Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Indecision Produces Solid Sports Talk

Too often sports talk radio thrives only on opinions, reaction and vitriol, with common decency and common sense lost in all the jabber.

Thankfully, though, a sensible island if indecision exists -- and that's why "Mike and Mike in the Morning" on ESPN Radio remains the best sports talk show on radio.

Hosts Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg have opinions, and they're not afraid to share them when appropriate, but they never rant and rave just for reaction. They prefer informed discussion, and when they do not have a strong opinion they're not afraid to share their indecision with listeners.

Greenberg did that again on Wednesday morning's show when the discussion turned to LeBron James and his recent streak of sitting out games late in the season despite being healthy. Some argue the NBA star has a responsibility to play, providing paying customers the on-court presence they expect to see when they purchase a ticket. Some argue it's OK for him to sit out and rest in preparation for the playoffs because he's ultimately there to help the franchise win a championship.

Greenberg had no stomach for an argument on either side, though. He told listeners he could see the situation from both sides, and he and Golic capably and thoughtfully talked about the pros and cons of the situation.

Still, they refused to pick a side just to prompt reaction -- something many other radio hosts would do in a heartbeat -- and that inaction was refreshing. Sports talk radio needs more of that, and it's already good that it exists with "Mike and Mike."

No comments:

Post a Comment