Pretty much every sports station, and some non-sports stations are covering their NFL team. Some are even covering two NFL franchises. There really isn’t anything like football season, with every game representing a large portion of the team’s season. Every week is important. Every week critical. Every week, the fan base is bursting at the seams to let everyone know what they think. That’s when radio postgame show hosts and analysts get tested. How much do you praise, how much do you rip and how do you make your show different?
Postgame shows fall into a couple of categories in my mind. Those that originate on the flagship station and those that don’t. Most of the shows that take place on the flagship, as you might imagine are a little more ‘pro team’ and optimistic. It’s the nature of the beast. Those post games appearing on a ‘non flagship’ station, can unload a little more. But they still have to be cognizant of what offending the team could result in, less access and more difficult dealings. That’s also the nature of the beast these days.
Many of these shows feature former players, sometimes multiple players, serving as analysts. In many cases it’s a franchise icon turned broadcaster, that’s called upon to be critical of his former organization.
I get to work on such a show. Currently I’m hosting WGN Radio’s Bears pre/post coverage. We do not carry the games on our station, so WGN brings our Chicago audience a one-hour pregame and a two-hour post game show. I host the program along with Hall of Famer Dan Hampton and former Bear Ed O’Bradovich, who was on the team’s 1963 Championship club. These guys are awesome to work with and each bring their own unique perspective on this current Bears team.
There’s a lot of boisterous screaming, ranting, raving and opining, but it comes from a great place. Both of these former Bears’ players, sweat, bled and gave everything they had for the franchise. They demand that the current team plays up to a specific standard. Competitive, smart football. Which of course is not always what you get.
Our show is not scripted by any means. I come to the studio on Sunday mornings, armed with several topics relating to the game that afternoon. I also spend the week going through the various soundbites we have to see how those can be woven into our conversations. Sometimes, with the help of my producer Sammy Martino, we will steer the conversation by using a topical bite. Sammy and I communicate during the week to make sure we are updated on all the possible topics.
While that may sound sinister it’s not. The bites are merely there for everyone’s protection. Especially if there’s a question raised during a show, it’s great to hear from those directly involved to spur on more conversation. The pregame show is its own organism of preparing our listeners for the game at hand. Then there’s the postgame show.
After a game, you never know what you might get. It of course depends on the game itself. Was the effort good in a loss? Did they get lucky? Why did the offensive coordinator run from the shotgun on 4th and goal at the 1-yard line? The former players can be dejected after a loss, just like they were when they played the game. They can be giddy after a big win, just like they were when they played. So, as the host, I have to ‘read the room’ and figure out what the best course of action may be for that particular game. How do I do that? Eavesdropping. I’ll explain.
Probably the best thing about hosting this show, is getting to watch a Bears’ game with them in a large conference room on a big screen. My football knowledge, which I thought was pretty good before, is exponentially better. Why? I’m watching Hampton call out offensive plays before they’re happening on the screen. He’ll call out the sets as though he was still playing the defensive line. It’s fascinating to me.
But, all the while, I’m sitting with my laptop, taking notes on some of the key things they (Hamp and OB) are saying while watching. What are some of the themes that they’re hitting? Both guys will look at me and say something to the effect of ‘I want to talk about this play’, so I’ll make a note. What is OB happy about or fuming about? What has Hamp discovered about a young quarterback in this game?
So, my key, at least while the early parts of the game are going on is, paying attention. Close attention. As the game starts to wind down, I will let the guys know about some of the notations I’ve made about the game. Again, ‘reading the room’, I can gauge what might get a better reaction from our callers and what might be most interesting.
We don’t, per se, map out a course for what the postgame show will feature. Again, I have my notes and the guys take notes during the game as well. All we do is basically combine our notes, not in the conference room, but on the air. Because these guys aren’t broadcasters, I don’t want them to waste, as you’ve heard many times, their best stuff off the air. I want it ON the air.
That’s the reason we don’t chat about every little detail about the postgame. It’s fluid and can change on a dime. Reaction you hear from the former players is REAL, when the coach says something after a game that they don’t agree with. The conversation is also very real when they are in agreement with that coach. It doesn’t always have to be a negative endeavor.
One thing I’m always conscience of, the listeners want to hear from Hampton and O’Bradovich, not me. I usually will bring up the topic, and let them go, only intervening if there is a fact that needs correcting or when they require further information. Now look, I don’t just sit there and daydream, I need to follow along and of course, get us to breaks on time. That’s an important job!
We do take calls from listeners. Honestly, I wish we took less than we do at this point. Don’t get me wrong, we get a lot of very intelligent calls, but we also get the ones we all dread, misinformed and/or hostile callers.
If I’m a listener, again, I want to hear what Hamp and OB think, not what Joe in Chicago thinks. I understand why we take a ton of calls. There’s something about football that stokes passion in a fan base. The raw exuberance or dejection can make a segment very good. But all it takes is that one bad one, to get you off track. Call screening becomes critical in these cases.
These shows rely on the host to be ready for anything. Our guys come to the studio prepared and locked into what is going on with the team. They know the names, the numbers and the story lines. Sometimes though they need a little nudge and that’s when the show host has to step in and keep the show moving.
I always tell the former players to be themselves, because that’s what the listening audience wants to hear. They love these guys because they speak from their heart. I feel like I host a 50-thousand-watt therapy session for Bears’ fans every Sunday. It’s a tough job (not) but someone’s got to do it.
Summary:
As host of a football pre/post game show, things can get out of hand quickly if the host isn’t on top of things. The prep for these shows, usually featuring former players, isn’t like getting ready for a normal show. You have to account for variants and mood on occasion. In the end it’s still important to be on top of things. To pay attention and to get your job done.
