Here’s the thing:
There was a good 20-year run when we presented the “Best and Worst of the L.A. Sports Media” rankings, at several Southern California media publications, during the 1990s and 2000s. It likely reached it shark-jump moment/let’s give it a breather decision at least five years ago. I could look it all up, but there’s no need to be specific.
Specifically, there has been enough changes – additions and subtractions, with teams and broadcasters – to consider the merits of bringing it back. Vin Scully and Bob Miller have retired. Ralph Lawler is doing the same. Joe Davis and Alex Faust have had time to clear their throat, and they still may not be the best, in L.A., at what they do (consider the prime candidate to replace Lawler on Clippers’ games).
We have new crews with the Rams and Chargers. And LAFC. There’s an entire L.A. sports all-radio station that came and went over the years (think: The Beast).
We have old grudges that are hard to shake. We have new grudges ready to shake and bake.
Who do you believe the top play-by-play person is in Los Angeles? The absolute worst listen game analyst? The most effective studio host/sideline reporter? Does anyone watch local TV sports updates any more to have an opinion? And, what often draws the most attention because it leads to immediate debate, what’s left to listen to on local sports talk radio, aside from some national shows that seem to make up half the programming wheels?
Do we need to create a best L.A.-based sports podcast category? Seems it would be prudent.
If you have some time to chime in with your suggestions, I’m listening. Make comments here.
If you have more time for me to ponder, rank, re-rank, re-think and decisively post a revised Top 10/Bottom 5 list, we’re game. The plan: Let’s do it sooner than later. Let’s make the dreadful sports calendar of February great again and commit to a list a day from Feb. 25-28.
Who’s in, who’s out, and who is just going through the motions at this point? And why can’t we just all get along?
Tom Hoffarth's The Drill: More Farther Off the Wall 
Best local talk shows: PMS, big chasm, Roger Lodge, Mason & Ireland, 710 Morning, Sodano show. Rodney and Roggin last. If you include San Diego I can hear on the radio, put Ben and Woods in the 3 slot behind the chasm. Then Darren Smith at 4. Scott and BR five.
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