Mike Richards

[alltherage]

I hate the east indian accent guy bit.. I forget his name, but dear god. The other day I woke up to the fan for the first and last time. It is getting worse these days.

I'm also sick to death of the Steven Brunt (?) rap. The words don't even make sense.

[BlAcKNoVa]

I love his show, but I do agree with some of the soundbits he plays, like the Homer Simpson laugh which he plays about 100 times a show, or the Peter Maher soundbit gets on my nerves a bit. Other then that I always tune in when I get home from work. Nothing like a bit of laughter after a hard night at work hehe.

He could play the Dave Mishkin (sp?) goal calls all morning and I'd laugh at them everytime. Seriously the most hilarious play-by-play guy ever. I keep checking their website for it in their audio section but it's not there!!

[flambers]

Personally I love the show, as for the commercials thats the way Fan960 runs all of the programs.

[Burninator]

I think the show is great.

In my books there is no one funnier on the radio in Calgary. I think he has a good balance of comedy and sports. I can understand the sentiment of finding the show annoying, and I think the co-host Doug shouts too much. Seriously, the last thing in the morning I want to hear is shouting (listen up CJAY, idiots). But the fake phone calls are classic, and Steven Brunt is probably my favorite real guest.

[SportsJunky]

I think his show is great but I really wish he would work on his interviewing. When he takes 2 min. to ask each question it drives me crazy because the interview is over after five questions. Mike, spit out the question quickly and then be quiet until your guest has finished answering.

He reminds me of Charlie Rose on PBS who seems to need to make himself a part of the story instead of just being an interviewer.

Other than that - keep up the funny stuff Mike.

[Mickey76]

For the most part fan960 drives me crazy. They do a great job of flames broadcasts. Pre and post games shows are good and Jim Rome is allright. But for everything else there are too many commercials and repetitive updates. I realize they have to pay the bills. but on Mike Richards and the afternoons shows it is ALL COMMERCIALS and after a while I just can't take it anymore. Also very annoying are the 20 20 updates in the afternoon. Uh between 1-4 you don't have a drive home listenership and we don't need to hear the same thing over and over again followed by more commercials. Dave Rowe reading 20/20's all afternoon almost enought to put a guy in Ponoka

[alltherage]

Have you heard of calgaryjobshop.ca? Long name, amazing results. call 1-1-800-267-2001, Alarm Force! (Alarm force is listed on the TSX). Have you heard of this thing called, SLINGBOX? It has nothing to do with the radio!

[SportsJunky]

Just tell 'em Lanny sent ya!

[alltherage]

I hope your summer's going well, I'm getting fat.

[worth]

I used to listen to the Fan for about 10 hours per day while at work. I did this for maybe 8 months. I'm totally sick of the station now. The only one I don't really mind on the station is Richards, but i've kind of had my fill of the rest of them.

I know this comment won't be popular here, and I realize the FAN is official station of the Flames and all, but there are other sports going on in the world besides the NHL. Once hockey season rolls around it seems like 95% of the programming is Flames. I mean, right now we have baseball playoffs, NFL regular season, CFL playoff just around the corner, WHL hockey in the city, NBA starting soon etc. I know everyone loves hockey, but some variety would be nice IMO.

[Prototype]

Originally Posted by alltherage

Have you heard of calgaryjobshop.ca? Long name, amazing results. call 1-1-800-267-2001, Alarm Force! (Alarm force is listed on the TSX). Have you heard of this thing called, SLINGBOX? It has nothing to do with the radio!

1-8-6-6 Wow Deal... and get away for less...

[The Goon]

I agree about the 20/20 updates. They really could do them every half hour and that would be more than enough.

I enjoy the morning show - I wake up just as it's starting and Mike and the gang get me to work. Some good interviews, and I usually time my ride into work so I can listen to Stephen Brunt.

I don't mind most of the jokes, but I am wondering why Mike goes after Rita McNeil with such a vengeance. She hasn't been relevant in what, about 10, 15 years? Yet he cuts into her every so often. I wonder if they dated.

[MissTeeks]

I do enjoy his new name for Sportsnet West, Sportmonton. I listen to Richards every morning, I still think he's funny. But, and it's not just his show, they tend to repeat and stretch out a joke until it's not funny anymore, like the Chumbucket song on the Big Show three weeks ago.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by The Goon

I agree about the 20/20 updates. They really could do them every half hour and that would be more than enough.

I sent an email to them on this very topic a few years ago. They told me that because they are a sports station they need to keep people informed and some other rhetoric.

Honestly unless there is an event that day, or its a trade deadline the updates are not updating anything! Its yet another rehash of yesterdays news.

[Engine09]

We're very fortunate to have a guy like Richards here in the local market, beats the hell out of those no talent hacks at CJAY anyways.

I would listen to 960 a lot more often but everytime I turn on the radio it's a commercial. Off goes the radio and I don't remember to tune back in when that 5 minute commercial spot is over.

[Ayrahb]

I keep the show on while driving, but mostly turn it down through most of the skits and through baseball talk, chuck wagons and rodeo talk, MMA and boxing talk, Jack Daniels and master brewer talk, and cheerleader guest appearances (like today). Hey, I just realized I only leave it on for hockey and football! "Maher in the Morning" is pretty good, though.

20/20 (I guess you'd have to could call it something else) every half an hour would be ok as 660 already does them on the :15s. And the commercials... They are very long and sometimes make me yell at the radio, much to my girlfriend's amusement. I'd like to single out the recent Rogers home phone ad: NOBODY says: "Wow, is that a V-Tech phone?!" and no, an $85 phone is not an expensive phone to give away.

[koop]

Originally Posted by worth

I know this comment won't be popular here, and I realize the FAN is official station of the Flames and all, but there are other sports going on in the world besides the NHL. Once hockey season rolls around it seems like 95% of the programming is Flames. I mean, right now we have baseball playoffs, NFL regular season, CFL playoff just around the corner, WHL hockey in the city, NBA starting soon etc. I know everyone loves hockey, but some variety would be nice IMO.

I totally agree, of course I think they should cover the flames more than anything else but it's ridiculous sometimes. I love the flames but I'm a fan of other teams in different sports and on the fan there is ZERO coverage of the NBA. I sometimes hear the call in show in the moring and they say it's a time for people to call in and talk about anything in the world of sports. I remember one morning a guy called in and started talking about the raptors and got cut off and was told ya the raptors are looking good this year but we aren't really talking about that, now back to talking about headshots in the NHL. They should just call the show "hockey talk" But anyways I think Mike Richards is great and that we are lucky to have him in Calgary I love the fake calls and bits I listen every morning.

[The Goon]

One thing I forgot to mention that Richards does deserve credit for is his pumping up of high school football. Now, I don't really care about it a whole lot, but the guy does have a lot of interest in the community and giving some airtime to high school sports that would otherwise be ignored.

[worth]

Joe Sports was also really good for that. Community sport is important and kind of gets lost in the shuffle. Too bad Joe isn't with us anymore.

[greyshep]

Speaking of favorite Mike Richards bits/parodies....

I still laugh out loud whenever I recall the Kyle Shewfelt CBC gymnastics floor routine parody.

Hilarious. Man I wish they had that clip on their website.