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Ten Questions With WaPo Columnist and 106.7 the Fan Host Mike Wise: Part One
By Jamie Mottram | July 21, 2009
As you may know, D.C. talk radio station WJFK relaunches this week as 106.7 the Fan with the Mike Wise Show airing middays. Wise, who we’ve criticized in the past, was kind enough to answer our questions. We’ll run part one (on radio stuff) today and part two (on writing, blogs, Twitter and Obama) if/when Wise gets back to us on that. We thank him for his time and candor.
1. Sad as it is for me to admit, D.C. isn’t much of a sports town. Is there enough room for two sports talk stations?
Two stations enter the octagon. One leaves. It does have that Steel-Cage-Match quality to it, doesn’t it?
Within three years, part of me thinks someone is going to switch to country. Or Ska. (Ed. note — My brother Chris ran a ska zine out of our parents’ basement in the mid-’90s. True story.)
But I don’t know. I mean, the idea that D.C. is a lousy sports town is what I’ve heard since I got to town five years ago. Measured against the passion of Philly, Pittsburgh, Boston, New York or Chicago, yeah, I agree. Beyond the football team, it doesn’t have as many zealots or characters or crackling passion for the games and the people that play them as those cities.
I would still take D.C. over L.A., Miami, Seattle, Denver and, yes, Dallas. And all those cities have Major League baseball, not some vacant, $611 million-taxpayer funded stadium.
D.C. is a tremendous hybrid sports town that religiously follows the two most popular American sports: their local NFL team and college basketball.
The ’skins are Nos. 1 and 1A. But when Gary Williams’ team gets the Comcast Center rocking, it’s as riveting in person as anything I’ve covered outside of Durham or Salt Lake during the 1998 NBA Finals. Same with G-Town. The George Mason Final Four run is still mind-boggling to me.
Talk to the old-heads in the District and, at heart, D.C. is really a hoops town. If the Wiz can get their act together again you’ll see this really play out.
So I can’t say for sure whether there is room for just one sports talk station. L.A. is a dreadful sports town and it’s bloated with sports talk stations. Same with Dallas, whose midday hosts must be crying now that T.O. is gone.
I also think the sports-talk model is changed. My show won’t survive a week, for example, if I get Ken Venturi to break down the British Open. But if I get, oh, say, — and this is more of a prayer than anything — Charles Barkley to break down the British Open, I might have a shot to make it past my first week.
2. Given that you’ve never hosted a radio show before, how’d this one come about, and how’d you get paired with Mason man Bill Rohland?
WJFK contacted me this past spring about the possibility. I had an opportunity to co-host a program two years ago and the same folks talked me to this year. But conflicts of interest got in the way of that gig coming to fruition (Basically, working for and writing about Daniel Snyder was out of the question — and I agreed with the Post wholeheartedly on that).
As for Bill Rohland, we did a demo together a while back. He had experience, could be somewhat of a traffic cop for a non-radio guy and had a keen knowledge of D.C. sports. I think it also appealed to the people in charge that this would be Bill’s full-time job, meaning one guy would always be in the studio when I was on assignment for the Post.
Bill is hungry. I already sense it. I’m thinking he should be fed before he loses any more weight.
3. What do you hope to accomplish with the show, other than pissing Daniel Snyder off and beating Colin Cowherd head-to-head?
This is completely idealistic, but it would mean a lot to me if we attracted more of a demographic than just the 18- to 54-year-old male demographic, that the conversation was not just for a guy’s guy.
I don’t want us just saying, “Manny is a cancer to a locker room,” or “Cal Ripken is a great guy.” Unless you’ve got personal experience with someone, I just don’t believe group-think applies to many people in sports and life. If we can go a little deeper than that with insight and argument, well, that would be a goal.
Now, who knows if it’s possible.
4. Between this and your, uh, day job, how will you find the time?
Borrow Michael Wilbon’s ability to write clear, cogent things very quickly.
Considering you sent me these questions before the weekend began and I’m just getting them finished now, that’s a very good question.
The hope is that they compliment each other, that the column gives me the reporting, voice and material I can parlay onto the show and the show, in turn, keeps me sharp and current in terms of daily news — which I’m sometimes lousy at keeping up with.
But it’s clearly going to be dependent on me scheduling myself better.
And, this is huge, not giving away my time. I’m one of these people that love to catch up with people all the time. But if it’s going to work, my circle of support and friends is going to have to get a lot smaller and tighter.
My biggest concern is the longer features. I always try to find time to write a few of those a year. Depending on how many I can get in the hopper, that will be a huge indicator of whether I can make it work.
5. Speaking of time, LaVar Arrington, who has no radio experience, follows you and has to fill four hours per day. Is that a good idea?
Yes, it’s a great idea. LaVar will be an abject disaster — meaning I can’t help but look good.
Seriously, I’m interested to hear him. I listened to about a half-hour of he and Chad Dukes, who is the ultimate fan and knows his stuff, on Monday. I really enjoyed the banter. But like me, he’s got to be worried about the grind of a daily show.
Unlike me, LaVar has nothing else to worry about in the way of a job. After his material, his biggest concern is going to be his commute. He’s got the pulse of a fan, he knows the NFL in and out and he doesn’t sound afraid to go after players — which is key for his credibility.
His biggest challenges are 1) can he talk with authority about sports other than the NFL? and 2) will Trish, his wonderful wife, be sold on her man commuting from Annapolis every day?
The bigger question is, could Gregg Williams host a four-hour radio show every day? This is just me: I don’t think he has it in him to be a team player.
Coming soon: part two Update: part two
Topics: Mike Wise, Washington Post, Interviews, Media Bird Doggin' |
5 Responses to “Ten Questions With WaPo Columnist and 106.7 the Fan Host Mike Wise: Part One”
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July 23rd, 2009 at 11:24 am
I did not know that.
I bet Chris would be Jealous of my Redskins themed Pietasters T-shirt then wouldn’t he…
Got any back issues?
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:03 pm
I’ll send you every issue, hand signed, in exchange for that t-shirt.
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:16 pm
No dice. That shirt is too awesome. I’ll send a pic though. I also have a sweet gas station attendant shirt (complete with name patch) that is Pietaster themed.
If I paid postage could I check out that old ‘zine without giving up my favorite t-shirt?
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:24 pm
The Pietasters’ Oolooloo is one of my favorite albums of all time, even if I haven’t listened to it in 10 years.
July 24th, 2009 at 9:14 am
This is so NoVA right now.
/looks up the next time the Pietasters are playing live near DC