Are you familiar with sports-talk radio in San Diego?  To be perfectly honest, there’s absolutely no reason you should be.  San Diego recently added XTRA Sports as a 3rd sports-talk radio network and I still get nothing but radio ads on (AM)800, 1090, and 1360 when I feel like tuning in.  Like the Padres, there are a couple of aces with a decent supporting staff and a bunch of throwbacks that wouldn’t be working anywhere else, except maybe Tampa.  In the rare instance that I actually do get to listen to the programmed radio shows, I usually have to listen to some nimrod-“radio personality” from another part of the country like Philly Billy Werndl, Colin Cowherd, or Darren Smith.  It would be nice if they delivered good analysis or sweet opinions and stuck to them, but they change their minds like Britney Spears changes her personalities. 

    Regardless of whether they’re good or bad, sometimes you need your sports fix, so here’s a breakdown for you.

(A+) Padres Radio Announcing

Jerry Coleman - We’ll start out on the positive side of things and work our way down.  If you’re not from San Diego, you’ll probably disagree and tout Vince Scully as the best baseball announcer, but The Colonel is my preference and San Diego has been lucky to have this sports-radio icon.

Ted Leitner -  Uncle Teddy is AWESOME!  Too bad his radio show gets bumped around more than liberal talk radio.  Ted tells it like it is and he’s been doing it in a respectful way my whole life.  Whether he’s on his show or doing the play-by-play, he’s fun to listen to.  He does get off topic sometimes-many times, FYI.

Andy Masur – Andy came over from WGN where he worked for 8 years.  Don’t know much about him, but he does a good job filling in and doesn’t butcher the job like our favorite 3rd base coach used to.  I’ll leave Flan’s name out of it since he’s helping out the Battery Chuck’s in NorCal.

(A+) Jim Rome

(Jim you’re great, but this pic is kind of flaming...not that there’s anything wrong with that.)

Jim Rome – I started listening to Rome back in 1996 during Cami’s MVP season for the Padres.  Although it doesn’t take place too much anymore, I have a tremendous amount of respect for any radio host that will hit a “buzzer” and hang up on someone wasting our time and polluting our ears with a “bad take”.  I wish I had a “buzzer” for some of my friends.  Jim created a unique radio format that is second to none, he does sweet interviews, and treats his “guests” with a tremendous amount of respect.  However, please note that if you call, you are not the guest… you are a caller aka a clone and don’t forget…”Have a take and don’t suck!”

(A)  The Scott & BR Show

The Scott & BR Show  –  I’ve actually met both of these guys and they are good people!  Being smart and funny helps them out, but Billy Ray Smith is a former Chargers linebacker who knows sports inside & out and Scott Kaplan is as cool as the other side of the pillow when it comes to conducting interviews or wrapping out with someone.  These two get a lot of interviews that other radio shows don’t get because they have sincere ties to San Diego sports teams and they don’t talk trash on players just to get a ratings spike for the day.  If you want some laughs, good insider info, or both, tune in to their show.

(A)  Chargers Broadcasts

Chargers Broadcasts – Hank Bauer took over for Hacksaw back in the day and the play-by-play has gotten better along with the announcing.  Hank is undoubtedly a true Charger fan and he tells it like it is.  If you can’t stand listening to Dan Dierdorf or any other corporate broadcaster, turn your TV volume off and enjoy some good Chargers announcing with Hank and his team.  The time delay will ruin the surprise, but that’s easier to deal with than Dan Dierdorf calling Shawn Merriman’s sacks, “Garbage Sacks” in the playoffs.  1st off, there’s no such thing as a “garbage sack” because they still count and 2ndly, there’s especially no such thing as a “garbage sack” against Peyton Manning in the playoffs.

(A) Mornings with Dave & Jeff

Mornings with Dave & Jeff – I originally rated this show as a “D” and I would like to correct that.  I have listened most mornings this year and these guys are really funny.  They mix it up and say what most of us are thinking about San Diego sports.  I definitely recommend these guys for some early morning laughs and a good vibe.

(A-) (TIE) Josh Rosenberg  &  Chris Ello       

Josh Rosenberg & Chris Ello – You probably remember these guys from the past couple years on The Mighty 1090… they were the only decent sports-minded shows on AM1090 besides Uncle Teddy and The Coach.  No wonder they have their own shows at 1360.  Now I can listen to these guys on a regular basis without having to check the website daily for their new time-slots. 

A- The Coach(John Kentera) & Joe Tutino

The Coach(John Kentera) & Joe Tutino -  Do you ever tune-in to 1090 after The Padres have lost a game?  The Coach and Joe Tutino are the guys taking the brunt of it.  The Coach has been our go-to Homer in San Diego for a long time and I don’t think I’ve ever heard or met a more positive person in my life.  San Diego heartbreak is a mainstay when it comes to SD Sports-talk and this guy handles it with dignity, grace, and insight.  Joe Tutino seems to have become The Coach’s right hand man now that XTRA Sports cut in to 1090’s…er, San Diego’s talent pool.  Joe is as knowledgeable as they come and he has a great attitude and a great personality.  I guess the thing that sets these two apart from others that will follow is that these guys are sincere and they actually talk to their callers/listeners.  Keep up the good work guys... And Thanks!

(C) Lee “Hacksaw” Hamilton (CANCELLED 9/6/08)

Lee “Hacksaw” Hamilton – Where do I begin with this guy?  I grew up listening to Hacksaw as the voice of the Chargers.  I wasn’t happy when they fired him, but Hank Bauer does a great job and I never missed Hacksaw once he was gone.  Well, now I’m older and now he’s back.  He is really annoying.  Yes, he is in our All-time Quotebook, but that is because he has some great one-liners dedicated to San Diego, not because his quotes are profound.   Lee does a good job of instigating San Diegans to call his show, but I find that most people are calling to enlighten him, not agree with him.  Does this guy look like someone you would listen to for more than 2 minutes? 

BTW – LT doesn’t do radio interviews that often and The Hacksaw was touting how sweet his show was because LT came on a couple of weeks ago to explain about the particulars of his knee sprain.  I have a personal feeling that the ONLY reason LT came on his show was because Hacksaw had been questioning his toughness and loyalty for the 10 days prior to that show and LT wanted to set the record straight.

(D) Too Much Show (SHOULD BE CANCELLED)

Too Much Show – You got that right!  Actually, it should be called Too Much Advertising.  Have you ever heard these guys or this show?  Philly Billy is from Philadelphia and Darren Smith is from New York and they know jack-&%^$ about San Diego or our history and care even less.  These two guys are about as valuable to the radio network as some rusty paperclips.  Sometimes I ask myself if these two guys were just hired to read infomercials for NatureBee or Donovan’s Steakhouse because it’s really all you hear them talk about.  The day these two give you some insight on San Diego sports will be the first.  All these two do, is bitch about San Diego sports, bitch about professional San Diego athletes, or bitch at each other.  It’s no wonder why the SD Pro’s go on The Scott & BR Show and not Too Much Show.  However, they did add Phil Nevin recently and while he wasn’t my favorite Padre ever, he makes this show bearable by injecting some sanity in to it.   NOTE:  Phil Nevin was a dope baseball player!

(F) The Herd with Colin Cowherd

The Herd with Colin Cowherd – You could only find a more arrogant prick on 760AM Republican radio.  This guy isn’t a San Diego radio personality but I hear him by mistake on the way to work occasionally.  He can’t complete a sentence without telling you how great, good-looking, or famous he is in his own world.  Colin Cowherd is an F-List celebrity at best, but you would’ve thought that he slept with Paris Hilton the night before based on his shtick.  Not only does Colin have a sniveling, pesky, annoying voice, but he is always right and you are always wrong…even if you agree with him.  I don’t know who Colin bent over for, but if his radio show wasn’t on ESPN he would be as popular as Darren Smith and Philly Billy Werndl.