What’s up Doug,

I really enjoy the show. You guy’s have a great format. I was reading some of the email questions you responded to in the mailbag on the 20th. I’m sorry you have to waste your time with people looking for reasons to hate on you. I’m sure you don’t lose sleep over it. I just wanted to thank you for your passion for sports. You and Wolf work well together. Hear you in 2008!

Tim

Since I don’t lose sleep over it, I probably shouldn’t give much thought to the pleasant e-mails I get either, but I appreciate it anyway.

Doug,

I was listening to you and Wolf earlier and had a question. When you two were talking about music that got you fired up Wolf mentioned Sun City sock hops and he seemed to have a lot of knowledge on Sun City Sock Hops. Did you ever wonder how he has so much knowledge about the music they play at Sun City Sock Hops.

Also please explain to me what in the Sam Hill is a Basanonian or whatever Wolf likes to call listeners?

Bruce

He always talks about the way a man dances with his woman is definition of a man. Maybe he’s worked on his moves in Sun City before he tries them on The Beautiful Miss Stephanie.

He says “Basinonians” because he claims that this region is a Basin and not a valley.

Good morning Doug - you too, Wolf:

I wanted to chime in on the Suns Retro night. I didn’t really have any problems with the headbands, I think it was a good look for Steve Nash, and Amare has worn them before, so I really don’t think that was the distraction that everyone is making it out to be. I was bummed that they didn’t sport the retro jerseys, and use the old logo more. Also, I am not old enough to have watched any games in black and white, but did they really have to strain that badly to see the scores when they flashed on the screen? I thought the old black and white was fine, but the graphics were awful. Then in the 2^nd qtr when they switched to color, but “low def”, I think that was even worse. The flashing on the screen nearly caused me to go into convulsions. I had to switch over to the TNT broadcast at that time.

I think the Suns just came out disinterested in the game to start out with, and that it had little or nothing to do with any headbands.

Russell

I completely disagree with you.

Eddie Johnson completely agrees with you.

If I were you, I’d care more about the latter than the former.

Doug,

I think if they were going to go with headbands they should have worn the whole retro uniforms, then I think it would have made it less disrespectful to the Sonics. What do you think?

Cody

I completely agree.

Doug,

First off, I love the show, listen every morning on my way to work and when i get to work. Most of the time i agree with what you say and appreciate the insight. You got me all fired up this morning though!

To blame the headbands on the terrible play in the 1st quarter is ridiculous. EJ had it right when he said it had everything to do with the Suns just not being ready to play. You yourself said it would not have bothered you if they were wearing retro jerseys. Well what is the difference between retro jerseys and a headband? You can’t tell me a headband affects your concentration or ability. I used to wear a headband for my hair when i played soccer, and once the game started i never thought about the headband again. When i finally cut my hair, i stopped wearing it. Didn’t affect me one way or the other.

Also, one other point. To assert that the headbands offended the Sonics is also ridiculous. I haven’t heard one person, on this radio show or anyone in LA or Boston say anything about feeling offended or disrespected when the Lakers wore those short shorts last week. I also don’t hear anyone say anything like that the 2-3 times a year the Chargers wear their throwbacks.

The headbands and tv and announcer retro night had nothing to do with the Suns performance in the 1st quarter, it was all on each individual players’ shoulders for not coming out ready. Luckily they put it together in time to get the win.

Sorry for the rant, just wanted to express my opinion. Keep up the good work!

Todd

First off, thanks.

Second off, it’s deeper than that. It’s not that headbands were in their face and they couldn’t see the basket. The headbands were a gimmick that brought the game to an exhibition level. This is a team that stuggles to focus and they’re doing something that makes a game a joke.

I never wore a headband when I played soccer and as soon as the game started, I never thought about whether or not I should wear a headband. I don’t think your soccer/headband experiences or mine really relate to NBA basketball.

Also, when you say “To assert that the headbands offended the Sonics is also ridiculous” would imply that you’ve talked to someone with the Sonics, which you didn’t. So to the member of the Seattle media who told me that the players noticed the headbands, you were wrong. What the players told you about how they were feeling was ridiculous because Todd said it was. Todd knows how the Sonics players feel better than the Sonic players. Members of the media: Please refer all questions to the mindset of the Sonics through Todd before you report them.

Thank you for the rant. You keep me employed.

Doug,

Let me begin by saying you and Wolf are great and I am not torching you; I agree with you much of the time (and Wolf less). However, you touched on something on two occasions that grabbed my attention. Both times I just thought to myself, “…just let it go…” But it’s something that’s kind of lingered everytime I put you guys on the radio. I wondered if you might expound on it.

You mentioned something about always making the right call as a young man in fear of disappointing your parents. Solid. Clearly, your parents did a terrific job raising you. Then you questioned whether you would make right calls as they relate to providing the best for your family. Hmmmhh…

Now I don’t know you, but I feel pretty confident in saying that if you were ever really faced with such a moral dilemma, the voices of mom and dad in the back of your mind would still help you to make the right call. It would seem to me that you would want to put your kids in the same light as your parents, meaning, I would think that you would hate to have your kids cast judgement on a decision that you make even if relates to their best interests. More importantly, the example led by your parents would be the very same thing that you would want to be part of your family’s legacy passed on not only to your children, but also generations on down the line. Perhaps even most importantly, would you not suppose that making that first compromised call then puts your kids on the “slippery slope” for making their own decisions of what is and is not acceptable decision making (behavior)?

I’m a dad and I think about this stuff all of the time. What do you think, dad? I’m not torching you so I hope I haven’t offended.

Very best regards,

Wayne

I do not feel torched in any way. The tone of your e-mail will always dictate my response back.

It’s the window of time that I just came out of in fatherhood versus the window I’m now going into that would cloud my judgement. There’s a lot of people who have e-mailed me about those comments I made regarding steroids.

As a single man, there’s no way I could have taken the name that my father gave me and his father gave him and tarnished it by doing steroids to get ahead in baseball. I can even say, if I was at the same position in life but playing baseball for a living (35 with two kids 8-3), I would have rejected steroids. It’s the time inbetween that I’m admitting I would struggle with. I really think that I would say no, but I don’t want to say it for sure because my priorities would change.

If I was single, I’d say no in honor of my father. Now, I’d say no because I talk to my kids about the decisions they’ll be faced with in life. My father never let me down and I would never let my kids down. However, when Vienna was 4 and McKenna was a newborn, I hadn’t had those conversations with the girls. I may have put providing above being a role-model.

Imagine that your career in the game is falling apart. You’ve never made the big contract that will save your family and you’re in a contract year. You do roids for one and only one off-season (Brady Anderson) and now your family’s set. I know it’s wrong but you could lie to yourself and say you’re doing it for your family. You don’t see it at the time as if it’s letting your family down because you act like it’s not really you. You say, “This isn’t me but I’m willing to sacrifice what I believe in because my family needs me too.” You could actually mayrtyr yourself into thinking you’re doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. It would only be the look on your kids’ face after you’re exposed that you’d realize you’re a much bigger failure than you realized.

If I were a major league player with all other things being equal, I think I would say no for my entire career. I know I would say no for most of my career. I just don’t want to go over-the-top in my denials because I think the best fathers question whether or not they’re fit to be a father at the time their kids are toddlers. I think most of the best fathers thought they couldn’t possibly be the father they had. If I was faced in that moment of weakness, I could see me thinking, since I’m not my dad, I need to do something to over come my own deficiencies. It would only be after the fact that I’d have realized it was my attempt to overcome my perceived short-comings that exposed real short-comings.

I now know, I have the potential to be as good as a father as I had. I needed to go through certain situations to realize all I have to do is do what my father would do. When you’re entering fatherhood, for some reason, you don’t allow it to be that easy.

Doug needs a new nickname: Driftwood. He is going back and forth like a piece of driftwood on the ocean. One day, the sky is falling and the Suns are a disaster. The next, the Suns are on a roll and you can start engraving the trophy.

Doug, pick a direction. It is a very long season. Don’t keep drifting away.

Gary

I’d love for you to help me with something. I’m struggling with being a mid-westerner on the West Coast. I continually make points that West Coast listeners aren’t able to grasp so am I the problem or is it the listener?

I didn’t have this problem when I worked in Ohio, Alabama, and Kansas City. In those places, people loved their teams and showed it. Here, if you criticize anything, people say, “Relax, it’s a long season.” Then, when their team goes without a championship for 39 years, it has something to do with a littany of excuses that they didn’t want to hear four months earlier because “it’s a long season.”

How can I do a better job of relating to people who can’t understand that the Celtics play like a team that want to win a championship and the Suns don’t? I want the Suns to win a championship. I think they have more talent than any team in the NBA but that doesn’t make you a champion. The Suns players think get ready for April means to wait until April to play ball.

Put this theory to the test. If D’Antoni told Nash that the team would win more games if he never shot again, he wouldn’t shoot. Imagine if D’Antoni told that to Stat or Marion. They would keep shooting.

Mr. Franz,

I just wanted to write you that I love Doug and Wolf in the morning. I listen to the show every morning on the way to work and when I can during the early part of my day. My wife doesn’t get the show, she thinks all sports talk shows are soap opera’s for men.

Today, I received notification that I am leaving for Fort Dix, New Jersey to get ready for my deployment to Iraq. It will suck that I will miss your show in the morning, but rest assured, when I return, I will once again be a loyal listener.

GO D-Backs!!

GO Sun Devils!!

GO Cards (Even though I am a Patriots fan!!)

Thanks & B.Rgds

James E. Billingsley

Rear Detachment Officer

56th Military Police Company

I am humbled and floored that anyone about to defend my freedom would say good-bye on his way.

Thanks for listening and defending.

God be with you during your deployment and may He return you home safely.

Hello Doug,

I absolutely love the show and I try to listen to it every morning. I just have one problem. You come across as being a Raider hater. Granted I know they’ve been bad for the past 4 years, but I think they are starting to turn things around. I’ll bet it’s a little bit more difficult to promote a team that has had very little success for the past few decades. I mean as far as I know, which isn’t much, they haven’t had a 10 win season since 1976 and they’ve only won one playoff game which was in 1998. All teams go through their low points, except for the Cardinals who have had low points ever since they came here. Look at Cincinnati. It seem like they had an early first round pick every year in the 90s and they couldn’t turn their season around. Show some sympathy for the Raiders. That’s all I ask. This new coach has them on the right track and it’s only a matter of time before they are of the elite. By the way, I am a Raider fan, but not the stereotypical one. I do have a job and a life outside of the Raiders and I don’t paint my face and wear Halloween costumes, so I can understand why you would make fun of them. Quite frankly, I make fun of them. I feel you don’t need to paint your face and wear costumes to be a true fan. So you can continue to make fun of Raider fans. But be more sympathetic to the team. They are on their way up.

Chris

I am a Raider hater but that won’t cloud my judgment of the team.

I will give them credit when they deserve it despite my hatred, but I will never like them.

Since they just won their first divisional game in four years, I better start paying attention.

Thanks for listening despite my feelings.

Doug:

I’m still bent over David Stern’s job security.

I am very pro the media, but they stopped short. How many lies before this guys is fired?

He said that Amare & Boris should have been restrained and they were.

He said the rule is clear, but it says the vicinity of the bench. They were in the vicinity.

He doesn’t want to interpret intent, but Duncan came off the bench and Stern did interpret his intent.

He said the officials gambling rule was to broad, so he put it aside. I thought he said “Part of playing (officiating) in the NBA is knowing the rules. The rule is the rule.”

This guy is a pompous a## and got off easy by the Phoenix media.

He should be fired, although drawn and quartered would be more appropriate for this loser.

Jerry C for Commish.

Rob

I thought the media went after him reasonably by even going down this road. I must admit though, if the media goes after him, aren’t they showing their own personal bias in regards to the situation. Although I’m labeled as media, I’m a little different. I’m allowed and expected to be an opinionated blow-hard, reporters aren’t.

As far as your choice for a new commissioner is concerned, your opinion can not be improved upon.

Thanks for listening.

Doug:

You guys ever think that you may have listeners south of Van Buren? It sickens me to think that you feel that south Phoenix is somehow beneath you two.

Tony

I can easily understand why anyone would be offended by that.

I actually wish people won’t be offended while we do it.

In case you don’t know the story, when the Cardinals moved to Phoenix from St. Louis, the FBI met with the players and team personnel. They were told to never go south of Van Buren. Wolf talks about what an impression that made on him that the government knew there was a problem area in the city but was just telling people to avoid it instead of doing something about it.

I know it completely sounds like arrogance on our part and we should get ripped for it, however, we completely mean it in the context of Wolf’s story and not in a “Holier than thou” way.

I hope there’s a way you can understand.

Doug,

As fans can be we expect all things out of the Suns? Rationally, Steve Nash has a point (regarding championships aren’t won in November). And I believe that Steve recognizes, as the rest of us do, last year should’ve been a championship for Phoenix. He may not say it, but actions speak louder than words. Last year was a great example of why a team not only need be great to win a championship, but sometimes lucky as well. So San Antonio was not the better team, but the luckier (Stern Factor) team. As a fan, I’m frustrated because I want the Suns to crush every opponent, but knowing that I want the championship more, I’m willing to be more patient. However if the championship isn’t achieved, what legacy does Steve leave?

Darryl

I completely understand your point.

My frustration stems from belief in just how good this team really is. When they play at their tempo, they can’t be beat. I know winning and losing isn’t a decision. Here’s the catch, the tempo they play at can completely be determined by themselves. If they decide to play with energy and push the tempo, I think they can’t be stopped. If I’m right that they are the best team in the NBA when they play at their tempo (and I think they are almost unbeatable at that tempo) that would mean the outcome of the game is determined by their desire to play up tempo.

I know I have a simplistic view of the world and everything follows a simple flow chart but I actually mean this team is so good that it can be that easy. If they play up tempo and lose (like versus Golden State), I accept that and recant. I just don’t think they’re pushing themselves.

I try to answer my e-mail as much as possible. I appreciate you listening and taking the time to write me so I respond even when I get ripped. Here’s a sampling:

The men in the AZ Cardinals locker room are just giddy about the fact that you (Doug) didn’t pick them to go to the playoffs this year. Now I don’t think they’re playing games in Jan. of 08′ either, but your analysis of the D-backs chances does lend some credence to the idea that blah blah blah…

Bottom Line… You were WRONG!

Go D-Backs and while we’re at it Go Cardinals!

Will in Fountain Hills

Will:

Your e-mail makes no sense.

What analysis of the D-Backs chances are you talking about? I mathematically explained why it will be very difficult for the D-Backs to miss the playoffs when it became appearant, although it was possible. How is my analysis flawed?

If you’re talking about my predictions, you’re calling half of Phoenix stupid. I said in April the D-backs will be in it to the very end and they will fall just short of the playoffs. I received over 400 e-mails on my prediction. 20% of the e-mails said thanks for not being a homer. 25% said I had no business being on the home station of the D-Backs if I don’t believe in them. The majority of e-mails I received were explaining how I know nothing about baseball to even consider the D-Backs close to a playoff team. They thought the D-Backs wouldn’t be close to the playoffs and I was an idiot for putting them barely on the outside.

You were not one of those e-mails. I always find it interesting when someone can write in to say I’m wrong, but they couldn’t do it at the time when I said it, they had to wait till the end.

I also don’t think the AZ Cardinals care what I think or predict.

I didn’t hear Donovan McNabb complaining about extra attention when Campbells Soup and EA Sports were shoving cash into his pockets.

Blaise in KC

Amen to that. Your point is better than anything I’m going to write.

If shawn received a max deal we wouldn’t be having this conversation his motives are motivated by money and as good as he is he doesn’t deserve 20 mil a season

–gary

Gary:

I completely agree that he doesn’t deserve $20 million, but I don’t think his motives are money. I know this sounds silly but he’s so insecure that he has to be made to feel wanted. The best way to feel wanted is have your team offer you max money.

Shawn Marion needs to have his ego coddled. Look at his numbers on the Suns and in the league: #1 in shots, minutes, and salary on the team–#11 in salary in the league. This guy has an out-of-control ego and a very low self-esteem. It is impossible to make those types of people happy unless you coddle them constantly. I just think the team is tired of coddling so now he’s offended.

Doug

We have to get rid of Wolf when talking about the Cardinals. This team has been is now and always be losers. The one win they had was after they choked away I believe a 17 point lead. Last week they played catch up but the “D” could not do the job. The high hit call was a good call the man led with the forearm and elbow. I have lived in this valley for more the 15 years and am tired of hearing sports guys in this town BS everyone about this is the year they have so much talent YADA, YADA, YADA and every year they keep losing. Wolf is the biggest yapper about how good this team is but I guess that is because he gets a check from them so his reality is a bit skewed. Again this week you two are building up a game the Cardinals will lose in all odds by 10 points. Do me a favor and think about when it comes to the Cardinals, If, if, ands and buts were 5, 10 and 20 dollar bills I would be the richest man in the world. Then I would buy the team from Bidwell and dissolve it. The sad part is they were able to get a new stadium mostly at tax payer expense and still produce a losing product. Think about this for 1 minute. How may times would you buy a specific model of car, truck listening to claims of how great it is only to have it towed to the shop every week and listening to some rep spew more crap about it. I am willing to bet that you would not buy more then 2 before you moved to a much better product.

Bruce M. Crow

Bruce:

Wouldn’t you agree that if over 60K people are showing up at an event in the Valley, we should talk about it?

Don’t you think that since the country is talking about Leinart v Warner and Steelers v Whisenhunt/Grimm that we should talk about it?

If you don’t think this team has talent, you don’t know football.

If you don’t think this team has a good coach, you don’t know football.

I can’t defend ownership in any way. They have been the worst ownership group in the history of sports. If your e-mail was spent torching ownership, I would understand but the rest of your opinions are uninformed because you’re bitter.

I’m in no way trying to be offensive by saying that but when a team plays to three point games in every game under a new coach and a new system, while ownership is spending money to change the fortunes of the franchise, I think you’re being unfair.

Hi Ron and Doug:

I love listening to your shown in the morning, and think you do a great job, so I hope you don’t mind some constructive criticism. It seems that when I have turned on the show lately, you don’t talk about the Cardinals that much (or at least as much as I would hope). For example, after the Steelers game, the Cardinals just won one of their biggest games in years, but the show seemed to be dominated by baseball.

I love the Diamondbacks and watch almost all of their games (and go to the games when I can), but it was an “in between” day for the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks were the big story on Friday night, and will be again in a couple of days.

In contrast, the Cardinals just won their big game yesterday in front of a sell out crowd, etc. I would have thought that the show would have been at least equally split with Cardinals coverage, but it didn’t appear to be when I was listening. Even after the coach’s segment, you immediately switched back to baseball in the same breath that you said goodbye to coach Whisenhunt. It seemed like the other station was more interested in discussing the Cardinals game than you were, which was surprising to me given that KTAR is also the flagship station for the Cardinals.

I hope this doesn’t come across as too negative, as I find your shows very informative and entertaining. I was also looking forward to hearing more of Wolfley’s insights into the game (he is one of my favorite all-time Cardinals players since they moved here in 1988), so that added to the disappointment. Maybe I just listened at the wrong times, but in any event, I just wanted to pass along my thoughts.

Thanks! Go Cardinals and Diamondbacks!

Sean

The first thing you should do is talk to Bruce, however, I always appreciate someone giving criticism when it’s done in the fashion you chose. There’s no way you were “listening at the wrong times” because you were listening during your times. You should judge the show by what you get out of it. I want you to take ownership of this show.

We have three segments every hour. I can tell you that the show was set-up so that every hour we did one segment that was Cardinals with a little NFL talk mixed in, one segment of D-Backs with a little Mets mixed in because of their melt down, and one segment that was one of our standard features.

Please understand that due to the fact it’s the post-season, the D-Backs dominate the headlines. I’m even getting criticism from some fans that for a team to be as surprising as the D-Backs, we talked too much Cards. If the Cards keep playing well, just imagine, how many complaints we’ll get from Suns fans when we’re hopefully talking Cards football in January.

Your e-mail will be taken very seriously. I agree completely with you that when someone sells out in this town, they deserve plenty of attention.

Thanks for listening Sean.

Good morning Doug.

Today may very well be the last day that I listen to your show.

I am absolutely sick and tired of being told to go to D-Backs games.

I am as big of baseball fan as there is out there. I am an Arizona native and I grew up listening to Dodger games on the radio with my dad listening to Vin Scully and Rick Monday. When I moved to southern edge of the valley in ’95, I got a map to make sure that I was in Maricopa county so that a percentage of my taxes where going to the stadium.

I can handle the D-backs and their marketing department trying to get more fans in the seats and get the games sold out but I don’t need to hear it from you or any other talk show host.

I don’t care how affordable you or any one else claims the tickets are, I cannot afford to go the games. I have a family to support and feed.

If you and others like you are so concerned about getting games sold out, why do YOU buy up some family packs and give them away. And not to contest winners, just give them to people to get the games sold out.

I can’t tell you how much I am offended by someone trying to tell me how to spend my money, even if it were on entertainment. To me its just as bad as the government trying to tell me they need more of my money going toward taxes.

Good luck getting those tickets sold out but I’m probably done with you program after today.

I will continue to listen to Gambo and Ash everyday because I can’t recall them ever trying to tell me how to spend my money.

Nathan

For the time you have listened, thank you.

I have no right to rip you as an individual for not buying tickets. What you do with your money is none of my business.

However, fans in this city do more complaining about ticket prices than any other market yet the D-Backs are in the bottom half of MLB in ticket prices. It is the only city that doesn’t sell out playoff games.

The afford ability isn’t even the main issue. There are plenty of fans that can afford games and aren’t going because of Luis Gonzalez. Why haven’t they admitted they were wrong and the D-Backs outfield this year was better without Gonzalez? Why don’t the fans realize that it was MLB that had them change their colors and not some “erase the past” idea? There are plenty of people who can afford to go to games but won’t because they’re bitter at the new owners. How about the fact that MLB was worried about the D-Backs going bankrupt and the new ownership group stepped in and saved the team and still had the class to recognize what Jerry Colangelo means to the city and asked him to throw out the first pitch? These are all facts that the team doesn’t want out because they feel like the fans will think they are blaming others for past problems.

I’m bitter at fans who come up with all these excuses for not going to games. Do you really think I’m telling someone who can’t afford to go to games to suddenly spend money? Isn’t there a chance that the one subject you are very sensitive to is the one that you are offended by? I don’t think you had a major problem with my points about ownership or Gonzo.

Every city has fans that love their team and can’t afford to go to a game. Why are those cities still selling out?

Good morning again Doug.

Thank you for responding to my e-mail. I’ve e-mailed you a couple times before and you have responded each time. The other two times were not complaints.

I really appreciate you elaborating on your point. As you put it, I guess I was focusing on only one part of the issue. If people are complaining about getting rid of Luis and being mad at new ownership, they are misguided. I bet some of those people were the same ones that were mad at Colangelo about how he got the stadium funded.

Maybe I just needed my opportunity to vent as well. I’ll continue listening. By the way, I caught a little bit of your College Game day show the other weekend. Good job.

Catcha on the airwaves.

-Nathan

I’m glad you’re staying with us and thanks for the compliment on the college football show.

It also drives me crazy that sports radio hosts who with media credentials who do not pay to get into the ball park. When you all start paying for games especially Play off games ($70.00 for upper deck.) Then you all can start talking about why people don’t go to games.

Ohh By the way Love the show.
Matthew

It’s easy to rip media with credentials.

But nobody ever rips media with credentials when they go to an Orioles/D-Backs game on a Saturday night when they’ve already been to three games during the home stand. Going as a fan is a wonderful experience with my kids and my wife. Going as media is work at the end of a day that you woke up at 2 A.M. and then you have to leave for work 3 hours after you got home.

This job has incredible perks. It’s just that I’d love for someone to go do something with their family on a Saturday afternoon knowing you’ve got four college football games to watch on tape when you get home and after you’re up half the night you get a call from the boss that says you’re on the air for the 13th straight day.

Sorry you had to hear the sob story but you earned it.