OT - KFAN

[mrhockey89]

I'm a little late to the party, but I recently discovered that I can get KFAN through a phone app. So I've been enjoying the daily banter while driving around during my work day. Because I'm relatively new to the talent lineup, I'm wondering if some of you vets could comment on my initial impressions:

Paul Allen - I had no idea how funny this guy is. He is my favorite to listen to so far. He's a big time homer obviously but I find him highly entertaining. Is his charm sustainable?

Common - Don't understand how this guy has a job in the position of sports talk radio host. He's uninformed, he's boring, and he's not all that bright. Then throw in the Groucho Marx sounding voice and I find him very hard to listen to. Last week as the Twins were sitting 10 games over .500, he couldn't understand how if they played .500 ball the rest of the way, they wouldn't win 91 games. Is he really this clueless?

Barreiro - Seems to be very professional and knowledgeable. Asks great questions during his interviews. I remember him as a newspaper scribe back when I was living in the TC's. He seems to have made a good transition to the broadcast side. Is he pretty well respected in town?

Please add your thoughts and opinions on these guys, I'd really like to hear what others think. Also, how does KFAN compare to the other sports talk options in town?

breeze, you're funny. I'm assuming you're talking about the iHeartRadio app? I use it a lot too, especially during runs or at the gym when lifting. It's nice to not have to listen to commercials as well as jump right to the subjects you want to listen to.

To give my thoughts (haven't read anyone else's yet):

Morning Show Power Trip - Very hit and miss, definitely just a morning show though, not much to learn from it but can be entertaining.

Paul Allen - When I first listened to the fan a lot I couldn't get enough of PA & Dubay. They were all sports all the time and talked a ton of NFL, he seemed funny, etc. He still might be my slight favorite, but he recycles the same material quite a bit, and his interviews stink because it's always "____, isn't that correct?" and basically leads his interviewees to the answer he's fishing for. Additionally, he's a super homer so it's tough to get objectivity.

Common Man - I couldn't stand him when I started hearing him. Now, although I don't usually enjoy the subjects, he's clearly the funniest guy on the Fan. This guy is a smartass to the highest level...Basically calling out Charch as a loser because he plays video games and doesn't have a life is exactly his style.

Dan B - Probably the most objective of the group, also the most pessimistic overall. I don't love all his subjects, but he has the Flip Funkadelic which I think is the most entertaining part of the week for KFAN.

[mrhockey89]

breeze- In response to your Common Man comments... Common regularly makes fun of the fact that he didn't graduate high school, and he will sometimes play dumb to the extent that he'll convince you that he doesn't understand something, then when someone calls him out on it he'll play the "reel" sound (where it sounds like reeling in a fishing line) to indicate that he hooked (fooled) you. You might be right, it may not have been a bit on that one, but it still very well could have even if he stayed with the bit throughout.

I'll give you an example that explains Common a bit...

One day, while at the gym, I had just listened to Common talk to one of interns/producers/something about something like cereal food choices for like 45 minutes. Clearly overkill, and annoying. I sent the booth a message for Common stating something about an upcoming NFL Draft and KG returning to Minnesota and he's talking cereal. He responded saying just "I don't care about sports". Right after that they were bringing Rosen on and were talking sports so I said something to the effect of "then why are you about to talk sports?" and then he ended up reading the thread on the air, and suggested he started that sports topic so he could sit back and do nothing while Rosen talks for the next hour. (was probably more funny in real time with how it happened, but he definitely is Mr Sarcasm on everything he says)

[Papalrep]

Dan Cole is a poor man's Jim Rome. I think he copies Rome. Paul Allen has gone completely corporate. He is not the guy who was on the air with Dubay. He's a pimp now, a younger Sid.

I like Rosen, very listenable. Same for Barreiro. I wonder if Cole or that pathetic morning show would even be on the air if they didnt have Rosen calling in.

[TAFKASP]

Dan Cole is a poor man's Jim Rome. I think he copies Rome. Paul Allen has gone completely corporate. He is not the guy who was on the air with Dubay. He's a pimp now, a younger Sid.

Ironic as I always viewed PA as a Rome clone. When he first started on KFAN he was an exact clone damn near. I lived out in LA for a number of years and moved back to Minnesota prior to Allen making the jump and I could swear he was a regular caller to Rome's show. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure he was.

Rome's style was entertaining, for about a month, after which it made me want to jam pencils in my ears, PA is pretty much the same.

[Monster]

Dan Cole is a poor man's Jim Rome. I think he copies Rome. Paul Allen has gone completely corporate. He is not the guy who was on the air with Dubay. He's a pimp now, a younger Sid.

Ironic as I always viewed PA as a Rome clone. When he first started on KFAN he was an exact clone damn near. I lived out in LA for a number of years and moved back to Minnesota prior to Allen making the jump and I could swear he was a regular caller to Rome's show. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure he was.

Rome's style was entertaining, for about a month, after which it made me want to jam pencils in my ears, PA is pretty much the same.

I just have to say I don't like Rome's shtick but he is one of the best interviewers in sports hell maybe in all of the media. I'd listen to his show all day if it was just him talking to guests that's where he is terrific it's really an art. He is a very smart guy and has some very good takes.

[mrhockey89]

I can't stand Rome...Rack em.

[Carlos Danger]

If KFAN didn't have guys like Rosen and Flip doing regular appearances, I'm not sure it would ever be worth listening to at all.

Seems like we are all in same boat. Sports radio is something we all listen to for short bursts as a change of pace. But nobody can listen to any of these guys for long periods of time. Anyone remember "The Fabulous Sports Babe"? She had a face made for radio.

[Papalrep]

All my complaining about Common and The Morni9ng Show aside, I am about to turn on "In The Zone" - never miss it.