You can ask callers to defend their positions and still keep it light and fun…and you can offer insight into their comments, too, and keep it light and fun…even if you don’t agree with the callers’ comments…that’s why we listen. But the tone of your show is often times “Mike vs. the Fans”…maybe that should be the name.

I guess you don’t think that you’re belligerent and combative in responding to questions or comments…I happen to think that you are…and I guess there’s no way I can convince you that you are and there’s no way you can convince me that you aren’t…unless, of course, the tone of your show changes as per my suggestions noted throughout this thread. Till then I guess we’re just going to have to stay at odds.

MW: Which is fine with me.

My point in the previous thread is that last night’s “good” show was a rarity…you set the tone of the show by being light and conversational and fun…most other times you set the tone of combativeness and condescension. (I think I need a thesaurus over here).

And you can’t blame the callers for setting the tone of the show…they can set a theme…but isn’t it your job to maintain the overall tone of the show? And wouldn’t the Blue Jays’ organization rather have a positive, fun, open, insightful tone instead of the opposite of that?

Is Jays’ Talk a Blue Jays’ sanctioned show or it exclusively a Fan 590 show? If it’s exclusively Fan 590 then, okay, more power to you and I’ll stop adding to this thread.

You do get a lot of positive feedback…mostly people saying that the best part of your show is when you belittle and humiliate the callers…but I think that represents a small fraction of the Jays’ fan base…it seems that that small fraction call into your show and provide you this positive feedback. Don’t you think the entire fan-base should be involved in your show? Or at least feel that they could be a part of your show without getting tongue-whipped? I do…but you make it impossible with your attitude.

The past Sunday my mother and I were listening to Jays’ Talk and half-way through the show she asked me: “Who is this belligerent person?”. No my mother doesn’t like baseball…but if she notices the belligerence in your comments…don’t you think everyone can? Even kids who might be listening?

MW: I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – rational, reasonable calls are welcome and happily accepted on The JaysTalk. The unreasonable and irrational are welcome, as well, but those callers had best be prepared to defend their position. I hate talk-show hosts who have callers call in with absolute nonsense and just say “uh-huh” and let them continue.

Take last night’s Jays’ Talk show (May 12)…probably the best show I’ve heard since you started…you weren’t combative, confrontational, presumptuous, condescending or smug (you were a little smug but then again you always are and I can let that slide)…your responses were tactful and conversational and you actually let callers finish their comments and questions before responding. I think that that’s what average fans, occasional fans prefer to hear…and it will perhaps encourage more average / occasional fans (and maybe even kids on weekends!)to call with questions and / or comments.

No need to respond to this, Mike…just wanted to get the last word on this thread.

MW: I don’t think I was any different last night than I am any other night. It was the callers.

MW: No one is asking for blind faith.

MW: OK

MW: The team’s OBP is 5th in the league. There’s nothing to indicate that this will continue towards being the worst RISP-hitting team of all time.

MW: I try not to. Right-thinking folk like you help, though.

MW: Thanks, but you didn’t get me. According to the dictionary, “myriad” can be used as a noun, as well as an adjective. In fact, the nounic definition is the first one listed. Glad to see you’re trying, though!