Then when Gavin felt he was getting embarrassed, he just cut Wheels off and Gavin had the last word and we didn't even hear Wheels say bye or anything. Ouch.
During my 10 minute morning commute, from 7:45 - 7:55am, I have a choice of listening to Gavin and CIP or Colin Cowherd. I generally choose the morning sports page, becaue they have their around the NBA bit slotted at 7:45am. I'm not much of a football fan. Basketball is my life. So, my natural instinct is to catch around the NBA on the MSP.
However, I can't stand CIP. And now, his Jim Rome wannabe schtick has infected Gavin Dawson. They are rude to callers, rude to their listerners and now rude to their guests. Anybody who disagrees with them in any way is dismissed as an idiot and hung-up on. So much for lively discussion. They are rude, immature, arrogant and clueless.
The worst part is, they are totally clueless on the subjects they rant on and on about. Neither one has a basketball background, but suddenly because they have their own show, they think they know more about basketball than guys like Kevin Pritchard and Brian Wheeler who make their living based on their knowledge of the sport.
I love listening to Wheels and Kenny. Wheels is great and always a class act. I know he works for the team and is rarely critical of the team, but he does provide an insiders perspective that I appreciate. He travels with the team and has access to the players, coaches and GM - unlike the MSP boys who just make stuff up as they go. Kenny Vance may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I'm glad he's back on local radio. He'll never make a good lead, but is always an adequate side-kick. He was good when he used to sit in with Mychal and Kermit and was good as Colin's second banana. He's also a good fit next to Wheels. And, he actually knows a little something about the NBA. Back when he covered the Blazers for the Columbian, he was the NBA Insider on the Michael and Kermit version of The Big Show. He's followed the league for decades and while many of the players he used to have access to have long since retired, at least he has an NBA background.
We have more media coverage of the Blazers now than ever. Unfortunately, many of those covering them (Gavin and CIP, Ropp and Big Suke) know NOTHING about basketball. Even the local sports writers (Quick and Canzano) regularly display a complete lack of knowledge about the NBA salary cap, collective bargaining agreement, etc. I just don't understand why, in this city with one prefessional sports team, the local radio stations can't seem to get more on-air "talent" with a general background in that sport. Most other cities have former players calling the games, doing pre and post game shows, hosting regular radio call-in shows, etc. Heck, even here in Portland we used to have Mychal and Kermit. Now, we have Antonio Harvey, verbally tripping over himself, doing color commentary during the game broadcasts and that's it. It strikes me as highly ironic that the most vocal local media mouthpieces want to hold the Blazers to a higher standard when the quality of their own work is decidedly sub-standard.
BNM
