Chris: Having grown up in a small town that only recently discovered cable TV, one of my former pastimes was listening to the radio at home and on extended carriage rides (cars were sparse in my area, as well). Since the signals for ESPN’s protrusive network were unable to reach my hamlet, I was captivated by hearing live sporting events and sports talk programs broadcast on the radio. It was always entertaining to hear the various opinions, thoughtful insights and the screech of chairs overturning as the debaters were engaging in a fistfight.
Joe: For me, the radio is a substitute to watching sports. And then, I only listen to the games themselves. I never listen to the sports jocks, since they are only interested in hearing their own voices.
Brad: We have all the sports channels on satellite radio, but I really don’t listen much.
Ralphie: I don’t really listen to games or sports talk radio at all. I usually watch games on TV. I just bought a book by Mike Lupica at my school book fair, though, and my Grandpa says that he’s on sports talk radio. So, I may try to listen to him now.
Joe: Sports talk radio is no different than talk radio-boring.
Ralphie: Talk radio usually sounds kind of boring to me.
Joe: I watch enough and, yes, even read enough sports to be able to form my own conclusions. I have no hidden desire to hear myself talk.
Chris: I heard Orson Welles once broadcast a game about space aliens from Mars landing in New Jersey and proceeding to destroy civilization. One of the aliens supposedly phoned Welles, claiming to be a long-time listener and first-time caller.
Brad: I like that I can keep up with the game if I am not going to be around a TV for a bit. I guess I like that you get to hear from some people you wouldn’t hear when watching the game. Kinda like a different perspective I guess.
Chris: That’s what the space alien said.
Joe: Since there is nothing that I like about sports talk radio, I guess you could say I dislike the whole format.
Ralphie: Well, now I like that Mike Lupica is on it. I think it will be cool to hear the author of a book talk.
Brad: I just like to see the game rather than listen to it. It’s just not the same. Hearing the play is not as good as actually seeing it.
Joe: My feelings about the talk radio format have always been the same. I’ll do my own research and form my own opinions.
Ralphie: I think when I get older, I’ll probably listen to people’s opinions on the radio, but it won’t be until I’m a lot older.
Chris: If one is forced to spend inordinate amounts of time without a television, radio is an acceptable medium. Long car rides, either spent driving, riding in the passenger seat or bound and gagged in the trunk-
Brad: Not really any difference.
Chris: . . . are made more tolerable by listening to Jim Rome degrade stammering callers. And while most sports talk programs consist of audible blitzkriegs, I do occasionally hear breaking sports news and scores that make me wince not being next to a television. But without sports talk radio, many individuals, particularly those with exceptional voices and unexceptional appearances, would either be unemployed or restricted to voicing animation.
Ralphie: I think I’m going to try to listen to it more in the future just to see what it’s like.