Home Blog Page 2420

Gary Cohen, Duane Kuiper, Steve Stone Among Ford C. Frick Award Finalists

BSM Staff
-
0

The finalists for the 2023 Ford C. Frick Award were announced on Wednesday. The group to choose from is loaded with terrific baseball voices.

The ten finalists for the are: Dave Campbell, Joe Castiglione, Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Tom Hamilton, Jerry Howarth, Pat Hughes, Ernie Johnson Sr., Duane Kuiper and Steve Stone.

The award is presented annually for excellence in baseball broadcasting by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The winner of the 2023 Frick Award will be announced on Dec. 7 at baseball’s Winter Meetings in San Diego and will be honored during the July 22 Awards Presentation as part of the July 21-24 Hall of Fame Weekend 2023 in Cooperstown.

Final voting for the award will be conducted by the twelve living Frick Award recipients and three broadcast historians/columnists, including past Frick honorees Marty Brennaman, Bob Costas, Ken Harrelson, Jaime Jarrín, Tony Kubek, Denny Matthews, Tim McCarver, Al Michaels, Jon Miller, Eric Nadel, Bob Uecker and Dave Van Horne as well as historians/columnists David J. Halberstam (historian), Barry Horn (formerly of the Dallas Morning News), and Curt Smith (historian).

YES Network: “Satisfied as Hell” Judge’s 62nd Home Run Happened on YES

BSM Staff
-
0

In the end, everything worked out nicely for the YES Network in regards to the network’s coverage of Aaron Judge’s pursuit of his 62nd home run. On Tuesday night, the slugger sent one over the left field fence in the first inning and it was captured by the Yankees’ broadcast team and network.

“I’m very satisfied. I’m glad it didn’t happen on Apple, I’m glad it didn’t happen on Fox. I’m glad the entire country was watching us,” said Troy Benjamin, the Yankees game producer for YES. “Everything you see documented? YES Network did it. So damn right. I’m satisfied as hell.”

He and the network should be satisfied because Tuesday’s coverage netted big numbers for YES. The game averaged 636,000 total viewers, which is a strong indicator of a huge night considering Judge was removed from the game in the second inning and will not play the team’s season finale. The network saw a peak of 933,000 viewers in the New York DMA from 8:15-8:30p ET, the immediate quarter hour following Judge’s historic hit.

“Nobody covers the Yankees like we do. It was definitely poetic justice,” Benjamin said. “We set up for this. We’ve had everything in place for the Judge moment. No one else could have captured it like we did.”

Rich Zeoli: The Washington Post Story On Recessions Being Good Is Nonsense

BNM Staff
-
0
Rich Zeoli: The Washington Post Story On Recessions Being Good Is Nonsense

A recent story in The Washington Post has caught the ire of conservative commentators. Add 1210 WPHT new afternoon host Rich Zeoli to that list.

“Good news! Recessions are good for you. Who knew? Recessions are actually good! Good for the body, good for the spirit, good for the mind, if you are, in fact, an insane person,” Zeoli said. “Like The Washington Post, for example, that actually published this piece. ‘Seven Ways A Recession Could Be Good For You’.”

In the story written by Michelle Singletary, she lists seven ways a recession can be good financially. The list includes the fall of housing prices, used cars are worth more, the dollar is at its highest ever rate compared to the British pound, and unemployment is still low.

Zeoli countered that The Post is working to cover up missteps by the Biden administration and is trying to spin his political downfalls into a positive that even “insane people” wouldn’t believe.

“I’m telling you, when The Washington Post is coming out and saying ‘Good news! A recession is good for you!’ Feel good. Feel good on the inside about this. And the nonsense they explain on this.”

94 WIP’s Devan Kaney Joins Philadelphia Flyers as In-Arena Host

BSM Staff
-
0

The Philadelphia Flyers have added a familiar Philadelphia voice to its in-arena lineup with the signing of Devan Kaney.

The Pennsylvania native will split duties with Andrea Helfrich this season and will join Everett Jackson as an in-arena co-host and on-camera personality. She’ll be responsible for carrying out all on-ice and in-crowd promotions and segments and be a select community events throughout the hockey season.

“I’m so excited to be joining the Flyers family in this new role,” said Kaney. “Philly sports fans are one of a kind – they’re truly my people and I can’t wait to spend this NHL season behind the mic and in front of the best fans in the world as an in-arena host for the Flyers!”
 
Kaney made her debut with the team during the Flyers’ final preseason game on Tuesday night.

“Devan’s passion for Philadelphia sports paired with her impressive broadcasting resume makes her a perfect fit and a great addition to our in-arena hosting team,” said Mark Zarthar, Senior Vice President of Marketing for the Philadelphia Flyers. “Devan knows Flyers fans as well as anyone, and she will help us continue to provide our fans with the best game experience in sports.”

Kaney is a weekend and fill-in host for 94 WIP as well as a host on PhillyVoice Sports Bets and on the JAKIB Media Eagles postgame show.

Mike Breen Shares Gratitude To Supporters After House Fire

BSM Staff
-
0

Last week, Mike Breen’s Long Island home was destroyed by a fire. On Tuesday night, he returned to the air for the New York Knicks’ first MSG Network broadcast of the preseason and offered his gratitude for the support he has received since.

The longtime voice of the Knicks, first for WFAN then to MSG, waited until the final minute of a blowout Knicks victory to address the issue.

“I didn’t want to take anything away from the game,” Breen began, “I just want to give a heartfelt thanks to so many people who offered kindness and support this past week after the fire at my family’s home on Long Island. Just a reminder for me of how many wonderful people are in my life, yourself included and all family here at MSG, the Knicks and Madison Square Garden.”

Breen was speaking to his longtime broadcaster partner Walt Frazier. He continued.

“There will never be enough words adequate words to tell you how truly touched we all were and what a difference it made. Just incredible support. Me and my family the beneficiary of just unbelievable kindness. So thank you to so many.”

“You’re a good man, you’re always giving,” Frazier responded to Breen. “Always caring and sharing.”

‘Alex Wagner Tonight’ Ratings Down 34% From Rachel Maddow

BNM Staff
-
0

MSNBC has utilized a unique primetime lineup, having its most popular host — Rachel Maddow — only host a show one night a week. Maddow hosts on Monday evenings at 9:00 PM ET, and Alex Wagner hosts Alex Wagner Tonight the rest of the week in the same timeslot. Ratings for Wagner have seen a sharp decline compared to Maddow.

Oliver Darcy of CNN wrote a detailed piece surrounding Wagner’s ratings drop. In the month of September, Wagner’s ratings had dropped 50% compared to those of Maddow in the previous year in the coveted 25-54 demographic. Overall, Wagner’s ratings were 34% less than those of Maddow.

“A 50 percent drop in the key 25-54 demo is 50 percent drop in your billable viewer,” a former television executive told Darcy. “Imagine running a store or restaurant and losing 50 percent of your billable customers. Not your looky-loos. Your paying customers.”

Darcy also added that Wagner’s audience did beat CNN’s primetime lineup, but the ouster of Chris Cuomo also left a void in the network’s lineup that will be filled by Jake Tapper as the midterm elections approach.

Dave LaGreca Signs Extension With SiriusXM

BSM Staff
-
0

SiriusXM has announced it has agreed to a contract extension with Dave LaGreca, host of Busted Open, that will see the show and host remain the satellite broadcaster for years to come.

“I am very happy to cement my relationship with SiriusXM. The platform will continue to be the home for Busted Open and I appreciate every SiriusXM team member who has made the show a success,” said LaGreca. “As always and most importantly, I am able to live my dream because the Busted Open Nation is right there beside me. The Nation’s passion and energy are the lifeblood of this show and it’s been amazing to grow with you all.”

LaGreca began hosting Busted Open in 2009, and has seen it grow to one of the most prominent shows for wrestling fans.

“Dave has built Busted Open into the best wrestling show in all of radio through talent, dedication and sheer force of personality,” said Steve Cohen, SiriusXM’s SVP of Sports Programming and Podcasts. “Dave has been a valuable member of SiriusXM’s sports team since 2004, working as a producer before launching Busted Open. It has been wonderful to see him grow into a star on our airwaves and we are thrilled to have Dave and Busted Open on SiriusXM for years to come.”

Keith Olbermann: Early CNN Employees Raced To Bank To Ensure Checks Were Cashed

BNM Staff
-
0
Keith Olbermann: Early CNN Employees Raced To Bank To Ensure Checks Were Cashed

Keith Olbermann has been around the proverbial cable news block, working at CNN, MSNBC, and Current TV, among others. Olbermann shared an anecdote of his time working at CNN during its early days on his Countdown with Keith Olbermann podcast Wednesday.

While criticizing Warner Brothers Discovery CEO and President David Zaslav and his revelation that the company would be providing CNN staffers with “branded fleece vests” as a gift, Olbermann claimed CNN has come a long way since its founding.

“Two things: When I worked at CNN in the early 80s, we were brand new and would lose like $80 million an hour or whatever it was, we used to race each other with our new paychecks to the bank to make sure ours was the one that got cashed,” Olbermann revealed. “When that was the case, the Christmas gift in the sports department — personally bought for us by Ted Turner — were CNN sports caps. And we were damn surprised and pleased. The next year, 1983, the whole network got CNN rugby shirts. Mine lasted until like 1997. I wish I still had it. It was a great shirt. Great gift.”

Then, in true Olbermann fashion, he delivered a parting shot about Zaslav and CNN.

“Second thing: The branded fleece vests that Zaslav is giving today’s CNN staffers should have as the branding ‘We fired all the liberals to appease Trump and he sued us anyway and all I got was this lousy vest!'”

Michael Kay: Waiting For Aaron Judge’s 62nd Home Run ‘Got Really Really Old’

BSM Staff
-
0

Aaron Judge finally paid off the hype on Tuesday night in Arlington when he hit his 62nd home run, the most in a single season for any American League player in history. If fans thought they got sick of waiting for it to happen, just imagine how Michael Kay felt.

The television voice of the Yankees joined The Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday morning and said that he was as frustrated as everyone else. Preparing for a moment that could happen at any time requires a lot of juggling for a broadcaster.

“It became a little trying for everybody, and I am sure for the viewers as well Dan, because you’re doing television,” Kay said. “You know this is going to be a stand-alone at bat if he hits the home run, so you’ve got to layer all the important parts, you know, what’s coming up. And you know, we were also welcoming in a national audience that was joining us on ESPN and MLB Network. There was a lot of that bookkeeping to do. So after a while, it got really really old.”

Kay says he was not shielded from the criticism of the coverage Judge’s chase received. In fact, he did not disagree with the people that were turned off by the narrative that Aaron Judge’s 62 home runs was the new home run record despite Barry Bonds hitting 73 home runs in 2001.

“A lot of people were saying, and this was spurred on by Rober Maris Jr, who is a real gentleman, that this is the real record. It’s not the real record. Even Aaron Judge says it’s not the real record. The real record is Barry Bonds.”

He was also very aware of how frustrated college football fans were the last two Saturdays as games were interrupted on ESPN networks to show Judge’s at-bats. He noted that “negativity has a louder megaphone than anything positive,” but added that the message was clear.

“I guess everyone that wanted to see it was watching YES or the MLB Network and those that didn’t want to see it didn’t want to see it, so they wouldn’t be bothered with it.”

Mike Golic Nearly Took Morning TV Gig

BSM Staff
-
2

From 2000-2020, Mike Golic was a part of plenty of sports fans’ morning routines when he was on ESPN2 or ESPN Radio. Golic has done plenty of things since he and ESPN parted ways in 2020, but he almost went back to doing morning sports TV somewhere else.

Golic was a guest on The Dave Pasch Podcast this week and while he wouldn’t reveal specifics about which network offered him a return to morning sports TV, he did say he does enjoy sleeping in now in the mornings.

“I almost got back into morning TV. That was an iffy thing if I wanted to get up that early again.

“I would have had to move. It wasn’t radio at all. It was a morning sports TV show. It just didn’t work out. It was all amicable and everything. The toughest part about it in talking to my wife, she was like geez, you would be able to get up at 4:15 again? I’m almost 60, it wouldn’t have been for 20 years this time around. I’ve kind of gotten used to sleeping in till 7:30, 8:00, so that early wake-up call would have been interesting.”

Meanwhile, Golic mentioned over the last year or so, he has tried plenty of different media ventures, such as calling NFL games for Westwood One, college football games for Learfield, doing a podcast on DraftKings — Golic & Smetty — and doing guest appearances on Meadowlark Media with Dan Le Batard and StuGotz. One idea that was pitched to him was having his own podcast company.

“Somebody approached me about starting my own podcast company and I thought man, do I really want to go down that road? If I was 10-15 years younger, maybe I would. I hemmed and hawed with that.”

Pasch and Golic were on the call for college football games in 2020 on ESPN. Pasch was doing the play-by-play from his house while Golic was at the studios in Bristol. During that time, Golic’s biggest fear was that Pasch’s Wi-Fi would go out, but he thought the duo did a great job of making the audience feel like they were at the game when they weren’t.

“My biggest takeaway was the fear that your Wi-Fi would go out, which I think it did one time for a short time and I would be left alone to do play-by-play and color. That was the biggest fear I had. You were in your house, I was at least at the studios in Bristol. I had tons of monitors, I had everything I needed outside of being there.

“You doing it from your house and all the negative possibilities that could happen when you are trying to run a national TV broadcast from your house. That was pretty wild. It was crazy that we worked the whole season together and the first time we saw each other was my last game at ESPN (Fiesta Bowl). It was still a lot of fun. Our job was to call it like we were there and I think we did a pretty good job of that.”

1...2,4192,4202,421...2,773Page 2,420 of 2,773