There was a time when the reaction Max Kellerman had on Tuesday to the Miami Heat winning the Eastern Conference Finals would not have been allowed on any ESPN platform. The network used to require its talent play things down the middle and not acknowledge their own fandom.
Fast forward to 2023, and things have changed. What makes these personalities fans is highly valued by the network, and that is why Tuesday morning, ESPN Radio’s morning show could revel in the results of the previous night’s game.
“Yesterday was a great day in the life of a Boston hater,” Kellerman said. “Which is me one hundred percent. One hundred percent I root against the Boston teams as a New Yorker.”
Max Kellerman is outspoken about his love for the Knicks and Yankees. Seeing another Boston team complete a comeback after being down in a league championship series 0-3 would not have been bearable.
“Spoken like a true Yankees and Giants fan,” his Keyshawn, JWill and Max co-host Jay Williams said with a smile on his face.
Kellerman wasn’t done though. He called watching Bostonians walk away dejected after getting their hopes so high “so pleasurable to watch.”
“The fact that this thing got to a Game 7 at Boston, no one’s ever done it. They’re going to host the game. Here it comes! They cut the game to single digits. Here it comes! Ooooooh, it’s so good! It’s so good.”
Plenty of ESPN personalities have let their fandom out in recent years. Mina Kimes is so associated with her love of the Seattle Seahawks that her colleagues took to social media to check on her well-being when the team traded Russell Wilson last season. Scott Van Pelt has always celebrated his Maryland Terrapins. Even hate has a place on the network, as Stephen A. Smith regularly makes time to mock the Dallas Cowboys.
