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Dan Le Batard: Bud Grant Responsible For Favorite Memory of Our Show

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The Dan Le Batard Show has always prioritized talking to people that are interesting over the biggest names in sports. That is how Dan, Stugotz, and crew became friends with Bud Grant. The former Vikings coach died last week. The show opened on Monday with a tribute to him.

“Very few have said football the way this guy says football,” Le Batard said as he remembered images of Grant standing on a frozen field in Minnesota in a short sleeve t-shirt.

Grant’s appearances on the show were tied to his annual garage sale. The former Vikings coach was notorious for the event, which had strict rules, and sold everything from guns to team artifacts.

“One of my favorite memories on this show and at ESPN is me myself, being too scared to ask the legendary drill sergeant coach how he wipes – sitting or standing – and Stugotz just rushed right into the breach,” Dan Le Batard remembers. “Stugotz just rushed in unintimidated and asked Bud Grant the pressing question of when you wipe, do you wipe standing or sitting.”

The show then played audio of the exchange which included a very vivid answer from Grant.

“I was scared and I really was soothed by Stugotz rushing into breach and saying ‘I’ve got this, Dan!’” he added.

Bill Simmons: Kendrick Perkins, JJ Redick NBA MVP Discussion ‘Toxic’

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The confrontation between JJ Redick and Kendrick Perkins raised several eyebrows last week. Add Bill Simmons to the list of folks who did not enjoy the conversation.

During a First Take discussion, Perkins insinuated that there are racial motives behind NBA MVP votes due to the majority of voters being white, Redick responded by saying “What we just witnessed is the problem with this show where we create narratives that do not exist in reality.”

“I stated the facts,” Perkins shouted at Redick, “and you not about to sit up here and act like there’s something more than that.”

Perkins — who never explicitly said the any NBA players received the MVP due to being white — did state ask viewers to consider what Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, and Nikola Jokic “have in common” while pointing out that 80% of MVP voters are white. First Take host Molly Qerim pushed back on that encapsulation the following day, clarifying that voting panel is more diverse than what Perkins presented.

On The Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons discussed the NBA MVP voting, saying that two players will eventually separate themselves, and one will get more votes than the other. However, he then turned his attention to the discussion surrounding the debate, noting he did not enjoy the conversation.

“This stuff’s supposed to be fun,” Simmons said. “And this week was not fun. It was toxic. It was terrible. I hated it. And this is not why I became a sports fan.”

ESPN Syracuse CEO ‘Had A Problem’ With Brent Axe’s Show

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ESPN Syracuse CEO ‘Had A Problem’ With Brent Axe’s Show

Longtime Syracuse sports radio host Brent Axe was fired by ESPN Syracuse Sunday, and today, the station’s owner is speaking out on why the decision was made.

Galaxy Media — owner of ESPN Syracuse as well as 12 other Upstate New York radio stations — CEO and President Ed Levine said Axe had gotten too negative about Syracuse University athletics.

“I had a problem with the content of the show,” Levine told Syracuse.com. “I’m an SU fan, I’m sorry, but I bleed Orange. I’m not going to apologize for that, and I think a fair reading of the Orange is appropriate. I understand (Galaxy has) a business relationship (with Syracuse), that Coach (Jim) Boeheim and I are personal friends and he’s an investor in my company.

“I understand and acknowledge all of that. We’ve called it pretty fair, and I would argue we’ve been tough on SU when the on-field or off-field events warrant it. I just think over the past six months it took a different tone and became overly dark and negative. I don’t think that’s what Syracuse fans want to hear.”

Boeheim was included in a group of investors that purchased 21% of Galaxy Media, according to a 2018 filing with the FCC.

Axe’s firing comes a day after Levine shared that Boeheim — who called Axe his only critic and criticized callers of his show before he departed Syracuse after 47 years as its head men’s basketball coach — will appear in a variety of ways for the ESPN Syracuse brand over the coming year.

“I’m happy to announce that Jim Boeheim will be appearing regularly across the Galaxy Media Partners multiple platforms next season,” a Facebook post from Levine read. “He may even host his own sports talk show occasionally. Alert the media that James Arthur Boeheim is threatening to become a part of the media!”

“What I’ll say is I think the timing is very interesting,” Axe said. “I’ll leave it at that.”

Axe has hosted sports radio programs in Syracuse for more than 20 years. Additionally, he works as a professor at the university, and is also employed full-time at Syracuse.com.

Levine continued by saying he believed Syracuse.com had an “agenda” in regards to Orange athletics, which Axe brought to the radio station.

“I don’t know what that agenda is, but that agenda was manifesting itself on our airwaves,” Levine said. “We have no agenda. We’re in business with Syracuse University, but we call it straight down the line. What I said to Brent was I wish he covered Syracuse University with the same affection that he covered the Buffalo Bills.”

Sandy Clough, Shawn Drotar Join Mile High Sports Radio Lineup 

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Sandy Clough, Shawn Drotar Join Mile High Sports Radio Lineup 

Mile High Sports is adding some star power to its radio lineup. A new show featuring Sandy Clough and Shawn Drotar will debut on Monday afternoon.

The audience can experience Sandy & Shawn as either a video or audio product. It will be on  98.1 FM and 107.5 FM-HD3 in Denver each weekday at 2:00 PM. A video feed of the show will also stream at that time on Mile High Sports’ digital products.

“This is like a gift from the sports talk gods,” Mile High Sports CEO Nate Lundy said in a press release. “When the opportunity to work with two talented, intelligent talk show hosts falls in your lap you jump at the chance.” 

Sandy Clough has been on air in Denver for over 40 years. He has been heard on multiple stations, most recently on 104.3 The Fan. In September, he announced he was leaving the station’s daily lineup after 25 years in a variety of dayparts.

“This is such a tremendous city for sports talk and the fans are some of the best in the country,” said Clough. “After spending a few short months on the sidelines, I realized that I missed spending part of my day with those fans. I’m not only happy to be back on the air, but thrilled to have Shawn again as my partner in crime.”

For Shawn Drotar, this is a return to Mile High Sports. He left the company in 2019, after spending over three years with the organization.

“As a Colorado native, understanding the privilege —  and the expectations — of hosting a sports-talk show in my own hometown has never been lost on me,” he added. “To get back together with Sandy, the best that’s ever done it in Denver, is not only a treat, but gives us the opportunity to once again provide a completely unique perspective to fans about every single team along the Front Range.”

CBS News Celebrating 85th Anniversary of World News Roundup

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CBS News Celebrating 85th Anniversary of World News Roundup

March 13th, 1938. Robert Trout of CBS News anchors the first World News Roundup, highlighting Adolf Hitler’s German invasion of Austria. A CBS executive named Edward R. Murrow reported on the situation from Vienna.

85 years later, World News Roundup is still going strong.

“The program is just as relevant and impactful as it was on that fateful day 85 years ago,” CBS News Radio Network Vice President and General Manager Craig N. Swagler told Radio Ink. “We have been at the forefront of observing and reporting on history, from the first broadcast as Nazis marched on Austria, to the Jan 6 attack on The Capitol, to the Uvalde tragedy, to the ongoing war in Ukraine. CBS News Radio brings our listeners the most impactful stories that shape the world.”

In celebration of the 85th anniversary, CBS News released the original World News Roundup as an on-demand podcast.

More than 150 stations continue to broadcast World News Roundup. The offering is also available on SiriusXM.

Eric Bolling: Tucker Carlson Got Caught With His Pants Down

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There’s no love lost between former Fox News host Eric Bolling and current Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

Carlson has taken criticism after private text messages revealed he “passionately” hated former President Donald Trump, calling him “a demonic force” and a “destroyer”. The Fox News host also privately shared his worry that Trump could destroy him and the network should he choose to do so.

During a discussion with conservative radio host and former presidential advisor Sebastian Gorka, Bolling said “Tucker Carlson has kind of been caught with his pants down,” before asking Gorka what he thought of the scandal plaguing the Fox News host.

Gorka responded by saying the text messages “do not look good for either Fox or for Tucker” before questioning the primetime host’s motives.

“I knew Tucker. If you remember way back when, Tucker was the weekend Fox & Friends host,” Bolling responded. “He was one of the three hosts. He couldn’t stand Trump back then. He didn’t really start getting on the Trump bandwagon until he had a show called Tucker Carlson. That is the truth.”

Gorka then wondered if Carlson would “show some mettle and show a bit of a spine” after not expanding upon his video series detailing the January 6th Insurrection. Carlson was given more than 40,000 hours of security camera footage by Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and claimed rioters inside the Capitol were merely “sightseers” last week.

“Do you have the balls to show the rest of the footage? Prove it to us, Tucker,” Gorka challenged. “We’re waiting.”

Bolling then brought up the revelation by Carlson that no other journalist had asked him for access to the security camera footage. The Newsmax host then joked that he had asked Carlson after the claim was made on Glenn Beck’s radio show.

“I immediately texted him, I said, ‘Hey, I’m asking.’ I got a nasty response,” Bolling concluded.

AEW Reportedly Planning to Launch 3rd TV Show

BSM Staff
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AEW Reportedly Planning to Launch 3rd TV Show

AEW is reportedly ready to step up its game. The professional wrestling promotion is in negotiations with Warner Bros. Discovery to add a third weekly show to its schedule.

Currently, wrestling fans can catch AEW action on TV twice each week. Dynamite airs live Wednesday nights on TBS and Rampage airs Fridays on TNT.

Andrew Zarian of the YouTube show Mat Men, reports that the company will announce a third TV show. This comes on the heels of Fightful’s report that AEW talent have been told that a third TV show was in the works. In that report, Fightful mentioned that the new show would likely air on Saturdays.

Tony Khan, AEW’s owner and GM, has been dropping hints that AEW was ready to expand its offerings. Earlier this month he tweeted that the company had “major announcements” on the way. After the AEW Revolution pay-per-view event, he said that the company had “the capacity to do more and more TV if that opportunity presented itself and I think there is demand for it.”

Rumors also began circulating last month that the company is considering launching a streaming service. If that happens, it is another chance for AEW to take advantage of its partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns HBO Max. 

In addition to what is on television, AEW matches can be found on YouTube on Mondays and Tuesdays. A new TV show would give wrestling fans access to the company’s top matches five days per week.

Howard Kurtz Breaks Silence on Dominion Lawsuit: ‘I’m Not Sugarcoating the Allegations’

BNM Staff
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Fox News media reporter Howard Kurtz has broken his and the network’s silence on the Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuit against the channel, with Kurtz saying the case is a test of the First Amendment.

“I’m not sugarcoating the allegations in this $1.6 billion suit,” Kurtz said during his Media Buzz program Sunday. “Or the fact that Fox has taken a hit in the court of public opinion.”

Kurtz’s comments are in a similar vein to those made by a Fox News spokesperson to Barrett News Media, saying “Dominion has been caught red-handed using more distortions and misinformation in their PR campaign to smear Fox News and trample on free speech and freedom of the press. We already know they will say and do anything to try to win this case, but to twist and even misattribute quotes to the highest levels of our company is truly beyond the pale.”

Kurtz continued by saying that Fox News has a “crucial” First Amendment defense, adding that the interview offer from Maria Bartiromo to Dominion’s CEO that went unaccepted proves the network was open to sharing the truth.

“There was, to be sure, straight reporting by the news division which also caused some friction,” Kurtz said. “But the fact that some people in the chain of command privately dismissed the fraud claims as ‘nuts’, or ‘outlandish’, or ‘insane’ doesn’t necessarily mean Fox couldn’t cover and comment on the extremely newsworthy spectacle of the president saying the election was stolen. That’s why the case is a major test of the first amendment.”

The comments from Kurtz come after he had previously stated that Fox News asked him not to discuss the lawsuit, which he said “I strongly disagree with that decision, but as an employee, I have to abide by it.”

Steve Cohen Stepping Away From SiriusXM

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Steve Cohen Stepping Away From SiriusXM

SiriusXM Senior Vice President of Sports Programming Steve Cohen is exiting the company after a more than two decade run with the satellite service.

Cohen will move into a consultant role, handing more responsibility to Vice President of Sports Programming Eric Spitz. A former WFAN employee, Cohen will look to spend more time hosting programs on the satellite provider after stepping away from his managerial duties.

The news of Cohen’s departure comes on the heels of SiriusXM announcing it would reduce its workforce by 8%, as 475 employees exited the company last week. SiriusXM CEO Jennifer Witz called the development “one of the most difficult days we’ve had to face as a team”.

“This was not an easy decision to make, nor one we took lightly,” Witz continued. “However, it is critical for us to take the right steps now to secure the long-term health and profitability of our business.”

A report from The New York Post claims it was Cohen’s decision to step aside.

The report continues by saying Cohen and his wife, Eileen, will now spend more time focused on a charity they started — Shaina’s Wish — named after their daughter who died in 2017.

“We look forward to continuing to help young people now and in the future with ‘Shaina’s Wish,’” Cohen said.

Prominent Ad Exec Warns Advertisers Of Sticking With Fox News Amid Dominion Lawsuit

BNM Staff
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Prominent advertising executive Lou Paskalis took to LinkedIn to express his concerns regarding Dominion Voting Systems’ defamation lawsuit against Fox News, warning advertisers of the ethical risks associated with advertising on FNC. 

Paskalis believes that FNC repeatedly disseminated false information that misrepresented the results of the 2020 Presidential election. The discovery process revealed internal documents, texts, and testimony from FOX Corporation’s ownership, senior management, and on-air personalities, demonstrating that they were fully aware that the information presented as news was disinformation that was egregiously untrue.

Paskalis emphasized that FNC’s leadership chose not to intervene despite including outlandish QAnon-level conspiracy theories and the audience generating revenue. He noted that FNC is the largest revenue source for FOX Corporation, and almost all its revenue comes from advertising investments from the nation’s largest and most respected advertisers. Hence, advertisers not only condone but also fund the actions of FNC, its leadership, and on-air talent.

“I would argue that knowingly undermining our democratic process and allowing the integrity of our voting process to be impugned, in fact in some cases impugning it themselves, is at least as bad as some of these other heinous and tone-deaf behaviors and at a scale that impacts all 336 million Americans,” he said. 

According to Paskalis, this issue goes beyond adjacency and concerns fundamental values. He argues that if FNC condones gun violence or fails to demonstrate a commitment to diversity, advertisers would swiftly withdraw their ads and invest elsewhere.

Paskalis calls on advertisers to acknowledge that their continued investments in advertising on FNC contribute to undermining our democracy, which enabled their companies to thrive. 

“Advertisers, you’re funding this. Your continued investments in advertising in FOX “News” are contributing to undermining our democracy. A democracy which has allowed your company to thrive,” said Paskalis. “I question the governance process of any Advertiser continuing to advertise on FOX “News.” Can it be that advertising efficiency trumps your corporate values, the principles you operate your business on, and your highly touted ESG platform?”

“Stop underwriting the undermining of our country,” he added.

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