Bills radio (Mike Schopp is awful)

[KDIGGZ]

Sadly most of the WGR staff is pretty low quality, with a handful of exceptions. Most of the young guys are probably Buff State interns.

Many big city sports talk stations have several ex-jocks as hosts. Guys who can talk knowledgably about the game. WGR's sister station in Boston WEEI does that.

I guess Andrew Peters qualifies as the ex-jock host for hockey. They could use one or two guys for football.

This please! There has to be an ex player they can hire. We need someone that knows what they are talking about on that station

[bbb]

With Schopp at least, I alway just assumed "a sick day" meant "staying home with the kids because one of them is sick" or something like this. I have nothing against a parent staying home with a sick child or whatever. It's just that they have very public "look at me" sorts of jobs, and people like that usually work all the time. I'm surprised the station has such a flexible approach to be honest.

 

It's just kind of weird; one or the other is gone constantly.

 

By the same token, Sal is the "iron man" or utility player of the operation. The poor guy is on all the time and sometimes works double shifts on the same day, at differing times. It's kind of interesting.

 

Schopp has a weird habit of actually shouting into the microphone. His voice can be incredibly harsh and confrontational; Bulldog has a slight stutter-type problem. Some of the younger guys have absolutely no voice for radio whatsoever.

And then you have Jeremy White. If you listen to him for a while, you realize he's just a complete idiot.

 

See, when Schopp is out, I assume he's hungover! LOL

 

Sal definitely is the iron man. Something big happened in the last 9 months or so - maybe when Pegula bought the team, and Sal was on until late in the night, and then he was there at 6AM for that show. And, I'm pretty sure he had been on during the day, as well!

 

S&B must use his sick and vacation days!

 

[KDIGGZ]

omg, this is how out of touch these guys are. the one guy just said he's never seen the movie "Independence Day."

 

"is it good?" he asked.

 

[shoretalk]

The solutions to this dilemma are simple:

 

1. Stop listening to them! Ok, I know this is especially difficult after a Bills' game when most of us want to hear the postgame interviews and locker-room chatter. Since GR put Bull Sch as their post game hosts I have switched to music or to another more times than I want to admit to. Since the ROCK PILE Bills, I have been a fan and a radio listener who treasured the post game thoughts of hosts who studied the game. With Bull and Sch we have two hosts who do not think it is worth the time to do their homework. All I can think of is one of those two guys has some photo's of management because no other professional team's home station allows on air types like these guys to host the post game show.

 

2. Write to the station's management. See my note in 1 above ... I doubt this will work since the photo's clearly have more power.

 

3. Let the advertisers know you are not happy with the show they are sponsoring.

 

By never listening to these guys, I feel so much better not having to hear Sch ask guests if they have questions for him. My frustration level with GR has disappeared because I don't tune in from 4-7 hoping for sports talk only to find an intense discussion about candy instead.

 

I keep hoping that some station will do a post game show that includes locker room interviews but I guess I can hold off and wait for the Bills to post their video's.

 

They aren't worth listening to ... their passion is not sports (At least Sch has his cards and betting habits.) because if it was they'd be on top of any question that is brought up about the major leagues (When I used to listen it was so frustrating to hear them not even know the basics of the NFL, NHL, MLB, or the NBA much less college sports.).

 

 

omg, this is how out of touch these guys are. the one guy just said he's never seen the movie "Independence Day."

 

"is it good?" he asked.

 

Again, I am very thankful that I am not tuned into a SPORTS TALK STATION that has plenty of sports to talk about but instead is having a discussion of "Independence Day."

[bbb]

That's actually my own real big frustration with them at this point - because I can listen to podcasts and music during the week - is the postgame. I wait for Sal's show to start two hours after the game, because they've made their mind up at 4:01 about what they will talk about and will hang up anybody who wants to talk about any other aspect.

[Buftex]

Maybe letting your displeasure being known to the Pegulas will help. Sure, S & B are not, technically their employees...but I would think they have a lot of clout...particularly as it pertains to the post game show...which I agree, is pretty terrible. I don't even hate S&B, but they do not seem to have any innate interest in discussing the actual game we have just spent the afternoon watching. They can be kind of a buzz-kill. I don't mind Sal, but I would like a fresh voice on that post-game show.

[bbb]

They ARE a buzzkill after a game!

[Fadingpain]

The only way to make Hockey Hotline interesting is to count how many times those two talk over each other in a 5 minute period.

 

I can barely make it 5 minutes with that show... Lol

 

Two hosts desperately trying to yell over each other. It's sort of remarkable.

I am at least as interested in the Sabres/NHL as I am in the Bills/NFL...and I literally find Hockey Hotline to be unlistenable.

 

That's for a whole other thread I guess (LOL) but K-SLY comes across like a condescending prick; he has a grating, artificial laugh, and likes to say "Good stuff" to his interview guests which usually means "I don't know what to say now."

 

Petey is probably a good guy but he is a moron and as you note, the two talk over each other by raising their voices CONSTANTLY. It is actually really difficult to listen to people doing that, no matter what they are talking about or who they are.

 

After a while I decided to simply not listen, and I don't.

[harv shitz]

I quit listening to The afternoon Idiots 3 years ago. I missed listening for awhile, but not to them.

 

As for Hockey Hotline, there simply isn't enough good content to have that show on 5 days a week.

 

There seems to be enough negativity on this thread to make the powers at WGR to take a long look at a change, but I don't think it will happen, unfortunately.

 

If another station in town would come up with a good sports format, WGR would be in real trouble.

[AJ1]

I quit listening to The afternoon Idiots 3 years ago. I missed listening for awhile, but not to them.

 

As for Hockey Hotline, there simply isn't enough good content to have that show on 5 days a week.

 

There seems to be enough negativity on this thread to make the powers at WGR to take a long look at a change, but I don't think it will happen, unfortunately.

 

If another station in town would come up with a good sports format, WGR would be in real trouble

 

No competition breeds contemptible hosts like the two on 4-7 on GR. I can't stand to listen anymore. So is Buffalo such a one horse town that those two clowns have no fear of losing their 'jobs, ever'? .

[bbb]

I just wish there was competition on the postgame. It was better when 97 Rock carried the games, and GR had their own postgame, as well..............So, between the two, you could usually find something worth listening to.

[dhg]

I just wish there was competition on the postgame. It was better when 97 Rock carried the games, and GR had their own postgame, as well..............So, between the two, you could usually find something worth listening to.

Doesn't 1270 The Fan do a postgame or possibly one of the Rochester stations?

[stony]

I'm not huge fans, but if you had to listen to some of the morons that call in after losses I don't know if I could take it. Now the most logical response to this is, "well it's their job." True, but there's a breaking point for humans to have to listen to shear stupidity. I think these guys are exposed to it far greater than the normal fan. This is not an excuse, just my opinion.

 

Personally, I think Matthew Coller has a long-term future at the station. He's tuned in pretty good to the NHL and what not. I don't mind the morning guys. I don't understand the love for Sal. I get it, he works long hours...The best the station had was Andrew Filiponi who took off for greener pastures in Pittsburgh. Don't know what kind of offer they could have made him to stay, but it was pretty evident he was more talented than the two guys he was producing for (Schoop & Bulldog).

[bbb]

Doesn't 1270 The Fan do a postgame or possibly one of the Rochester stations?

 

Not that I know of. I wish they did.

 

[harv shitz]

Does anyone else get pissed at WGR for pulling Jim Rome so frequently? I enjoy Rome's show, and find it annoying when it's taken off the air.

[PromoTheRobot]

Does anyone else get pissed at WGR for pulling Jim Rome so frequently? I enjoy Rome's show, and find it annoying when it's taken off the air.

They only pull it when there is a breaking local story, like the big Sabres trade recently. I would be disappointed I'd they didn't preempt Rome.

[Fadingpain]

Does anyone else get pissed at WGR for pulling Jim Rome so frequently? I enjoy Rome's show, and find it annoying when it's taken off the air.

I find Jim Rome to be unlistenable and avoid him like the plague as a result.

 

Can't stand the guy.

[8-8 Forever?]

Why do they suck? One is a condescending, arrogant card-collecting geek whose tone, attitude, and disdain are un-listenable. The other is too afraid to have an opinion that differs from the geek because he's afraid he'll get the same treatment everyone else does... disgust and being dismissed and derided.

 

We're absolutely bereft of a single quality member of the media in this outside-the-top-50 media market with one newspaper and one sports radio channel.

 

I guess if I were Sullivan, Schopp, Parker, Gleason, etc I'd be miserable working in a minor market covering losing teams.

exactly. worst gigs in professional sports. A. only two teams to cover B. they both have sucked for 90% of their careers... can you imagine attending industry conferences and events being guys who cover b lo franchises? the defense mechanisms they must have to employ to maintain their sanity must spill over into their on air mentality. the siege mentality all bills/sabres fans have ...they have to wrap their employment around it. These teams need to start winning.... that is the only cure for this disease....

[bbb]

They only pull it when there is a breaking local story, like the big Sabres trade recently. I would be disappointed I'd they didn't preempt Rome.

 

For some reason, I think John Murphy is preempting Rome today at noon. He's at the combine, but that doesn't seem big enough, like a breaking story, like you said.

exactly. worst gigs in professional sports. A. only two teams to cover B. they both have sucked for 90% of their careers... can you imagine attending industry conferences and events being guys who cover b lo franchises? the defense mechanisms they must have to employ to maintain their sanity must spill over into their on air mentality. the siege mentality all bills/sabres fans have ...they have to wrap their employment around it. These teams need to start winning.... that is the only cure for this disease....

 

Hahaha - Schoop and Bulldog attending industry conferences. Yeah, they are so dedicated to their craft!

Does anyone else get pissed at WGR for pulling Jim Rome so frequently? I enjoy Rome's show, and find it annoying when it's taken off the air.

 

I hated Rome when I first heard him, then became a huge fan after I got used to him. My friends and I would talk about the show all the time. We even went to the tour stop here.

 

And, now I'm back to not hating him so much - but hating the show. He talks more about what he's going to talk about instead of actually just talking about it! I'm pretty sure he never gets to half of what he says he's going to get to - because every time I turn it on he's still talking about the thing he was an hour ago!

 

The callers and emailers used to be way better 10+ years ago.

[harv shitz]

I don't think pre empting the show today and tomorrow for the Combine is a smart decision. How much can you talk about guys doing drills?

 

I enjoy listening to Rome, he does keep you in touch with all of the sports world, and if a topic he has doesn't interest me, I change the channel for a bit and then go back.

 

Kinda like I do at 3 p.m. when Schopp comes on, I change the channel!

[Tintonfallsbillsfan]

This happened.

Mike " I don't want to talk about the qb situation because I don't find it interesting, I often wonder what someone passing through town would think if he heard us talking about who would be the qb "

He then spends the next 2 days taking about his only topic the dumping of the season by the sabers . Yeah Mike the guy passing through will be riveted. As if you should even care.

As for rerunning interviews , to me it smells of laziness, not of wow this was a great interview let's replay it

[swnybillsfan]

Does anyone else get pissed at WGR for pulling Jim Rome so frequently? I enjoy Rome's show, and find it annoying when it's taken off the air.

for the most part, i really don't like the jim rome show. he conducts some really good interviews, but his opinions and delivery are just not for me. i would much rather have another local show in that slot. hell, bring back the hobby and throw it in there for three hours. (but only if tom sitch gets an hour for comic book and super hero stuff)

[TheFunPolice]

I listen to Sirius NFL Radio a lot, and I love the morning format where they rotate co-hosts all week long.

 

You have a radio guy paired with a former player, and it gives each day a different and special feel. Some are better than others, but all are interesting to listen to and have personalities and insight.

 

Why not have a radio guy paired with some past or present Buffalo sports personality and rotate it each day?You would probably need to have retired players but it would be a lot better radio. Essentially a 3 hour show with a straight radio guy and a former player taking calls, discussing issues of the day, etc.

 

Schopp and the Bulldog are stale. Schopp seems burned out (which is probably why he asks the same question 3 times during interviews). These guys are barely interested.

 

They don't need to be Jim Kelly or Thurman Thomas types (although that would be cool). A lot of the guys on Sirius NFL radio are more marginal type players but they are still cool to listen to. For Buffalo sports fans it would be neat to hear from some past players who might not have been superstars but who could talk football or hockey for 2-3 hours. Even if it were a daily segment of the show to break up the monotony of food drafts and whining about our teams.

 

Every day at 4pm they are joined for 1 hour by a former player. Even that would be cool. It could be someone different most of the time with a few recurring appearances.

[Happy Days Lois & Clark]

I much rather listen to Howard Simon & Jeremy White over Schopp & The Bulldog. Sylvester & Peters are very bad too.

[Maury Ballstein]

Jim Rome is trash. Carry on.

[T master]

We are sick of them in Buffalo too. These guys have been doing it too long through a lot of miserable Bills seasons and their attitudes reflect that. Sal is better than both of those bozos. Time to get some new guys in there with a fresh perspective

 

 

The also need a better play by play guy than Murph ! His signature is to say what ever result of a big play 3 times … Every time !!

 

At least the team is on a upswing maybe if the team gets better they can bring in some better guys to talk about the team & do play by play !!

[KDIGGZ]

I liked when they had "the Coach" on back in the day. There's a bunch of fired Bills coaches from the last 3 years, anyone available?

 

Marcellus Wiley and Tasked have made it big in TV. I'm sure there are other platers that would like some experience in media. Sign them up! Reuben Brown does well on Shredd and Regan. I'd like to hear more from him on wgr

[The Real Buffalo Joe]

I liked when they had "the Coach" on back in the day. There's a bunch of fired Bills coaches from the last 3 years, anyone available?

 

Marcellus Wiley and Tasked have made it big in TV. I'm sure there are other platers that would like some experience in media. Sign them up! Reuben Brown does well on Shredd and Regan. I'd like to hear more from him on wgr.

I miss The Coach. He didn't know anything about other sports. But bring him back on from August till December (hopefully January.)

[Buftex]

I liked when they had "the Coach" on back in the day. There's a bunch of fired Bills coaches from the last 3 years, anyone available?

 

Marcellus Wiley and Tasked have made it big in TV. I'm sure there are other platers that would like some experience in media. Sign them up! Reuben Brown does well on Shredd and Regan. I'd like to hear more from him on wgr

I have only really heard Ruben Brown as a guest on shows, but I understand he has (or had) a radio show on in Buffalo at one time...is he any good, does anyone know? I know he still resides in WNY. I recall he is normally pretty positive about the Bills...which is not to say a good host has to be positive all the time...but the relentless negativity can be a little overwhelming at times.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Buftex

[TSOL]

I cant stand hearing Schoop say "So, were rooting for the Penguins tonight", or Rangers or whoever the Sabres are playing. Its fine, i guess, to want them to lose to get that first pick. But rooting for the other team? Thats just gross. I cant comprehend " rooting" for another cities team.

 

When the Coach was on, he talked about X's and O's. Schemes and crap like that, these guys on now arent even talking sports half the time, maybe they should be on WBEN talking movies and cooking and family vacations and stuff. These guys have no business talking sports.

[KRT88]

What a shocking topic! People complaining about WGR. Here's am idea.... Don't listen

[TheFunPolice]

I get Schopp's point about rooting for the team to lose right now. I just want to fast forward to April. Warmer weather AND this awful Sabres season will be in the books (hopefully with 30th place locked up).

 

I'm nervous though. The prize is very big so other teams are going to go into full scale tank mode very soon and if the Sabres keep slipping up and getting points things are going to get very, very scary. In the NHL a tied or one goal game is just a bounce away from disaster (Sabres getting points).

 

The fan on fan crime has been tough. I get the "Screw McDavid/Eichel... I just want to feel good tonight!" fans but really?

 

Win a few more of these meaningless games and feel proud or whatever about 29th place, or finish 30th and feel good for 15 years.

[respk]

Any pre-emption of Rome is good. The clown's claim to fame is calling Jim Everett "Chrissy" long enough that Everett knocked Rome off his chair and went after him. Rome did nothing except assume the fetal position. It's too bad Everett didn't do more.

[The Real Buffalo Joe]

I cant stand hearing Schoop say "So, were rooting for the Penguins tonight", or Rangers or whoever the Sabres are playing. Its fine, i guess, to want them to lose to get that first pick. But rooting for the other team? Thats just gross. I cant comprehend " rooting" for another cities team.

 

When the Coach was on, he talked about X's and O's. Schemes and crap like that, these guys on now arent even talking sports half the time, maybe they should be on WBEN talking movies and cooking and family vacations and stuff. These guys have no business talking sports.

I've said this a million times. I think they actually are genuinely entertaining to listen to, when talking about anything but sports. I'd actually listen to them in that format. But when I turn on WGR, I want to hear sports.

Any pre-emption of Rome is good. The clown's claim to fame is calling Jim Everett "Chrissy" long enough that Everett knocked Rome off his chair and went after him. Rome did nothing except assume the fetal position. It's too bad Everett didn't do more.

Don't care what anybody says, that was staged. I like Rome, if only for his hatred for soccer.

[respk]

I much rather listen to Howard Simon & Jeremy White over Schopp & The Bulldog. Sylvester & Peters are very bad too.

Of the current personalities they have I'm holding out hope that they put Simon and Sal together for the afternoon show. I think they would be able to keep the talk interesting and interact with the callers civilly instead of the harassment that Schopp and White dish out on a daily basis.

[TSOL]

Of the current personalities they have I'm holding out hope that they put Simon and Sal together for the afternoon show. I think they would be able to keep the talk interesting and interact with the callers civilly instead of the harassment that Schopp and White dish out on a daily basis.

Im pretty sure Howard Simon goes to bed at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

[bbb]

Im pretty sure Howard Simon goes to bed at 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

 

LOL - that's so true! He wouldn't be able to stay up for the rest of his shift!

[motorguy]

What is kind of amazing is thaat no matter which Buffalo Sports forum you go to, those two clowns are a "topic".

 

BD can be tollerable when paired with someone else, and Sal is by far one of their better on air personalities IMO.

[jahbonas]

What a shocking topic! People complaining about WGR. Here's am idea.... Don't listen

For the 100 millionth time - there is NO other alternative - many tune in hoping for a change but there never is.

 

We are all sports fans so stupid ud we tune in to the ONLY buffalo sports radio option.... give us a 2nd and wgr will go away

[Solomon Grundy]

Bring back Brad Riter and Bob Gaughan!!!