(Photo by niekverlaan)
Over the last couple days, I’ve been thinking about who my favorite radio hosts are. Because my exposure to radio outside Boston is limited, I feel it would be unfair to rank every sports personality in the nation, so here are the top 10 hosts at 98.5 The Sports Hub:
1. Michael Felger
I know I’ve given Felger a lot of heat about his on-air habits (see Michael Felger: Radio Monarch), but the reality is that he’s the best doing it right now. As the skipper of the Felger and Mazz boat, Felger directs thoughtful, original discussion about the goings-on in Boston sports. He offers original takes with conviction, never backs down, and articulates his opinions clearly. Despite his negative attitude (actually, largely because of it), Michael Felger is the franchise player of 98.5.
2. Adam Jones
When I first started seriously listening to sports radio, Adam Jones was the mediocre aftershow to Felger and Mazz. However, as time’s passed, I’ve grown to appreciate Jones’ takes--he’s funny, knowledgeable, and diverse in his areas of expertise. Nobody Revs it up like Jones does, and his flexible hours and topic of conversation are appreciated by many. Sports vulture or not, Adam Jones is damn good at what he does.
3. Nick Cattles
A big sleeper pick, Cattles has graduated from simply being Adam Jones’ sidekick to having a show of his very own. There’s something lovable about Cattles’ unbounded optimism and the fact that he’s a total homer. Cattles often fearlessly takes on Jones in a heated debate, not afraid to call Jones out for his unnecessary cynicism. Cattles is the ray of sunshine we all need at the Sports Hub.
4. Tony Massarotti
You’re probably wondering why Mazz isn't sitting at #2 on this list alongside co-host Michael Felger; you’re free to disagree, but at least hear me out. Mazz can be bubbly and entertaining, but his voice is grating, and he tends to agree with Felger. I do appreciate his baseball knowledge, but, again, I really can’t stand the guy’s voice. Maybe that’s a superficial judgment, but it seems pretty important in radio, and he often comes off as another of Felger’s cronies. That being said, Mazz can be hilarious, and he's very good at analyzing Red Sox press conferences and news.
5. Marc Bertrand
Ah, the dark horse of these ranks. Marc Bertrand, often engulfed in the shadow of Scott Zolak, is a pro at directing the conversation where he wants it to go. Much like I do for Scott, Beetle has to work hard to keep Zo on track, and he does a damn good job of it. He also appeared as the third wheel on Felger and Mazz for a period, and his opinions are always thought-provoking.
6. Scott Zolak
Let me establish right now that Zolak is only this high because of the work he does calling Patriots games. I find Zo to be a pretty poor talk show host; as Box Score Bishop pointed out to me, he often slams the table or staples papers in the middle of a broadcast. Simply put, he’s far from technically sound in the studio, but his iconic Patriots moments undeniably put him at #6 on this list.
7. Jim Murray
If not for Gasper and Murray, Big Jim Worry would be lower on this list. He often falls into the habit of acting as Felger’s pawn on Felger and Mazz, but his contributions to the show are always entertaining (see his impersonations of Gisele). Brash, insensitive, and cynical, Murray is always brutally honest about what he thinks.
8. Sean Grande
It’s hard to put a guy who only does play-by-play too high on this list, but Grande can spin words with the best of ‘em. One of the highlights of listening to any Celtics broadcast is the soliloquy Grande treats the viewers to as he introduces the game. Felger and Mazz clowned him for his opening night intro, but I thought it was fantastic. He’s spent 12 seasons with the C’s--let’s give the man his due.
9. Cedric Maxwell
I’ll admit: sometimes it sounds like Max is talking with marbles in his mouth, but as the second half of the Celtics radio broadcast team, he always has a nugget of wisdom or an interesting stat to share. Occasionally, he tries discuss the nuances of social media (he just got his very own Instagram account). Max, if you’re reading this, stick to basketball, but keep doing you.
10. Jimmy Stewart
The only way I can think to describe him is that he’s a lovable loser. He sucks up to Felger, and his voice doesn’t exactly convey any sense of confidence. The only thing I like about J-Stew is that he has a treasure trove of knowledge about WWE--something I don’t care at all about, but I find it impressive that someone could be so invested in an organization that stages fights.
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