Well folks, we survived! We made it through a long, football-less summer. College football gave us everything we wanted in week 1 and now it is time to turn our attention to the NFL.
Arky, Demetri and Garrett are back again to highlight everything and everyone that is great when it comes to the coverage of America’s national obsession. So here is the full schedule for the NFL edition of Countdown to Coverage:
TUESDAY (9/6): Best Local Radio Show
WEDNESDAY (9/7): Best National Radio Show
THURSDAY (9/8): Best Pregame Show
FRIDAY (9/9): Best Insider
MONDAY (9/12): Best TV Broadcast Team
We did this for college football too, and of course we did! Barrett Sports Media was built on coverage of the sports radio industry and the NFL has become the format’s lifeblood in most markets.
Given how many people are making a living talking about this league on the radio, it is worth putting a spotlight on the people and shows that really stand out. Whether they are doing something very different or just offering a deeper dive than most, quality content should be recognized. With that in mind, here are our choices for the best local radio show for NFL fans.
JAGUARS TODAY on 1010XL in Jacksonville by Demetri Ravanos
How on Earth does the best show cover the worst team? It shouldn’t work that way, but what Mike Dempsey, Tony Smith and producer ET have created is a hub, a must-listen for anyone with an interest in the Jacksonville Jaguars.
EVERYONE, and I mean everyone, that covers the team gets time on Jaguars Today. Former players have a spot on Jaguars Today. Add in some truly elite production and calls from all over the globe (I know, I didn’t believe it either!) and what you get is the authoritative voice on the Jacksonville Jaguars. They probably won’t have a ringmaster as skilled as Dempsey, but the model of Jaguars Today is one stations in other markets can learn from.
ONE BILLS LIVE on WGR 550 in Buffalo by Garrett Searight
First of all, what a fantastic name. It’s a play on the address of the Bills Headquarters: One Bills Drive.
Secondly, Chris Brown is as clued in as anybody when it comes to the Bills. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to pump out at two-hour show that’s hyper focused on a team that only plays games six months out of the year, but I constantly find the ability of Brown, Steve Tasker, and Maddy Glab to be informative and entertaining endearing. They work hard to procure great guests, make sure their fans are informed on the upcoming opponents, and do a great job covering the league as a whole.
Finally, Steve Tasker is an underrated talent. He’s been fantastic on TV for a long time, and his work on One Bills Live is phenomenal. He’s never irrational, never unreasonable, and is very rarely a homer. His work on the show is one of the best in local radio, which is why One Bills Live is my choice.
ZOLAK & BERTRAND on 98.5 The Sports Hub by Arky Shea
I tend to shy away from any daily radio programming that features a current play-by-play announcer or color commentator in the main co-host chair because the insight tends to be nominal at best. But Zolak and Bertrand is different. Scott Zolak is a former New England Patriots quarterback and current radio color analyst and is simply a delight on the air. There is no doubt that he lives thru the team, but he feels thru the team too. Zolak rides the Patriots roller coaster wherever it takes him and we get to go on that ride with him. But he is not a full blown honk for the team. He’s a fan in the way that we all are which means just as many critiques as crescendos of joy. You can tell his passion for the team and the sport even during training camp here.
Marc Bertrand has been driving the bus for seven years and often times is accused of being a cynic. I always love that coming from the Boston market. He does a wonderful job of generating Patriots topics throughout the entire year because it is notable that this program leans heavily on the Patriots all year long. They are perhaps the most dialed-in local radio show to a NFL team as can be found. They will discuss the Celtics plenty, but the highest-quality content I hear from them segment-to-segment involves the Patriots. No one is as thorough or as connected as this show is to the Flying Elvis squad. They are really funny, super relatable and a blast to listen to even as they get into the nooks of the roster and depth chart.
