WDNC and Bomani Jones

[arnie]

I've tried to wean myself from sports talk radio - but Bomani Jones on 620 before lunch was as bad as I've ever heard. The subject matter for the 20-30 minutes while I was listending was "how dirty the Duke players are". No discussion of the game except for Singler and his repeated dirty play over the past two years. Jones encouraged his faithful to call in with other Duke dirty player examples (Ferry, Laettner, Paulus, Henderson, Scheyer, etc) and giggled when callers would call "K" various names (you can imagine).

I think it's truly sad that our flagship station carries his show. The Duke hatred on his show dominates and I guess there are no boundaries.

[TwoDukeTattoos]

Bomani is a notorious Duke hater. Last Fall he proclaimed that Coach K was washed up and that the Duke brand was dying.

[CDu]

I've tried to wean myself from sports talk radio - but Bomani Jones on 620 before lunch was as bad as I've ever heard. The subject matter for the 20-30 minutes while I was listending was "how dirty the Duke players are". No discussion of the game except for Singler and his repeated dirty play over the past two years. Jones encouraged his faithful to call in with other Duke dirty player examples (Ferry, Laettner, Paulus, Henderson, Scheyer, etc) and giggled when callers would call "K" various names (you can imagine).

I think it's truly sad that our flagship station carries his show. The Duke hatred on his show dominates and I guess there are no boundaries.

Jones is just doing what any radio host would do. He knows the callers today are going to be UNC fans almost exclusively. So, he's trying to draw the callers to make his show go easily. That's simply the nature of talk radio - you appeal to the least common denominator, because that's usually who calls in. It makes for an easy three hours for him.

Granted, Jones is a UNC (grad school) alum. But given that fact, I think he generally does a good job of taking shots at everybody (which is the mantra of radio talk shows). Sometimes his bias gets the better of him (won't acknowledge that Hansbrough flops but HATES Paulus for flopping). But for the most part, he calls it like he sees it.

And for the record, Jones has ticked off UNC fans too. He doesn't think much of Roy's coaching. He questions the team's heart defensively. It's annoying when something like this happens. But ultimately, it comes with the territory.

[arnie]

Jones is just doing what any radio host would do. He knows the callers today are going to be UNC fans almost exclusively. So, he's trying to draw the callers to make his show go easily. That's simply the nature of talk radio - you appeal to the least common denominator, because that's usually who calls in. It makes for an easy three hours for him.

Granted, Jones is a UNC (grad school) alum. But given that fact, I think he generally does a good job of taking shots at everybody (which is the mantra of radio talk shows). Sometimes his bias gets the better of him (won't acknowledge that Hansbrough flops but HATES Paulus for flopping). But for the most part, he calls it like he sees it.

And for the record, Jones has ticked off UNC fans too. He doesn't think much of Roy's coaching. He questions the team's heart defensively. It's annoying when something like this happens. But ultimately, it comes with the territory.

I agree with some of what you are saying. However, I think the difference is the vile nature of how he discusses Duke. I've never heard him talk (or allow discussion about) the thugs at Carolina, etc. or discuss Roy's ohysical features. That and his racist attitudes regarding so many issues lower the bar for radio.

[Classof06]

I remember my senior year in 2006, Jones wrote a whole article trying to explain how Shelden Williams was the most overrated player in America. Keep in mind that Shelden averaged roughly 19 pts, 11 rebs and 4 blks per game that year and won National DPOY while being named a FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN no more than a month after this article.

We spent 3 days exchanging pretty heated emails until it got to the point where he realized he couldn't defend any of his completely bogus arguments.

Now, every time I see him do a feature article for espn.com or hear his name, I just laugh and keep it moving.

Please don't waste your time listening to Bomani Jones. Dude is an idiot.

[CDu]

I agree with some of what you are saying. However, I think the difference is the vile nature of how he discusses Duke. I've never heard him talk (or allow discussion about) the thugs at Carolina, etc. or discuss Roy's ohysical features. That and his racist attitudes regarding so many issues lower the bar for radio.

Fair enough. I guess I have a low opinion of where the bar is on radio to begin with. Perhaps that's why I don't mind.

Jones clearly exhibits bias. He doesn't like Duke. I think he has to actively make an effort to mask that bias, and sometimes he can't. But he's also playing the game, in that he knows what gets the ratings.

[allenmurray]

I listened for 5 minutes on my way to the dentist. It was far more painful than the dentist. When someone called in and encourgead Jones to "punch a Cameron Crazy in the face" the next time he went to CIS, and Jones just laughed, I turned the radio off.

[weezie]

Those that can, do.

Those that stink on ice, do talk radio.




hey...maybe Karl Hesse will soon have a show of his own....

[Bluedog]

Bomani Jones:

Without question, I’d say that Duke is a white supremacist institution. It’s hard to imagine such a concentration of rich white people–or rich any people, really–without there being a palpable air of white supremacy.

As it relates to basketball, I’ve been pretty open about the fact that I don’t like Duke.

http://www.bomanijones.com/blog/2007/04/05/
http://www.bomanijones.com/blog/2006/04/page/2/

[CDu]

Bomani Jones:



http://www.bomanijones.com/blog/2007/04/05/
http://www.bomanijones.com/blog/2006/04/page/2/

Interesting that you picked one of those particular quotes, as you omit the very next two sentences he writes:

"But Duke shouldn’t feel too singled out. I feel the same way about the University of North Carolina, a school that I attended and that also has slave owners and Klan supporters’ names on different buildings on campus."

Sounds to me like he dislikes BOTH institutions when it comes to race.

[VAGentleman05]

Interesting that you picked one of those particular quotes, as you omit the very next two sentences he writes:

"But Duke shouldn’t feel too singled out. I feel the same way about the University of North Carolina, a school that I attended and that also has slave owners and Klan supporters’ names on different buildings on campus."

Sounds to me like he dislikes BOTH institutions when it comes to race.

Yeah, that was a pretty darn unfair half-quote. Bomani rubbed me the wrong way at first, but I've come to like his show a lot. He was hating on Singler for the cheap shot today. I'm pretty sure he would've done the same if it had been a Tar Heel who'd done the same thing. That's pretty much his job.

[jv001]

Yeah, that was a pretty darn unfair half-quote. Bomani rubbed me the wrong way at first, but I've come to like his show a lot. He was hating on Singler for the cheap shot today. I'm pretty sure he would've done the same if it had been a Tar Heel who'd done the same thing. That's pretty much his job.

The only difference is if hanstravel had been the one hitting Singler, it would not be a big deal and probably would not have been called. Since I've never listened to this Jones guy, I have to ask is he African American?

[Bluedog]

Interesting that you picked one of those particular quotes, as you omit the very next two sentences he writes:

"But Duke shouldn’t feel too singled out. I feel the same way about the University of North Carolina, a school that I attended and that also has slave owners and Klan supporters’ names on different buildings on campus."

Sounds to me like he dislikes BOTH institutions when it comes to race.

Yeah, that wasn't really fair of me, but I couldn't resist it. At least I provided a link for full context. In any event, it's clear he doesn't like Duke basketball.

[allenmurray]

Yeah, that was a pretty darn unfair half-quote. Bomani rubbed me the wrong way at first, but I've come to like his show a lot. He was hating on Singler for the cheap shot today. I'm pretty sure he would've done the same if it had been a Tar Heel who'd done the same thing. That's pretty much his job.

I disagree. While he is at least honest about it, he frequently talks about his hatred of Duke (not at all related to the white supremecy quote). He fully admits to being a UNC homer and Duke hater. When he laughed at the suggestion that fans in Cameron be punched in the face he showed his true self.

[arnie]

Yeah, that was a pretty darn unfair half-quote. Bomani rubbed me the wrong way at first, but I've come to like his show a lot. He was hating on Singler for the cheap shot today. I'm pretty sure he would've done the same if it had been a Tar Heel who'd done the same thing. That's pretty much his job.

If you like his show a lot, you must love little kids cussing out other little kids on the playground. It also shows your Cavalier colored glasses. I've never heard a show that routinely trashes the players/coaches/fans at UNC; but if I ever do, I hope I don't come to like it a lot.

[jipops]

Never mistake this guy for being an actual journalist. I sometimes tune in to this stuff to get an idea of what the popular opinion is based on the present biased perceptions, but never mistake it for actual fact.

It's really like listening to a message board on the radio, though this one is obviously quite a bit more mature.

[CDu]

The only difference is if hanstravel had been the one hitting Singler, it would not be a big deal and probably would not have been called. Since I've never listened to this Jones guy, I have to ask is he African American?

He is indeed African-American.

As for Hansbrough, I bet he'd have taken him to task. For example, he took Copeland to task for going after McCauley (he also took McCauley to task for only stepping up in garbage time). He still hates Chris Paul for punching Hodge in the business.

He readily admits he is not a Duke fan. But at the same time, he wouldn't have ignored an elbow by Hansbrough.

[watzone]

I disagree. While he is at least honest about it, he frequently talks about his hatred of Duke (not at all related to the white supremecy quote). He fully admits to being a UNC homer and Duke hater. When he laughed at the suggestion that fans in Cameron be punched in the face he showed his true self.

Who'd want an unbiased opinion? Shock radio cheapens sports.

[moonpie23]

850 and 620 TRY to combine their ratings to face the onslaught of 99.9, but truth is, they took a hit in the ratings when they gave bomani the show that chris clark used to have.


bomani isn't just a hater, he's an idiot hater that is taking the station's ratings down with him..

when they finally get rid of him, he will say it was racist...

[ChicagoDevil]

Jones is just doing what any radio host would do. He knows the callers today are going to be UNC fans almost exclusively. So, he's trying to draw the callers to make his show go easily. That's simply the nature of talk radio - you appeal to the least common denominator, because that's usually who calls in. It makes for an easy three hours for him.

Granted, Jones is a UNC (grad school) alum. But given that fact, I think he generally does a good job of taking shots at everybody (which is the mantra of radio talk shows). Sometimes his bias gets the better of him (won't acknowledge that Hansbrough flops but HATES Paulus for flopping). But for the most part, he calls it like he sees it.

And for the record, Jones has ticked off UNC fans too. He doesn't think much of Roy's coaching. He questions the team's heart defensively. It's annoying when something like this happens. But ultimately, it comes with the territory.

Its is actually a very easy formula:

Be controvesial = callers/listeners = $

No callers/listeners = $0 = BYE BYE