This ombudsman-style analysis of ESPN's Mike and Mike Show will run in two parts. The second half will debut this Thursday.


>Overview

On October 12, 1998, ESPN Radio debuted a new pairing for their morning drive, made up of a lifetime journalist and a former NFL football player. The former had been with ESPN since 1996, becoming one of the first anchors of ESPNews and a face in the SportsCenter rotation. The latter had joined the Worldwide Leader in 1995 following a nine-year career with the Houston Oilers, Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins. They are Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic and almost a decade later, they have created one of the most successful pairings in the country with their Mike and Mike in the Morning radio show.

The landscape of media has changed quite a bit since 1998 and with the continued growth of ESPN, the two have grown with it. They are on air with original content a minimum of 20 hours per week which includes their daily 6am-10 am stint on ESPN Radio (also simulcast on ESPN2 since 2006). Add in appearances on SportsCenter, a sporadic section in ESPN Magazine, daily Best Of shows on ESPN, a radio-only Best Of on Saturdays and their own individual appearances (phew!), it's hard for the traditional ESPN viewer to not at least get a glimpse of Mike and Mike every day in some form or fashion. In fact, they are arguably two of the top 5 most recognizable on-air entities at the network today.

But with this broadcasting power comes responsibility and the need for checks and balances. As the show's popularity has increased, so has the number of critics. There are some who argue that the show is too bland while others complain that the duo is now overexposed. While there is undoubtedly a large following for Mike & Mike, that doesn't make up for the fact that the show's primary objective over the years has turned into more of an entertainment piece rather than a conversation starter. What this Ombudsman Report will attempt to do is break down the many functions and roles the show plays, the criticisms and the plaudits and ultimately, give an overview of a pair of media members than are on the airwaves more than a full 24-hour day every week.

>The Hosts Themselves

In doing research, I was surprised to learn that Golic had actually been on the radio waves since 1995 where he was part of The Bruno-Golic Morning Show with Tony Bruno through 1998. You would think this extensive broadcasting past would be proudly referenced next to Greenberg's Northwestern University-fueled credentials. However, this simply isn't the case. Golic is consistently made up to play the big, dumb jock role to Greenberg's voice of the fan character that is more metrosexual than manly. In comments Small White Ball got from readers, it was interesting that this paradox has become grating and that viewers have become worn down from the two hosts' constant efforts to substantiate the show's main marketing message, "What makes them different makes them great."

Reader Mike K.: "They aren't the odd couple and I don't tune in so I can hear them bicker about each other. I tune in for sports and that's why I always switch my XM station to Squizz or FoxSports because they give me the content they advertise."

Reader Ralph B.: "Maybe it's just me... but Golic's losing it. He's gone from being the manly man to being a dumb oaf. I liked it better when he was tough and just confused by Greenberg's metrosexuality."

While the interplay between traditional journalists and former players have been overplayed to death on both ESPN and other sports media outlets, this ying and yang of coverage is ultimately what makes the Mike & Mike show sink or swim. When Greenberg and Golic actually get going on a subject, the interplay can make for very entertaining radio; the key word being 'can'. Often, Greenberg seems rushed to stay on schedule or simply content with moving onto the next topic without fully exploring a certain subject. Unlike traditional talk radio where breaks can be manipulated depending on whether a certain segment is really moving the meter, the stringent ESPN schedule seems to hurt more than it helps.

I would agree that the various stereotypes they play up (jock, metrosexual, Jewish, meathead, former player, celebrities) often get in the way of Greenberg and Golic just being themselves. While they are hybrids of all of these characteristics, Mike & Mike should let that just play out naturally as they are two guys that obviously are friends that like to discuss sports. As they close in on a decade of working together, it's a bit foolhardy to think that those mass-marketed dynamics of being 'different' are that deep. Often, their best segments are the ones when honest discussion is presented and disagreements are genuine and not based on marketable characters. The era of the Metrosexual and the Ogre is over. Get on with it.

>The Human Side

Opinion seemed to differ when it came to getting a glimpse into both Greenberg and Golic's personal lives. Much of Greenberg's past issues can be read in his somewhat-troubling 2006 autobiography and the listening audience is well-aware of his wife and two young children. Golic has brought that family dynamic even more to the forefront, giving us a taste of what life is like on the college recruiting trail as one of his sons recently committed to Dad's alma mater, Notre Dame. The lead-in, the actual decision and the subsequent letter of commitment signing were all discussed and then broadcast during the show, which got both jeers and cheers. Peter S. wrote in and observed that the three (hosts and Golic's son) of them 'sharing a moment' about the letter of intent 'burned his eyes' while Ralph B. really liked it and truly enjoys the personal stories:

"Greeny talking about his son. The segment they did on signing day when Golic Jr. was there was fantastic. Golic and his wife. Greeny leaving during the 6th inning and ARod winning the comeback game for the Yanks," he said, the latter referring to a story where Greenberg took his son home early from a game in which the boy's hero won using late-inning dramatics."

I have to agree more so with Ralph's assessment than Peter's in cases like the signing. When you are asking people to commit chunks of their day in listening to you, part of that commitment is some sort of shared experience. Parents talk about being able to communicate with other parents on a level that those without kids cannot understand, much like athletes can listen to other athletes' experiences and share a common bond. I actually like that Greenberg and Golic break format to talk about how sports is playing a role in their lives we don't see. It makes them more human and helps break down the barrier between viewer and presenter. As long as it doesn't become too sensationalized or commercialized (see Bill Simmons' Sports Gal picks on ESPN's Page 2), it's a welcome break from steroid talk for these ears.

Speaking of steroids....

>A Missed Opportunity

With the steroid era now being dissected on a daily basis, the two have spent ad nauseum hours discussing the travails of both Major League Baseball and the NFL's past, present and future. On November 9, 2007, Golic casually brought up how he had experimented with steroids for a short time during one offseason of his NFL career, the admission of which was quickly brushed aside by Greenberg who seemed unclear as to whether he should act as journalist, friend or entertainer. During a rare call-in segment regarding Minnesota Vikings player Troy Williamson's pay suspension due to a funeral, a fan called in and instead of discussing Williamson, called out Golic on the steroid issue. He admitted again to using and Greenberg helped quickly and awkwardly move on, which you can read about here. This decision by both of them to not take the subject head on was an inexcusable mistake that reflected more about the show's current values than anything else. While they did briefly address it a week later, the chance to educate and be in the moment was lost. At this point, it seemed more reactionary than anything.

What I wanted to hear from Golic was exactly why he's there to begin with: taking me inside the athlete's head. I want to understand the decision-making that went into that process, who he talked to and the inner monologue he was having. I want to know about that fateful day when he tried 'roids for the first time and whether he was scared or not. I guess I just want to understand more about why he did it, not to make fun or judge him, but simply to try to get a better gauge on today's athlete. Instead, we essentially got a voided comment that looms like a white elephant in the room every time Golic talks about steroid use. If he doesn't want to talk about it in depth, that's not good enough for me. That's part of his responsibility as a media person that is paid to analyze sports. Period.

The second half of this report will run on Thursday, focusing on the array of Mike & Mike guests and entourage, the growing commercialization of the product, their outside interests and some of the intangibles that make up the show.

For feedback, email mikeandmikeombudsman[at]hotmail[com] or comment below.






Josh Nason has run Small White Ball since 2007 and is the main contributor of content for the site including parts 1 and 2 of the Mike and Mike Ombudsman review. A long-time writer, his work can also be read at sites like Ropes, Ring and Cage and others. He also appears weekly on radio shows and will gladly do more. He also loves free lunches.