Thank You, 98.5 FM

Upon CBS Radio's announcement last month that it was turning 98.5 FM into a sports-talk radio station in Boston, Bill Simmons gleefully wrote on his Twitter page about the possible impending demise of WEEI, the market's dominant and generally putrid sports station. He compared WEEI to the Soviet Union circa 1986, seemingly very strong but actually capable of imploding. WEEI certainly is a much smaller institution than the USSR, but, as much as I like the idea, I'm not ready to write the station's obituary.

Nonetheless, from the small portions I've heard so far on 98.5, it's wonderful to have the competition. The mid-afternoon show hosted by Michael Felger and Tony Massarotti is wonderful: They have a great repartee, developed from their years together writing for the Herald, are knowledgable about all of Boston's sports teams, make interesting comments and, most importantly, let each other and callers finish their points without interrupting at the first word they disagree with. The nighttime host, Damon Amendolara, who I've never heard of before, is a reasoned, patient person. (The midday hosts, however, are acerbic and hyperbolic.) Overall, it's a pleasure to listen.

Who would've thought? There might be an opening in the market for well-informed, temperate radio where people talk to each other, rather than scream over each other? No way. If the station fails, as previous sports-talk competitors have in Boston, it might be proof that the broader populace doesn't like to think. Though this is the populace within sports-talk radio, so it's certainly possible they don't like to think. Few of WEEI's hosts do.

Update: Driving to New York this afternoon, I had the pleasure of listening to WFAN's star host, Mike Francesa. He understands multiple perspectives, refrains from vilifying athletes and makes good, overlooked points, such as today, when he highlighted Joe Mauer, the Minnesota Twins catcher in the midst of one of baseball's best years ever. Few on the East Coast realize this, including myself before today, but Francesa does. He even lets callers make their comments, but doesn't give them too much time, which is when they wander into neverland.