OAG Listeners' Comments

Last week's "Best of 2012" show, which featured replays of various outbursts from Charlie Pierce, inspired Larry Wise to post as follows on our website:

"'Sports!' is my favorite comment. When I listen to other so-called sports shows and I hear them go to a subject that isn't sports, I can hear Charlie's response."

Ann Powers, who hears Only A Game on St. Louis Public Radio, e-mailed to say she thinks Charlie should be declared a national treasure, and added:

"Your show is the highlight of my weekend. I am not really a sports fan, and I have five sons who can't believe that I actually make sure I listen every Saturday."

John Reagan, who characterizes himself as "not a real big sports fan," hears the show on Only A Game's home station, WBUR in Boston, and found himself wondering after the reprise last week of my story about competitive cup-stacking if, as he put it, "cup stacking might just be my cup of tea."

Our Facebook page included a post from Michal Czarnecki of Spanish Fork, Utah, that began, "Let me start by saying that I hate sports shows." Gee, is there a pattern here? Anyway, Mr. Czarnecki went on to write:

"I have yet to enjoy a game of football or basketball. Maybe it's the socially awkward penguin in me. But what I came here to say is that your show is what I look forward to every Saturday morning when I have to get out of bed at 4:00 am and drive. Your show is awesome."

In response to Doug Tribou's story about blind drag racing crew chief Jay Blake, a listener going by Rpasley wrote:

"Blake's story is really incredible, and it's a testament to the surprisingly progressive attitude of acceptance in the sport of drag racing. From its beginnings in Southern California, the sport has welcomed all who seek to be the last man or woman standing at the end of a hard day or season of racing."

Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. You can also leave a message on the listener line by calling 617-353-1860, or you can get in touch with us through our web site, OnlyAGame.org,

That's what Kelly Black did recently, and I'm glad she did, because she felt it was the right time to rattle off a Super Bowl haiku - as if there were ever a wrong time to do that. We've been doing it for two decades now, and we'll do it again just before Super Bowl XLVII. Listener submissions have sometimes made the cut, and we welcome yours. Here's Kelly Black's entry for inspiration:

Large fast men standing
Old guys scheming on sidelines
Damn… I miss hockey.

Thanks, Kelly. Ladies and gentlemen, start your laptops and your bamboo flutes.