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Molly Qerim: Stephen A. Smith and I Have Never Had a Mike and the Mad Dog-Style Fight

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Molly Qerim: Stephen A. Smith and I Have Never Had a Mike and the Mad Dog-Style Fight

Mike and the Mad Dog were celebrated on First Take Wednesday morning for their legendary careers. One topic that came up was their legendary fights, with host Molly Qerim saying — luckily — she’s never had that issue arise with Stephen A. Smith.

Nearing the conclusion of the episode, Qerim pointed out how ridiculous some of the arguments between Mike Francesa and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo became, bringing up the legendary discussion about the restrooms at Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium.

“You guys would debate everything, even bathrooms,” Qerim said. “You really debated bathrooms.”

Francesa and Russo then discussed how the bathroom discussion led to months of silence, where they did not speak to each other outside of the show for more than five months, before Francesa’s wife invited Russo to their wedding, which eventually squashed the beef.

“Think about it. If you two (Smith and Qerim) did not get along, and for five months and you walked in here and didn’t talk to each other either before, during or after (the show),” Russo said. “That’s hard to pull off.”

“We never did that,” replied Qerim. “We’re definitely annoyed at each other at times. There were times when we were very, very annoyed.”

Francesa asked Qerim and Smith if they’d ever had “a real fight” with both immediately responding no.

Smith did note — somewhat jokingly — that he had felt “very bruised” from time to time by Qerim.

Craig Carton: Adam Schefter Was Used By the Broncos

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Craig Carton: Adam Schefter Was Used By the Broncos

Tuesday was a frenzy for NFL insiders as the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans nearly simultaneously announced the hiring of new head coaches, and WFAN host Craig Carton believes one NFL insider was used.

Reporting from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport at 4:44 PM ET claimed the Broncos tried to hire DeMeco Ryans — who was hired by the Texans — at the last minute, but was rebuffed, and Denver hired Sean Payton instead.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter — in no uncertain terms — refuted the validity of that report at 4:55 PM ET.

Carton believes Schefter was used by the franchise to help with damage control.

“So here’s the deal: Adam Schefter — many, many years ago — used to write for The Denver Post, and he covered the Denver Broncos,” Carton said. “He is clearly — to his credit – getting his information directly from the Denver Broncos who figure that that story from Ian Rapoport — and it is — is somewhat embarrassing…the fact that it’s out there is a bad look.

“So they go to Schefter who, along with Rapoport — the two voices of record as insiders — and they say ‘Nonsense. Put out there that that’s nonsense’. Rapoport’s getting his information DeMeco or his agent, saying “Naw, naw, no. He had choices. He could have gone to Houston, he could have gone to Denver. Obviously, the Texans sweetened the deal’.”

“Schefter’s getting his info from the Broncos, who are doing damage control,” co-host Evan Roberts concurred.

“Schefter’s great at what he does, I’m not saying that he’s not,” Carton continued. “But based on other stories that have come out — that we now know as a fact — he’s willing to be a mouthpiece for a team — namely Washington — and again, he’s great at what he does. I wanna be clear at how I state this, he’s great at what he does, but it’s obvious that the Broncos are trying to spin this, and they’re using Schefter to spin it.”

Roberts added that the situation was similar to that of NBA Insiders Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania, where Wojnarowski “speaks for front offices, where Shams gets his info from players and agents”.

Kevin Negandhi: I’m the Same on SportsCenter As I Am In Real Life

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Kevin Negandhi has been one of the hosts of the 6:00 PM ET SportsCenter on ESPN over the last few years. Even in this prominent role, Negandhi takes great pride in making sure the viewer is being entertained and getting an escape from the real world, at least for an hour.

Negandhi was a guest on The Adam Schein Podcast this week and Schein asked him how he would describe his broadcast style. He wanted to make it clear that if you met him on the street, he is the same person that you see on ESPN.

“I’m the person that you would meet casually, I’m the same person on TV. I’ve always said that I represent not just my family, not just where I’m from, I represent the passion of the great area and region that is Philadelphia. When you see me on TV, I feel like I’m letting you into a conversation I would normally have with you if we were talking about something. You are here for an escape, let’s talk about it because I got in the business because I passionately love sports. It was my connection with my family growing up. Connection with my family still to this day. It’s kind of like get in with us.”

Whenever Negandhi is hosting SportsCenter, he told Schein he tries to find a good mix of giving the highlights and the news while also understanding that the viewer is looking to be entertained as well.

“I’ve always just tried to find that blend where I can be respectful for the audience and have a good time and have fun delivering highlights and delivering the news and making sure you are entertained but at the same time understanding that I’m having fun with you while you are watching us as an escape.”

One other broadcaster that stands out for not being just a broadcaster according to Negandhi is Scott Van Pelt because Van Pelt is comfortable being himself and doesn’t have a filter.

“Scott Van Pelt really stands out to me because when you watch Scott, there is no filter with Scott. He’s not a broadcaster. Scott is Scott and he is comfortable in his skin.”

MLS Season Pass Debuts on Apple TV

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MLS Season Pass Debuts on Apple TV

MLS Season Pass on Apple TV debuted to much fanfare for Major League Soccer fans Wednesday.

Fans from around the world will be able to watch every MLS contest as the launch of the service begins the streaming platform’s 10-year, $2.5 billion media rights contract with the American soccer league.

With the debut of the service, most MLS games will now take place on Saturdays and select Wednesdays with 7:30 PM local start times.

MLS Season Pass will feature several prominent soccer voices, including analysts Taylor Twellman and Cobi Jones, play-by-play man Max Bretos, and studio host Liam McHugh.

The MLS season begins on Saturday, February 25th, with Nashville SC taking on New York City FC. All matches will be available for free during the first week of the season.

The streaming service will cost $14.99 per month or $99 per season, with existing AppleTV+ subscribers being offered the package at a discounted price of $12.99 per month or $79 for the season.

MLS Season Pass launches on a wide range of viewing platforms. Not only is the service available on televisions, smartphones, and tablets, but it can also be viewed on smart TVs, computers, and video game consoles.

MLB Network Dropped By YouTube TV

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MLB Network Dropped By YouTube TV

After contract negotiations stalled, YouTube TV dropped MLB Network from its channel lineup.

“We apologize for the news and will continue conversations with the MLB to advocate on your behalf, in the hope of restoring their content on YouTube TV,” an email to YouTube TV subscribers said.

MLB Network was previously included in YouTube TV’s $64.99 per month plan before being dropped Tuesday.

Spring Training for MLB franchises begins on February 24th.

“With Spring Training about to start, we regret that YouTube TV has been unwilling to negotiate a fair carriage agreement,” an MLB Network spokesperson told Barrett Sports Media. “MLB Network has offered terms consistent with what close to 300 other U.S. providers have agreed to for distribution.

“With the great demand and value for live baseball content, Major League Baseball’s commitment to MLB Network now and in the future is stronger than ever before, and we remain open and committed to reaching an agreement with YouTube TV as soon as possible.”

YouTube TV has gone through several carriage disputes in the past, with most — like those with NBCUniversal and Disney — being resolved after short disruptions to subscribers.

Viewers affected by the decision from YouTube TV can go to findlmbnetwork.com to see alternative options.

Jay Marvin, Longtime Liberal Radio Host, Dies

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Jay Marvin, Longtime Liberal Radio Host, Dies

Former WLS host Jay Marvin has died.

The news of Marvin’s death was reported by former Chicago media reporter Robert Feder, who shared a screenshot of a Facebook post from Marvin’s wife, Mary, detailing his death. Feder said the radio host had “a heart of gold”.

Know as the “resident liberal firebrand”, Marvin had a long radio career spanning several markets during his more than 40 year career, including El Paso, Memphis, Salt Lake City, WFLA in Tampa, WTMJ in Milwaukee, KHOW and KKZN in Denver, and WLS in Chicago.

“I brought Jay to WLS in Chicago by helping negotiate his way out of a contract he had with Carl Gardner at WTMJ/Milwaukee,” Salem Radio Network Vice President of News & Talk Programming Tom Tradup told Inside Radio.

“We added him 10:00 PM-1:00 AM and he was an instant hit, billing himself as ‘Chicago’s lovable manic-depressive’ who championed striking cab drivers and teachers unions…so unlike our other conservative hosts at the time. Fans even turned out by the thousands for his annual ‘JayStock’ festivals in Wisconsin.”

Marvin stepped aside from his radio duties in September of 2010, citing health-related issues as the reason for his retirement.

Jay Marvin was 70 years old.

Mike Francesa, Chris Russo Not Sold on Tom Brady’s Future As a TV Analyst

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Wednesday was bound to be one of the biggest in the history of First Take. Not only was Mike Francesa scheduled to join the show for a Mike & The Mad Dog reunion, but before the show even went on the air, Tom Brady announced his retirement. It made all the sense in the world that the show went thirty minutes before taking a break.

“It’s a special day! It’s a special day at First Take! Look at the crew I have in front of me,” Molly Qerim said as she introduced the panel that included Francesa alongside the regular Wednesday cast of Stephen A. Smith and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo.

Before the debates began though, Adam Schefter joined the show to discuss Brady’s retirement. The New York native told Qerim that it was hard not to notice the history on the set.

“You’re in the company of royalty, Molly,” he said. “Stephen A, the greatest ever to do it on TV. Two of the guys that are the founding fathers of sports radio.”

“I wish Brady would have picked another day,” Francesa joked. 

While discussion of what Tom Brady meant to the NFL and the American sports landscape in general dominated the discussion, there was plenty of time for ribbing and reflection. Stephen A. Smith acknowledged what a fan he was of Mike & The Mad Dog when the show aired on WFAN. He called it an honor to be on with Francesa and Russo.

After spending the majority of the top segment talking about Brady, the show opened its second segment talking about the history of Mike & The Mad Dog. The show came back from commercial with a montage from the 30 for 30 film about the duo. It featured clips from their history and colleagues talking about their influence on New York and the sports talk format.

“I feel like I’m at my funeral,” Mike Francesa joked after the video.

Russo acknowledged that what people were seeing on the screen wasn’t always possible. Whether he was talking about what happened on air or behind the scenes, he acknowledged that there was a time when the two of them wouldn’t be able to get through a walk down memory lane.

“We don’t fight as much as we used to. Mike and I one time spent hours killing each other about who had the best bathroom facility between the Yankees or the Giants.” 

The conversation also included a brief discussion about Tom Brady’s future in sports television. Francesa explained why he wasn’t sold on Brady becoming a good analyst, an opinion also shared by Russo.

“It takes a certain personality and a certain mindset to be a good analyst,” Francesa explained. “I don’t think he’s going to be a great analyst. I don’t. I don’t think he is going to be bombastic. I don’t think he has an oversized personality outside of being Tom Brady. I think he will find things he likes more than announcing. I just don’t see that connection. Not every great player is going to be a great analyst, and I don’t think Brady is going to be great.”

Sports Media Reacts To Tom Brady Retiring

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Things seem a little more final this time. Tom Brady says he will not return to the field. The GOAT announced his retirement Wednesday morning in a video posted to social media.

While it is still unclear what happens next, plenty of people in the sports media had opinions to share. Plenty of the biggest names in the business rushed to Twitter to pay tribute to Brady’s career on the football field.

There were other reactions as well. It is well-known that Tom Brady has a ten-year contract worth $375 million waiting for him at FOX. That means plenty of people in the sports media have questions about what today’s announcement means for Greg Olsen.

Olsen has won plenty of acclaim as the analyst in the network’s top NFL booth. Brady’s deal includes him taking over that spot, so several personalities and writers used the day to publicly question the logic in that decision.

There was a third reaction too. Twitter was made for two things: reacting to breaking news and making jokes. Tom Brady announcing his retirement gave some members of the sports media the chance to do both.

Megyn Kelly Suspicious of Amy Robach, T.J. Holmes Departure

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The recent departure of Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes from ABC News and GMA3 after a monthslong controversy due to their alleged romantic relationship has brought out a variety of opinions. SiriusXM host Megyn Kelly believes race may have played a role in the way the events transpired.

During The Megyn Kelly Show, the host claimed the PR behavior by the pair was “ridiculous” and added “I think there is a very good reason why they lost their jobs”, before wondering if Holmes put ABC News in a difficult position because of his race and the potential public reaction if he was the only anchor punished.

“My suspicion is they were in a position where, ‘What are you gonna do? You’re gonna fire the black anchor and you’re gonna let the white female stay?’ That can’t happen,” Kelly posited.

“She had to go too. Even though that investigation appears to have only found her prior sins as being she had a bottle of liquor sealed in her office and somebody claimed she showed up drunk after some sporting event on the air, which I don’t believe either. But I bet you if you cast a wide net, you could find 10 people who showed up drunk on the air at ABC at one point or another.”

Kelly then noted the way the pair handled the allegations — going as far as to joke about the situation on the air before being removed from the anchor desk — was completely wrong.

“They could have said on the show the next day, ’cause they were on the air one day with this scandal having been broken by The Daily Mail,” Kelly continued, “and they could have said, ‘We are very embarrassed. It’s true. This was a private matter that we wanted to resolve privately given the fact that we have kids and we have spouses, but we couldn’t, given The Daily Mail report. And we are gonna take a leave of absence to deal with this and we hope that we can earn your forgiveness and trust when we come back’. And then lay low.

“Stop with the very clearly orchestrated photo events in South Beach where they were all over each other kissing and fondling, while their spouses who they cheated on are posting sad face pictures with their kids who look incredibly forlorn,” Kelly said. “That was a massive PR error. They 100% orchestrated, it in my opinion.”

Larry Elder Still Eyeing 2024 Presidential Run

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Despite a failed run at the governorship of California in 2021, former conservative radio host Larry Elder is considering a run for President in 2024.

During an appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show, Elder told the SiriusXM host that his launching a presidential bid isn’t out of the question.

“So at the very least were I to become governor or president — if I decide to run, I’m thinking about it — I would have the bully pulpit and people would have to hear the kinds of things you and I are talking about and they would have to consider them. And they aren’t doing that right now,” Elder said as the pair discussed policing in America after the recent death of Tyre Nichols.

“Wait a minute — you just slipped a little news in there — are you actually thinking about running for President?” asked Kelly.

“News nugget!” Elder joked. “Yes, I am. I’m gonna probably announce if I decide to do it at the end of March, early April.”

Elder then mentioned he had made trips to Iowa and New Hampshire recently, adding that he’s “meeting with donors” and is “strongly giving it consideration”.

A longtime nationally syndicated radio host, Elder pushed a recall of another 2024 prospective presidential candidate, Gavin Newsom (D-CA), which would have seen the radio host become governor of the state if the recall was successful. However, the measure failed by a nearly 62-38 margin.

It isn’t the first time he’s mentioned he is considering a run in 2024. Elder told Salem Media host Mike Gallagher he was giving “strong consideration” to a bid in August of last year.

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