations on the line; hosts searching for career security; and station managers who are always eyeing the bottom line. And, of course, there are stories of the rabid, obsessed, and off-the-wall fans. Whether you're a sports fan or a sports talk junkie, you'll be hooked from the first page.

More than 20 years later, Eisenstock is still listening to sports radio, only now he's meeting with various sports jocks, both the success stories and the strugglers. He wants to know just what makes them tick, why they are able to create worlds so involving that people like him can sit and listen for hours while others go further and become "callers."

I couldn't put this one down. It's not that Eisenstock plunges into a lot of juicy sports controversies. There's mention of whether Gil Hodges should get into the Baseball Hall of Fame, an atypical outburst by Rick Pitino, and why black athletes excel in certain fields of endeavor more than whites. But all that is secondary to the main focus of this book, which is the people, those that listen, those that call, and those that host.

Papa Joe Chevalier in Chicago gets a call from an attractive-sounding woman who wants to wish him a Happy Valentine's Day. Will he take her number? Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton in San Diego hides behind hideous orange sunglasses, opening up after much prompting only to shut down again abruptly. JT The Brick in San Fran is able to do eight straight hours of live radio with the help of just some creamy pastries, but can he find his car for the ride home?

New York's Mike Francesa and Chris "Mad Dog" Russo enjoy their status as sports talk radio's gold standard, enough to almost enjoy being with each other. I had the chance to interview Mike and the Mad Dog a couple of years ago, before reading "Sports Talk," and all I can say is I wish I had done half the job Eisenstock does here.

With all of these visits, what you get is a you-are-there second-by-second account of conversational back-and-forth, a sense of how these guys talk when the light isn't on. The results are bluntly hilarious, sometimes rude, and always real. Like this account of his first conversation with Boston's Eddie Andelman:

"Why the hell do you want to talk to me?"

Boston accent thick as chowder.

"Because I think you're the guy who started sports talk radio as we know it today."

"Well," Eddie Andelman says, "that's probably true."

I only wish there was more context offered, a sense of the history of sports talk beyond Eisenstock's memories of Superfan from way back when. I know there were sports talk shows before then, not of the hours-long variety Eisenstock profiles, but significant enough to be worth mentioning, people like Art Rust Jr. and others. Yet Eisenstock takes his own very individualistic tack on the story, and it works very well.

"They are not uneducated thugs who wander into radio stations to disgorge incoherent sports opinions off the tops of their thick heads for four hours at a crack," he writes. "They are intelligent, funny, knowledgeable, prepared, opinionated, passionate, full of energy and warmth, and maybe just a tad wacky. In other words, guys you'd want to hang out with."

Thanks to Eisenstock, you do.


A listerner's one hour interviews   January 16, 2002
 4 out of 6 found this review helpful

As a fan of sports radio, and someone with intimate knowledge of the key players, the business and the politics I was disappointed to find little or no mention of those elements in this book. The author clearly identifies himself as a listener turned interviewer and barely shares anything provactive or interesting. Chapters are dedicated to major personalities, but Mr. Eisenstock spends too little time either with the individuals or with the subject matter. Further, I found his discourse slightly pessimistic and disrespectful of those he interviewed in basic humane terms. The language and tone was spoiled.

The book and subject have depth potential, not tapped by Mr. Eisenstock.


Well worth any sports fan's time   December 27, 2001
 3 out of 4 found this review helpful

As someone who works in the business and has actually crossed paths with some of the personalities profiled in this book, I enjoyed it a great deal. I especially appreciate the author presenting the hosts as the intelligent, rational people they have to be to do this job as opposed to opting for the mouth-breathing idiot caricature bitter print guys love to trot out to bash us. Nice work and a very good read.