When it comes to sports talk radio, well, I guess you can expect the unexpected.
Late Wednesday afternoon, the Boston Bruins announced that they signed 2025 first-round draft pick, No. 7 overall, James Hagens to his entry-level contract. That is some big news, as Bruins fans have been waiting for a couple of weeks for word to drop that the 19-year-old was going to land in the NHL.
Boston fans, for the most part, were elated that Hagens signed and could make his NHL debut as early as Saturday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the TD Garden in a huge game for playoff positioning. One Boston radio sports host, however, had a different take than most fans had.
Bruins sports talk radio host rips Bruins signing of James Hagens
If you listen to Boston sports talk radio, you have heard of Michael Felger. Host of the 2-6 p.m. show with Tony Massarotti on 98.5 The Sports Hub, his takes are sometimes outside the box. His take on Hagens would kind of qualify for that.
“I’m just prepared to be disappointed on James Hagens. I am. Call me defeatist or whatever,” Felger said. “I think the kid’s gonna suck.
“This is worse than Mazz and … Cooper Flagg. (Mazz) watched him for two minutes on YouTube and said ‘This kid doesn’t have it.’ I haven’t watched that on James Hagens,” Felger said. “I’ve watched zero James Hagens. Zero, zero, zero. I never saw him at BC. I didn’t watch him at all at Providence. I haven’t watched a clip.
“But you heard it here first, that kid’s gonna suck.”
So there's having a take, and then there's Felger's take. It's ok to have the opinion that Hagens isn't going to be good, but it's another thing when you admit that you haven't watched him yet and come to the conclusion. Maybe he won't be as good as some think, but at least admit you have watched him a few times before coming to that assumption.
Clearly, this show isn't serious about sports talk and is just in it for ratings with their brutal takes. That's the business sometimes. Felger has been doing this for years. However, this one is clearly for ratings, nothing else. If he's right, he'll let you know about it, but if he's wrong, well, he won't admit it.