Favorite Sports Talk Shows

Right now, I want to tell you about two of my favorite sports talk radio shows. Mike and Mike in the Morning and The Herd.

As sports talk shows go, these are two of the best around and they are each unique in their own way.

Mike and Mike in the Morning: 6-10 AM ET/3 AM-7 AM PT on ESPN Radio and ESPN2

Each morning, I start off my day by watching the last hour of Mike and Mike on ESPN2.  It is like a cup of coffee for sports fans.  Hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic are a modern day version of the Odd Couple.  Greenberg, affectionately known as "Greeny" is portrayed as the knowlegeable sports fan who lives life as a metrosexual for wanting to stay germ-free by using Purell hand sanitizer as well as other things.  Golic, a former NFL defensive linesman and Notre Dame alum is the tough-minded no nonsense opposite of Greeny who loves to eat a lot.  Not only do they talk about current events in the world of sports, but they do it in some pretty interesting and entertaining ways.  One example that comes to mind is the Stone Cold Lead Pipe Locks segment during the NFL season.  This is where each host makes their picks on key games from the upcoming weekend in the NFL.  Another funny thing is the songs they come up with for certain athletes with the help of "Joaquin" a.k.a Curtis Caplan, the show's go to guy for on-air radio production.  Greeny and Golic also make no secret of their  sports allegiances.  Greeny is often ridiculed for being a New York Jets fan while it has been said that Golic has a man crush on Brady Quinn, former quarterback of Notre Dame and currently a member of the Cleveland Browns.   These are some of the reasons why Mike and Mike is among my favorite sports talk shows and the perfect way to start your day if you're a fan of sports.


The Herd with Colin Cowherd: 10 AM-2 PM ET/7 AM-11 AM ET on ESPN Radio and ESPNU

I like to follow up my daily dose of Mike and Mike with a healthy serving of The Herd with Colin Cowherd.  I started watching the show a few months ago on ESPNU, which is channel 141 for Dish Network subscribers.  From the first moment I started tuning in, I was hooked.  Cowherd seems to be the voice of reason at ESPN and more often than not, I find myself agreeing with most of what he has to say.  Not only does he talk about his thoughts on the latest sports news, but he also tries to look at certain aspects from the business side of the industry, which is very fascinating.  I always find myself learning something new everyday I tune in.

So there you have it.  Something a little different than what I usually cover in sports.  Feel free to let me know what you think.  Your input is always welcome.

Tim's Two Cents-December 19

I was listening to The Herd with Colin Cowherd yesterday and he brought up an interesting topic about the NFL.

NFL Network commentators Matt Millen and Bob Papa.

Should NFL Network Be Available to Everybody?  As of right now, many households do not have access to the NFL Network.  I'm one of the lucky ones who does have the NFL Network as part of my Dish Network package.  I'll be honest.  I'm not a huge fan of the NFL.  I know this may shock some of you, but I'm more into baseball and basketball.

Anyway, yesterday on The Herd, Colin was saying that the reason the NFL Network is not available everywhere is related to the business aspect of the league.  Since the NFL Network is only available on a limited basis, it increases the desire of those fans who don't have it to pay the extra cabbage to get it.  You know what?  It makes perfect sense.  The other major sports allow so much access for fans to watch games that it doesn't make watching it all that special.  For the NFL Network though, it is special because the games that are shown are some of the premiere matchups each week and only a certain percentage of the population will be priviledged enough to watch certain NFL games that not everybody has access to.  Those who do not have access will have to settle for watching the highlights on SportsCenter on ESPN.

So while there will those individuals who will be calling their local cable or satellite provider complaining they don't have the NFL Network, I'll be one of the lucky few who will get to watch the Saints and Cowboys batlle it out tomorrow night in New Orleans.

Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons and John Martinez Pavliga under CC-BY license