The healthcare debate has been raging for months now. During the summer the former Governor of Alaska accused the White House of creating “death panels” in their version of health care. Little did Governor Palin know that Team Chernoff at WFAN have created another panel that could signal the death of sports radio here in New York.

So here we are in the midst of the World Series and Mike Francesa and his “highly rated show” struggles to get any guest that is not on the WFAN (or should I say YES) payroll. Francesa plops down at Yankee Stadium and we are suppose to swoon over the fact Brian Cashman has joined him every round. For the most part Francesa has been doing what any other customer service representative would do: take calls for about six and a half hours. Meanwhile Joe and Evan team up with WIP down in Jersey. The guests are flowing, the show had energy, and I actually enjoyed the dialogue. That show had more energy than any Francesa solo show since August of 2008.

Don’t worry WFAN listeners there is a solution to help Francesa. Team Chernoff is putting together a “panel” of new contributors. I knew all along they would finally listen to me and start to bring in fresh blood rather than have Francesa play a seven figure version of “Debbie the Time Life Operator”. But alas I was wrong. Instead of reaching out to someone like a Maury Brown of the Biz of Baseball, Howard Megdal, Ted Berg, or the guys at River Avenue Blues we are subjected to three shut in WFAN callers: Lisa from Whitestone, Al in White Plains, and George from Mineola. I was hoping for Mike from Montclair, but he has challenged the Sports Pope in the past so no such luck. Apparently passion for your team, no life, and patience to wait on hold is what Francesa and Chernoff believe makes for a good guest. Think about what the poor guys who have put time in the back think as they still these clowns get on the air while they continue to bring Chernoff coffee. Really worth the money to go to Syracuse right guys?

I guess we should be happy with what we have right? Somehow I think the excuse makers that defend Francesa and Team Chernoff are the loud minority. I didn’t have satellite radio the other day and found myself turning on 1010 wins instead of listening to WFAN. How sad is that? WFAN obviously reads NYBD and is trying to respond to the criticism levied by yours truly with their “death panel” of sports experts. Somehow I just don’t think it will work.

Perhaps it’s time for WFAN to respond to NYBD and bring someone from the site on the death panel. We could talk baseball, business, or radio in general. Maybe we actually could have an intellectual dialogue instead of recycle the same boring points.

All I can say Mr. Chernoff is “iceberg ahead!”

Tags: Al in White Plains, George from Mineola, Lisa from Whitestone, Mark Chernoff, Mike Francesa, WFAN, WFAN Panel