19-04-2025
98.5 The Sports Hub should dominate winter radio ratings, but WEEI might be closing the gap slightly
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▪ The Jones and Keefe Show is working: I've referred to the almost comically negative
Adam Jones
as 'JV Felger' and worse over the years, and he earned it. But being reunited with
Rich Keefe
, with whom he previously worked on the Sports Hub's evening show, has brought out his sense of humor, and the show is a consistently fun listen. They come across as real friends.
▪ No one argues both sides of a topic like
Michael Felger
: Hardly a news-flash there, but I couldn't help but laugh this week when Felger and co-host
Tony Massarotti
were talking about the Red Sox' trade of Triple A pitcher
Quinn Priester
to the Brewers. Felger, a Brewers fan who probably still has a
Jim Gantner
baseball card in his wallet, managed to complain about the Red Sox' decision to trade Priester, who threw five shutout innings in his second start with the Brewers, while also acknowledging he watched him pitch and wasn't impressed. Felger, and Massarotti too, are masters of telling you why someone or something stinks from all angles.
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▪ The Greg Hill Show carries WEEI, but it's not an easy listen: Sometimes, as the sports media columnist, I feel like I'm pulling off a gambit, getting paid to listen to sports radio. And then
Chris Curtis
speaks, and I think I should ask for hazard pay.
Channel 5 has it covered
Channel 5 always gives the Boston Marathon the thorough coverage it deserves, and that will be no different with the race's 129th running. The station's pre-race coverage Monday begins at 4 a.m. with reports from 'WCVB EyeOpener' anchors
Antoinette Antonio
and
Doug Meehan
and chief meteorologist
Cindy Fitzgibbon
, and continues through the race until concluding with a special edition of 'Chronicle' at 7:30.
Related
:
Anchors
Maria Stephanos
and
Ed Harding
will host the professional race from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. from the finish line photo bridge. They will be joined by ESPN's
Hannah Storm
, with the national, out-of-market broadcast airing on ESPN2.
John Anderson
, who retired as a 'SportsCenter' anchor in 2024 but still host's ESPN's marathon and track and field coverage, will call the race, along with 2014 winner
Meb Keflezighi
, former Olympian
Carrie Tollefson
, and Paralympic medalist
Amanda McGrory
.
A welcome return
It was a pleasant surprise this week to discover that
Paul Flannery
has launched a newsletter via Substack, named 'Hoopology.' Flannery, who covered the Celtics for WEEI when the station started taking its website seriously a decade and a half ago, was always a joy to read on the NBA. But after taking a buyout from SB Nation in 2020, he hasn't written about the league regularly, focusing on his Substack 'Running Probably' in recent years. Good to have him back just as the Celtics begin their postseason run … The Pawtucket Red Sox had a long history of sending excellent play-by-play broadcasters to the big leagues, among them
Don Orsillo
,
Dave
and
Will Flemming
, and
Dave Jageler
. The pipeline seems to be continuing since the Triple A club's move to Worcester, with
Cooper Boardman
sounding like another fine play-by-play prospect when he filled in on a couple of Red Sox radio broadcasts last weekend. Boardman, a Syracuse product (speaking of broadcasting pipelines), is in his fifth season calling WooSox games, and also has hosted pre- and postgame Red Sox shows on WEEI. He will call more big-league games along the way this season, including a couple on the next road trip … I have one request for ESPN decision-makers when it comes to 'College GameDay' once
Lee Corso
retires following the first game on the upcoming season on Aug. 30: please do not allow
Pat
McAfee
, who has the all the charm of a leaf blower outside your window at 7 a.m., to take over Corso's amusing schtick of donning the mascot headgear of the team he is picking to win. Consider this a thank-you for common sense in advance.
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Chad Finn can be reached at
