Wednesday, September 5th 2007
Boomer Esiason, at left, and Craig Carton
Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton kicked off their morning show on radio station WFAN yesterday without anything close to a “boom,” which means “mission accomplished” for all concerned.
After the messy and awkward firing of longtime morning host Don Imus in April, WFAN and parent CBS clearly wanted a show more about football anecdotes than Larry Craig jokes.
But morning shows also need edge, and it’s way too early to tell how the new team will create the critical sense that, at any moment, something unexpected and riveting could happen.
Because Carton showed no sign yesterday of the “bad boy” reputation he got at 101.5 in New Jersey, Esiason never had to play the “good cop” many see as part of that dynamic.
Meanwhile, the fact that both guys are broadcast veterans ensured that yesterday’s debut didn’t sound like a “first” show. Carton handles the mechanics – going to breaks, taking calls – and since he has a quick tongue, he gets his full share of airtime. At times, he seemed to hold back to let Esiason finish a story.
Imus’ newsman, Charles McCord, has left the show, and WFAN, so Tracy Burgess did a shortened news break. But the best supporting player was sports guy Chris Carlin, whose good-natured exchange of barbs with Esiason recalled the liveliest parts of the Imus show.
The biggest question yesterday was content. Almost the whole show was devoted to football, which seemed odd on a day when the city had at least two major baseball stories in the return of Pedro Martinez and a possible injury to Roger Clemens.
A fluffy interview with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, in that context, seemed marginal, and left the impression that WFAN wanted former football star Esiason to be able to stay in the pocket on his first day.
Presumably there will be plenty of time for him to scramble.
::Tullycast:: 