Ha! You thought it was going to be someone from the Boston Herald today, didn’t you?
Instead we’re going today with longtime Providence Journal baseball writer Sean McAdam.
McAdam is a 1981 graduate of Providence college. He also writes baseball columns for ESPN.com and is a frequent co-host on WEEI’s Big Show. In fact, McAdam is often teased for his willingness to appear on just about any media program out there, be it television, radio or a 12 year old kid’s podcast.
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Sean McAdam Approval Ratings
Popularity: 29% [?]
Likes hockey.
“Approve!”
Disapprove for the mere fact that he will perform lewd acts in order to get on other media outlets…Knows his baseball, but over-exposed, ala Remy…
Condescending, patronizing left-wing looney. Hard to see past that and give a thumbs up. Admittedly, has his sources, but it can’t outshine his arrogance. Sorry.
You are right about that Steve but I still gave him the thumbs up because he is reliable when evaluating the Sox; isn’t compelled by an agenda and doesnt’ have a schtick (sp?).
I agree his left-wing looneyism detracts from his hockey coverage. We get it Sean, you think there is a severe lack of attention paid to the left wing. I’m sorry but traditionally the left winger is only a support guy for the center and rw, the more talented players will move to those positions early in their training.
Yes, Sean we all know about Ovechkin, the left-wing as checker/grit guy tradition isn’t followed as closely in Russia, it’s a North American construct.
Despite the overexposed media presence, comes across as more intelligent, likeable and less pompous than his counterparts. Brings credibility to any show he appears on. I’d even argue he doesn’t seem to be on enough during the baseball season…approve.
I don’t turn the Big Show off right away when I hear that he’s on, so I approve.
Approve - He’s fairly rational and thought out.
I don’t know why Jason “The Little Dictator” Wolfe pushes Mike Adams on us with the weekly baseball show and Sean’s only on every other week. It should be Sean and a rotating co-host.
His Mr. Baseball rant when he tore Felger a new one is one of my all-time favorites.
Very seldom takes the bait when Ordway and that crowd are catering to the lowest common denominator.
APPROVE! Sounds like a white James Earl Jones. Anyone know if he wears Z. Cavarichi’s b/c they made some great cutout Jorts.
I’ve never turned off the radio or TV because of Sean McAdam, and so on that alone I have to approve. He’s a good writer, comes across fine on radio and TV. Not a media fraud, he seems to actually like baseball and hockey.
Even though there isn’t a media outlet he doesn’t like and there isn’t an interview he won’t do, Sean is a solid writer and gets good information in his stories.
I remember him when he produced Chuck Wilson’s show on the old WEAN in Providence. He’s ok. I’ll approve him.
Ah, those were the days with Chuck & Sean! I lost count of how many times Gammons stood them up (”Gee, we’re having a little trouble reaching Peter tonight…”). And like all RI sports talk shows, there was waaaaayyyy too much PC Friar basketball chatter.
I think he’s paying either child support or alimony or both, so he gets a pass from me for his overexposure. Plus he’s got sweet pipes. Approve.
‘Disapprove’ for anyone who is essentially a sports media streetwalker or ‘hired gun.’ That’s what gets you into trouble, and you start hurting the feelings of young kids who then cry…all so you can buy one or two more drinks at the bar that night.
Sean is hands down one of the best baseball writers in the country. approve. big fan of him on the sunday AM baseball show. he’s funny, engaging and is able to remain above the fray on WEEI which is uncommon
Approve. Every know and then he suffers from EEI disease (I’m smarter than you caller because I am a sports writer) but has good information and well spoken.
Absolutely approve. He is the most consistent, knowledgeable, and insightful provider of baseball news. He knows his stuff and works hard to stay up on things.
The only time he may appear pompous is when he has to deal the “regular” EEI calls (eg. the “Bob from Boston” types), but those guys can make morons look pompous.
Otherwise, he will give callers their props when they make a good point.
DISAPPROVE…has that haughty, elitist, snobby attitude….Talks down to fans when on WEEI….an arrogant oaf….Thinks his word is God’s when it comes to baseball …..fancy’s himself a George Will type….
Is often the lone sane presence during his regular appearances on the EEI screamfest. Can be a bit arrogant but knows his stuff and delivers it well. Great speaking voice. I don’t turn the show off when he’s a guest because there’s at least a chance that something intelligent or insightful may be said.
Approve.
While he may be one of the more intellegent co-hosts on The Big Show that’s akin to being called the nicest smelling fart. I haven’t listened to ‘EEI in years. You can make the break as well! I promise!
Anyone remember when it was a whole bit where he went and recorded the scary good impressions he did of Trup and Castig? It gives me proctology chills thinking about that. May have been the worst recorded “bit” in the history of radio. Maybe surpassed by the time Dick Radatz got a shave on the air. And Glen Ordway is still laughing trying to sell the none-existent comedy.
Turn off the radios. WEEI hates, hates, hates, hates, hates its’ audience.
I gotta go with approve just based on the mocking of Mike Felger’s ignorance the time he said “okay, Mr. Baseball” after Felger was babbling on incohrently about something he had no clue about.
Big deal if he takes all he can get when it comes to appearing on all the various outlets. Any one of us who says they wouldn’t if in the same position is a liar or independently wealthy.
I also find it funny when people get so worked up because he “thinks he’s better than you”. He brings the facts and his take on them, if you’re reading into it that he thinks he’s smarter than you, then chances are he is.
Big approve, by far one of the best around.
I enjoy his stuff in the Projo. Makes the TV/radio rounds, but doesn’t resort to “look at me” shtick to do so. He is the only co-host on Ordway’s show that I will linger to listen to. A bit of a pompous *ss - I remember him pontificating about ingrate Sox fans daring to boo Johnny Damon when he returned as a Yank in 2006 - but I vote approve without reservation.
BTW, when are we going to be able to tell the world what a talentless person Pete Gustin is?
McAdam is a little too haughty, elitist and condescending for my tastes. His attitude is very typical of the journalist–”I’m just so much smarter than you”–mentality that eventually infects most of them after a few years in the business (or after 4 years in Journalism school for that matter).
He knows his baseball, but I can do without the attitude.
Not a strong “disapprove” vote, but I can’t see my way clear to voting “approve” either.
It should be noted that my comments about McAdam are solely based on his radio appearances.
I haven’t read enough of his ProJo stuff to be honest.
Tony,
I am in the same boat. Which is a shame, because I think the guy has some good information.
I was particulary annoyed that he pronounced Mike Lowell’s bat speed DOA during spring training in 2006. He said it with such confidence, as if he was able to discern bat speed, like a pro scout.
Curiously, I didn’t hear any mea culpas when he was proven wrong.
Approve. Articulate, knowledgable, capable of making a cogent agrument without screaming. Keeps his left-wing political beliefs under wraps unless provoked. Just about the only readable ProJo columnist these days, what with Jim “I Think I’m Funny But I’m Not” Donaldson, Bill “Write Anything To Fill The Page” Reynolds and the nutcase lefties on the news side, Kerr & Bakst.
Has definitely been tainted by WEEI, but can’t deny that he has good baseball insight. Compared to Buckley, he’s solid gold. Seems to have very little patience for retarded Mike Adams so that puts one in the plus column. Will ocassionaly get angry with the Big Show tools and enter into a fight, but it’s probably scripted so that likely means nothing. Does resemble some sort of Middle Eastern royalty, I’d love to see him in a turban. Looks a lot like a guy I know that is a Greek Orthodox priest. I don’t really like this priest because he has horrible breath. I mean eye-watering, stagnant, gag-inducing, bad breath. The dudes married too. Did you now that Greek priest can marry? I think that’s a much better gig than the Catholic priest…
Anway, based on resemblance to halitosis infested Priest, a marginal Dissaprove.
Yeah, he’s everywhere, but so what. Its thos who are everywhere and say different things, or use an appearance “here” as a springboard to sling crap “there.” He doesn’t seem to do that. Maybe he’s just the worlds tallest midget, but approved.
Question: If you were McAdam and had to listen to the baseball blathering of the Big O and Pete Sheppard on a regular basis, don’t you think after a while you’d sound condescending and pompous, too? When left to his own (meaning not surrounded by too many moron co-hosts) he does a good job of intelligent back and forth with callers. He’s a knowledgeable hockey guy and seems to be a real fan of the sport, not someone who is ocassionally assigned to cover it. Good, consistent and reasonable baseball insight.
He is a complete communist who is so far to the left he almost drives on the wrong side of the street. Having said that, its an “approve” from this corner, tovarch.
Solid, no schtick. Gives you what you want to know.
Great writer and speaks clearly and cogently.
Condescending? Well, given the callers and other co-hosts, it’s easy to come off as haughty. Guess that is the state of sports talk radio in this day and age. Someone who isn’t screaming or acting as if everything is a crisis is viewed as full of pride.
Actually refers to facts and statistics instead of “making it up on the fly.”
Approve.
Besides being a music snob, he gets a solid A.
I think Art Martone(ProJo) has a solid sports department especially when it comes to the Sox.
He seems to know his baseball, so I can’t criticize him there. He does turn me off with his constant efforts on ‘EEI to turn the talk from other sports to baseball.
Ordway: “Did you see that hit Rodney Harrison put on Peyton Manning?”
McAdam: “It was just like last week when Manny slid into second base. Manny blah blah baseball blah blah high sinker blah blah…”
We get it - you’re baseball guy. When talk turns to other sports, go get a coffee.”
traditionally media members in mcadam’s situation would go with a combover, sean has embraced is balding dome which scores him psoitive points. i also cant fault him for being a money hungry media whore if that pays the bills. he doesnt appear to hate the sport he covers which is also a positive. its unclear if he ever allowed a black teen to live with his family.
approve.
Approve.
Really knows his stuff but isn’t in-your-face about it. Civil to callers and co-hosts on the Big Show which is a refreshing change compared with most of the yelling there.
He’s definitely arrogan but he is one of the few WEEI guys that actually knows about the sport they bring him on to talk about. That alone makes him an approve based on my low standards for the Boston media.
At one time he was part of the best 4 hours of sports radio talk in boston but then they brought Mikey Adams and his two year old maturity level onto the Sunday morning baseball show which almost overnight made it maybe the worst 4 hours of radio in Boston.
Strong approve. one of the more intelligent people on the Big Show.
I can only hope that the same people who go off on McAdams for his political views will be on board when the inevitable pig piling of Callahan and Smerlas begins because both of those gentlemen are FAR worse.
approve-,
the only real annoyance I have with Sean is his habit of throwing EVERY bit of information he knows on a subject into every explanation of his analysis.(kinda like an intelligent, well-spoken Pete Sheppard). I know that sometimes it’s good to lay out a situation in layman’s terms for the average-to-below average fan to grasp, but damn, Sean, just give us the Cliff Notes answer! Poster boy for the run-on sentence!
Definitely approve of Sean McAdams.
I’m suprised by some of the comments about McAdams being arrogant and pompous. To me he is one of the most listenable personalities on WEEI. No arrogance whatsoever. The guy knows his baseball and needs to be on WEEI’s Baseball Show more often.
Comparing him to the other media folks out there, McAdams know at least as much or more about the Red Sox than anyone else in the media. He’s professional and in my opinion is not a self promoting, me me me type of guy like Butch Stearns. On WEEI he thoroughly answers questions from callers and is knowledgeable and professional. If he does appear on many media outlet progams, he’s low key about it. I don’t find myself getting sick of listening to his analysis and seeing him on WEEI. He’s definitely not a dominating, self serving personality.
My only negative of him is that he sometimes provides too much insight into an answer from a caller…and he goes on too long. He might be a tad long winded.
I approve.
I think McAdam is one of the more knowledgeable baseball guys around I really enjoy his writing. I think the reason some people are turned off by his “ego” on WEEI is he gets fed up with the nitwit callers and their nitwit ideas.
Approve. I feel bad he has to put up with Crackhead and the Baseball Queen on the baseball show.
Only reason I listen to EEI is when he is on, because he brings something about baseball to the table. His contacts must be real close to the team he is usually on the ball with facts.
His Projo work is worth reading too.
A bleepin snob. I can’t stand his monotone, robotic voice. He should just stamp “Sell Out” on his head.
I think it’s hilarious there are people defending his elitist attitude based on the quality of WEEI callers and listeners. You are in the same group as those people. You can’t seriously tell me you listen “just for McAdam”. Frankly, that’s impossible.
I find him incredibly arrogant. He talks about baseball like he’s talking about the cure for cancer. Lighten up Sean, it’s only sports.