So Kenny is back on twitter and well... it's been uninformative but interesting. I'll let someone else comment on homeboy's state of mind first.
Not really on topic, but since its the WFD thread right now, Billy Beane plugged the show in the New York Times saying it was his favorite podcast. Might explain at the moneyball talk lately.
My WFD routine now has become fast forward to all the guests and hope that Sophie doesn't say something completely stupid and Robert is as short winded as possible when asking questions. When Robert and Sophie are interacting together (or Sophie interacting with anyone for that matter) it is grating on the ears. Won't be renewing and really hoping for Kenny to start something up fast.
Until I hear Sophie is gone I won't be listening much... not sure on subscribing again. I will say this, if Steven and Kenny want to get back in the game they need to do it soon, because most of us became subscribers around November if I recall, and once people re-up they might not even buy into what they're selling.
When Martin started appearing I emailed the show suggesting that they consider the Kenny / Martin partnership. They emailed me back and shot that down saying they were committed to the Sophie & Robert rotation. I would have renewed if Kenny was still in the mix because he would offset the Sophie Disaster and Robert Blandness. I think the strength of the show has been that throughout the years some of the best segments have been when the hosts interact and then rope callers in. I've enjoyed this more than the journos and other guests they've brought in. The biggest problem for me now is that I don't find Sophie or Robert the slightest bit interesting as a person and their chemistry is non-existent. I don't think this is going to change over time and I don't plan on investing in another year of subscription to "give them a chance". Maybe I am going overboard, but I feel like the regular journos are even a bit off now that they are dealing with Sophie & Robert. They seem completely flat and lacking energy.
Yeah, I agree with you all, Sophie is a bit grating but at least well intentioned. I'll give them some time to get it together and see whats working and what isn't. Kenny? Meh, dont want him back anyway. That guy's head has swelled up something fierce. Would love to have Steven back though, in a heartbeat. How about someone like Weibel or another ex-player with interest in World Football?
I think what you are refering to is that Sophie is laid back, and Robert is also unless somebody is pushing him and he needs that; he brings a lot of soccer research though to his credit. So I think they need a performer like Martino or Kenny for the best show to prod Robert along. At least to my taste..Still for what it costs which is a cup of coffee a month, I will keep the subscriptions and listen selectively or wait for my preferred rotoations or when I feel like it.
I disagree. I think the hosts' banter can a little, mainly because a little bite what distinguished it between other podcasts like Soccernet and The Guardian. But with 2 hours to fill every day, that alone gets repetitive fast. I hate the call-in segments, as listener callers almost never add anything interesting or substantive. To me, the interviews with journalists are what make the show so great. That's the main reason WFD is much better than WSD was. But give Robert and Sophie time. Kenny was timid in the beginning too. I remember when he became the full-time host, some listeners were concerned that he wasn't a strong enough personality to balance out Steven. Obviously he became one. I hope Sophie and Robert will add a little bit eventually.
Kenny became downright obnoxious over the last year. I hated the way he always would cut off guests when they were talking and his general inability to stay silent while a guest was speaking annoyed the piss out of me. He became really unlikable and is even moreso recently the way he threw Sophie and Robert under the bus the past week or so on Twitter. Kenny wasn't that good when he first started and they should be given the same rope that he was given by Steven, Nick, and Howard when he first started guest hosting. Now he is going over the top calling himself an inventor of the show on his twitter description. What did he exactly invent on the show outside of it was his "idea" to save the show by convincing Steven that they should go to a pay wall model because Steven lost all of their advertisers because he couldn't shut his mouth up about talking about the Liverpool tragedies? My guess is that Steven and Kenny were more than happy to leave Sirius and put the struggle of selling advertising on top of doing the show behind them to have customers pay a monthly or yearly rate which was less work on their part. The show went from 2 hours on Sirius and a free download to a 90 minute paid podcast. What did Kenny exactly invent that was vastly different than what Nick and Steven, Steven and Howard, and every other sports talk radio show that has ever been done? That said I would probably subscribe to something that Kenny is involved in if it involves Steven who was the reason why I subscribed to WFD having been a regular listener since Summer of 05.
Funny, I am almost the opposite to you. Yeah, Kenny has a questionable character on twitter now, but he has had a bad month. Steven is an entertaining guy, but knew so little about the game and had little to say about it. Was glad when he left, although I defended him to the end with the Liverpool hounding. Kenny, for me, was perfect on the drive home after a long day because he was edgy, kept the show moving along, and frankly, prodded guests that are just showing up or otherwise making bad radio. But he needed a good co-host and Robert would have worked for me. Pure football would not bore me, but that is not for everyone. I have a hard time wanting to tune into laid back, light Sophie after work. I will still,subscribe because on a slow weekend, I don't mind perusing the highlights. I have been consuming other podcasts with a bit of an edge. To each his own.
Kenny's tweets over the past few weeks have been very odd. Makes me wonder if somebody hacked it or if he's just losing it a bit. Last night, he posted that there would be a free daily show starting in 2012 with the same format and guests. Didn't specifically mention Cohen but said that it would be the original format. I'm a little bit pissed off about him leaving and will be even more if he and Cohen start a free show early next year as I just renewed for a year in August. I wouldn't have renewed for a year if I had known that it was going to be Sophie and Robert as the main hosts. At this point I only listen to the interviews if they are guests that I really care about.
Original format? The two of them yammering on for two hours saying the same thing over and over with the occasional intervention of some know-nothing caller saying something unenlightening prompting them to repeat again what they'd already said 20 million times. Sorry, I'll pass... though 'free' is just about the right price. What made WFD so much better than WSD was the interviews with the journalists. Kenny's head has gotten a bit swollen if he thinks it was all about him (or them). The banter added to the show but it did not make the show. And I remember Kenny being as saccharine as Robert and Sophie are now when he first started (who could get a word in edgewise when Steven started going on) but he became a lot better and hopefully this two will also. And incidentally, my subscription was to lapse last week but I renewed it.
Me too but I was often like that when Kenny was there too. Sometimes I would (and do) listen to the full show but usually 2 full hours is more of an investment than I have. To me, the show was always about the guests anyways, not about Sophie and pop culture or Kenny and golf or Steven and cricket.
For those who are in here. You should go to the wfd site and listen live for free today because Billy Beane will be on the show at 10:10am PT. Just go to the site and click on the "on air" button between 9am and 11am PT. Again, Billy Beane is on the Friday show. Also, Andy Brassell and Arlo White on the show as well.
Apparently Robert's last day was today. I wonder if he will team up with Kenny? That would be a pod I would enjoy. Rafa will have to recruit a compelling host. It's a good gig.
They've already recruited a new host, Martin Rogers of Yahoo! Sports. They need to stop all of the changes though because the connection to WFD is being lost.
Wow, Robert is gone! I pretty much stopped listening when Sophie became an everyday annoyance, but I liked Robert a lot. I hope this new venture starts up soon.
First Steven lives then Kenney go’s and now Robert has left I hate to say this and I have said this before I don’t see this show lasting that is 3 host gone in a mater of 7 months ok fine Steven left because he wanted to do other things also call me Wong but I don’t think he could take the LFC fans any more. But then we get word Kenney is going. And now one more is gone some thing does not smell rite hear. Now it seems Kenney is going to start some show and if true it’s going to be free now with Robot gone I can see him teaming up with Kenney and like some one else side that would be a pod I would enjoy. Look I am sure Sophie is a nice parson and a big fan of the game but she sucks as a host. I am not some one to say rite away you are not good so I will give the new guy a shot. But if this show wants to last past 2012 they need to fire Sophie and get some one who dose not drag the show down. I would love to support both shows but if WFD is going to be the way it is now I think I will be supporting one show and it won’t be WFD it will be the new show that Kenney is doing.
I posted this on WFD forums, but it's pretty dead there... I have been lurking these boards, as well as Big Soccer and been looking all over Twitter for the past few weeks and feel like throwing my 2 cents in. I am torn about renewing. Let me first start by listing the reasons why I might: -In support of US-based (or any good English-language for that matter) daily content about global football that i can listen to/or not - but will be there on podcast for long subway commutes -In the grand scheme of things, it's not a ton of money. -They are at least making an effort to differ the cost of the renewal with some kinda merchandise (can someone link to the tshirt or hat or whatever they are offering? i couldn't find it on the site) -The boys behind the glass. I can't imagine they are making much, and i respect guys who are pursuing a passion while they can. (and Rapha is starting a family now) -We don't know the whole behind the scenes story and can only speculate. While I wish (and have been searching..) to find out as much as I can- I will give WFD the benefit of the doubt that the situation they are in is not entirely their fault as they have to deal with departures, need for revenue, etc. and they are trying the best they can to put out a daily content product that won't always keep everybody happy... -The soccer podcast world seems to be tough business, as shows seem to disappear or go on long hiatus a lot recently (Bundesliga Podcast, Chappers, Calcio & Coffee, European Football Show, etc.) Ok, now for some issues that might hold me back: -In my podcast queue- WFD has slipped from the 1st show that i must listen to daily (Steven-Kenny days) to I'm glad its there when I need it (Kenny and tryouts), to zipping thru it on 2x speed as a last resort when I've run out of Football Weekly, Football Ramble, Beyond the Pitch, The Game, BBC World Football, Pink Shirt Wiseguys, all my non-football NPR stuff and whatever new podcast I am trying out...The only show I am paying for is the last one I listen to??? -While, I am of the belief that while great guests are needed to make a great show, I believe that the host role(s) are paramount as I am listening to be entertained while educated. I stumbled onto WSD in mid-2007 and was compelled by Steven. His personality and passion sucked me in and Kenny was a great straight guy, lumping in tactical and historical knowledge to fuel my hunger to find out as much as I could about the beautiful game. With apologies to what I am sure was a tough process for Robert and Sophie- I have not connected with them. If not for my investment (in time and $$$), I wouldn't have given them so much time...And now the one who I found the more tolerable of the two is gone? -I fear that the show is becoming too EPL and MLS-centric. I might be in the minority, but these are the 2 least interesting subjects for me. The UK podcasts give me a ton of EPL talk and MLS I prefer bare minimum. Good English language content on Italy, Germany, Spain, etc. is at a premium and even if they get the guests- if the hosts don't know much, it loses value and the guests become less interesting... -I don't know how Beyond the Pitch is doing it, or what Steven/Kenny have planned for 2012 (if anything), but seems like there are ways to do a free (ad supported) near-daily world football show. Now that Steven & Kenny are gone and the show is tied to Yahoo! it can probably get some ad support and differ the costs away from the listeners. -The dropped/garbled calls. I am a podcaster, so I don't care about the show being live. I would rather have interviews with key guests recorded and edited as it is happening way to much (and try listening to it on 2x speed!). -I don't listen to the side shows. I tried them out, not interested- I'm glad the boys can get some airtime for their resume and that there is a show about African Football, but not my cup of tea.. -Something just doesn't feel right. I have supported the guys through thick and thin, but my gut tells me that something is off. Still not sure what I will do, I have a few weeks, and look forward to hearing from other listeners...
It's a pretty sad sign when the way I find out Robert left WFD is by reading the Big Soccer message board and not because I was listening to the show. I was a daily listener and a subscriber since day one, but stopped as soon as Kenny left. I gave it a couple of days but I just couldn't make it through the shows anymore. Sophie's voice is way too monotone in order to be a lead host in my opinion. It was like listening to a female version of Ben Stein. Robert was ok, but he was much better as a wing man for Kenny. I will not be renewing when my subscription runs out. There's just too many other free options out there. It really sucks because this was once a great show.
precisely. Steven/Kenny = must-listen, perfect balance of entertainment and discussion I've never heard anywhere else Kenny/Robert = both guys know their stuff, when they talk shop it's very interesting. the entertainment factor goes down, but still an extremely solid podcast I'd spent most days listening to. Kenny/? = not a must-listen, but still listening some days as Kenny can carry a podcast with whoever. Kenny/Sophie = no no no. Can't stand Sophie, doesn't know anything and is a typical EPL-only muppet, and she doesn't even know that much about the only league she can be forgiven if she only knows. Robert/Sophie = no no no no no no. Horrible pairing, no chemistry. Might as well be who random people on the street that you are listening to go through the paces. Never did listen to Martin. He's a random English journo I don't care about listening to, dime a dozen out there, and we all know how boring most of those generic english journo WFD guests were. So it's been a steady decline for me, cancelled as soon as Kenny left cause I didn't like where things were going. And I was confirmed correct after all the strange stories floating around. I don't care about the guests. I have World Football Phone-In to listen to each week if I want the best of all regions. What it comes down to is this: for a long time on Monday afternoons I was excited to listen to the show, to hear what the hosts would say. Not even close anymore. So here's hoping Steven/Kenny get together, or at least Kenny/Robert, or even all three with one filling in here and there. Didn't surprise me in the least when I read the Kenny/Robert possibility, you could feel the chemistry between them even in the early stages.