Remember when we used to talk about sports?
Now we talk about sports talk radio.
That's what happens, I guess, when you are home to the worst team in Major League Baseball. Yes, the Phillies got shut out again last night.
Enough about that.
The big story among Philly sports fans this week is the shakeup at SportsRadio 94-WIP. Tony Bruno is walking away from the top-rated afternoon show he built along with newcomer Josh Innes.
The duo were paired in February and quickly took aim at after ratings king Mike Missanelli, from the Fanatic 97.5.
They struck gold, rocketing to the top of the key demographic, that being men 25-54.
Along the way there was no shortage of trash-talking between the competing radio talkers.
I like Tony Bruno. Always have. He goes back to the early days of WIP and was part of the success of the Morning Show with Angelo Cataldi. I also like Missanelli. I found myself often flipping manically back and forth between their two shows.
Yes, I can admit it. I am a confirmed sports talk radio junkie. Oh, I'm still loyal to KYW, and it's the first thing I hit every day, but once I'm in the car, I usually wind up listening to sports talk.
Innes I will admit is a bit of an acquired taste, but there's no doubting the fact that the guy is interesting and is worth a listen.
I used to catch him on the drive home when he was working nights. There were about equal times when I would either laugh out loud or wince at some of his antics.
But it's also clear that Innes is not everyone's cup of tea. And that includes some of the people at WIP.
There has been more than enough conjecture that there were issues between Bruno and Innes, even if Bruno denied it in the statement he issued on his website in the wake of his decision to leave the show and retire from talk radio.
That's right. Bruno is walking away. He'll continue to do podcasts, but it's pretty clear he's not a fan of where sports talk radio is going.
I know how he feels.
Sometimes I wonder the same thing about newspapers.
So long, Tony.
You'll be missed.
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