Madden get's Ben because when Ben was a young single guy he lived next door to Madden on Washington's Landing. They would talk on occasion.
Madden always talks about how Ben was really nice to his mother who was living with Madden at the time, she was very sick at the time and passed away in 2006.
Madden has Troy, Keisel, Ben on at least once or twice a season. Has had Foote, Max Starks, among others too.
I actually prefer Madden's Steeler talk over anyone on the Fan.
Why? Because I know Madden is being honest with the audience. If he doesn't like someone/something he will flat out say why.
A player that he likes he will talk good about, and he'll straight up say "I like Keisel so don't want to say anything bad about him".
A guy he doesn't like he'll say so and why, even if the player is a fan & media darling like Bettis and Hines.
That's the point. He is not afraid to speak his opinion. The listener knows exactly where he stands on any topic.
Don't have to agree with everything or even anything he says but I respect that he steps up everyday and puts his name on the line.
(we listen to hear opinions then **** on anyone with an opinion we disagree with)
The Fan are all a bunch of liars and weak *** punks, they pretend to care about Pittsburgh sports but most of them are outsiders and don't give a ****.
They kiss *** to the local teams because they have too but otherwise they don't truly care about Pittsburgh. They are afraid to piss anyone off because most will never get another job in radio.
They all have personal agenda's, gripes and grudges against coach/players but never say so, they'll just backhanded complain about and degrade the coach/player.
(in the same way they have "secret" sources and contacts they will always defend)
Notice how they never take a stand on anything? Every show all day long they will layout all these problems with a team but it will never be directed specifically at someone.
All these dozens of problems every day and no one needs to be fired, no player needs to be cut, never ever anyone's fault.
No one disagrees with anyone, no one has an opinion, no one takes a stand. Stay on narrative, advance the company line.
They are glorified phone operators for the same 6 celebrity callers that kiss their *** all day.
There is no depth of discussion to any of their topics...don't have to think, just slog through 10 minutes of formulaic boring radio to the next 10 minute long commercial break. Repeat.
