"'Morning Drive’ starts out in the slow lane"
/Martin Kaufman braved all two hours of Golf Channel's new Morning Drive and writes that the show needs a lot of work.
• Kuselias was identified in graphics as having “Hosted ‘College Football Live’ on ESPN” and “Hosted ‘The Erik Kuselias Show’ on ESPN Radio”; Williams was identified as the “former host on the PGA Tour Network on Sirius XM Radio.” I understand the need to establish the hosts’ bona fides, but it seems odd to prominently cite their work for competitors. It’s probably better just to let the hosts’ work stand on its own. If viewers want to know more, they can look up the hosts’ bios on Golf Channel’s website.
• There’s not a natural rapport between Kuselias and Williams. Hopefully, that will develop over time. Kuselias, for instance, tried to lighten the mood when Williams mentioned the defending British Open champion. “I like that name – Louis Oosthuizen.” The best Williams could manage was, “Oh, very likable name.” The best show of this genre remains ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption,” where regular hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon have been friends and colleagues for 30 years. Let’s hope it doesn’t take that long for Kuselias and Williams to mesh.
When I first heard about the show through this Tom Cunneff interview of Golf Channel's Keith Allo, the prospect seemed exciting. As with all too many Golf Channel shows where you sense someone started with a great idea and it got watered down in meetings. In the 30 or so minutes I watched before I just couldn't take the windbaggery any longer, there didn't seem to be much of a fresh approach to format, presentation or delivery. In fact, ESPN's "Mike and Mike" is so blatantly ripped off they should cry foul, but that would be assuming the Bristol gang would want to give the Golf Channel even a minute of their attention.