For those of you who are listening, thanks.

I am a sports talk show junkie.  Mike and Mike on ESPN radio are two of my favorite hosts.  They came into my life about two years ago next week when I quit my job.  I had heard of them, but never listened to them.  I really got into them because there is nothing on in the morning for a normal human being. So, I stumbled upon them one morning and have been hooked ever since.  I really enjoy their banter and the self effacing attitude of the entire staff.  I was a big Mike Golic fan back in the day.  I know that that seems hard to believe but whenever anyone ever mentioned the great defensive line of the Philadelphia Eagles of the late 80’s and early 90’s I would always point out that they forgot about Golic.  Reggie White, Jerome Brown, Clyde Simmons, and Mike Golic.  Seems odd, huh?  Yeah but I believed that it took all four to make it happen.  Golic will tell you he just tried not to get in their way, bt the truth is that he played next to one of the greatest players of all time, and one of the most promising players in history, had JB’s life not been cut short in a car accident.  Oh, and do think Buddy Ryan would have put just anybody in there next to these guys? No way!

Anyway, I have been in withdraw.  I am on assignment now and I miss the drive time shows.  I miss my Sirius satellite radio even more.  I could listen to Mike & Mike in the Morning, Colin Cowherd, who in my opinion does not look like he sounds, the new Mike Tirico Show, and NFL Radio.  NFL Radio is incredible because “There is no Off-Season.”  Thanks to Adam Schein and the cast of characters on the Afternoon Blitz.  Adam Schein is one of the busiest men in the sports talk/writing world.  His mug is everywhere.  “All Fired Up on a Football Friday!!!”  Nothing gets me more psyched for the upcoming games than that, my wife will tell you that it’s the Monday Night Football theme music, but she doesn’t get to see me in the car on a Friday afternoon.

Man, it’s amazing how much those couple of hours a day make a difference in my day.  In fact I have been reduced to listening to the podcasts of the shows, and usually about a day, and sometimes, two days late.  But that’s OK.  It’s worth the nuggets that are gleaned each and everyday.  These guys know their stuff, and have no problem sharing it with us. 

The NFL Radio crew are the most critical of the listeners when they are not prepared.  I feel for that poor guy, or gal, who comes on with Schein and Wilcots and don’t bring it.  They’re toast.  You got to bring your A-game with that team.  I love Jim Miller for his insight, but Solomon will light you up if you didn’t check your facts.  I know my stuff, but I would have to prepare for a week just to be ready to talk to these guys for 30 seconds.  Thanks guys.

I believe that there is a real purpose for these shows.  Some people will tell you that the elite athletes are over-paid cry-babies, and I believe that some athletes can act this way, but I see these professional and semi, uh, college athletes as the modern day gladiators.  There were emperors in Ancient Rome who would shut down the empire for days, and sometimes months on end to exhibit the athletic prowess of the citizen, and more importantly the captured soldiers.  These festivals were also a chance for the emperors to try and buy the hearts of the citizens.  This is much like the owners trying to buy a championship, Dan Snyder, to build bigger stadiums, and to grow their fan base.  Though this doesn’t seem to help the Florida Marlins, win then get rid of it.  The point being that this gives us a break to the monotony of the days that seem to drag on.  The sports talk world offers us a constant segue from one day to the next.  They provide with words for our own thoughts.  These folks work hard at what they do, and it shows.  I try to be better each day, I did this before I even heard of Cowherd.  I think that if you don’t learn from what you did, good bad or otherwise, each day you will be destine for insanity, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result each time.

I guess the reason that I started this discussion was to just let go of the fact that I miss my distractions.  Those stolen moments between errands where I can focus on “Manning Up” (M&M) , and driving home from a hectic week and hearing”All Fired Up for a Football Friday!!” (AB, Schein). 

Carry On.