Sports talk radio can be so banal. I have to admit that we in Seattle are lucky; the local folks here are pretty good. But overall, it is typically not good.

But what is worse are when these show take calls.

Again, in Seattle the local shows are not that bad, and the calls follow suit. It is not like that there is a ton of insight from when Roger from Tukwila calls, but typically there is not an idiotic rant coming.

However every so often you get this:

• Trade Russell Wilson

• The Patriots suck

• Lebron is overrated

You get the idea.

In fact, these are not the calls that bother me. We all can expect a stupid call from time to time, and we all get a laugh out of it or tease the caller for days on end. The worst calls are the ones where they just state what has always been said.

Talk about worthless.

I mean think about it; it takes some effort to call in a talk show. First off, it takes some bravery (or nerve) to call in and let yourself be heard. Secondly, you have to carve out some time to call the show. Then you have to be on hold before they take your call. And after all of that, you say: ‘I think the Mariners are struggling, Felix is hurting us.’

Wait. That’s it? You felt so passionate about your obvious take that you actually call a live radio show to share? I mean if these guys paid a lick of attention, they would realize they are adding nothing to anything. At least the dumb calls have a sense of passion, albeit mislead passion. But to go through all of those things and actually ask the equivalent of ‘who won’ (something I have actually heard on a show), what the hell?

This goes well beyond sports. There are these people out there that always feel the need to chime in with their opinion, regardless of whether or not it adds to anything. At conferences, at screenings, at seminars, these are the people that always raise their hand and just have to say something. Why? Because they are self-important assholes.