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Brandon Tierney Joining Boomer Esiason Foundation Fundraiser In Exchange For Jets Helmet

BSM Staff
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Brandon Tierney Joining Boomer Esiason Foundation Fundraiser In Exchange For Jets Helmet

Resident Jets fan and WFAN midday host Brandon Tierney couldn’t help himself Thursday morning.

The New York Jets sent a helmet and jersey to WFAN to showcase what uniform combination the team would wear during this weekend’s game, addressing it to former Jets quarterback and WFAN morning host Boomer Esiason. Co-host Gregg Giannotti sported the combo for social media pictures.

Tierney wanted to become the owner of the helmet, and asked what he needed to do to get it, while driving into the station.

“I’m thinking it’s Gio’s helmet. I’m stuck in traffic and I ask Gio ‘How much do you want for the helmet?’. I wanna give it to my son. I want to put it in the man cave, but they don’t need to know that. He texts me right back during the break and said you’ve gotta run through Boomer. They sent it to Boomer. Ok.

“So I text Boomer shortly thereafter. I text Boomer ‘Hey Booms. What would you like for the helmet?’ and I don’t even know if he texted me back but I hear them on the air talking about it. It got all twisted and distorted. I got some schmuck from Newark calling in saying I’m cheap. Long story short, they want me to do some things to earn the helmet. Which I respect; have a little fun. Gio comes up with eat 12 donuts. There’s no chance I’m doing that. That’s not me. I’m not doing that.”

Esiason agreed to give Tierney the helmet…but it came at a cost.

“Boomer says — listen to what you’re partner is now roped into. I should have just bought the damn helmet. I am now one of the captains for Boomer’s 40-mile, five-borough bike race on May 1st. I don’t have a bike, and I don’t know if I can do 40 miles. I’m gonna do it! I’m gonna do it! But 40 miles, dude. How am I doing 40 miles?”

The Boomer Esiason Foundation does an annual bike tour of the five boroughs of New York, raising money to fight cystic fibrosis.

Tierney’s co-host, Tiki Barber, told him riding a bike on bridges is difficult because of the incline. Tierney responded by saying he “almost dropped dead” while riding a bike over the Golden Gate Bridge due to the incline, but also because he’s scared of heights.

Barber later added he would join Tierney on the bike tour to help raise money for the organization and help train his co-host.

Tennessee Fires Reporter Kasey Funderburg After Tweets Using Racial Slurs Uncovered

BSM Staff
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The University of Tennessee has reportedly fired reporter Kasey Funderburg after tweets she sent in 2013 and 2014 using racial slurs were uncovered.

A report from OutKick.com claims Funderburg responded to a tweet from Richard G. West, a satirical twitter account covering Tennessee athletics, said the University was asking fans to “paint their face all black” when the team wears black uniforms against Kentucky this weekend.

Funderburg responded by saying fans shouldn’t fall for the fake news, mentioning how harmful the potential of fans wearing blackface could be.

Tweets from Funderburg were then screenshotted and released, with the reporter using the n-word in tweets from 2013 and 2014, when she would have been 16 and 17-years-old.

Her page on the Tennessee website now returns a 404 – Page Not Found error. Funderburg has also removed any mentions of her work as the sideline reporter for the Volunteer Football Network, VFL Films, and the SEC Network.

A Change.org petition has been started for Funderburg’s reinstatement. More than 200 have signed the petition.

Dan Dakich: ‘Pizza-Stained Media Peasants’ Shouldn’t Tell Players To Retire

BSM Staff
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Dan Dakich: ‘Pizza-Stained Media Peasants’ Shouldn’t Tell Players To Retire

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright has decided he will return for another season in 2023. Dan Dakich applauded the move, and had criticism for the media in the process.

During Don’t @ Me for OutKick, Dakich said it’s not the media’s place to tell players when or if they should retire.

“There is never a reason to quit,” Dakich said. “Why you gonna quit? Because some pizza-stained media peasant is gonna tell you ‘Hey, look. Your legacy is going to be hindered. I don’t want you looking like Willie Mays with the Mets.’ So what what you want? Go eat another slice, you ridiculous, lying, media person, you. Play forever!”

Dakich concluded by saying Willie Mays probably enjoyed playing his final season in center field for the Mets, which media members can’t understand.

J.J. Redick Responds to ‘Worst Take in Sports History’ Criticism

BSM Staff
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J.J. Redick defended himself from criticism from Rob Parker, among others, who claimed his recent opinion on the Lakers was “the worst take in sports history”.

During his latest episode of The Old Man & The Three podcast, Redick said the problem wasn’t his opinion on the subject, it was the way it was reported by aggregate media sites.

“The last thing I want to talk about is the worst take ever in sports history, which apparently I had last week,” Redick said. “I’ll vehemently disagree. One of the problems with aggregate media is a quote everybody uses out of context. A quote out of context that people read as a headline and in this case it was our old friends at ClutchPoints, which is the worst website, aggregate sports media — I don’t know what to call them. Are they a site? They’re certainly not creators but they’re the worst sports media aggregators in the world. So they took this clip I had from First Take. (Michael) Wilbon, Stephen A. (Smith) and I started off talking about expectations for the Lakers.”

He then played a clip of his First Take appearance saying the Lakers winning a first round playoff series would be considered a “win” for the team.

“If you took the time to watch the 12 or 13 minutes we talked about the Lakers, it was actually a nuanced, intelligent discussion that we gave. We talked about why this roster’s not good. Obviously, it’s the shooting and the spacing. Not a lot of high-level big wing defenders. Not a lot of depth. We talked about the fact that when Anthony Davis, Russell Westrbook, and LeBron James are all in the lineup together — small sample size — but as of last week, they’re 11-11. It’s worse now, they’re under .500 since this team was formed.

‘Talked about — for five minutes — about whether or not the trade for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield would actually move the needle for the Lakers. So we had this great conversation about it. We provided a bunch of data points and a bunch of analysis, and it was a really thoughtful — I thought — 12 or 13 minutes. “

Redick then said the reason he talked about the positives about the Lakers and LeBron James was because nothing had changed from the previous season.

“As sort of a — not a dig — at the producers at ESPN, but look, we spent all of last year talking about what ills the Lakers. Why are the Lakers so bad? It’s the same f—ing reason! It’s the same f—ing reason this year, and I don’t want to spend the entire season talking about it! So I noted — if you’re a Laker fan or a producer of the show — let’s not spend the entire season talking about the same f—ing thing over and over! Here’s an idea, here’s a silver lining for your Lakers fans out there: Lebron’s going to be in a Lakers uniform when he breaks Kareem (Abdul-Jabaar)’s record. And all the sudden that turned into ‘the worst take in sports history’? How lazy are you?”

Mike Breen To Receive Vin Scully Award

BSM Staff
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ESPN NBA and MSG New York Knicks announcer Mike Breen will receive the 2022 Vin Scully Award For Excellence in Sports Broadcasting, presented by Fordham University and its radio station WFUV.

“When you are a Fordham graduate, a WFUV alumnus, and a play-by-play broadcaster, receiving an award named after Mr. Scully is the highest honor I could ever receive. Mr. Scully’s talent and skill on the air, and his character and integrity as a man, has made him the ultimate role model for me and countless broadcasters that span over generations. I am so humbled and grateful for this incredible honor.”

Previous winners of the Vin Scully Award include Dick Enberg (2009), Ernie Harwell (2010), Pat Summerall (2011), Al Michaels (2012), Bob Costas (2013), Verne Lundquist (2014), Mike “Doc” Emrick (2015), Brent Musburger (2016), Bob Wolff (2017), Michael Kay (2018), and Tim McCarver (2019).

The 61-year-old Breen is in his 30th season announcing New York Knicks games. He has been the voice of the NBA Finals on ESPN since 2006.

The Vin Scully Award For Excellence in Sports Broadcasting will be presented on Tuesday, November 1st.

Kirk Ferentz Apologizes To Media After Critical Comments

BSM Staff
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Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz has apologized to media members after recent comments he made about reporters questioning him about his son Brian’s performance as the team’s offensive coordinator.

“The one good thing about it that dawned on me coming home … I said, man, as bad as today was, it could have been worse because I could have been that guy,” Ferentz told reporters Tuesday. “I could have been that guy, had his job and had to act like he did. Yeah, it could be … a lot worse. All things aren’t that bad.”

Ferentz said he felt he was “interrogated” by Cleveland.com columnist Doug Lesmerises after Iowa’s 54-10 loss to Ohio State Saturday.

The longtime Iowa coach emailed an apology to media members, saying he regretted being dismissive of the profession.

“I have a high respect for the work that you do, and I am appreciative of how you cover our team,” Ferentz said in the statement. “You ask tough and pointed questions but do so with a high degree of professionalism. I tell our players to take the high road and yesterday, I did not do the same thing.”

Lesmerises told the Associated Press he took no issue with how Ferentz responded to his initial questions Saturday.

“I criticized him and he certainly has the right to respond however he sees fit,” Lesmerises said. “The issue remains how Kirk Ferentz and Iowa have handled the employment of Brian Ferentz.”

Ex-Levi’s Executive: I Was ‘Cancelled’ After ‘Ingraham Angle’ Appearance

BNM Staff
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A former Levi’s executive is speaking out after her former employer lashed out against her for appearing on Fox News’ “Ingraham Angle.”

Jennifer Sey appeared on Ingraham’s show Tuesday night. Prior to that, Sey appeared with Laura Ingraham last year to talk about the harmful effects that COVID lockdowns were having on school children.

“I was getting some pushback even before appearing on your show, but my appearance was kind of the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Sey said. “I was with the company a full year after that, but it was a very difficult time.”

Last year, Ingraham tweeted that Sey had lost hope in California’s reopening in-person schools, so she relocated her family to Denver.

“Appearing on your show, employees were outraged,” said Sey. “I spoke with you and employees perceived you out-of-step with their progressive values. That made me unemployable. I was called a racist, I was called an ageist, I was anti-everything.”

Ingraham pointed out that she was correct in her assessment of the lockdowns and that they proved unnecessary for children who suffered from declining mental health and test scores.

“All of this stuff was driven by the lockdowns, and nobody has paid the price, except the kids,” added Ingraham. 

Clay Travis, Buck Sexton Criticize Media’s Handling of Waukesha Case

BNM Staff
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Clay Travis, Buck Sexton Criticize Media’s Handling of Waukesha Case

Nationally syndicated radio hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton ripped media coverage Wednesday of a man convicted in a horrific Wisconsin parade attack. 

Darrell Brooks was found guilty on all 76 counts relating to the Waukesha parade massacre. Brooks ran over 68 parade participants last year, killing six of them. 

“This guy represented himself, he’s clearly an evil individual,” said Sexton. “The media, because he does not fit a storyline that the Democrat-aligned media likes to spend time on, they have not given this much coverage at all.” 

Sexton said this was a case of a man who committed mass murder and who had been on the record with social media as someone who espoused racial hate on a consistent basis. 

“He expressed anti-white rage and he drove his car through a Christmas parade to kill as many people as possible,” said Sexton. And yet, how many even know that this trial is going on?” 

Sexton added that this case goes to demonstrate that the media’s job is not to support facts but to promote narratives. 

“If there’s a school shooter that’s a white kid, then we hear about it forever,” said Travis. “We just had a school shooting that got almost no attention because the shooter wasn’t white.”

“it’s a story if the identity of the victim and the identity of the perpetrator fits a preferred narrative,” Travis added. 

Chris Licht Vows Returning Power to Managers at CNN

BNM Staff
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The future of CNN hangs in the balance as a major transition takes effect and a new leader settles in to find his place. Chris Licht was hired earlier this year following the sudden resignation of President Jeff Zucker.

Licht is reportedly getting a feel for the talent, the producers, and the direction of the network as we head into the midterms and face the prospect of, yet another Donald Trump run for the White House.

According to CNBC, Licht seeks to empower executive producers to make decisions that otherwise were controlled by CNN’s former boss. He prefers employees to hear marching orders from direct managers rather than him.

The network is still reeling from the collapse of the streaming service CNN+. The rapid demise of what was supposed to be the future of the business cost hundreds of employees their jobs and left others to reapply for different positions in the company.

“I love the control room, and I love the feeling of sending a text and seeing it show up on screen 10 minutes later, but there’s so much happening that we’ll be paralyzed if everyone is waiting to hear from me,” Licht told CNBC. “That’s just not how I operate.”

Who Eventually Replaces Jim Nantz Calling The NFL and The Masters?

Andy Masur
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By now you’ve heard the news about Jim Nantz. He is stepping away from his role as the lead announcer for CBS’ Final Four coverage after the 2023 Tournament in Houston. Ian Eagle will be elevated to the position, starting with the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Eagle is fully qualified to take over, in fact, he is as solid a number two as there is in network television. He’s been working on the #2 CBS broadcast of the NFL since 2014, when he was paired with Dan Fouts. Eagle now works with Charles Davis and the duo is primed and ready for a move up, should the need arrive.

With Nantz stepping away from the “Big Dance”, I’m sure CBS is pondering its future announce teams in the NFL and on the Masters coverage as well. Look, I am in no way pushing the uber talented Nantz out of any booth. In fact, I will really miss his calls on the Final Four telecasts in the future. But the reality is, the hierarchy at CBS needs to be ready to make a move at all times. No network wants to be caught with its pants down, so a natural succession plan is always in place.

With that being said, let’s just look into what could happen if Nantz were to move on from the NFL and the Masters. I truly believe that Nantz will not give up the Masters telecasts in the near future. As I wrote a couple of years ago in my “Anatomy of a Broadcaster” piece on Nantz, to me the golf is where Nantz really shines. His voice is soothing and relaxed. It’s measured in its pacing, matching the pictures and emotions on screen. 

Just for giggles, who would CBS tab to replace the great Nantz in the tower at 18? Here are a few candidates that come to mind:

Andrew Catalon

He’s been on CBS’ PGA Coverage since 2011 since he appeared on the network’s Masters broadcast. He’s called “Featured Group” coverage at the Masters and the PGA Championship for about a decade now. A few years ago, 2019 to be exact, he filled in for Nantz in the 18th Tower at the 3M Open in Minnesota. He had to prepare and traveled to Connecticut that year to sit in with Nantz and Nick Faldo to see what the big chair felt like.

“It was an eye-opener for me. It was incredibly helpful. Everyone was so supportive in reaching out. I learned a lot this past Saturday.” he told the The Times Union.

 “It was a big help for me to be up in Connecticut for that.”

Catalon is also familiar to viewers as a voice of the NFL and the NCAA Tournament.

Terry Gannon

Gannon started his career at ABC, calling college basketball and football. He also served as the voice of figure skating at the Tokyo Olympics. When ESPN/ABC merged, Gannon added golf to his resume.

In 2010, Gannon joined the broadcast team of the Golf Channel, which is owned by NBC. He serves as the #2 play-by-play announcer for the network’s coverage of the PGA and LPGA Tour. NBC has also used him as an Olympic voice, covering gymnastics, and also serving as a studio host.

Gannon is a very versatile voice in the sports world. I think his coverage of golf is, forgive the pun, on par with the best in the business. Gannon would be a great addition at CBS, not just for golf, but to give that network a lot of depth. He’s blocked at NBC by Dan Hicks, who is the lead guy for golf there.

These were the first two guys that came to my mind, that would not only be qualified for the gig, but would excel in the job. There are a few others that could be in consideration for this hypothetical job vacancy.

Steve Sands would be a good choice. He has plenty of experience as a host on the Golf Channel and as an interviewer for NBC’s coverage of the PGA Tour. A familiar face and voice to golf fans, he would also be a good fit.

How about Amanda Renner? In 2017 CBS hired her as a part-time golf reporter and a year later promoted her to a full-time reporter and added college football and NFL games to her duties. She seems very at ease and upbeat when interviewing golfers after their rounds. She would be a good choice too.

Fantasy world

Verne Lundquist. Wouldn’t it just be great to hear Uncle Verne on a golf telecast again?

Whoever would eventually step in would have big shoes to fill. Again, this is nothing imminent and thankfully so. But, like I said, I’m sure the network execs are making, or have already made lists of possible replacements. They have a job to do and that’s to make sure they get the right person in that booth.

I say now, we just enjoy the moments we have left with Nantz as the main voice of the Final Four. He is in a position to go out on his terms and spend more time with his family. He’s earned the right and more power to him.

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