- Mike Valenti
-
Michael J. Valenti 
Born October 24, 1980
Boston, MassachusettsShow Valenti & Foster Station(s) WXYT-FM/AM, Detroit, Michigan Time slot 2:00 - 6:00 p.m., Monday-Friday Style Sports radio/general talk Country 
United StatesWebsite http://www.sportsinferno.com
http://971theticket.comMike Valenti (born October 24, 1980 in Troy, New York) is an American talk radio show host based in Detroit, Michigan. He is one half of The Valenti and Foster Show (formerly The Sports Inferno). His show can be heard weekday afternoons from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. on WXYT-FM 97.1/WXYT-AM 1270. His co-host is Terry Foster. Valenti can also be seen on The Ford Lions Report Sunday mornings during the NFL regular season doing pro football fantasy team reports and the Lions game preview.
Contents
Education and early career
Valenti graduated from Michigan State University in 2002 with a degree in journalism. He first stepped into radio as a producer of Mad Dog & Company and also co-hosted the Spartan Tailgate Show at WVFN 730 AM in Lansing, Michigan. In 2002, Valenti was hired as producer of SportsPage with Jack and Tom on 92.7 WQTX. Valenti would then be hired as co-host of The Sports Inferno alongside Terry Foster, middays on 1270 WXYT in Detroit.
The Rant
On Monday, September 25, 2006, following a Michigan State University football loss against Notre Dame—a game in which his alma mater blew a sixteen point fourth-quarter lead—Valenti went off on a twelve-minute[1] on-air tirade ripping into his beloved Spartans for their poor showing. Highlights of the rant included Valenti saying the Spartans "choked on applesauce", Valenti's plea to then-head coach John L. Smith to recognize that "timeouts are not like cell phone minutes — they don't carry over," scathing criticism of offensive coordinator Dave Baldwin's decision to have Drew Stanton "run the option in Hurricane Katrina," and a desire for defensive coordinator Chris Smeland to be replaced by H.R. Pufnstuf with Teddy Ruxpin as his assistant.[1]
The meltdown was famously covered in an article in Sports Illustrated where it was deemed "the single finest rant ever heard on sports talk radio".[1]
Valenti and Foster
The Sports Inferno was moved from middays to afternoon drive upon WXYT switching channels from 1270 AM to 97.1 FM. The show was subsequently retitled Valenti and Foster. In the slot it grew to become the top rated show in its time slot[2] becoming one of the only sports talk shows to ever achieve such a feat. A large reason for this success is that it was the first sports show to air in Detroit on an FM frequency in that time slot.[citation needed] Considered one of the most popular sports talk shows in Michigan, Valenti and Foster have stated the reason for their success is their willingness to talk any subject, including those outside of sports. Their on-air routine regularly includes the two hosts insulting each other playfully. Valenti regularly hangs up on callers he deems "stupid". It should be noted that many of his listeners view his thoughts on the local sports teams as constantly negative and he has a deep desire for them to lose.
References
- ^ a b c Murphy, Austin (October 5, 2006). "Spartan self-destruction: Michigan State's familiar fall draws ire of loyal fans". Sports Illustrated (Sports Illustrated/CNN). http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/austin_murphy/10/05/spartans/index.html. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
- ^ Henson, Gregg (2009-06-23). "Detroit radio ratings!". http://gregghenson.typepad.com/gregg_hensoncom/2009/06/detroit-radio-ratings.html. Retrieved 2011-06-20.
External links
Categories:- 1980 births
- 2006 in American football
- American radio personalities
- American people of Italian descent
- Living people
- Michigan State University alumni
- People from Rensselaer County, New York
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
