WGR 550

[Green Lightning]

I'm in Rochester so I can pick up WGR in my car and listen to Howard in the morning. I like the show. Shopp and the Lapdog are on in Rochester on 950 AM. Great, except the show is unlistenable. Arrogant and like pointed out earlier in this thread, they really hate their jobs and it shows. Shopp is pr*ck and hates the Bills and football and loves to ridicule some of the less then informed callers. I'd love to go head to head with him without him having the volume and on-off button control. He's a bully and egocentric. So don't listen you say.... I don't and it's a shame that there is no other local sports talk that cover the Bills.

[PromoTheRobot]

Buffalo could really use a decent sports station. If I had a couple million dollars I'd by the old WKBW with its 50,000 watt signal. Then I'd hire decent hosts. (I think Coach Sal would be a candidate.) But I wouldn't stop there. Every host would be paired with a former Buffalo pro athlete: Rob Ray, Ruben Brown, etc. And I would also add in a non-douchey reporter (Sorry, Jerry Sullivan.) And instead of doing movie star drafts, I would actually talk sports 24/7. Mostly Bills and Sabres, but also local college and high school, and MLB and NBA too. If ESPN can fill 3 networks with sports, you can't tell me WGR can't fill 8 hours a day?

 

PTR

[West End Stench]

I agree with most here. The morning show is O.K., it's about what you expect from a morning show, kinda wacky with sports information mixed in with nonsense. I like Howard Simon, I think he's a good radio personality. Certainly not my go-to for Bills information though.

 

Schopp and the Bulldog are unbelievable. Bulldog has never had an original thought and is nothing but a yes-man to Schopp. I've never heard them actually disagree with eachother and debate. Schopp has a case of the Monday's every day of the week and it seems like he really hates dealing with callers. It's come to a point where I feel bad for whoever calls in to disagree with their topical thesis for the day. Most of the time they are disrespectful to their callers. Serious d*ckheads.

 

I do, however, enjoy the field-reporter's camp coverage in the evening.

[purple haze]

while I do think they are both idiots, and no one thinks more highly of Shoup than himself, you do need to put things in perspective.

 

Buffalo is hard pressed to fully support two non winning sports teams. Their jobs depend on the Sabre's not the Bill's. If the Sabres left town, WGR would be gone with them as they'd have nothing left. I'm sure much of their advertising $$ come from Sabre related programming. So if you're deciding do I go to a Bills or Sabre game, well the Bills are doing poor anyway, run by a bunch of morons (that's where they come in to convince you of that) you put your money on the Sabre's.

 

The perspective is that a so called sports talk show should be talking about sports more than they talk about various "drafts." The local teams should be a topic of conversation as well as national sports stories. It seems from what I read that these guys talk very little sports and very little about local sports outside of the Sabres. That's poor. They need to get some real sports hosts in those jobs.

[Who is Yuri?]

I don't post here often and probably won't follow up on this, but this topic brought me out of the shadows for a moment. The best way to get them off the air is to e-mail or write to the companies that advertise during their show. Just state that you refuse to use their product or service because of their association with Schopp and the Bulldog, and that you'll be telling your friends and family to do the same.

 

That'll be more effective than writing WGR directly, and you can just use the same e-mail for all the different companies.

[FreakPop]

Try the John DiTullio show on AM 1280 from 3-6. It's light years ahead of Schlepp and the Bullfart!

[Hossage]

Jerry Sullivan is a scumbag.

[NickMendola]

Just talked to Brad and he says most folks listen to us via "Tunein" for iPhone. I've been able to access the streaming link from my DROID via the link on the top of the soon-to-be redeveloped weck1230.com

 

I love talking football and while I have tons of friends at the other station I'll tell you I'm willing to subvert a music discussion if you have something you want to talk about. We thrive off listeners, and air from 7-10 p.m. EST on nights the Yankees don't play.

 

Last night we talked Tim Kennedy, Aaron Schobel, the UB Bulls, Cleveland vs. Buffalo sports, living in Boston as a sports fan and popular songs that aren't very good. We mix up the music and guests (tonight I'm going to give the Buffalo Rumblings guys a try, last night we had Paul Peck).

 

You have an alternative. Read my recent Bills posts at www.nickmendola.com

 

Always taking advice: nickonweck@gmail.com

 

Go Bills,

Nick

www.twitter.com/NicholasMendola

www.facebook.com/thelatenickmendola

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

My comments were geared more towards the OP mentioning about how they bash the Bill's not so much that they don't even talk sports. I totally agree they are terrible, but I can understand why they'd promote the Sabres at the expense of the Bill's. That's just smart business.

 

I don't live in wester nNY anymore so don't need ot listen to them. But when I did, I thought thye were lowsy. Now I get ot listen to Prime Time with the Packman. (hosted by Billy Packers son if you remember Billy)

 

The perspective is that a so called sports talk show should be talking about sports more than they talk about various "drafts." The local teams should be a topic of conversation as well as national sports stories. It seems from what I read that these guys talk very little sports and very little about local sports outside of the Sabres. That's poor. They need to get some real sports hosts in those jobs.

[gomper]

This thread comes up time to time and everything said here is right on the money. WGR is horrible. It will stay that way until some solid competition arrives and that would percipitate a change in how broadcast ownership is structured. In other words, an act of Congress. Good luck.

 

I'm amazed by two things daily. The beauty of the sunrise and the fact that Bulldog still has a career. He sounds as marble-mouthed as when he began. Schopp really does seem to not want to be there most days and their producer, the psudo-comic, is a total d-bag.

 

I know people point toward WECK as a real alternative but it isn't. Brad is Brad. What you hear is what you get and thats not very much. Lots of self-satisfied attitude and nothing of substance. Not to mention he's a real bad broadcaster technically. I listened to the new guy Nick. At least he tries to stay in context but it sounds like some college radio show. Not much personality and as a listener I really could care less what music he likes. I've heard these two utter the "I'm just a guy with a radio show" line over and over. If thats true, what compelling reason is there to listen if your just like everyone else and nothing sets you apart?

 

Sportstalk is dead is most of us know it in Buffalo. For examples of how it should be done try FAN590, WFAN, and KNBR. These station actually respect the intelligence of their listeners.

[NickMendola]

I know people point toward WECK as a real alternative but it isn't. Brad is Brad. What you hear is what you get and thats not very much. Lots of self-satisfied attitude and nothing of substance. Not to mention he's a real bad broadcaster technically. I listened to the new guy Nick. At least he tries to stay in context but it sounds like some college radio show. Not much personality and as a listener I really could care less what music he likes. I've heard these two utter the "I'm just a guy with a radio show" line over and over. If thats true, what compelling reason is there to listen if your just like everyone else and nothing sets you apart?

 

Sportstalk is dead is most of us know it in Buffalo. For examples of how it should be done try FAN590, WFAN, and KNBR. These station actually respect the intelligence of their listeners.

 

Sportstalk -- and talk radio in general -- is far from dead. Podcasts and online radio have combined with terrestrial to really solidify what the medium has always been going for.

 

As for me, the "guy with a radio show" line aims to show that while we get inside info to the Bills & Sabres, and went to school for broadcasting/journalism/whatever, we aren't here to talk down to people. Anyone who does that is a joke. I don't want to put my show out there to callers as a way for them to be judged. The compelling reason is that folks have identified our opinions -- on sports, music or life -- as something worth interacting with. I don't control that, but I'm grateful for it every day.

 

Cheers to discourse,

Nick

[shoretalk]

I was listened today at work while moving stuff around and was so miffed because they didn't talk sports at all. I listened for at least an hour and nothing!!! They were talking about actors on SNL. I live in Washington State. I can hardly ever listen because I am at work and all I wanted was some Bills news and nothing!!

Living out of town and hoping to catch some BILLS' talk I have become totally frustrated with GR!

 

Here in South Jersey there are numerous SPORTS TALK stations that do nothing but talk EAGLES football with a mix of PHILLIES and a few other sports items tossed in. Not a single Philly or South Jersey Sports Talk station would ever devote more than a minor portion of their programming to non-sports material.

 

I would be so curious to see what the ratings are for GR ... but sadly even WECK radio with Nick Mendola in the afternoon frequently leaves the subject of sports to talk about video games or other non-sports items.

 

I have never ever heard a single mention of the Buffalo Bisons nor their parent affiliate the NY Mets on either station. Frankly, I am interested in knowing about the Bisons and about the UB Bulls summer program ... is there anotehr Naaman Roosevelt on the squad?

 

I miss EMPIRE SPORTS on cable because it was available on my cable system here and I was able to get Buffalo sports every single day of the year ...

 

Perhaps a local boycott of GR's sponsors might help ... if everyone on this board would contact each of GR's sponsors and complain maybe the almighty dollar might influence a return to sports talk on a sports talk station.

[BuffaloWest]

I was listened today at work while moving stuff around and was so miffed because they didn't talk sports at all. I listened for at least an hour and nothing!!! They were talking about actors on SNL. I live in Washington State. I can hardly ever listen because I am at work and all I wanted was some Bills news and nothing!!

 

I work for a sports talk station in San Diego called XX Sports 1090 AM. WGR is NOT a good station. People back in Buffalo dont seem to know the difference as it is all they get. I have contacted the program director at WGR and urged him to listen to our station to get a better handle on how to schedule guests, features, etc...No reply! Trust me, Id rather listen to Bills and Sabres talk than Padres and Chargers, but those guys on WGR are bush league, especially Shopp And Bulldog. Those guys wouldnt even get a spot on Sunday Nights 12 mid to 6am out here...

 

WGR cant even get any decent Bills interviews...We had Buddy Nix and Trent Edwards on our station out here in San Diego talking about the Bills...I have to listen to San Diego Sports talk to get Bills info! I used to stream WGR, but rarely do now...Those guys are just sooo boring in mid day/afternoons....Anyways if you get bored enough check us out online at www.xx1090sandiego.com . Jim Rome started his career here when we were XTRA Sports 690 in the 90's. The owner John Lynch Sr. knows how to find talent. WGR needs help in that department.

[Peevo]

I don't know what the big deal is. If you don't like it, don't listen in.

 

What do you want them to do? Talk about pitching strategy and NASCAR pit strategy for 4 hours? It's August, before preseason. July-early August is sports talk radio hell, and even Colin Cowherd would agree with that.

 

We don't have a big league baseball team. They cover training camp everyday. The Sabres don't exactly make blockbuster moves, unless you count cutting a 3rd line player for a really cheap arbitrated deal.

[West End Stench]

WGR cant even get any decent Bills interviews...We had Buddy Nix and Trent Edwards on our station out here in San Diego talking about the Bills...I have to listen to San Diego Sports talk to get Bills info!

 

This is a great observation. My friend steams a, *gulp*, Miami Dolphins broadcast from south Florida. He said they had a 10 minute segment with Chan Gailey the other day. Bills inverviews and call-ups are few and far inbetween on WGR.

 

I'm living in Chicago at the moment and the AM sports coverage is just phenomenal out here. Something I wish I could bring back to the Buffalo area with me someday.

[nobody]

This is a great observation. My friend steams a, *gulp*, Miami Dolphins broadcast from south Florida. He said they had a 10 minute segment with Chan Gailey the other day. Bills inverviews and call-ups are few and far inbetween on WGR.

 

I'm living in Chicago at the moment and the AM sports coverage is just phenomenal out here. Something I wish I could bring back to the Buffalo area with me someday.

 

 

Perhaps this is due to the fact that 97 rock is the official Bills station in Buffalo.

[bbb]

I have been listening, quite a bit, lately, to Shoop & the Bulldog. I think people here exaggerate, at times, how little they talk about sports. Sure, they throw other things in there, but the other day, they talked at great length about the QB competition

and other training camp issues. They even have a 1 hour nightly training camp show, from Rochester, with Paul Hamilton.

 

As for "all the talk about is Sabres" thing, that is crap too. Sure, they talk about the Sabres a lot, but they hammer them pretty well. I think there are just a lot of folks on this Bills board, who don't really care about the Sabres, and hockey...but that is your issue. There are quite a few who love both teams...they talk about baseball and golf as well (two sports I have little to no interest in anymore) because that is what they do.

 

They aren't the best, by any stretch...but then, neither are the teams that they cover!

 

Thank you. Somebody who actually listens.

 

WTF more do you guys want to talk about the Bills. They suck. There is only so much you can talk about with figuring out which 2nd rate QB is going to be our starter this year.

 

I've been going to games every year since 1968 and this is my 25th year with season tickets, so I love them as much as anybody......But, I can't listen to talk about them for more than five minutes before I switch the station. Even less than that for the Sabres in the summer. And, like Buftex says above, they DO hammer the Sabres all the time. It's like you guys stopped listening 3-4 years ago, and still have the same complaints as I did then. (Then they were sucking up to the Sabres)

 

For those asking about WECK for the iphone, I downloaded pocket tunes - the app cost something like 6 bucks, and it works great.

[PromoTheRobot]

Thank you. Somebody who actually listens.

For those asking about WECK for the iphone, I downloaded pocket tunes - the app cost something like 6 bucks, and it works great.

The Wunderadio app is cheaper and has almost every station on the planet.

 

PTR

[bbb]

The Wunderadio app is cheaper and has almost every station on the planet.

 

PTR

 

Yeah, that $6 really set me back!

 

Actually, I'll have to check out wunderadio..........I'm addicted to apps!

[dwight in philly]

Thank you. Somebody who actually listens.

 

WTF more do you guys want to talk about the Bills. They suck. There is only so much you can talk about with figuring out which 2nd rate QB is going to be our starter this year.

 

I've been going to games every year since 1968 and this is my 25th year with season tickets, so I love them as much as anybody......But, I can't listen to talk about them for more than five minutes before I switch the station. Even less than that for the Sabres in the summer. And, like Buftex says above, they DO hammer the Sabres all the time. It's like you guys stopped listening 3-4 years ago, and still have the same complaints as I did then. (Then they were sucking up to the Sabres)

 

For those asking about WECK for the iphone, I downloaded pocket tunes - the app cost something like 6 bucks, and it works great.

i totally disagree regarding the fact you feel that they no longer "suck up to the sabres". go to their website. i realize their fan polls are assinine, but the mere fact that they have them lends itself to a critique of them. the sabres do nothing in the off-season, for the most part on yearly basis, constantly do salary dumps, directly stick it to the fans with their smugness and the GR FAN POLL TODAY: "do you like brett favre?" huh? how about " do you think the sabres are vindictive? anyone of us could fill in the obvious questions that go begging about the sabres mgmt style. but the bills???, they are all over them in a "back door" critical analysis constantly with poll questions. not sure if i am making myself clear, but i maintain GR has a pro- sabre agenda. any criticism of them is done to appear "fair and balanced" and is totally transparent.