Felger and Mazz - Creating False Naratives one day at a time

[HomeBrew1901]

I am surprised that people are giving him such a pass on his apology. Yes, he sounded genuine and embarrassed by what he said. But he apologized to his co-hosts and "other people in the industry that deal with this stuff on a daily basis."

Deal with what? An inappropriate comment or blatant racism? He never even says the word racist or racism. And that is what it was. How about apologizeling to the men you were racist towards...no matter if you have no idea who they are or where they are today. Apologize to Felger and Murray? Get the fuck out. I don't think Mazz is a racist (though I don't know him or anyone that does). That doesn't mean he can't make a racist comment for a cheap joke at the expense of a marginalized group and suffer consequences (4 day suspension is a joke). And he has the gall to say that he was trying to make fun of Felger? That makes the apology even worse.

I haven't been on the forum for awhile and missed the controversy over the weekend and had no ideas what was going on when I turned the show on today at around 2:45 and had to google what the situation was.

The way Felger went into the break I found it interesting that he didn't announce that we were listening to Felger and Mazz with Joe Murray, it was something along the lines of "It's Felger with Joe Murray". I could be reading too much into that, but I think the 4 day suspension is either a trial to see if it becomes a bigger controversy or if it's the first step to removing him completely and they are working with thier lawyers to end the contract.

Whether or not he should be fired, I don't know.

I have conflicting feelings about it because I think his apology was sincere and heart felt and I believe Gaspar when he says that while disappointing he still considers Mazz a friend that made a stupid joke. At the same time, Dude... WTF!?! Yeah we all make mistakes, I've made jokes I instantly regretted trying to be funny, but never something so blatantly racist. The fact that he asked if the 2 guys behind him could hear him before he made the joke shows that he had some line of thinking that it would be offensive.

 

[joe dokes]

When was the last time Finn wrote anything sports media related other then copy/ pasting an WEEI press release?

Saturday.
On the national scene, Tim McCarver was one of baseball’s best analysts - The Boston Globe

 

[NortheasternPJ]

I haven't been on the forum for awhile and missed the controversy over the weekend and had no ideas what was going on when I turned the show on today at around 2:45 and had to google what the situation was.

The way Felger went into the break I found it interesting that he didn't announce that we were listening to Felger and Mazz with Joe Murray, it was something along the lines of "It's Felger with Joe Murray". I could be reading too much into that, but I think the 4 day suspension is either a trial to see if it becomes a bigger controversy or if it's the first step to removing him completely and they are working with thier lawyers to end the contract.

Whether or not he should be fired, I don't know.

I have conflicting feelings about it because I think his apology was sincere and heart felt and I believe Gaspar when he says that while disappointing he still considers Mazz a friend that made a stupid joke. At the same time, Dude... WTF!?! Yeah we all make mistakes, I've made jokes I instantly regretted trying to be funny, but never something so blatantly racist. The fact that he asked if the 2 guys behind him could hear him before he made the joke shows that he had some line of thinking that it would be offensive.

Unless this blows up into a national story and really picks up steam I don't see anything happening.

I really don't listen to the show, so I doesn't really impact me, but Mazz seems like a good guy at heart and he made a bad mistake. His radio persona may be unlistenable and terrible, but he doesn't seem like a bad racist guy, unlike D&C.

 

[JimD]

Unless this blows up into a national story and really picks up steam I don't see anything happening.

It's on every major Boston news outlet right now, as well as a few out of town ones (New York Post, Barrett Media). It certainly could pick up steam from here.

I really don't listen to the show, so I doesn't really impact me, but Mazz seems like a good guy at heart and he made a bad mistake. His radio persona may be unlistenable and terrible, but he doesn't seem like a bad racist guy, unlike D&C.

Isn't it worse, in a way, when something as awful as this comes from a 'good guy' and not an obviously racist piece of crap?

 

[NortheasternPJ]

It's on every major Boston news outlet right now, as well as a few out of town ones (New York Post, Barrett Media). It certainly could pick up steam from here.


Isn't it worse, in a way, when something as awful as this comes from a 'good guy' and not an obviously racist piece of crap?

Honestly, I don't know the answer. Radio shows like this, they're talking for 20 hours (minus breaks) a week unscripted. They're going to slip up and say something stupid at some point. I'm not making an excuse for Mazz, it was 100% the wrong thing to say and he's paying for it. I don't think he should be fired for it this time. If it's a repeat thing, then that's a different story.

In the former, that's on the employers. The D&C and then Minihane, I don't even put on the 3 of them (they're just awful people) I put it on the employer. They allowed them to say awful things on the air daily and nothing happened.

 

[nattysez]

The Sox have got to be thanking their lucky stars they flushed the Mazz-as-color-guy experiment before this happened.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

The Sox have got to be thanking their lucky stars they flushed the Mazz-as-color-guy experiment before this happened.

At this point I don’t think anyone cares who the NESN color analyst is, which is sad.

 

[Van Everyman]

Two things:

First, @Chad Finn is a terrific writer. His pieces about his daughter and basketball are incredible. He’s also super generous with readers. Like, I don’t tweet like at all – but I’ve tweeted back and forth with him and he’s always been great to me. This despite the fact that he’s constantly dealing with “You’re a mouthpiece for John Henry/Globe/WEEI/SportsHub” anonymous Twitter comments 24/7, all completely wrongheaded and toxic through and through.

And that’s #2: sports talk radio (and really talk radio in general if we’re being honest) is just a toxic brew of really bad male energy. Certainly D&C and all of their various suspensions and controversies are sort of the apex of this. Some do it better than others but even the best shows with the smartest, most knowledgeable hosts are just rife with hottakes, rampant negativity, and trolls and constantly skirt the lines of what is and isn’t acceptable. Why? Because there’s an audience for the vitriol and the thrill of getting right up against that line.

So it almost doesn’t matter whether Mazz is “racist” or a “good guy” – he makes his living in a medium that 100% traffics in racism, misogyny and cruelty. It sucks because people are hurt when these awful things are said (like when Imus called the Rutgers basketball team a bunch of “nappy-headed ho’s”) and I’m sure Mazz has a family to support and does a lot of admirable things. But it’s not if someone is going to go too far when they’re hosting one of these shows – it’s almost always when.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

Aaaaand off the top rope he comes. Part of me does wonder to what extent idiots like Callahan believe tweets like this or whether they know that it’s bullshit but it serves a greater purpose to destroy the sensitivity police/cancel culture/insert buzz phrase.

Fuck, even his choice of words is revealing. Guys waiting to use the computer Felger was squatting on are… ‘lurking.’

View: https://twitter.com/gerrycallahan/status/1628122785695338505?s=46&t=uYH1db5xY-4sJS5hsQ1owg

 

[joe dokes]

Unemployed area man has thoughts.

 

[Mr. Stinky Esq.]

Mazz seemed sincere. He sounded like a man that sincerely regrets betraying his true nature as a racist sh!theel and thus jeopardizing his lucrative job

Yeah, the glee he apparently took in the moment of the “joke” was revealing.

 

[BigJimEd]

They're going to slip up and say something stupid at some point. I'm not making an excuse for Mazz,

Stupid, sure. Racist no. And yes you are making excuses.

Those that are labeling this as a mistake or just something stupid are minimizing it.

And agree with others that the apology was too much about him.

 

[mikeford]

It's on every major Boston news outlet right now, as well as a few out of town ones (New York Post, Barrett Media). It certainly could pick up steam from here.


Isn't it worse, in a way, when something as awful as this comes from a 'good guy' and not an obviously racist piece of crap?

Thing is: if you say something like this you ARE a racist piece of shit. If you weren't racist, this wouldn't be a thought you would have. Mazz can apologize all he wants, it isn't gonna change his obvious embedded thought patterns. That would take actual work and forgive me for being cynical but I don't think a well off white guy his age is gonna do that work.

 

[Scoots McBoots]

I don't see how it's not racist when he used their race to describe them. He didn't say "shady characters," "vagabonds," or "vile knaves."

 

[cornwalls@6]

Having watched the clip from Friday, and having listened to apology a couple of times, I’m less inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. The fact that he took the time make sure the two guys weren’t listening, and took such glee in his joke, makes me think he probably knew he was going over the line, and went ahead anyway. And as noted by others, he had all weekend to think about it, and still couldn’t muster a general apology to the two gentlemen specifically is a really bad look. I don’t know what’s in his head or heart, nobody does. So all we have to go on is what comes out of his mouth. I would think a longer suspension without pay, and strict zero tolerance policy about any repeats would be in order. A few days off feels light to me.

 

[section15]

Since I don't listen to Gasbag Radio Talk very often, I never listen to these guys.

That being said - who sponsors Felger/Mazz? If you understand the broadcasting business - the advertisers call the shots. Who sponsors these guys? Tire shops? Erectile dysfunction clinics? Betting services? Casinos? Ticket re-sellers?


Edit = mrs. section15, in a rare internet contribution = "Ambulance chasers?"

 

[SemperFidelisSox]

DraftKings is the main sponsor. They probably aren’t too happy that there is a giant DraftKings sign right behind Tony as he makes these remarks.

 

[Haunted]

I'd love to see Mazz tell him to stfu and that he messed up and would accept his suspension.

 

[mtm2025]

I don't see how it's not racist when he used their race to describe them. He didn't say "shady characters," "vagabonds," or "vile knaves."

he also never said a specific race either. he said a couple of guys like that. if they weren't on tv, would you immediately jump to a specific race?

 

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

he also never said a specific race either. he said a couple of guys like that. if they weren't on tv, would you immediately jump to a specific race?

I heard this on the radio when he said it and I assumed he was talking about two kids. I had no idea that there were a couple of Black guys behind Felger. At the very least, I thought that Mazz was being an ageist. But the whole scope of the narrative changes when you see whom he was talking about.

At the end of the day, do I think that Mazz is a racist (like Gerry Callahan)? No. I think he's a dude that grew up in a time where it was "funny" to make jokes like that (look at someone like Don Rickles) and forgot that this is 2023 not 1983. I don't condone what he said, obviously, but I don't think it's a fireable offense. I just hope that he grows from this mistake.

 

[brs3]

Mazz's apology was pretty limp. He sounds like a guy afraid of losing his job, not a guy who wants to do anything to be better. He even says, there's not much else he can say or do...but that is wrong. His comments are a sports radio norm, at least in Boston. He can try to be better, he can challenge his colleagues to be better and call things out when they happen. But, we got none of that, because that's not what they're going to do. Frankly, I'm sure many listeners would prefer they didn't do that, either. "Stick to sports", so to speak.

 

[bankshot1]

First time long time

I just got home and put on the show and I thought I heard there is no Felger for the rest of the week. Was this mandated by management or did Felgie decide to go on a hot take strike in support his partner in slime and rough it in the mean streets of Wellesley?

I'll hang-up and listen.

 

[shawnrbu]

Felger is on vacation in Florida.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Mazz's apology was pretty limp. He sounds like a guy afraid of losing his job, not a guy who wants to do anything to be better. He even says, there's not much else he can say or do...but that is wrong. His comments are a sports radio norm, at least in Boston. He can try to be better, he can challenge his colleagues to be better and call things out when they happen. But, we got none of that, because that's not what they're going to do. Frankly, I'm sure many listeners would prefer they didn't do that, either. "Stick to sports", so to speak.

Are his comments the norm? We can all point to D&C and stuff in the past, but I don't hear anything like it normally. D&C have been off the air for 7 years. I mainly listen to T&R and Beetle & Zo, but I'm not sure it's racist radio all the time outside of that.

Of all the complaints of sports radio I have, Greg Hill and his show is like watching paint dry, Gresh sucks, F&M is negative and unlistenable, Jim Murray is the worst, Adam Jones is a troll. etc. racism isn't in my top 25 list of issues. Blanketing Boston sports radio as racist is the norm sounds a lot like "everyone who goes to Fenway is a racist" or "Boston is racist" in general.

 

[HomeBrew1901]

Thing is: if you say something like this you ARE a racist piece of shit. If you weren't racist, this wouldn't be a thought you would have. Mazz can apologize all he wants, it isn't gonna change his obvious embedded thought patterns. That would take actual work and forgive me for being cynical but I don't think a well off white guy his age is gonna do that work.

Not for nothing but take a look at the SoSH P&G Archives when this place was just getting going. There was a lot of stupid shit said in there that we thought were funny and appropriate 20 years ago that many of us old white guys around his age cringe at and wouldn't say any more.

It's part of why I can't remotely justify or defend what he said, especially factoring in that he asked if the two guys behind Felger could hear him.

 

[j-man]

boy i bet adam jones is scik had he waited 6 mos he could have had mazz job

u watch mazz has have heart issues i could see a fored retirement jim murray was laughing as well

u know fegler and beetie could be good radio

 

[j-man]

if mazz stays he has to partly thank adam jones for leaveing

 

[brs3]

Are his comments the norm? We can all point to D&C and stuff in the past, but I don't hear anything like it normally. D&C have been off the air for 7 years. I mainly listen to T&R and Beetle & Zo, but I'm not sure it's racist radio all the time outside of that.

Of all the complaints of sports radio I have, Greg Hill and his show is like watching paint dry, Gresh sucks, F&M is negative and unlistenable, Jim Murray is the worst, Adam Jones is a troll. etc. racism isn't in my top 25 list of issues. Blanketing Boston sports radio as racist is the norm sounds a lot like "everyone who goes to Fenway is a racist" or "Boston is racist" in general.

I mean Mazz's comments stylistically align with a lot of the typical conversations you hear on sports radio. Thinly veiled, suggestive, gently implying, not obvious digs at other people and groups. I'm not sure if it's even intentional, but rather a nature of conversations between likeminded people. It's almost like subconscious racism, if that's a thing. I don't think every show or every moment of sports radio has this happening, but I don't think Mazz's joke on sports radio is a surprise to anyone.

 

[Kliq]

Mazz strikes me as a guy, who like a lot of people of his generation, grew up in an environment where making a joke like that is funny and there was hardly any pushback on it. I think those people tend to either end up generally understanding that those jokes aren't okay anymore (but still slip up every now and then) or they just become full-blown bigoted pricks (the Gerry Callahan route). Has Mazz had any incidents close to this one where he definitely said something he shouldn't have on air?

 

[JohnnyTheBone]

There's really no excuse for Massarotti. That joke would have stood out as wildly offensive 20 years ago. To utter something like that in 2023 is nothing short of outrageous. Felger knew it instantly.

 

[allstonite]

I have friends who this might push to the Callahan route in Kliq’s hypothetical. They are still upset that a millionaire, who they don’t know, who talks for a living, and said something dumb has to miss 4 days of work and attend a training I have to attend annually. You would think we’re living in North Korea if you listen to them tell the tale. I need new friends who (1) don’t think like this and see this as the measliest punishment for a dumb slip up and (2) don’t listen to Felger & Mazz daily

 

[The Social Chair]

Unemployed area man has thoughts.

He'd be better off opening his window and yelling outside based on his twitter engagement. Local AM radio guy from 20 years ago doesn't really play in 2023.

 

[mauf]

At this point I don’t think anyone cares who the NESN color analyst is, which is sad.

I’ll bet more people care about the NESN color analyst than care about anything that happens in the world of sports radio.

Ownership is glad NESN went in a different direction because now they don’t have to address this.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

I’ll bet more people care about the NESN color analyst than care about anything that happens in the world of sports radio.

Ownership is glad NESN went in a different direction because now they don’t have to address this.

I'm not sure if that's correct or not, but the NESN ratings last season are down to a 2.1 share on TV. https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2022/12/28/Media/red-sox-nesn-360-viewership-down.aspx . I'm sure there's reasons why but it's impossible find #'s on how many actual viewers that is vs. radio. The radio audience is obviously much smaller, but has higher shares.

My main point is that NESN has had a rotating cast of color analysts for the last couple years combined with declining ratings, so it's not like their only color guy, like Remy who was there for 20 years, had this happen. It was one of 4-5 people rotating throughout. If Mazz disappeared this year after this incident, 99% of people wouldn't even notice. Same thing if it was one of the other 4 people. I know Youk is going to be a primary one this year, but that's a change.

 

[Patriot_Reign]

Unrelated to last Friday's event, but I can remember for the longest time where they did this bit with Mazz called "Dirty Tony" where he would say things like "I'd like to JUICE those MELONS" cackle cackle cackle.
Whenever I heard it it struct me as remarkable that they got away with it, felt pretty sexist. At some point they seemed to abandon it.

 

[Dim13]

Unrelated to last Friday's event, but I can remember for the longest time where they did this bit with Mazz called "Dirty Tony" where he would say things like "I'd like to JUICE those MELONS" cackle cackle cackle.
Whenever I heard it it struct me as remarkable that they got away with it, felt pretty sexist. At some point they seemed to abandon it.

This is totally picking nits, but that was a Toucher and Rich bit, using Tony.

 

[Riconway3155]

This is totally picking nits, but that was a Toucher and Rich bit, using Tony.

It was also INCREDIBLY tongue in cheek and silly. I don’t think the two things even compare.

 

[Patriot_Reign]

This is totally picking nits, but that was a Toucher and Rich bit, using Tony.

Ahh yeah you're right. Think Tony would still do a bit of dirty tony character jokes during F&M though.

 

[Granite Sox]

Mazz has issues. Listen to how often he refers to “giving two poops”, or “rubbing butter all over myself”, or “keep it in your pants”, or “[so-and-so] crapped himself”, or “it’s starting to get up my tailpipe”… it’s very scatalogical and fairly constant. That he would say the quiet part out loud about a bigoted POV is unsurprising and another sign that he’s gotten too comfortable and sloppy on air. He deserves everything coming to him, and frankly I think he’s gotten away with a lot of pretty gross stuff along the way.

 

[j-man]

the more i think of it the more i think mazz will be out by the end of 2024 at the latest
1 He hates Baseball now
2 all he does is say yes fegler
3 heart trouble

and btw for those who watches on tv at the 4 30 hour my time fegler is doing car spots now its so funny

 

[bigq]

Mazz has issues. Listen to how often he refers to “giving two poops”, or “rubbing butter all over myself”, or “keep it in your pants”, or “[so-and-so] crapped himself”, or “it’s starting to get up my tailpipe”… it’s very scatalogical and fairly constant. That he would say the quiet part out loud about a bigoted POV is unsurprising and another sign that he’s gotten too comfortable and sloppy on air. He deserves everything coming to him, and frankly I think he’s gotten away with a lot of pretty gross stuff along the way.

He and Felger are in it together in their appeal to the lowest common denominator. Felger makes frequent references to being left holding his schmetzer. It doesn't make for a good show but it gets good ratings.

Mazz's bigoted on air joke is not surprising given the show's overall tenor. That's not to say that I excuse it or hand wave it away. It sucks and he sucks. Just further evidence that the entire show sucks.

 

[RedOctober3829]

I listened on my way home yesterday and Jim Murray/Joe Murray had Alex Barth in to talk Patriots. It was the best stretch of radio during F&M in a long, long time. No schtick, just football talk. Draft, free agency, etc. No BS, just enjoyable football talk.

 

[Helmet Head]

I listened on my way home yesterday and Jim Murray/Joe Murray had Alex Barth in to talk Patriots. It was the best stretch of radio during F&M in a long, long time. No schtick, just football talk. Draft, free agency, etc. No BS, just enjoyable football talk.

100% agree. Alex Barth was excellent and really well informed.

 

[Swing and a Popup]

I listened on my way home yesterday and Jim Murray/Joe Murray had Alex Barth in to talk Patriots. It was the best stretch of radio during F&M in a long, long time. No schtick, just football talk. Draft, free agency, etc. No BS, just enjoyable football talk.

They also had Ty Anderson on to talk hockey and it was good as well.

 

[j-man]

i have watched the last 2 days and i think murray/gasper or murray/anderson/barth couild be a hit i wouild move murray to night and try it out utill fegler and mazz contats run out

 

[mtm2025]

i have watched the last 2 days and i think murray/gasper or murray/anderson/barth couild be a hit i wouild move murray to night and try it out utill fegler and mazz contats run out

why would they get rid of one of the highest rated show in all of Boston radio that brings in the sponsorship dollars to move to alex barth and ty anderson?

 

[Mahkis Smaht]

From The Ringer's Press Box podcast, a 20 min or so interview with Felger (21 min mark). Whether you like him or not, he prepares for his shows and is smart.

The Super Bowl of Sports Radio wtih Mad Dog Russo and Mike Felger

I don't listen to the F&M show but I know they have unbelievable ratings. I did listen to the Press Box episode that had him and I thought he was just unpleasant. I found the idea that you have to criticize the teams that are doing well just to have something to talk about dishonest. Felger clearly has an outstanding work ethic, but that "you bunch of Bobos" thing strikes me as schtick and I think he did the Press Box "in character" otherwise there's no way he has any real friends.

When I used to live in New England but before I really got into these things, I tried listening to 985 one afternoon and it was Mazz yelling over a musical bed, I think it was Carmina Burana or Requiem Dies Irae or something but the actual sound of his voice was so unpleasant I turned to the other station. I think they were doing "whiner line" or something so it must have been Ordway at the time. It wasn't as grating but I think I just went back to WBUR.

If you're into Felger I'm not going to judge you but I'd like to know what about this appeals to you and keeps you coming back. When I listen to a guy like that I just feel like I'm being played.

 

[Patriot_Reign]

He has a unique ability to stick his finger in the air to judge which direction the consensus opinion is blowing and then develop a counter argument that goes against that consensus.

 

[joe dokes]

He has a unique ability to stick his finger in the air to judge which direction the consensus opinion is blowing and then develop a counter argument that goes against that consensus.

I think the words "develop" and "argument" are doing a lot of work here. An argument is more than just contradiction. His real skill is clowning an entire audience without them knowing they're being clowned.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Once you come to the realization that it’s more entertainment than hard core sports talk, the show becomes more enjoyable. Of course there are days where the negativity is too much, but I just don’t take it seriously half the time.