Finally, it's time to end the 2008 Mondesi's House Pittsburgh Sports Media Popularity Contest. A total of 56,853 votes were cast for 67 different Pittsburgh sports media members. Surprisingly, 43 of the 67 candidates received approval ratings of 50% or more, so maybe you don't hate the local media as much as you think.

The highest rating went to the Penguins' Mike Lange in a runaway. Lange finished with an incredible 97.6 rating on 1,019 votes. The lowest rating was FSN's "Chat Pack" of Ted Arnault and Rob Pratt, approved by just 8.2% of you. Mark Madden, currently writing for the Beaver County Times, generated the most votes at 1,326. Even during his absence from radio, Madden continues to stir strong opinions, with a photo finish of 50.9-49.1 on the approval side.

This wrap-up took over four hours to compile and crunch, and probably more than 10 hours from beginning to end (hence the numerous link columns over the last week), so let's not waste any more time...

Approval Ratings:

1. Mike Lange, Penguins, 97.6% approval rating (1019 votes)
2. Bill Hillgrove, Steelers, Pitt, WTAE TV, 87.7 (889)
3. Bob Walk, Pirates, 87.0 (907)
4. Stan Savran, FSN & ESPN 1250, 85.6 (1215)
5. Steve Blass, Pirates, 85.4 (889)

6. Phil Bourque, Penguins, 85.4 (843)
7. Tunch Ilkin, Steelers, 84.3 (889)
8. Bob Grove, Penguins, 80.9 (603)
9. Dejan Kovacevic, Post Gazette, 80.5 (1003)
10.Bob Errey, Penguins, 80.3 (888)

11.Guy Junker, ESPN 1250 & WTAE TV, 79.1 (937)
12. Ed Bouchette, Post Gazette, 78.1 (1087)
13. Rob King, FSN, 76.3 (1040)
14. Jim Colony, ESPN 1250, 76.1 (837)
15. Bob Pompeani, KDKA, 75.3 (1098)

16. Joe Starkey, Tribune Review & ESPN 1250, 73.7 (845)
17. Jim Krenn, WDVE 102.5 & WTAE Action Sports Sunday, 72.9 (822)
18. Beano Cook, ESPN, 72.2 (820)
19. Dan Potash, FSN, 71.4 (1070)
20. Lanny Frattare, Pirates, 70.8 (829)

21. Gerry Dulac, Post Gazette, 70.7 (871)
22. Mike Prisuta, Tribune Review and 102.5 WDVE, 69.2 (968)
23. Dave Molinari, Post Gazette, 67.1 (868)
24. Jon Burton, WTAE TV, 66.8 (1007)
25. Dick Groat, Pitt, 66.2 (717)

26. Bob Labriola, Steelers.com, 66.0 (574)
27. John Steigerwald, KDKA 65.2 (1136)
28. Gene Collier, Post Gazette, 65.2 (1071)
29. Alby Oxenreiter, WPXI TV, 63.9 (1020)
30. Randy Baumann, 102.5 WDVE, 62.5 (807)

31. Ellis Cannon, 104.7 & Pittsburgh Sports Report, 58.8 (872)
32. John Perrotto, Beaver County Times, 57.4 (733)
33. Paul Steigerwald, Penguins, 57.3 (953)
34. Paul Alexander, FSN, 56.3 (1028)
35. Eartha Jackson, ESPN 1250, 56.0 (630)

36. Jim Wexell, Scout.com/Steel City Insider, 55.1 (574)
37. Greg Brown, Pirates TV, 53.2 (832)
38. Joe Destio, ESPN 1250, 52.8 (527)
39. Tim Benz, 105.9 The X, 52.4 (882)
40. Joe Bendel, Fox 970, 52.1 (384)

41. Rocco Demaro, 104.7, 51.4 (609)
43. Mark Madden, Beaver County Times, 50.9 (1326)
43. Paul Zeise, Post Gazette, 50.9 (591)
44. Eddy Crow, ESPN 1250, 49.1 (851)
45. John Wehner, Pirates, 48.4 (794)

46. Rob Rossi, Tribune Review, 47.5 (826)
47. Sally Wiggin, WTAE Steelers Monday Night Pregame, 46.6 (816)
48. Mike White, Post Gazette, 44.2 (516)
49. Kevin Gorman, Tribune Review, 43.2 (600)
50. Ken Laird, ESPN 1250, 42.2 (763)

51. Jerry Dipaola, Tribune Review, 41.5 (525)
52. Chris Mack, ESPN 1250, 36.7 (701)
53. Shelly Anderson, Post Gazette, 35.5 (889)
54. Ron Cook, Post Gazette, 34.8 (1109)
55. Jennifer Langosch, Pirates & MLB.com, 32.4 (524)

56. Bill Phillips, WPXI, 31.6 (890)
57. Dale Lolley, Scout.com & Observer-Reporter, 29.1 (437)
58. Jory Rand, KDKA, 28.8 (904)
59. Rob Biertempfel, Tribune Review, 28.2 (603)
60. John Harris, Tribune Review, 26.3 (715)

61. John Fedko, WPXI TV, 24.4 (1165)
62. Jeff Hathhorn, KDKA AM 1020, 23.5 (762)
63. Bob Smizik, Post Gazette, 22.2 (1218)
64. Rich Walsh, WPXI TV, 21.0 (910)
65. Scott Brown, Tribune Review, 20.4 (510)

66. John Shumway, KDKA, 18.3 (600)
67. Ted Arnault & Rob Pratt, The Chat Pack (FSN), 8.2 (644)


Diapproval Ratings:
1. Ted Arnault & Rob Pratt, The Chat Pack (FSN), 91.8% disapproval rating
2. John Shumay, KDKA, 81.7
3. Scott Brown, Tribune Review, 79.6
4. Rich Walsh, WPXI TV, 79.0
5. Bob Smizik, Post Gazette, 77.8

6. Jeff Hathhorn, KDKA AM 1020, 76.5
7. John Fedko, WPXI TV, 75.6
8. John Harris, Tribune Review, 73.7
9. Rob Biertempfel, Tribune Review, 71.8
10. Jory Rand, KDKA, 71.2

11. Dale Lolley, Scout.com & Observer-Reporter, 70.9
12. Bill Phillips, WPXI TV, 68.4
13. Jennifer Langosch, Pirates & MLB.com, 67.6
14. Ron Cook, Post Gazette, 65.2
15. Shelly Anderson, Post Gazette, 64.5

16. Chris Mack, ESPN 1250, 63.3
17. Jerry Dipaola, Tribune Review, 58.5
18. Ken Laird, ESPN 1250, 57.8
19. Kevin Gorman, Tribune Review, 56.8
20. Mike White, Post Gazette, 55.8

21. Sally Wiggin, WTAE Monday Night Steelers Pregrame, 53.4
22. Rob Rossi, Tribune Review, 52.5
23. John Wehner, Pirates, 51.6
24. Eddy Crow, ESPN 1250, 50.9
25. Paul Zeise, Post Gazette, 49.1

26. Mark Madden, Beaver County Times, 49.1
27. Rocco Demaro, 104.7, 48.6
28. Joe Bendel, Fox 970, 47.9
29. Tim Benz, 105.9 The X, 47.6
30. Joe Destio, ESPN 1250, 47.2

31. Greg Brown, Pirates, 46.8
32. Jim Wexell, Scout.com/Steel City Insider, 44.9
33. Eartha Jackson, ESPN 1250, 44.0
34. Paul Alexander, FSN 43.7
35. Paul Steigerwald, Penguins, 42.7

36. John Perrotto, Beaver County Times, 42.6
37. Ellis Cannon, 104.7 & Pittsburgh Sports Report, 41.2
38. Randy Baumann, 102.5 WDVE, 37.5
39. Alby Oxenreiter, WPXI TV, 36.1
40. John Steigerwald, KDKA, 34.8

41. Gene Collier, Post Gazette, 34.8
42. Bob Labriola, Steelers.com, 34.0
43. Dick Groat, Pitt, 33.8
44. Jon Burton, WTAE TV, 33.2
45. Dave Molinari, Post Gazette, 32.9

46. Mike Prisuta, Tribune Review & 102.5 WDVE, 30.8
47. Gerry Dulac, Post Gazette, 29.3
48. Lanny Frattare, Pirates, 29.2
49. Dan Potash, FSN, 28.6
50. Beano Cook, ESPN, 27.8

51. Jim Krenn, WDVE 102.5 & WTAE Action Sports Sunday, 27.1
52. Joe Starkey, Tribune Review & ESPN 1250, 26.3
53. Bob Pompeani, KDKA, 24.7
54. Jim Colony, ESPN 1250, 23.9
55. Rob King, FSN, 23.8

56. Ed Bouchette, Post Gazette, 21.9
57. Guy Junker, ESPN 1250 & WTAE TV, 20.9
58. Bob Errey, Penguins, 19.7
59. Dejan Kovacevic, Post Gazette. 19.5
60. Bob Grove, Penguins, 19.1

61. Tunch Ilkin, Steelers, 15.7
62. Steve Blass, Pirates, 14.6
63. Phil Bourque, Penguins, 14.6
64. Stan Savran, FSN & ESPN 1250, 14.4
65. Bob Walk, Pirates, 13.0

66. Bill Hillgrove, Steelers, Pitt, WTAE TV, 12.3
67. Mike Lange, Penguins, 2.4

APPROVAL RATINGS - TEAM BROADCASTS

Calculated by the average scores of the media members for each outlet

1. Pittsburgh Steelers 86% Approval
Hillgrove 87.7, Ilkin 84.3

2. Pittsburgh Penguins 80.3% Approval
Lange 97.6, Bourque 85.4, Grove 80.9, Errey 80.3, P. Steigerwald 57.3

3. Pitt Panthers 77.0% Approval
Hillgrove 87.7, Groat 66.2

4. Pittsburgh Pirates 69.0% Approval
Walk 87.0, Blass 85.4, Frattare 70.8, Brown 53.2, Wehner 48.4

APPROVAL RATINGS - RADIO STATIONS

1. 102.5 WDVE 68.2% Approval
Krenn 72.9, Prisuta 69.2, Baumann 62.5

2. 1250 ESPN 61.3% Approval
Savran 85.6, Junker 79.1, Colony 76.1, Starkey 73.7, E. Jackson 56.0, Destio 52.8, Crow 49.1, Laird 42.2, Mack 36.7

3. 104.7 FM 55.1% Approval
Cannon 58, Demaro 51.4

4. 1020 KDKA 35.7% Approval
J. Steigerwald 65.2, Hathhorn 23.5, Shumway 18.3

APPROVAL RATINGS - TELEVISION STATIONS

1. FSN TV 72.4% Approval
Savran 85.6, King 76.3, Potash 71.4, Alexander 56.3

2. WTAE TV 64.2% Approval
Junker 79.1, Burton 66.8, Wiggin 46.6

3. KDKA TV 52.1% Approval
Pompeani 75.3, Rand 28.8

4. WPXI TV 35.2% Approval
Oxenreiter 63.9, Phillips 31.6, Fedko 24.4, Walsh 21.0

APPROVAL RATINGS - NEWSPAPERS

1. Post Gazette 54.9% Approval
Kovacevic 80.5, Bouchette 78.1, Dulac 70.7, Molinari 67.1, Collier 65.2, Zeise 50.9, M. White 44.2, S. Anderson 35.5, R. Cook 34.8, Smizik 22.2

2. Beaver County Times 54.2% Approval
Perrotto 57.4, Madden 50.9

3. Tribune Review 43.8% Approval
Starkey 73.7, Prisuta 69.2, Rossi 47.5, Gorman 43.2, Dipaola 41.5, Biertempfel 28.2, Harris 26.3, S. Brown 20.4

INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES - TOP 5 APPROVAL RATINGS, PLUS "LOW SCORE"

Game Broadcasts
1. M. Lange 97.6
2. B. Hillgrove 87.7
3. B. Walk 87.0
4. S. Blass 85.4
5. P. Bourque 85.4
LOW J. Wehner 48.4

Television
1. S. Savran 85.6
2. G. Junker 79.1
3. R. King 76.3
4. B. Pompeani 75.3
5. B. Cook 72.2
LOW R. Walsh 21.0

Newspaper
1. D. Kovacevic 80.5
2. E. Bouchette 78.1
3. J. Starkey 73.7
4. G. Dulac 70.7
5. M. Prisuta 69.2
LOW S. Brown 20.4

Radio Hosts
1. G. Junker 79.1
2. J. Krenn 72.9
3. R. Baumann 62.5
4. E. Cannon 58.8
5. T. Benz 52.4
LOW C. Mack 36.7

News Anchors - General
1. R. King 76.3
2. J. Colony, 76.1
3. B. Pompeani 75.3
4. J. Burton 66.8
5. A. Oxenreiter, 63.9
LOW R. Walsh 21.0

MOST CONTROVERSIAL

Difference (+) or (-) from 50%

1. E. Crow, 0.9

1. P. Zeise, 0.9

1. M. Madden, 0.9

4. R. Demaro, 1.4

5. J. Wehner, 1.6

INTERESTING COMPARISONS:

Mike Lange 97.6, Paul Steigerwald 57.3

Guy Junker 79.1, Eddy Crow 49.1

Stan Savran 85.6, Guy Junker 79.1

Tim Benz 52.4, Joe Bendel 52.1

John Steigerwald 65.2, Paul Steigerwald 57.3

Jim Krenn 72.9, Randy Baumann 62.5

Jim Colony 76.1, Mark Madden 50.9

Ron Cook 34.8, Bob Smizik 22.2

Bob Pompeani 75.3, Jon Burton 66.8, John Fedko 24.4

Lanny Frattare 70.8, Greg Brown 53.2

Final observations

All in all, this project was an absolute ton of work but incredibly interesting to compile. Although this is by no means a scientific poll, I think we can draw a few conclusions:

--You're incredibly happy with game coverage, especially from the Steelers and Penguins, who had overwhelming positive feedback. I think the Mike Lange results were a "message" to FSN from Penguin fans. The man is simply beloved.

--The top approvals were dominated by big-name, longtime media members, including Lange, Bill Hillgrove, Stan Savran, and Steve Blass. Bob Walk's inclusion reflects his rising profile among Pittsburgh fans.

--FSN knocked it out of the park with their 72.4 rating. This is a station that's serious about sports, and people are noticing. Their lowest rated personality had 56% approval (Paul Alexander).

--The local papers were not so lucky, especially the Trib, who had six of their eight writers fail to reach a 50% approval.

--A few big names really took it on the chin from voters, most notably Bob Smizik (22%), John Fedko (24%), and Ron Cook, who had a slightly better 34.8% approval rating.

--I was also surprised by the ratings for the cartoonish but always colorful Beano Cook (72%) and Pitt basketball's Dick Groat (66%), proving that this crowd knows no age boundaries.

--The first batch of names got many more votes than the second batch. That's most likely due to the smaller size (25 vs. 42), which meant faster load times for the pages.

--I know that there will probably be some debate over how a certain person may be categorized, given the fact that many of these personalities collect multiple paychecks. But as I've stated, this was not a scientific poll, this was just for fun and curiosity purposes.

So there you have it. Pittsburgh has a love affair with Mike Lange, Penguins coverage is fantastic and newspapers seem to have hit a dry spell. Did we really need to do all this work to find out what we already knew?