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Ian Eagle: ‘There Will Be Natural Backlash’ If Tom Brady Replaces Greg Olsen

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After earning high praise for his work during his inaugural season in the top analyst chair for FOX Sports, Greg Olsen still could be pushed out of the network’s lead booth in 2024 due to the retirement of Tom Brady. Venerable play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle says there will certainly be backlash if that’s the case.

While appearing on the SI Media Podcast with Jimmy Traina, Eagle said he wasn’t surprised by the work Olsen has done, saying “you could tell this guy had a chance to be really good at this”.

Eagle then added that viewers will push back on Brady because of his history as one of the game’s greatest.

“There will be the natural backlash because A) it’s Tom Brady, so there are many fans who already have a general feeling on him and then the second part is there are fans who like the pairing and rightfully so,” Eagle said. “They’ve been excellent together. So is there an X on his back. Yeah. But he’s dealt with a lot worse. I don’t think that it’s something he would lose a whole lot of sleep over.

“I think the part he’s gonna have to determine is if he’s all in. If you’re all in, then, this — not to say it consumes every part of your being, but knowing him, he’ll wanna be great. And being great requires you to put the time and effort in.”

Eagle’s comments came after he said he believed Brady will work diligently to become great at the craft.

“Tom is extremely likable, extremely smart, extremely insightful. I think he has a chance to be great at this if he wants to do this and truly do it full-time,” said Eagle. “This guy hasn’t done anything poorly. Anything he puts his mind to, he’s gonna do well. If he puts the time and effort in, like I think he will, he’s gonna wanna be the best at it.”

Dan Bernstein Returns to 670 The Score After Hospitalization

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670 The Score host Dan Bernstein was absent from Bernstein & Holmes earlier this week. He returned to the program Thursday to detail that he was gone from the show due to a medical issue.

“You looked like someone who had escaped from somewhere,” co-host Laurence Holmes joked to begin Thursday’s program. “We were in the middle of the meeting, and Dan walked into the middle of our meeting and said ‘Hi guys, don’t get too close, I haven’t showered. I just came to get my car.’ He looked like Louis Winthorpe III getting out of jail.”

Bernstein then explained his absence stemmed from reaction to his physical.

“Everything is mostly ok,” Bernstein said. “What happened was, I had a heart scare. I went in for my physical — and I have been dealing with some stubbornly high blood pressure for a while now. It’s taken it from horrible to not so horrible. There’s a physical side and a mental side that we’re dealing with here. My intense worry about some of my actual issues conflated to create what could mimic a heart event.”

Bernstein said his doctor was concerned about some of his test results, so he went immediately from his physical to the emergency room where he was met by multiple cardiologists.

However, after multiple tests, no blockages in Bernstein’s heart were found, with doctors telling him “these are the best coronary arteries I’ve seen all day”.

The host then said it was all precautionary and is glad to return back to work.

“There was no emergency, there was no event, there was no attack or blockages, we’ve just got to figure out both sides of it. So that’s where we are.”

Legal Experts: Fox News in ‘Real Jeopardy’ With Dominion Lawsuit

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CNN Media Reporter Oliver Darcy spoke with several legal experts about the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit against Fox News, with some saying the network is in serious trouble in the case.

First Amendment lawyer David Krozenik claimed the text messages showing Fox News hosts and executives in agreement that former President Donald Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him were not factual “certainly puts Fox in the actual malice crosshairs and puts them in real jeopardy.”

“This ‘out of the horse’s mouth’ evidence of knowing falsity is not something we often see,” University of Utah professor and media scholar RonNell Andersen Jones added. “When coupled with the compelling storyline that Dominion is telling about motivation — the evidence that at least some key players in the organization were actively looking to advance some election denialism in order to win back viewers who had departed — it makes for a strong actual malice storyline.”

Fox News has defended itself against the Dominion lawsuit, saying the voting machine company is creating “noise and confusion” around the case.

“Dominion has mischaracterized the record, cherry-picked quotes stripped of key context, and spilled considerable ink on facts that are irrelevant under black-letter principles of defamation law,” the network said. “Their motion for summary judgment takes an extreme and unsupported view of defamation law and rests on an accounting of the facts that has no basis in the record.”

However, Andersen Jones said the evidence Dominion has compiled is a “dream” for the company, proving that the network knew it was lying and proceeded anyway.

John Kincade to Doc Rivers: Do You Roll Your Eyes When I Talk About Your Team?

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John Kincade is not shy about how he feels about the Philadelphia 76ers. He is a fan, but he is holding back his excitement until the team makes it past the second round of the NBA Playoffs. He has seen too many teams talented enough to win it all fall short of even the conference finals.

As his Open House Week on 97.5 The Fanatic winds down, Kincade welcomed Doc Rivers to the studio Friday morning. He asked how the coach felt about the things he has been saying on air.

“Do you roll your eyes most of the time when you hear sports talk radio — or the debate shows on TV — when we are talking about your team and what we think we know?” Kincade asked.

Rivers answered honestly. He has a thick skin, but there are times when it is clear to him that the talking heads have it wrong.

“There are time when I do roll my eyes, yeah,” he said. “But there are times if I am in the car, I don’t turn it off. I enjoy it.”

Other sports talk hosts and sports writers in Philadelphia have openly shared the same opinion as John Kincade. There is a hump that they are tired of seeing the 76ers not be able to get over.

Doc Rivers says he understands the frustration and he is used to big expectations.

“I don’t mind. I’ll put it that way,” the coach said. “Maybe I’ve been hardened. I’ve coached and played in some of the toughest cities too.”

Rivers has coached in Orlando, Boston, Los Angeles, and now Philadelphia. He spent time in Atlanta, LA, New York, and San Antonio during his playing career.

He added that what is clear to him that he hopes the media and the fans see is that this year’s 76ers team has been great already and they still have room to improve when it comes to how stars Joel Embiid and James Harden work together on the floor.

The Philadelphia 76ers have what metrics say is the toughest post-All-Star-break schedule in the NBA. All of the games will air locally on 97.5 The Fanatic.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO Praises CNN For ‘Balance’

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CNN has changed its editorial direction under new leadership, and that direction was praised by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.

While discussing the company’s second-quarter financial results, Zaslav said the network will “continue advancing on this balance strategy”, noting the network had more Republicans on the network, especially during the contentious Speak of the House voting.

“Over 70 Republicans came on our air during the congressional speaker election process,” Zaslav said, as transcribed by Deadline.

The CEO added he expects CNN to continue on a path “to be the place for fact-based reporting and thoughtful discourse that is broader than politics of sport.”

After saying nothing is more important for the company than CNN finding its footing, he claimed the leadership team in place is “on the right path” in rebuilding the venerable network.

Chris Licht and the team are focused on building an asset for the long term across cable and digital that is worthy of that great global brand,” concluded Zaslav.

Tomi Lahren: Enough Pearl Clutching Over Don Lemon

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More than a week after CNN This Morning anchor Don Lemon said 51-year-old Nikki Haley was “past her prime”, OutKick’s Tomi Lahren believes it’s time to move on.

During her Fox News Commentary Thursday, Lahren argued that while Lemon’s comments were stupid, conservative media members trying to “cancel” Lemon are hypocritical.

“The comment was disrespectful and offensive but goodness, get over it, people,” Lahren said. “I’m a woman- still in my prime — according to Don — and I thought it was a cringey comment to make but newsflash, the man has said a lot worse about Trump supporters and conservatives in general.

“Don Lemon has been nailed to the cross and crucified for his comment and was pulled off the morning show for nearly a week because of it. It irritates me when conservatives cheer on cancel culture when it suits our side.”

Lemon returned to the program on Wednesday. He tweet an additional apology before the show but did not address his comments on-air. Lemon had previously tweeted an apology and apologized to colleagues on a private conference call.

“I appreciate the opportunity to be back on @CNNThisMorning today,” Lemon tweeted before his return to the show Wednesday. “To my network, my colleagues, and our incredible audience — I’m sorry. I’ve heard you, I’m learning from you, and I’m committed to doing better. See you soon.”

Doug Stephan’s Good Day Adds 21 Affiliates

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Doug Stephan’s Good Day has added 21 affiliates in recent weeks.

The show, featuring Stephan and Jai Kershner, is a daily talk and entertainment program built as a morning show but is able to be time-shifted in multiple dayparts.

“I like to have a male and female counterbalance,” Stephan told BNM’s Jim Cryns earlier this year. “We don’t discuss politics much. I let other people do that. I start each newscast with a good story. We can get to whoever got shot later.”

Stations now carrying the show include:
-WWPR-AM (Bradenton, FL)
-KREI-AM (Farmington, MO)
-KSWM-AM (Aurora, MO)
-KKTX-AM (Corpus Christi, TX)
-KLOO-AM/FM (Corvallis, OR)
-WWNR-AM/FM (Beckley, WV)
-WIZM-AM/FM (La Crosse, WI)
-KSYL-AM/FM (Alexandria, LA)
-KCLV-AM (Clovis, NM)
-KINA-AM/FM (Salina, KS)
-KOFI-AM/FM (Kalispell, MT)
-KZNU-AM/FM (St. George, UT)
-KGEZ-AM/FM (Kalispell, MT)

Stephan — who began his radio career in the 1960s — debuted Good Day in 1988.

Boomer & Gio Hosting Live, Uncensored Stage Show

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Boomer & Gio are taking their show to the stage.

On Friday, April 7th, the WFAN morning show will host a live, uncensored stage show from Jersey City, New Jersey at 8:00 PM.

The pair made the announcement Friday morning that fans will be able to purchase tickets to the event that will not be broadcast.

“Only for the people in the room. Absolutely not going to be broadcast,” Gregg Giannotti said. “We are going to be drinking, we are going to be cursing, we are going to be doing all sorts of crazy things.”

“Am I allowed to have some Casamigos at this event?” Boomer Esiason asked about George Clooney’s tequila brand.

“Allowed? It is encouraged!” Giannotti replied. “I’m a little bit afraid of pacing myself that night, so I think I will start the show completely sober, and if things are going well, I will start to slowly drink. I think it’s gonna great. I know its gonna be awesome and I know the crowd is gonna be crazy.”

Presale tickets forA portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Boomer Esiason Foundation.

Ozy Media Boss Pleads Not Guilty To Fraud Charges

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On Thursday, Carlos Watson, the founder of Ozy Media, a digital start-up that faced financial difficulties, pleaded not guilty to federal fraud charges. According to the New York Post, the government alleges that Watson used a scheme to support his struggling company. Ozy Media incurred significant financial losses and eventually closed due to potentially fraudulent business tactics allegations.

Watson started in journalism, serving as a correspondent and host for numerous news organizations like CNN and MSNBC. Subsequently, he established Ozy Media, a digital media enterprise that creates news and amusement content for worldwide viewership.

Federal agents arrested Watson Thursday at a hotel in Manhattan, following the guilty pleas of two high-ranking company executives on fraud charges earlier this month. Watson’s indictment revealed charges, including securities fraud, wire fraud, and identity theft. The accusations against Watson involve a conspiracy to commit these offenses and participating in the impersonation of several media executives.

The Securities and Exchange Commission charged Watson and the company with defrauding investors of approximately $50 million by making false statements regarding the company’s fundamental financial state, business associations, and capital-raising endeavors.

Ozy presented itself as an advanced online platform catering to “the New and the Next,” but it collapsed due to overwhelming debt and doubts about its fundraising methods. As investigations intensified, revelations emerged that an Ozy representative had posed as a YouTube executive in a fruitless effort to secure investment from Goldman Sachs, further intensifying the company’s scrutiny. In the wake of these developments, Ozy announced its closure.

Lanny Breuer, the attorney representing Watson, expressed his disappointment at the arrest and believed that the ongoing discussions with the government were moving forward in good faith and with a progressive outlook. In case of a conviction, Watson is facing a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum of 37 years, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Here Are The Winners of the BSM Summit California College Contest & Secret Email Contest

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The last few days we’ve been pumping out announcements related to our speaker lineup for next month’s BSM Summit in Los Angeles. In case you missed it, we’ve added WWE’s Shawn Michaels, ESPN LA 710’s Mason & Ireland, and AM 570 LA Sports’ Petros & Money.

Today though, it’s not about who’s on stage but rather, who’s in the room. Speaking of which, if you’ve been thinking of attending the Summit or you’ve booked your hotel room but haven’t yet bought your ticket, please do so asap. Entry to the Summit requires a badge, and once our guest list is finalized, there’s no adding to it. We don’t do ticket sales at the door. In fact, the last day to purchase tickets will be Monday March 13th, so hopefully you’re able to secure a seat and join us for a great two-day event.

One thing I enjoy doing each year at our show is rewarding students with a firsthand look at what makes our business go. We cram a lot of information in over the course of sixteen hours, and are fortunate to have some of the best and brightest talent, leaders and difference makers in the sports media industry spend time with us sharing their knowledge.

I think it’s important to teach people what we know so they can learn and use it to guide their own paths forward. This industry needs stars of tomorrow or it risks becoming obsolete. If we can inspire even one person who’s not yet in the business but considering a future in it, then that’s why we open our doors to them and give away free tickets to the show.

Which brings me to today’s announcement. I’m happy to reveal the winners of our special California College Contest for free tickets to the 2023 BSM Summit. The following students are now on the BSM Summit guest list to attend this year’s conference.

  • Rae Han – USC
  • Nia Harris – USC
  • Sara Atashi – USC
  • Carly Rieger – USC
  • Allie Anthony – USC
  • Eric Lambkins – USC
  • Chas Messman – USC
  • Will Rosenberg – USC
  • Kamyar Moradi – USC
  • Jonathan Martin – USC
  • Jonathan Williams – USC
  • Michael Fiumefreddo – USC
  • Kevin Le – UC Santa Barbara

You may notice there are thirteen names there. We had a lot of participation from USC so rather than leaving a couple of interested students sitting on the sidelines and having our executive friends review video after video in between running their companies, we decided to help out a few extra people. Steve Kamer Voiceovers is responsible for ten of these tickets being distributed to students to learn. A big thank you to him for doing so. BSM picked up the tab on the other three.

In addition to our college contest, we also recently conducted a special email only contest for industry professionals. Thanks to everyone who sent in emails for consideration. The following people below were randomly selected to receive a free pair of tickets to the 2023 BSM Summit.

  • Carl Weinstein – Locked On Podcast Network
  • Tim Spence – 94.1 San Antonio’s Sports Star
  • Stephanie Prince – Good Karma Brands
  • Patrick Muldowney – The Ringer
  • David Heim, Audacy

If you work in the industry and need a ticket or if you’re in college pursuing journalism or sports broadcasting and wish to be in the room, visit BSMSummit.com to purchase tickets. We’ll have additional speaker announcements to make next week and look forward to sharing the news with you.