Are We Off Our Hinges for Playing Off the Wire with Sid Rosenberg?
MIAMI (Special to Sportsman’s Daily) He’ll freely admit that he’s had more second chances than Steve Howe. He’s never lied about the lies he’s told. He thumps his chest about coming clean and getting clean in his tell all book, “You’re Wrong and You’re Ugly.”
Sure it sounds like I’m talking about a man in his 70’s perhaps looking for one last triumph before riding off into the…casino. But if Shakespeare’s right and we are all merely players on a world stage, then Sid Rosenberg’s play is at best near the end of Act One. Barely in his mid 40’s, Rosenberg is coming into the prime years of a sportscasting career. This is the time most have their peak earning years and make the most noise in the business.
Sid has already made plenty of noise. Most of it filled with encyclopedic sports knowledge, much of it peppered with dazzling, albeit occasionally naughty doses of humor and traces of it laced with politically incorrect, offensive rants or one liners that have gotten him suspended, fired, and berated in the New York, Miami or national media.
Type A from birth, Sid is a non-stop sideshow of nervous ticks (which can often lead to someone in his general proximity getting his patented dead finger to the cheek), incessant phone calls, and indecisions that leave you scratching your head.
I’ve known Sid for nearly fifteen years. I’m probably not alone in wondering (separate of his talents) how in the hell he continually balances everything and gets his endless string of marquee opportunities like doing specials for Howard Stern, being Larry King’s New York correspondent for LeBron James’ “decision,” is at the top of the list anytime WFAN in New York needs a fill in host and co-written a book, all while having the number one sports show in his time slot in Miami for two straight ratings books.
The bottom line is Sid knows exactly what he wants. He is always working, even when he’s not working. I witnessed this first hand in our time together at CBS Sportsline’s Live Radio Division. He went from being a customer service representative to a rising radio star almost overnight. Beginning this week we’ll get to revisit those old days in a manner of speaking. The Sportsman’s Daily will roll out OFF THE WIRE, our interactive sports headlines game on Sid’s show Tuesdays at 3:4o PM on 560 AM WQAM, Miami .
It’ll go something like this: My partner Charles Epstein will phone me, then we’ll call into to Sid’s show. The producer will pick up the phone and tell us we’ll be on with Sid in just a minute or two.
After that, its anybody’s guess as to what will happen. Even Sid can’t tell you what will happen. Or maybe he can, but he’ll never let anyone in on it.
Sid: Hey Douche Bag, you want a piece of this? Everyman: No, not particularly. But thanks.