Re: Fwd: MEDIA BLITZ BY JOHN MOLORI, 5/13/03

[Ron Bello <rbello@BelloAssoc.com>]

WCBS in NYC has the Yankees


>Besides, why would WBZ want the Sox anyway? It would pretty much kill off 
>Brudnoy's show between April and September.  Plus, what happens "when news 
>breaks?"  With the Bruins, potential conflicts only happen once or twice a 
>week during weeknights, but with the Sox it's every night. If the Bruins 
>get bounced to a sister station in favor of news coverage, it's not that 
>big a deal. The Sox historically have demanded guaranteed clearance on 
>their flagship station, so the idea of BZ just bouncing the Sox to WODS 
>the next time Dubya decides to invade another Middle Eastern nation may 
>not be a possibility.  Unless Brudnoy is getting ready to retire or is 
>having health problems again, I just don't see how the Sox would be a good 
>fit on 1030.
>
>Mike Thomas
>
>
>Kevin Vahey wrote:
>
>>Anderlman talks about the Sox moving to WBZ which echos whispers at the 
>>park. The new owners are not pleased with Entercomm.
>>
>>I have been told that WEEI is the top billing station in the city which 
>>would echo WFAN and WIP Philadelphia as the top bills. I don't think 
>>losing the Sox would cripple WEEI but it would be a major dent.
>>
>>
>>On Tue, 13 May 2003 9:43AM -0500, Kevin Vahey wrote:
>>
>>>John Molori talks to Eddie Andleman
>>>
>>>Btw has Scott stopped sending NERW by mail?
>>>
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: Jomol3@aol.com
>>>Subject: MEDIA BLITZ BY JOHN MOLORI, 5/13/03
>>>Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 07:39:13 EDT
>>>
>>>MEDIA BLITZ
>>>By John Molori
>>>
>>>Andelman sounds off on Safari, family and Boston sports media
>>>
>>>      Eddie Andelman’s 14th Annual Hot Dog Safari will be held at Suffolk
>>>Downs this Sunday from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.  The much-anticipated event has
>>>raised over $2 million for The Joey Fund and cystic fibrosis research.
>>>
>>>      The Joey Fund is named after the late Joey O’Donnell, son of Boston
>>>businessman Joe O’Donnell.  “In 1985, I did a program on Channel 5 
>>>called
>>>Wrestling for a Cure,” explains Andelman, the host of AM 1510’s 
>>>“Eddie and
>>>Jags Show” weekdays Noon-3:00 p.m.
>>>
>>>      “Joe brought his son to the event and he loved it.  Three days 
>>> later, he
>>>was dead from cystic fibrosis.  This disease is one of the largest 
>>>killers of
>>>children in the world."
>>>
>>>      Nearly two decades ago, author Frank Deford's daughter Alex had a 
>>> cystic
>>>fibrosis attack in Andelman's home during a visit.  Alex and Joey remain the
>>>inspirations for Andelman's event.
>>>
>>>      In the past 14 years, Andelman has turned the Safari into a research
>>>gold mine. Last year, the event raised over $300,000.  The same number is
>>>expected this year.
>>>
>>>      The 2003 Safari will feature 13 different hot dog companies, 15,000
>>>meatballs, turkey dogs, buffalo dogs and 20,000 buffalo chicken wings from
>>>the 99 Restaurants.  Interactive games and activities are also slated.
>>>
>>>      Tickets to the Safari are $15.00 at the door and $10.00 in advance.
>>>Check out www.hotdogsafari.com for more info.
>>>
>>>      AM 1510 The Zone will broadcast from the event all day long with
>>>Andelman on the air from 8:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. WB56 will have live coverage
>>>from Noon-3:00 p.m.
>>>
>>>     Ex-Bruin Ray Bourque is one of this year’s Grand Marshals.
>>>Critics have
>>>panned Andelman for choosing a hockey player given his on-air disdain 
>>>for the
>>>game.
>>>
>>>      Andelman takes issue with that saying, “Over the past 25 years, 
>>> I’ve
>>>helped many hockey players get out of debt.  My dispute has always been with
>>>Harry Sinden.  Will McDonough tried to get Harry and I to bury the hatchet,
>>>but I always wanted to bury it in Harry’s head.
>>>
>>>      “The guy treats people like dirt and denies that he gets any 
>>> financial
>>>gain from keeping the Bruins' payroll down.”
>>>
>>>      Andelman stops short of calling the Safari his legacy.  For that, he
>>>turns to his sons Daniel, David and Michael.
>>>
>>>      The Andelman boys have achieved media success with their Phantom 
>>> Gourmet
>>>show, an NECN staple moving to UPN38 with reports on WBZ-TV in September.
>>>Despite critics' cries of nepotism, Andelman states that he has never played
>>>any role in the show's development or success.
>>>
>>>      He does believe that the Andelman name has hindered the career of son
>>>Michael.  “The press and people in the business have been very unfair to
>>>Michael,” says Andelman.
>>>
>>>      "I’d like him to get more involved in the business, but he feels 
>>> like he
>>>is too identified with me.  When I hang them up, he might just move 
>>>in.” The
>>>younger Andelman turned down an offer to cohost AM 1510's Morning Press Box
>>>due to anticipated claims of nepotism.
>>>
>>>      Having talked with Michael Andelman on numerous occasions, I can say
>>>that he is one of the truly funny and knowledgeable men in Boston 
>>>sports.  In
>>>fact, the criticism of Andelman and his family is way off base.
>>>
>>>      Several Boston media types have benefited from a family name (see Gary
>>>Gillis, Sean McDonough, Steve Burton).  Still, there is a pervading
>>>resentment of anything Andelman.
>>>
>>>      Eddie Andelman certainly does not dominate the airwaves the way he 
>>> once
>>>did, but he still provides listeners with relevant sports programming.
>>>Moreover, he blazed the trail for the big money and exposure that his
>>>contemporaries enjoy today.
>>>
>>>       As always, Andelman has some pointed views on the current news in
>>>Boston sports.   Last week on WBZ's Sports Final, multi-media 
>>>personality Bob
>>>Ryan said that he'd like to "smack" Joumanna Kidd, wife of New Jersey Net
>>>Jason Kidd.
>>>
>>>      Ryan’s comment was ill advised and insensitive, but the ensuing 
>>> media
>>>pile-on was equally grotesque.  Says Andelman, “I know Bob didn't mean 
>>>what
>>>he said. He was trying to be a personality and it bit him in the 
>>>ass.  He was
>>>not thinking clearly."
>>>
>>>      On Nets' coach Byron Scott's assertion that Boston is a racist city,
>>>Andelman states, “Byron Scott never liked Boston.  He is a Laker.  I am of
>>>the age where I saw Jewish, Irish and Italian people experience prejudice.
>>>Racism is not strictly a black matter.
>>>
>>>      “Boston is not a racist city.  It is an ethnic city.  The 
>>> Celtics have
>>>never been racist. What white player should they have benched, McHale, Bird,
>>>Havlicek, Cowens?
>>>
>>>      “The Red Sox were a racist organization under the Yawkey 
>>> ownership.  In
>>>death, the Yawkeys gave money to many charities, but I view that as blood
>>>money that they owed in return for their racism.”
>>>
>>>      Despite constant staff changes at AM 1510, Andelman does not 
>>> regret his
>>>decision to leave Sportsradio 850 WEEI.  He says, “There was no way I was
>>>going to stay at WEEI.  I wasn’t happy, and outside of Dale Arnold and Ted
>>>Sarandis, I did not respect my colleagues.
>>>
>>>      “I don't like the way they do business.  I used to have a big 
>>> party for
>>>my WEEI co-workers at my house every summer, but I had to stop it.  I am not
>>>a goody two shoes, but the people at WEEI are not the type of people I want
>>>in my home.”
>>>
>>>      “Personally, I think WBZ radio will take over the Red Sox broadcast
>>>rights and that will be it. Who has more power and money Entercom or 
>>>Viacom?”
>>>
>>>       The departure of Sean McDonough from AM 1510 has not shaken Andelman.
>>>“Sean is definitely leaving,” he states.  “He has always worked as 
>>>hard as
>>>anyone I've seen in this business.
>>>
>>>      “He has not been happy with the Red Sox at all.  It was a money 
>>> thing
>>>all the way.  The funny thing is that (NESN play-by-play man) Don Orsillo
>>>sounds just like Sean.  Sean will never be out of work.”
>>>
>>>      Sources have told Media Blitz that Michael Holley has been offered
>>>McDonough’s 3:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. slot at AM 1510.  Comedian Jimmy Dunn may
>>>also be in the mix.
>>>
>>>      Andelman is equally frank in discussing the bitter departure of Mike
>>>Adams from AM 1510.  He states, “It was unfortunate. I like Mike, but I
>>>thought it was wrong for him to talk about (AM 1510 GM) Mike Kellogg's past
>>>substance abuse on WEEI.  Kellogg has three kids. You just don’t do that."
>>>
>>>     “I really don't know why Mike Adams was fired.  He is as talented a
>>>person as we've had in this market.”
>>>
>>>      Andelman assures that the Hot Dog Safari will also be accessible 
>>> to the
>>>entire Boston market.  “We are expecting 45,000 to 50,000 people this 
>>>year.
>>>I’m not sure how much bigger we can get.  Where else can you take a 
>>>carload
>>>of kids and have affordable fun? We’ll never raise the price as long 
>>>as I am
>>>alive.”
>>>
>>>John Molori’s Media Blitz column is published weekly in The Boston 
>>>Metro, The
>>>Providence Journal, The Lawrence Eagle-Tribune, The Lowell Sun and at
>>>MethuenOnline.com.  John can be reached via E-mail at JOMOL3@aol.com.
>>
>>
>
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