OpenMike . . . . . With the line of thinking you've presented on MacRae's behalf this suggests that students in the broadcast industry should be encouraged to ignore good manners, integrity and factual reporting since the path to a 'handsome paycheck' is to emulate the style of a guy who speaks from the seat of his pants.
Ask Jim Robson if he ever cared what others thought of him and he'd probably respond in his humble way that his broadcasts were not about him, being outspoken and controversial but presenting factual accounts without demeaning overtones and drawing attention to himself.
It's hard to be critical of someone whose on air demeanor is as pleasant and honest as his off air personality. However, it's easy to knock a would-be personality who seldom has anything positive to say without throwing in his meaningless two cents worth because he couldn't care a rat's derrière what others think.
Robson built his reputation on being fair and honest and still managed to speak his mind when he thought it was necessary. Neil, on the other hand, demonstrates his lack respect for himself at the expense of those he chooses to editorialize about because, after all, it's all about him, not them.
Hall of Fame material . . . not bloody likely . . . but what the hey, Neil probably couldn't give a . . . and besides, that would mean he'd have to spend an evening out among his peers, or does he think of you and his listeners as his subjects?

(Good grief, I've now spent more time talking about MacRae than I've listened to him over the past five years . . . and I 'm sure he couldn't care one way or the other)

OpenMike, the last words are yours.

Unfair comparsion. Jim wasn't doing sportscasts, he was describing what he saw during a game, and no one did it better. There are different ways to do various media jobs. In Jim and Neil's case both approaches worked for them, and in turn enough of an audience loved it to keep them employed.

Dead Air,

Have never met McRae and I am about 110 per cent sure I never will so can't comment on what the guy is like off air but it doesn't matter I have heard him on air.
All that I am saying is that despite all of his  detractors, many of which seem to be or were once in the business, the "act", "schtik", "show", "presentation", whatever you want to call it is still  working.  If it wasn't he more than likely wouldn't be on the air, it really is that simple.

This was all fun. But we still don't know why he was off the air so long. He appears to be "healed" and sounding sick and tired as ever. We may never know where he was.....