NY Sports media critic describes harsh, cruel landscape

From Bob Raissman's 9/7/07 column in the NY Daily News:

• "By criticizing Coughlin last season, (Tiki) Barber enhanced his chances of landing a big-time network gig. Whether his words were spontaneous or calculated is not an issue now. On TV it does not matter if you are a phony. It only matters if you can deliver.

Now, Barber is playing with the big boys. Not only will the other networks - through various pipelines - be sniping at him, but he is working with a formidable NBC cast. Early on Sunday night - like about 7:06 p.m. - he will find himself sitting next to Bob (Rapping Roberto) Costas and the NFL's premier TV hatchet man, Cris Collinsworth.

• And yet Barber will be called on to swing the ax.

Even more reason for him to keep smiling."

• Mr. Raissman's opinion is vital, and he seems to give a recipe for success in sports media. With the object to "deliver," the tools are criticism and controversy. He sees the landscape as stations or individuals attacking each other. I find this instructive--I hadn't seen it like that before. What's disturbing is he sees these shows driven by swinging axes at someone else, and everyone just line up behind your bunker. It benefits no one to have needless, forced acrimony. And phony smiles.

The largest New York area sports radio station, WFAN, carries PM drive hosts Chris Russo and Mike Francesa, who mention Raissman's column from time to time. So powerful is Mr. Raissman's opinion that Chris Russo even called him early last week to find out how he felt about Boomer Esiason starting as AM drive anchor on WFAN Sept. 3. Chris mentioned on the air he had called Raissman to get his advance word, but had been told, "Oh, no no...," Chris saying in effect he wasn't going to give him an advance review. So, we all wait for the word. (sm)

• From NY Daily News column by Bob Raissman, "NBC Counting on Barber for Memorable Clips," 9/7/07.

There is a 1 hour daily show on SNY, the Mets' TV Network in New York, entitled, "The Daily News Live" which includes personnel from the newspaper as well as other pundits, occasionally including Mr. Raissman. The moderators from SNY always do a great job in my opinion.

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