Philly Radio Host Mike Missanelli Defends the Honor of Philadelphia Football Fans Against Skip Bayless
ESPN, Media Gossip/Musings May 13th. 2009, 11:30amWho’s up for a testy radio exchange? The man on your left: Mike Missanelli of ESPN radio 950 in Philly. On the right: Skip Bayless. On First Take recently, Bayless was attempting to make a point about something and tossed in “… philly-style rude, crude, dangerous behavior in the stands.” Enter Missanelli.
He’s on the offensive within the first 90 seconds – “It’s nitwits like you” – and Bayless immediately counters that if he’s going to be made fun of, he’s going to hang up. “Do you want to hang up or do you want to spar? Don’t hang up, don’t cry, let’s have a debate.”
Bayless: “I don’t know who you are, what’s your last name? Who am I talking to?” (Bayless must be above doing a simple google search before hopping on the radio.)
And finally, around the 5-minute mark, Skip’s argument falls apart when the last incident of “dangerous behavior” in the stands that he can recall is … 1998.
If Bayless was capable of research (“philadelphia phillies fight” on youtube), this could have gotten interesting. But Skip’s gotten so used to navel-gazing, he let Missanelli put the clown suit on him.
65 Responses to “Philly Radio Host Mike Missanelli Defends the Honor of Philadelphia Football Fans Against Skip Bayless”
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May 13th, 2009 at 11:39 AM
warms my heart to hear bayless get slapped around like that.
loved how bayless kept trying to duck the questions: who are you? how long have you been working? you’re just trying to be a shock jock (like bayless isn’t?)
May 13th, 2009 at 11:39 AM
I dislike Bayless as much as the next guy, but this guy seems like a douche. The two problems I have with his argument.
1) What’s wrong with Philly fans having a reputation of being tough, obnoxious dicks to visiting fans?
2) EVERYONE knows number 1 is true.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:41 AM
If Bayless was capable of research
Skip can’t be bothered to do research. He needs to be on First Take for 3 hours every day.
That’s why they hired those interns…to do research for Skip!
May 13th, 2009 at 11:43 AM
philly fans wear that like a badge of honor.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Mike Missanelli is so painfully wrong here. Just because the Vet is gone means Philly now has wonderful, classy fans?
May 13th, 2009 at 11:47 AM
That guy Missanelli sounds like the biggest jackass in the history of evar. I HATE when media people do shit like that (like the Cleveland guy mocking the Atlanta guy last week). They’re just pandering to their audience.
I think Bayless is good at what he does. He’s asked to be the contrarian and wear the black hat on First Take to make it interesting, and that’s what he does. Would you watch him and that idiot Rob Parker go back and forth if Skip didn’t do his schtick a little bit?
Cowherd, Whitlock and LeBatard also do the “contrarian thing” quite a bit, and that’s what makes them interesting and polarizing.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:48 AM
It’s just overblown SH. Ive been to about 7-8 games at CBP and have never witnessed any “rude, crude, dangerous behavior” in the stands. Does it happen? Sure, just like it probably does at any other ballpark(where fans care).
May 13th, 2009 at 11:49 AM
i don’t think missanelli is saying philly fans aren’t tough obnoxious and dicks to visiting fans. I think the point that he takes exception to is that philly fans are violent and exhibit dangerous behavior. I would say there has been a lack of violence at eagles games of late, a lot having to do with the price of tickets and their availability to the unwashed masses. However if you follow the link TBL has provided i would say that phillies fans are picking up the slack in that area. Overall, I think missanelli just wants people in the media to use more recent examples than throwing snowballs at santa and throwing batteries at players over 15 years ago.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Exactly.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:55 AM
from 1-4ish, if in the car, i always go NPR, WFAN, and then this clown … and frankly, i think he’s just trying to swing up again.
He went after Cowherd recently (Cowherd didn’t bite), and a lot of his arguments are more of the shouted variety than logical.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:55 AM
speaking of cowherd, he was also on missanelli’s show
May 13th, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Would you watch him and that idiot Rob Parker go back and forth if Skip didn’t do his schtick a little bit?
Don’t watch them in the first place
/pretty sure you knew that comment was coming
Cowherd, Whitlock and LeBatard also do the “contrarian thing†quite a bit, and that’s what makes them interesting and polarizing.
the latter two, however have a style that isn’t as abrasive and can be quite humorous at times. I’m all for opposing viewpoints that are well thought out and/or funny. Most of what Skip Bayless spews doesn’t meet that criteria.
May 13th, 2009 at 11:59 AM
REAAAZY – what was the end game? I heard the part where the philly guy went after him and was talking about having him on the show, but i rarely listen, so i didnt know what happened
May 13th, 2009 at 11:59 AM
Bayless is a clown. He gets these yes-men to “debate” with on his show because he knows they would never actually argue with him. They say how they agree with Skip more than they debate.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:02 PM
As a Cowboys fan I can definitely say there is no winner in this argument. Both Philly fans and Skip Bayless are insufferable douches.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Is there anyone who doesnt fall under the “insufferable” tag anymore? Jeesh.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:04 PM
http://sr950.com/Audio/tabid/183/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/3618/Colin-Cowherd.aspx
basically Cowherd said that philly fans shouldn’t criticize play calling because they know so much less about the game and team than Andy Reid. Andy Reid watches hours and hours of film so the fans should have no right to question his play calls because they don’t do the research. Missanelli’s point was that while eagles fans are not qualified to coach football they are knowledgeable enough to question decisions such as throwing the ball consistently on third down and one or not running the ball against the bengals last year
May 13th, 2009 at 12:06 PM
To be fair, I haven’t been to any games in Philly in like 4 or 5 years, but I’ve been to a ton of Eagles/Sixers/Phillies games to know that they really can’t get upset about talk like that. Most don’t care about the label anyway.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:07 PM
All Fans reserve the right to criticize.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:08 PM
there was no real end. Missanelli declared himself the winner.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:09 PM
That was AWESOME. Bayless uses the “i have never heard of you..what is your name” thing like it means he is better than the other guy as opposed to dealing with the argument itself. I thought the Philly guy made a lot of good points that Bayless had no answer for.
Being a Detroit sports fan, I can appreciate the Philly perspective of having opinions from a long time ago continue to be used as a hammer to your head. People like Bayless perpetuate these stereotypes regardless of whether there continues to be problems or not.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:10 PM
More insufferable- Boston or Philly fans? Discuss.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Any attempt to figure this out will lead to your mind exploding
May 13th, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Boston fans. Hands down.
/biased
May 13th, 2009 at 12:14 PM
mikey miss is the man.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Bayless is the most useless sports personality in the universe. Every time I see him speak I have no idea how he has a job. He is completely retarded and wildly annoying.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:16 PM
More insufferable- Boston or Philly fans? Discuss.
these guys
tOSU’d
May 13th, 2009 at 12:19 PM
How original.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Family Guy link? That show was funnier during its hiatus.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:25 PM
That is my favorite picture during college football season, JPQ.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:26 PM
Family guy has fallen off a steep cliff since the first season after it came back onto the air. The adult swim Family Guy episodes are more must see than the new ones.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:29 PM
sponge youre an OSU fan? Thats after they won the National Championship.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:33 PM
no i’m a psu guy, they just all look so sad though.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:33 PM
People say the same thing about the Simpsons, but both those shows are still better than 90% of whats on TV, so I watch them.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:36 PM
the weed episode was fucking brilliant.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:36 PM
I know, no clue when picture was taken.
I feel that way about The Office.
May 13th, 2009 at 12:36 PM
Thats after they won the National Championship.
duder: what makes that picture so money is the complete look of “we’re graduates of Special Olympics University” on their faces
May 13th, 2009 at 12:41 PM
jpq = Obama?
May 13th, 2009 at 12:45 PM
I prefer to be called The Messiah
May 13th, 2009 at 12:49 PM
jpq…aren’t you a purdue fan/alum? hate on the bucks all you want, i’ll just be content watching them roll up 40 on your boilermakers every year. it’s just a shame we don’t have Diabeetus Tiller to beat down anymore.
or there’s always this…
May 13th, 2009 at 12:58 PM
spencer: Purdue alum, and that’s the key word. It always seems the most insufferable fans of a school didn’t even go to it. Do you ever hear me going on and on about Purdue (not that I can very much anyway)? You Ohio guys with the Buckeyes, Cavs, Browns: it never ends. Give it a rest
You are not one, but do you know what the definition of an asshole is? Someone who acts like me and talks like me, but isn’t me. That’s a tOSU fan talking about fans of another team/program and what douchbags they are
May 13th, 2009 at 1:01 PM
I hate OSU fans.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:02 PM
we’re no different than any other fanbase when it comes to sticking up for our teams…there’s just more ohio regulars here hence the saturation.
and don’t sell me short, im a tremendous asshole.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:03 PM
Holy overused word of the day, batman!
May 13th, 2009 at 1:05 PM
“Insufferable.”
that is all.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:09 PM
Don’t lump Buckeyes fans in with Browns fans. That’s just wrong.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:10 PM
Truer words have never been spoken, Spencer.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:11 PM
and don’t sell me short, im a tremendous asshole.
yes you are, Judge Smails
May 13th, 2009 at 1:12 PM
hey Nick – hows the Verlander hate these days?
Verlander > Lee
Granderson > Sizemore
May 13th, 2009 at 1:13 PM
* stupid link busted
May 13th, 2009 at 1:16 PM
agreed.
laughable.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:18 PM
@chris: When have I had Verlander hate? I was defending him not long ago versus Jerod (sp?) Weaver.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:20 PM
fact
May 13th, 2009 at 1:24 PM
I would rather have Thome hit 2 HR against the Indians like yesterday then have the Indians win. Havent cared about them in about 8 years which is sad because mid to late 90s Jake was the best.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:25 PM
first off, you should never root for any player on the Meth Sox…that’s just wrong. that’s like rooting for african warlords over their villagers.
and yea, the mid90’s were great, and while i still follow the team, the dolans are making it increasingly hard. fuck our ownership.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:28 PM
When they were winning? That’s worse than insufferable fans from Boston.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:31 PM
Ah another topic near to my heart … good ol’ fashioned AM sports radio.
I can vouch for that as a Philly local having to flip stations every day too and from work. I’ve been in towns with worse Homer radio, but between Missanelli and Jody Mack this town sucks ass along with WFAN in New York that I get, which for some reason can’t stop talking about baseball no matter what the time of year.
Missanelli panders to the local sadistic Philly fan element that dominates the scene by wanting to bitch about and promoting losing strategies more than about rant about winning elements of teams.
Las Vegas had the best sports radio in all the towns I’ve been in except for local Colin Cowherd’s national show and the Mike Tirico half of the national show with Van Pelt.
What’s missing here is a radio show by local Stephen A who shines way better on radio than on TV. His presence on that NBA set on ESPN, with douches Wilbon and Scott leading most of the discussion, is missed.
And then somehow though I have never known anyone who has ever listened to him or likes him, that supreme douche Jim Rome is still around.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:32 PM
when they were trying
May 13th, 2009 at 1:35 PM
WFAN is gold compared to anything in KY. Thank God for XM.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:50 PM
As commentary is dying off it seems, I am going to invoke the scoring privilege on only this great set of commentary.
(to the collective relief of probably half the folks)
Thanks for making my day again.
+2 Cracker
+2 Jimmy
+2 TSH
+1.5 TBL
+1.5 Duder
+1.5 YYSA
+1 CGB
+1 JPQ
+1 Sean
+0.5 GreatShatner
Even Reazzy
Even Chelsea
-1 Sponge
May 13th, 2009 at 2:08 PM
.5? I didn’t even realize I did anything. Thanks, though haha
May 13th, 2009 at 2:17 PM
Bayless got dominated.
May 13th, 2009 at 2:19 PM
not “meriting” an appearance on First Take?! That concept is hilarious.
May 13th, 2009 at 3:19 PM
woody was on 1st and 10 today, old school cold pizza.
/cockroach infested pizza
May 14th, 2009 at 2:16 AM
Yes you made a small solid implication about the state of most AM sports radio in much of the country between the coasts not just KY and the essential salvation of XM in such spots, so you are awarded an uncommon 0.5 point for that.