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Gregg Giannotti: Hard Knocks Reminds Me How Much I Really Love Football

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Gregg Giannotti: Hard Knocks Reminds Me How Much I Really Love Football

As the Hard Knocks franchise announced it would expand into an offseason version with the New York Giants, many fans wondered how much access the HBO program would get given the team had final say in what was shown. After two episodes of the newest version of the program, those questions appear to have been answered and that was the topic early this morning on WFAN’s Boomer & Gio with Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti.

Giannatti almost couldn’t wait to start talking about the second episode when the microphones cracked this morning. “I gotta tell you, I was reminded last night how much I really love football,” he said. “God, do I love football..Every year that goes by I get more and more in love with football. And watching this Hard Knocks, which I thought was going to be boring, I will be honest with you, I thought the NFL had taken it too far with Hard Knocks Offseason. This was awesome last night. It was football porn.

“…And we got a lot more on the Giants interest in quarterbacks in the draft than I ever thought we were going to get in this Hard Knocks. I can’t believe they approved some of the stuff that we saw last night.”

“I was surprised at the level at which the Giants were testing the quarterbacks and interviewing the quarterbacks…I thought this was great last night,” Esiason said. “It really just gives you the understanding as to what the coaches, what the teams are looking for.

I like the fact that they aren’t just talking to Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll, but they are talking to the other people that are helping them make decisions on players and what they are looking for and it really gives you an idea, when you sit through those ‘speed dating classes,’…When you sit in those meetings with those coaches and those people that are around you and how you’re trying to impress them with your football knowledge, with your understanding. And they are looking for the right people…I’m glad that Hard Knocks did this because it just goes to show you how hard it is to find the right person.”

Esiason went on to specifically talk about when the team was interviewing wide receivers Marvin Harrison Jr., Rome Odunze and their eventual selection with the No. 6 pick in the draft, Malik Nabers. He talked about the viewers getting to see what the team is looking for, the types of questions they ask and how the players handle it.

“I have to say, that was an eye-opening show last night,” Esiason said. “It was a great show last night…It was great and if it continues like this it is going to be fascinating.”

“It showed us way more than I thought we were going to see,” Giannotti said. “…We both thought there was no way they were going to dip into the ‘we are going to try and draft a quarterback’ thing, they weren’t going to show us that. They were going to show us the Saquan stuff because Saquan is gone, but they weren’t going to show us the quarterback stuff because Daniel Jones is still here.”

Hard Knocks started in 2001 with a series focused on the Baltimore Ravens. In 2021, the series shifted to having a training camp and an in season show. This year, the Giants are featured in the offseason, the Chicago Bears will be the featured team during training camp and the entire AFC North will be the focus of the in-season edition.

Achieving Academic and Athletic Success: Strategies for College Students

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Achieving Academic and Athletic Success: Strategies for College Students

College life is not only for students but also for academics who participate in athletics. On the other hand, economists who play sports might struggle to meet the obligations of both simultaneously. This dual responsibility can lead to high stress levels. Academics is crucial, but athletics also requires significant time and attention, often yielding worthwhile results. To help student-athletes overcome these challenges, this paragraph offers advice on clearing out the obstacles. For those needing extra help, Academized offers “write my thesis for me” solution. Academized writing service can assist with writing essays and balancing studying and sports effectively.

Set Clear Goals

Powerful academic and athletic performance depends on setting goals. Here is how to do it right.

  • Write down your goals: Put them on paper or in a digital format.
  • Make them specific: Instead of “improve grades,” aim for “get a B+ in calculus.”
  • Set deadlines: Give yourself time limits to achieve each goal.
  • Break big goals into smaller tasks: This makes them less overwhelming.
  • Review regularly: Check your progress and adjust as needed.
  • Celebrate wins: Reward yourself when you reach a goal.

When you have clear goals, they help keep you focused, motivated and moving forward – you can track where you are and keep going.

Create a Balanced Schedule

You should make a time table to control your time. Here by way of illustration is a sample for your day.

6:00 AM – Wake up, light breakfast

7:00 AM – Morning training

9:00 AM – Classes

1:00 PM – Lunch and study break

3:00 PM – Afternoon practice

6:00 PM – Dinner

7:00 PM – Study time

10:00 PM – Wind down and prepare for bed

11:00 PM – Sleep

Just move stuff till there is time in there for all your activity categories: class, training, study, food and chill. Adjust for your class and practice times.

Prioritize Self-Care

If you are a student-athlete in particular, paying attention to your physical, emotional and social wellbeing will help you to perform at your best. Pay attention to:

Nutrition

Eat a healthy diet and get plenty of fresh produce, lean protein and whole grains. Drink water regularly.

Sleep

Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep at night because you’ll be able to focus, remember things more easily and perform better in your sport or activity.

Mental Health

Whenever possible, take a break, and spend time de-stressing, whether it’s meditation or hobbies or seeing friends.

Develop Effective Study Habits

The best way to achieve academic success is to have good study habits. Here’s how effective and ineffective study methods compare.

Effective MethodsIneffective Methods
Active recall (testing yourself)Passive re-reading
Spaced repetitionCramming
Teaching othersHighlighting without review
Creating mind mapsStudying while distracted
Taking practice testsFocusing on easy material

Use whatever study methods will work for you. Try different approaches to see what will help you retain information best. Exploring the study techniques recommended by top rated dissertation writing websites can provide valuable insights and help you find the most effective strategies for your needs.

Use Campus Resources

Most colleges offer various resources to help students succeed. Take advantage of:

  • Top Academic Support: Go to your professor’s office hours. Go to the tutors. Go to the writing centre/centre for writing.
  • Training room; weight room; recovery facility – Athletic Facilities: Use the stationary fitness equipment provided to stay in shape.
  • Career Services: Plan for your future by attending career fairs and workshops.
  • Health Services: Maintain your physical and mental health with campus health centres and counselling services.

Apply Athletic Discipline to Academics

You can apply the discipline you have acquired as an athlete to help improve your work in the classroom, here’s an example of how that would work.

Practical Example: The “Practice” Approach to Studying

You are preparing for an important game. You don’t just show up to play without practising. Applying the discipline that would apply to your preparation for play to your studies:

  • Set a “practice schedule” for studying, just like you have for sports.
  • Do “drills” by solving practice problems or quizzing yourself.
  • Review your performance and focus on areas that need improvement.
  • Gradually increase the difficulty of your “study drills” as you improve.

This approach turns studying into a familiar, goal-oriented process, much like athletic training.

Build a Support Network

You’ll probably do better if you have a cheering section. Connect with:

Teammates

Your teammates understand the challenges you face. Study together and motivate each other.

Coaches

Keep your coaches informed about your academic progress. They can offer advice and support.

Academic Advisors

Meet regularly with your advisor to stay on track with your degree requirements.

Family and Friends

Stay connected with loved ones who can provide emotional support and encouragement.

Conclusion

It is not easy to succeed as a student-athlete. Having clear goals, a balanced schedule, and strategic study habits will help to keep you on track for success in your studies and on the field. Prioritize your physical and mental health, take advantage of the support that many campuses offer, and build a supportive network of friends and mentors. Use the discipline and dedication that you’ve developed in sport to meet the challenges of academics. These strategies will help you be the player and person you want to be now and in the future.

Everyone’s journey is different. Be kind to yourself in the process, and customize these strategies as necessary to suit your particular circumstances. Relax, keep your eyes on the prize, and buckle down, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you feel like you might miss a deadline, or need help finding a workaround. Your time as a college student are in many ways a form of therapy. Keep on top of your work, and don’t be afraid to adapt and ask for help when you do. Make the most of the experience; revel in the challenge and enjoy your journey.

Ben Shapiro Celebrates 2,000th Episode of Podcast

BNM Staff
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Ben Shapiro Celebrates 2,000th Episode of Podcast

The Ben Shapiro Show has become one of the biggest podcasts in the nation, regardless of genre. And the show recently hit an impressive milestone.

Shapiro celebrated the 2,000th episode of his digital program that launched in 2015 on Tuesday.

“I feel like I’m in slightly better shape now,” he joked while watching a clip from the very first episode of The Daily Wire program. “Have I aged all that much? I have a beard now, so there’s that.”

He noted that the show debuted from a studio built in The Daily Wire co-founder Jeremy Boreing’s pool house.

Ben Shapiro also shared his belief that he’s gotten significantly better at hosting his show since its debut.

“Honestly, I think they might show that better. Honestly, in the beginning you can see it’s a little awkward and so getting familiar with the microphone, and by episode 1000 I feel like I’ve hit a sweet spot,” Shapiro said. “I think that when you even see those short clips, you can see I think that I’ve gotten better at the job over time. At least I hope I have. If I haven’t, I probably should quit. Whatever your job is, you keep getting better at it until you die. That’s my basic theory of work.”

In the most recent rankings from Podtrac, The Ben Shapiro Show had the eighth-highest weekly audience of any podcast in the country.

Since launching the show with The Daily Wire nine years ago, Shapiro has also been ushered into national syndication on broadcast radio through a partnership with Westwood One.

Todd Frazier Joining ESPN Home Run Derby Broadcast

BSM Staff
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Todd Frazier Joining ESPN Home Run Derby Broadcast

ESPN will present the 2024 T-Mobile Home Run Derby on Monday, July 15 featuring Sunday Night Baseball broadcasters Karl Ravech and Eduardo Pérez on the call. Todd Frazier, former MLB third baseman and champion of the 2015 Home Run Derby, will also be joining the broadcast for the first time and making his analyst debut.

Frazier won the event as a member of the Cincinnati Reds from the team’s home stadium, Great American Ball Park, defeating Joc Pederson in the final round by a score of 15-14. One year earlier, he had been in the final round of the event but lost to defending champion Yoenis Céspedes. Frazier participated in the Home Run Derby three times in his career, making his final appearance in 2016 and finishing second to Giancarlo Stanton.

As Frazier joins the broadcast this year, he brings experience both within the annual event and on the air. For the Little League World Series, in which he was a champion in 1998, he has called games for ESPN. The network has been covering the event since 1987, chronicling the display of talent on the field and personalities therein. Being able to announce the Home Run Derby is a meaningful occasion for Frazier, who explained that while he dreamed of playing in the major leagues, he also loves commentary and pretending to be a broadcaster.

“For me, to be with this group, with Karl and Eduardo, these guys are at the top of their game,” Frazier said. “They’re the best of the best. In baseball terms, they put the ball on the tee for me pretty much, and I just have to hit the home run.”

Outside of ESPN, Frazier serves as a co-host on the Foul Territory podcast from Make Plays Media, which recently started being televised on Bally Sports-branded regional sports networks owned by Diamond Sports Group. Frazier has also contributed to coverage of New York Yankees baseball on the YES Network and radio broadcasts for the Cincinnati Reds. Making his Little League World Series broadcasting debut in 2022, he was included on the commentary roster along with Ravech and Pérez.

“These guys have taught me a lot, and now the culmination of me announcing the Home Run Derby, I pinch myself every day,” Frazier said. “It’s a huge opportunity for me, and I can’t wait to get in the box with these guys and scream and yell and laugh and see how far these guys hit the ball.”

The Home Run Derby is adopting a new format for this year’s competition, beginning with the top four hitters in the first round advancing rather than head-to-head matchups. Batters will have 40 pitches or three minutes to hit as many home runs as possible, whichever metric concludes first. The second round of the event will be seeded based on the number of first-round home runs, and tiebreakers will come down to who had the longest home run hit in the round.

Phil Orlins, ESPN vice president of production, delineated that the network has been focused on the new rules and “reimagining some of the coverage around those new rules.” Additionally, ESPN will introduce a new graphic with 40 slots to be filled in based on the result of each pitch. The network will also utilize 4D replay, placing cameras outside of the batter’s dirt circle 15 feet away from the hitter. Those cameras will need to be set up in 30 minutes following the conclusion of batting practice.

ESPN2 will present a Statcast edition of the T-Mobile Home Run Derby featuring Kevin Brown, Jessica Mendoza and Mike Petriello. The broadcast will provide in-depth information and data about the home runs within the competition. Determining the commentary team for that event is partially based on the success the network has had with other alternate broadcasts, including Sunday Night Baseball with KayRod and Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli.

“The play with this is to go really aggressive, differentiated, and talk about stuff in a different way than we ever would with real deep layers of data,” Orlins said. “We skipped most of the interviews except for the winning interviews. We’re just diving all the way in. Every swing, we’re going to have strike zones, and you can see where every pitch is thrown. Hot zones, where the hitter likes it, where the pitcher is trying to throw it, ball marks for it, exit velocity and launch angle as it leaves the bat, distance it lands. All those pieces are in there.”

CBS News President Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews Exits

BNM Staff
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CBS News President Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews Exits

After less than a year in the role, CBS News President Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews has departed the network in what is a reported cost-cutting measure.

Ciprian-Matthews informed employees Wednesday morning that she was vacating her role and will transition to serve as a “senior advisor” for coverage of the 2024 presidential race.

“Some may be asking why I’m announcing this now. We all know our industry and company are going through a transformation and a number of short- and long-term decisions need to be made,” Ciprian-Matthews wrote in a memo, according toVariety. “ I do not want to be disingenuous with any of you about who should drive these decisions. I’ve always leaned into my integrity and my values, and I felt it was important to be transparent at this juncture about my plans.”

She stepped into the role vacated by Neeraj Khemlani, who exited last year amid allegations that he was verbally abusive toward female colleagues.

Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews’ exit coincides with recent reports that Paramount Global — the parent company of CBS — was merging with Skydance Media as part of an $8 billion deal.

Should the role of CBS News President be filled, the hire will be the fourth person to claim that title since 2021.

KLIN Names Tom Stanton as News Director

BNM Staff
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KLIN Names Tom Stanton as News Director

KLIN has announced that Tom Stanton has been elevated to the role of News Director for the NRG Media Lincoln news/talk station.

Stanton has been a part of the station’s news team since 2021 after joining from iHeartMedia Omaha, where he served as news director. Since joining NRG Media, he has served as a news writer and reporter for KLIN.

“Tom Stanton has been an integral part of KLIN’s success,” said Program Director Kaleb Henry. “His years of dedication to his craft speak for themselves, and I’m excited to see him take our newsroom to the next level.”

 “Since joining KLIN in 2021, Tom has played a critical role in elevating our news presence in Lincoln. We are thrilled to have him accept the additional role as News Director,” added NRG Media Lincoln General Manager Ami Graham.

George Stephanopoulos Apologizes After Viral Video Shows Him Say President Biden Can’t Serve 4 More Years

BNM Staff
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George Stephanopoulos Apologizes After Viral Video Shows Him Say President Biden Can’t Serve 4 More Years

On Friday, ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos hosted an interview with President Biden. He was apparently unimpressed by the performance.

On Tuesday, a video on TMZ showed a passerby asking the news anchor if Biden should step down or stay in the race.

Stephanopoulos bluntly replied “I don’t think he can serve four more years,” before the interaction ended.

When the clip went viral, both ABC News and George Stephanopoulos released statements, apologizing for the situation.

“Earlier today, I responded to a question from a passerby. I shouldn’t have,” the anchor stated.

Meanwhile, ABC News told the gossip site “George expressed his own point of view and not the position of ABC News.”

President Biden has come under pressure from many inside the Democratic Party to step aside from the campaign since his performance in the first presidential debate late last month. In his interview with Stephanopoulos last week, he maintained that he will continue the race and that doing his best is all matters to him at the end of the day.

Greg Amsinger is Thinking Like a Producer on MLB Network

Derek Futterman
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Greg Amsinger is Thinking Like a Producer on MLB Network

As Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout took the red carpet ahead of the 2014 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, Greg Amsinger could detect that an enduring moment was on the precipice. Amsinger, who was hosting the All-Star Red Carpet Show on MLB Network, was interviewing Trout and informed him that he was excited to watch him hit a triple off the wall and drive in New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter in his final All-Star Game. In response, Trout humorously replied that it would definitely be something special, resulting in the panel all sharing a laugh.

It turns out that a few hours later, Trout hit an RBI triple to drive in Jeter, actualizing the prediction. This is not the only instance in which Amsinger has successfully envisioned moments before they happen.

One month later on MLB Tonight, he declared that San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey would hit a walk-off home run against the Colorado Rockies. Mere moments after the audio feed changed to the Giants television broadcast, Posey struck a walk-off home run to left field that sent both the ballpark and Studio 3 into a frenzy.

“These things have just fallen into my lap because honestly, I’m not working,” Amsinger said. “I’m playing, and when you play and you have fun, magical moments can happen, so this is just literally me playing and having a great time. My tail is wagging when I’m on the set for MLB Tonight, and that is the aftermath of that kind of tail wagging.”

The stellar foresight and fortune Amsinger has had throughout his career at MLB Network has rendered him as one of the faces of its coverage. For a typical edition of MLB Tonight, he brings his unique and unorthodox hosting acumen to the set in addition to his passion for the sport.

“As a host, I try to be a chameleon,” Amsinger said. “I try to adjust to make their strengths even better. I want to be different when I’m on with Dan O’Dowd and Tom Verducci than I am with Al Leiter and Harold Reynolds. My role will change to make sure the show stays at a certain level, but I have immense respect for all of these guys.”

The frequent areas of emphasis on MLB Tonight include live look-ins of gameplay around the league and the analysts at the network who provide their perspectives on the action. Amsinger routinely golfs and spends time with his colleagues to establish and maintain rapport, especially important given that he works with a rotation of analysts throughout the season rather than a fixed cast. In fact, whenever he takes a vacation during the offseason, he finds himself missing the familial environment at MLB Network and is always energized to return.

“I’m not going to teach Pedro [Martínez] how to throw a slider, I’m not going to teach Harold [Reynolds] how to turn the pivot at second base, but I can represent the fans’ perspective, and I do it proudly every night,” Amsinger said. “So yeah, I am an opinionated host, but I do it within the prism of a fans’ perspective.”

“[I have been] working with Greg since day 1 at MLB Network,” added Dan Plesac, MLB Network studio analyst. “[He] never takes a show off, comes in guns a blazing every single night. [He] loves what he does and it shows through the camera.”

Within the rapid pace of the live television show, there exist moments when things do not go according to plan. For example, Amsinger recently grew frustrated with being classified as a “no-hitter jinx” and decided to predict that Los Angeles Dodgers rookie starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto would attain such a feat in a game against the Miami Marlins. The control room then aired the network’s no-hitter alert graphic at this moment, which usually airs after the eighth inning if a pitcher is on the verge of such a feat.

“The no-hitter alert graphic before the game started, [so] I go, ‘Enjoy Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s no-hitter watch right here on MLB Network,’” Amsinger recalled. “First pitch, Jazz Chisholm hits a home run. Like then I was like, ‘Maybe I am a no-hitter jinx.’”

Amsinger considers himself fortunate that the show does not become monotonous and is instead dynamic within the overall baseball landscape. Throughout the night, he and his colleagues follow the games on monitors within the anchor desk. The matchup that the viewers are seeing is what he wants the analysts to focus on in order to provide authentic reactions in real time.

Whether he is on site or in the studio, Amsinger appreciates that his opinions are valued as an on-air talent. MLB Network provides him with the freedom to participate in a think tank where everyone’s perspectives are heard and large participation is encouraged. Ideation and production are valued and, in turn, help cultivate a shared mindset pertaining to the programming that is disseminated.

“They don’t treat us like ‘talent,’” Amsinger said. “They want us thinking like producers, and most of us do, and it lends itself to a really creative product and we’re always trying to get better, so when we have a show, we will all talk.”

Being able to think of ideas for MLB Tonight and additional programming on the network is a part of the job Amsinger cherishes. In the future, he hopes to be a part of what he calls the network’s “think tank” at a higher level. Fusing his zeal for baseball and television production, he is enthralled by the variance of new episodes and the dynamic format of the program. 

“We work with some wildly talented people at MLB Network, but whenever somebody asks me who our best producer is, I tell them it’s Greg Amsinger,” said Chris Collins, a senior producer at MLB Network who has worked with Amsinger for 15 seasons. “He comes armed with segment ideas to every production meeting. He thinks like a producer and is the ultimate collaborator.”

Following the 2022 season, Amsinger signed a contract extension to remain with MLB Network, but he had considered auditioning for the then-vacant St. Louis Cardinals television play-by-play job on Bally Sports Midwest. Recognizing that his role at MLB Network represented a dream job and acknowledging that the format fit his skillset, he decided to remain at the entity that he helped launch.

When MLB Network first took the air in 2009, Amsinger believed that chief executive officer Tony Petitti ensured that everything met a high standard and opened with a collection of former players. As he hosts a show, he channels his inner fandom and exhibits his genuine personality while also remaining grounded in the moment.

“I love being part of history,” Amsinger said. “I was in Studio 42 the night Mike Trout got drafted. He was the only kid in the studio that showed up – that was the Draft – and to interview this future Hall of Famer on that night, you feel like you’re associated with baseball history.”

In accordance with the league, MLB Network has helped facilitate the recent format of the MLB First-Year Player Draft during All-Star Week. Amsinger is hosting coverage of the event for the 16th time and continues to watch the prospects build their own brands. He will be joined by Dan O’Dowd, Harold Reynolds, Xavier Scruggs and Melanie Newman beginning at 7 p.m. EST on MLB Network as the Cleveland Guardians make the first selection.

“Their social media following is getting larger and larger [and] there’s more content relating to them before they’re even drafted, so they’re helping their own cause to become more household name-ish than the guys 10 years before them,” Amsinger said, “so we feel like we are growing with, I guess, the media of amateur baseball, and our job still is to make sure those that don’t know who these kids are [see them] presented in a way that is exciting.”

One day later, Amsinger will represent MLB Network from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas as the in-stadium emcee for the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. Last year while emceeing the event, Amsinger successfully had T-Mobile Park chanting the name of Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez as the phenom set a single-round record with 41 home runs.

“To tell 40,000-plus fans to stand up and they do it, I mean, that’s a pretty cool gig; that’s as cool of a gig as you can have, so I love the Home Run Derby,” Amsinger said. “They’re going to give me a microphone [to] stand in the field and do that? Sign me up.”

After the conclusion of the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday night, Amsinger will host a live edition of MLB Tonight with Harold Reynolds, Lauren Gardner and Adam Wainwright. Within previous postgame editions of the show, players have appeared on the set and discussed their experience in the contest.

“It’s the best of baseball, and you get the best players there,” Amsinger said, “so to see them come up on the set and want to be part of our postgame show, it’s just it’s one of those pinch-me moments that comes with the job – it really is.”

Nielsen Media Research estimates MLB Network to be in 33 million homes, consistent with a decline realized across the industry. As sports continues to thrive among live programming concurrent with the rise of on-demand viewing, consumers can find the outlet on OTT streaming services such as fuboTV and Hulu + Live TV. Despite the number of ways to access content, sports programming continues to elicit high demand in the modern media ecosystem.

“I think if you’re a league, why wouldn’t you have a 24/7 content machine that is essentially promoting the stars of your game?,” Amsinger said. “You want nonstop entertainment for your customers, and the customers are your fans.”

Bringing a mixture of panache and humility to the air, Amsinger seeks to instantiate and nurture the love of the game among viewers of MLB Network. Within all of his endeavors, he recognizes his good fortune and ability to feel connected to baseball history. Going forward, he looks to keep thriving as an on-air talent while also expanding his mindset as a producer. No matter which team ends up hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy at the end of the season, Amsinger will enjoy every step of the journey and stay ready for the next segment.

“You got to pinch yourself and you have to acknowledge how blessed you are,” Amsinger said, “and for me, what I’ve been given, the keys to baseball’s Porsche, I proudly drive it, and instead of looking around and begging and begging for another car, I love the car I have – that’s for sure.”

MLB Putting Microphones on Players Brings Very Little Value to Broadcasts

Mark Kreidler
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MLB Putting Microphones on Players Brings Very Little Value to Broadcasts

Houston’s Jeremy Pena was chattin’ with the fellas from Apple TV+ in the middle of a game about two weeks ago when the New York Mets’ Jeff McNeil hit a popup sort of behind where Pena would normally stand, at shortstop.

Pena wasn’t stationed there because the Astros were playing in a shift against the lefty-swinging McNeil, so he needed to move to his right to get under the ball. Alex Bregman, Houston’s third baseman, moved back and to his left, the ball arcing down behind him. Bregman might have drawn a bead on it, but he appeared to sense Pena approaching.

The players converged in the general area, then stopped still. They said nothing to each other. The popup fell to the ground between them.

“Holy shh…,” the mic’d up Pena said.

That, we heard.

MLB and its broadcast partners want their players to wear wires during games, and you don’t have to look far to see why. In general, baseball’s overlords have done a dreadful job of personalizing their product, making their athletes appear human. Having them talk to broadcasters on the field, while the game is actually being played and their livings on are on the line, strikes somebody as a good way to do that.

The resulting conversations have been occasionally funny, sometimes abrupt, often painfully awkward, and almost never enlightening. But because MLB can’t think of other ways to make its stars into Stars (“Drive to Survive,” anyone?), this is what we get.

In that Houston game, Pena didn’t ascribe the mistake to his being on the air, leaving us to wonder for ourselves if the reason he didn’t yell to (or at) Bregman was the microphone he was wearing. “Bad communication. Bad communication…We just misplayed it,” Pena told the announcers – Wayne Randazzo and Xavier Scruggs in the booth, Heidi Watney at field level.

And sure, it wasn’t the first time that a popup fell between two defenders on a baseball field — just as it wasn’t the first error of Kike Hernandez’s career when the Dodgers utilityman bobbled a ground ball against the Yankees in early June, also while mic’d up and speaking during live action on Apple TV+.

Asked a question by former pitcher Dontrelle Willis about the Dodgers’ team chemistry, Hernandez said, “After this play,” as the grounder from Gleyber Torres headed toward him at third base. After his error, an excruciating silence enveloped the broadcast.

When Hernandez later asked Willis to repeat his question, Willis replied, “I don’t want to ask it again. Because I don’t want you to boot the ball again, to be honest with you. I’ll take that E for you, big dog.”

But not to worry! After the game, Kike said the error wouldn’t discourage him from doing future in-game interviews.

The reason? “We’re getting paid,” he said. “I like money.”

Kike Hernandez is no bad guy here. He’s simply one of the players who has decided that if MLB and his own union want to pay him $10,000 for every in-game interview (and that is exactly what they pay), he is not going to say no.

His manager didn’t love it. “I understand it. It’s part of sports now,” Dave Roberts said. “So, unfortunately, Kiké made an error. It’s not the only error he’s ever made. It’s part of sports. I pick my battles.”

A better question than why a player says yes to bonus money during a game might be to ask what the presenting broadcaster thinks it’s getting for that money. For the most part, players come off sounding stiff during the in-games, and that’s even if they are outgoing and self-confident enough to have said yes in the first place.

Beyond that, it is such a fundamental misunderstanding of baseball to assume that because 15 to 20 seconds elapse between pitches, it means nothing’s going on and players have time to kill. (The in-game conversation concept probably sounded a lot better before the institution of a pitch clock.) That’s not the sport — at all.

Seeing infielders botch plays within a couple of weeks of each other while trying to conduct in-game interviews reinforces that, even if nobody in his right mind would hold Apple TV+ responsible. They’re hardly the first to do this, anyway.

In some ways, though, that is exactly the challenge that MLB and its broadcast partners are facing. In a jump-cut world, their sport is a slow play; it builds tension over time and rewards those who understand that kind of pace.

Great broadcasters can do that — and so, too, great productions.

Right now, baseball’s primary fan issue is its paltry offensive output, not how many words its players speak during live broadcasts. Given that, it probably doesn’t matter much whether the whole in-game thing continues.

But it would be amazing to see MLB get back to a point at which it trusts the product itself, and finds more creative ways to help people understand how good its players really are — because they’re incredible at what they do. A little more show, a little less tell.

Removal of WURD Host Leaves Just As Many Questions As Answer

Krystina Alarcon Carroll
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Removal of WURD Host Leaves Just As Many Questions As Answer

The media is reeling after a WURD host admitted to using scripted questions provided by the Biden Administration. Headlines littered newsfeeds with conflicting information:

New York Post: Biden’s scripted-question scandal shows how lefty media helped cloak his incompetence

Axios: Radio host resigns after asking Biden questions sent by his campaign

Politico: Radio station parts ways with Biden interviewer for using questions sent in advance

Aside from Axios and Politico having slightly conflicting headlines about who cut ties first, the New York Post column takes aim at the industry hiding President Biden’s incompetency for years. However, if we took a real honest look at our history and who we are as an industry conflicting reports and cloaking the President’s competency shouldn’t shock you.

Since the time of William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer (and even earlier), most, if not all, media outlets have taken a side. From political cartoons to misleading headlines, newspapers of the 1800s and early 1900s certainly shaped the parties and the country.

Political cartoons were savage, like Thomas Nast’s 1870 sketch of ‘The Chinese Wall Around the United States of America.’ My personal favorite is Art Young’s 1912 image ‘Poisoned at the Source,’ which shows the then Associate Press President pouring lies into the news pool. (Any of these ideas sound familiar? Glad to know the news cycle doesn’t change much)

These “penny papers” focused on murder and scandal with sensationalist headlines. Today, people vie for the Pulitzer Prize for alleged “achievement in journalism.” It should not come as a shock his eponymous award typically goes to progressive outlets.

Nor should we be surprised this “yellow journalism” has led to many journalists actually being activists in disguise. There are many notable anchors who have previously worked for a political party before joining a news outlet. Keeping this in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the first person to interview President Biden is a former Democratic advisor and member of the Clinton Administration.

I’m not knocking George Stephanopoulos. In fact, I find him to be an adequate anchor with center-left tendencies. I’m just not shocked out of all the anchors across all media the Biden team picked someone who worked within the Democratic Party’s ranks for Biden’s first post-debate interview.

In other words, President Biden’s handlers would have never picked someone who’s worked for the Republican Party as the first interview after his horrific debate performance.

Over the last 10 years, I’ve worked at multiple stations that have used provided questions, gave questions to interviewees in advance, or have been handed questions from a suit (meaning a member of VP suite or above) for an anchor to ask.  

I am not defending the practice. I’ve always been personally mortified by it. However, we seem to live in an “I scratch your back you scratch mine” world. So when an outlet and anchor “part ways” because the anchor admitted to using questions provided by the subject’s camp there is one question everyone needs to ask: Did they part ways because this is unusual or is it because someone revealed what happens behind the curtain?

Unfortunately, we can’t always trust when an outlet says it’s an “abnormal practice,” because many unwritten standards within most media outlets conflict with ethical journalism.

For example, many outlets have written rules against using personal cell phones for work, yet many outlets don’t issue work cell phones. I don’t know a single journalist who doesn’t use their personal cellphone for calling sources, texting managing editors, and/or writing their scripts before going to air. The unwritten rules go against network policy it’s a sure-fire way protect the company when it’s your turn to get the ax.

Speaking of axes, many in the media are taking one to President Biden, calling for his resignation or at least to drop out of the race. Prominent members like MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and CNN’s Van Jones calling on the President to drop out of the race because of his debate performance has many questioning his health. What was once a conservative ideal now seems to have hit the mainstream.

For some in the media, they are being honest yet are breaking party rank, likely because they can. However, there are still some looking to protect the government institution by throwing softball or provided questions. When you lose the media, it’s a surefire way to lose an election.

So the media is reeling after a WURD host admitted to using some scripted questions provided by the Biden Administration. But is the reaction genuine or is it self-serving?

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