Dr. Robert Malone told podcaster Joe Rogan that the U.S. government has systematically muted the mainstream media when it comes to reporting on COVID-19 and vaccines.
Dr. Malone, who recently had his Twitter account banned after the platform said he violated its community standards, believes top officials are actively conspiring to destroy any discussion of the “appropriateness of lockdown strategies.”
“We’re in an environment in which truth and consequence are fungible,” Malone told Rogan on episode #1757. “Medicine is being destroyed, globally. People are losing faith in the whole system, in the scientific enterprise, they’re losing faith in our government, they’re losing faith in the vaccine enterprise.”
Malone also suggested that some people have lost contact with reality through “mass formation psychosis.”
“How is a third of the population basically being hypnotized, and totally wrapped up in whatever the mainstream media and Dr. Fauci feeds them and whatever CNN tells them is true?” Malone said.
The conversation went viral, getting about 3 million views on this video alone over the weekend.
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Twitter has suspended a trio of accounts linked to some prominent political figures. The suspensions reportedly have to do with spreading COVID misinformation.
According to Mediaite, Grabien Media’s account was brought down after it shared a clip from Fox News featuring Rep. Andy Biggs discussing vaccines, Ivermectin, and big pharma.
“We require removal of content that may pose a risk to people’s health, including content that goes directly against guidance from authoritative sources of global and local public health information,” said Twitter.
The platform also suspended the account linked to Politics for All owner Nick Moar. Although it’s not clear why Twitter suspended this account, Moar also owns @NewsForAll and @FootballForAll. Both of those accounts are down as well.
Additionally, Twitter permanently suspended Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s personal account for spreading COVID-19 misinformation.
According to Business Insider, Greene repeatedly violated its COVID-19 misinformation policy.
The official representative account for Greene, a freshman Republican from Georgia, remains active on Twitter.
Greene criticized Twitter via GETTR citing instances where Democrats promoted violence and riots in 2020.
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Former President Donald Trump chastised network television executives for poor ratings and bad behavior during an interview with conservative news outlet Right Side.
Trump called the heads of NBC and Comcast “terrible people” and “terrible human beings” while bringing attention to spiraling ratings on CNN and MSNBC.
“The good news is that the ratings of CNN and MSNBC, which is just a terrible group of people, that whole NBC group and Comcast group, these are terrible people, terrible human beings … they’re just disgusting,” he said.
While in office, Trump associated the networks with “fake news” denouncing mainstream media when they reported stories that he did not agree with.
“If you look at CNN and MSNBC, their numbers are down the tubes, and that’s a good thing.” “But these are bad people over at Comcast,” Trump added.
Trump declined to say whether he was going to run for President citing campaign finance laws.
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Brandon Tierney is a star. Just ask anyone that has worked with him or that has been entertained by him. He has had success in markets large and small. Most recently, he said farewell to his CBS Sports Radio audience after a nine-year run on the national network. Now, it is time to get some professional wins that won’t just represent career goals. They will be the culmination of lifelong dreams as well.
If you were a New York sports fan in the 1980s, there are four iconic letters that have shaped the way you think and talk about sports. Brandon was just 14 years old when WFAN signed on at 1050 AM. Getting there was a goal of his as soon as he realized he was going to be a broadcaster.
While he eventually made it to 1050 AM, it was long after WFAN moved down the dial to 660 AM. That changes this week. Brandon Tienery and his partner of the last nine years, Tiki Barber, officially join the WFAN lineup.
Before the duo takes over the mid day slot, I had the chance to chat with Brandon about what the opportunity and the history of the station mean to him. We also talked about what Tiki & Tierney could change about the station and what the station will change about the show.
Demetri Ravanos: What does it mean to you to finally get that call and to now host a daytime show on WFAN?
Brandon Tierney: Surreal. The realization of my earliest industry dream. I never knew exactly how I would get there, or when, but I always believed that I would.
That aspiration was fuel early in my career. It balanced me, centered me no matter what part of the country I was living in or how far away from home I was. I always had an eye on working at WFAN.
In 1997, as an intern in the Promotions Department at the station, I used to recruit other interns and sneak into a small production studio at the back of the station in Queens and do mock shows. Every day. Sat behind a mic, and actually rolled thru topic after topic. We weren’t even recording, but the allure of that microphone and those topics. It was potent, like a drug. I was creating a template for how I would eventually host. Finding my style, my voice, what worked, what didn’t.
I remember being so disappointed when I was kicked out of that studio and forced to actually do something pertaining to promotions. All I wanted to do was talk. Promotions? Nahhh man, I just want to let it rip. And I’ve always dreamt of doing it on WFAN from Day 1.
DR: How did this radio station influence your entry to the business? Who did you listen to?
BT: WFAN is in my DNA. It’s a huge part of who I am, even though I’ve yet to launch the new show, It was just always there, engrained in my soul. The sound. The energy. The jingles. How big it felt when I was a kid.
My Dad always had it on in the car, starting with Imus. I fell asleep to the Schmooze. I was captivated by the back and forth of Mike and Chris, the combative nature of some for their debates. They made it sound so important because it was so important – to them, to us as a city. Our teams, Knicks vs Bulls, Knicks vs Pacers, Knicks vs Heat, Yankees vs Red Sox, Bobby V. You cannot fake that. You’re either all in or you’re out. We sniff out the posers right away, we know when a host truly cares and we definitely know when someone is just wasting a few hours a day on the radio collecting a paycheck.
I view that as a personal affront to New York fans. They deserve the best. They’ve had the best. They demand the best. And it is my mission to continue that lineage, to make it even better with my slant and my style. But it’s not going to happen overnight.
I’m not naive. I have to earn the trust and respect of a new audience. I’m entering this phase of my career almost as if no one knows who I am. I don’t assume that listeners will remember me from my days at 1050 ESPN Radio or SNY or St. John’s. It’s a blank slate. And I can’t wait to begin creating something meaningful and God willing, something lasting and palpable.
DR: When Spike Eskin and Chris Oliviero raised the idea of moving over with Tiki to the local side, were there any reservations on your end or Tiki’s?
BT: Zero. The timing is right. I’ve always leaned on my instincts in this business and trusted my gut, and thankfully those instincts have always led me to a better place. To leave New York for San Francisco in 2011, of course there were real doubts, but deep down I was confident that was the right move, and it was.
I didn’t know it then, but it was preparing me for a 9-year national run. It added depth to my on-air game. It enabled me to do a four-hour Sunday morning NFL show (TOPS) for seven years, to mix it up with Coach Cowher and Boomer and eventually Nate. It diversified my game. And most importantly, it brought me back home, to the company that owns the FAN. That part definitely put me in position to make the jump back into local waters.
There were two levels to this move: the emotional level, which I was fully on board with from minute one. And of course the business side, which we were able to hammer out fairly quick. Once the two meshed, it was a no-brainer.
DR: After spending a decade on CBS Sports Radio, which is right next door to WFAN, how many times did you walk past the studio & think to yourself ‘that’s where I belong!’?
BT: I think I did a good job of balancing what I can control versus what I cannot and really just living in the moment. I appreciated what we were building on the national level. and investing all of my energies into that. Every year our profile and reach grew, especially when we launched the TV simulcast five years ago. Growth was my singular focus.
Candidly, of course, my mind occasionally wandered. I missed the energy and juice of local, but I did not live looking backwards. There were really no “what ifs,” just a desire to create something compelling, something memorable, and something lasting with Tiki.
If you squeeze too hard, things tend to fall out of your grasp. Personal maturity and a confidence in my place in the business allowed me to just be immersed in the show, to be present in the show, without constantly hoping for change.
Yes, without elaborating, there were a few times the past few years where it seemed as if my platform was poised to change. But for a multitude of reasons, it never happened, and I always took solace in the fact that it simply was not meant to be. Not yet. You can’t speed up fate. You can try, but it’s almost always more damaging than rewarding and beneficial.
DR: One interesting thing I think is that you have been in the building, just not at WFAN, as legends like Mike, Chernoff, and Steve said goodbye. You’ve been influenced by them as a listener, they have been co-workers. Chernoff was even your boss at CBSSR. But you represent a new era for the station without those names. How do you process that and what was it like to see and interact with that history in the way that you did?
BT: I do not take that responsibility lightly, I embrace it. And as much as we rightly romanticize what WFAN used to be, to me, I’m very impressed with our current lineup and looking forward to joining my new teammates. We have a ton of talent with diverse deliveries, different personalities and styles.
For me, Boomer represents the quintessential player-turned-broadcaster: big presence, great playing resume, ability to expand on all sports, a true fan, which a lot of former athletes are not. When he speaks, it carries weight, but he’s also very comfortable laughing at himself and with others. And he better be, because sitting next to Gio every morning is a ride in itself. I think Gregg’s comedic timing and unpredictability are outstanding. He’s another talent willing to laugh at himself. He is legitimately funny and truly a good dude.
As for Craig and Evan, like any new show, naturally, they are still finding their ultimate footing together. But their individual talents are so obvious. Evan is a true fan. The dude knows his stuff as well as anyone in the city. He’s a walking sports search engine. And being wired like that myself, I truly appreciate that. Now, our deliveries are very different and we are two completely different personalties, but the work required to be that in tune with so many different things, I get it and I really respect it.
As for Craig, I view him as a radio genius, and I’ve told him that. New York radio is simply better when Carton has a mic. His ability to keep things moving, to piss people off, to hit areas most people are unwilling or unable to effectively hit, he was born for this job.
So again…the history and roots of WFAN are what pulled me, but adding to that unmatched legacy, that drives me. As for my partner, I simply love the guy. At the top of the list in terms of intelligence. Just a naturally curious person. Adaptable. We play off each other well. He knows when I’m getting ready to enter my zone, when the voice raises, the hands start flying and the beads of sweat build…and he allows me the space needed to be me. To do what I do.
It’s such an underrated aspect of a partnership. Mike was great with that with Chris. When it was time to explode, Mike surrendered the stage, so to speak. And long ago, l learned what drives him, and I surrender the space as well. But segment to segment, day to day, we are just in sync. We see the world in a very similar manner. We both subscribe to hard work, accountability, and common sense. We both come from relatively humble beginnings. But we also disagree on enough things inherently where there is an equal give and take. Nothing is contrived. Our deliveries are polar opposites.
Personally, I think Tiki is going to love local. He’s never experienced radio quite like this. You strap in every day. Bring a hard hat, exhale, and do it all again the next day and the day after. It’s like being back in the trenches, back on a field.
DR: Looking at WFAN, Gregg Giannotti, Craig Carton & yourself have hosted in other cities. Spike Eskin has programmed in other cities, yet others have moved up the ladder within the building to earn their shot. There’s no one way to be successful there anymore. How do you feel the experience of working in other major markets has made you capable of handling the big stage in NYC?
BT: I would not change a thing, quite frankly. As a young broadcaster with no family commitments at that time, traveling the country, chasing my dreams, it added a layer of depth that I believe is very much an asset for me on-air: toughness. Nothing was easy and nothing was handed to me.
I always felt natural behind a mic, but my actual broadcasting ascent was an arduous one. Lots of tough decisions and blind faith, an empty bank account until the age of almost 30. Granted, some people’s paths are more linear than mine. It’s a straight shot. Graduate from college, hook up with a local radio or TV station before slowly ascending to a more visible position. There are many examples of that in our field and in our market, highly successful talents who never left the city.
But for me, it was an amazing, galvanizing experience. The different traditions of each fan base, the politics of each city…I embraced it all. But even throughout all of my travels deep down, my focus was always on working and thriving in New York. It was my magnet.
Mentally, I never wavered from that New York sensibility, with the belief that I would eventually return home one day better than ever. When? Where? With whom? I wasn’t sure, but I always had conviction I would be back. I always felt as if I had unfinished business in New York.
DR: Aside from the obvious content selection, how will Tiki & Tierney on WFAN be different from the nationally syndicated version of Tiki & Tierney?
BT: Callers. On the national level, it’s all about topic development. It’s paramount to see things and present them in an interesting, non-obvious way. So there was the constant inner battle of talking about Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers but doing so in a way that was different from say, Colin Cowherd or Dan Patrick. That is a lot tougher than you think.
Locally, it’s about tapping into the vein of informed, passionate fans. The presentation is different. It’s a quicker pace. The tone is different. Still authentic, still intelligent…but a bit more raw, which I love. It’s natural. From the moment you open that mic locally, there is a rush and surge of adrenaline that is hard to describe and for me, nearly impossible to replicate in any other facet of my life. That pure, unfiltered mix of every possible emotion wrapped up into one memorable rant or take? It’s the best. It’s what drives me professionally, still to this day. It’s almost like chasing the perfect golf shot. When everything clicks, when it all meshes, you feel like your flying.
DR: Is there anything about national radio you will miss when the show goes local?
BT: I had the great fortune of having a very large platform during a very pivotal, volatile time in American history. The world was changing and we had a lot of important conversations that I will always cherish. They were uncomfortable conversations that we brought an element of comfort to, conversations and topics that transcended sport. Real depth. That’s probably the best part of doing a national show. The reach.
Generally there is more surface stuff in national. More macro and less micro, less in the weeds.
But I like the weeds and have always enjoyed the nuance of local. I love the intimacy, but national gives you a chance to branch out in a way that that local does not. It was a nice weapon, one I took very seriously.
DR: Any concerns about interacting with a vocal Giants fan base that has a love/hate relationship with Tiki?
BT: We relish it. I know Tiki does. Listen, there’s no way around it, people are going to test Tiki early. Some are going to come to the table with a gripe or preconceived perception of who he is or what he did. A gripe that he retired early, resentment about what he said about Eli and Coughlin.
The irony is that during the time in which he said what said, we were ALL saying the same exact thing on the local airwaves. There was no real evidence early that Eli was absolutely going to elevate the Giants to prominence and there was little evidence Coughlin was going to do the same despite success in Jacksonville. He was inflexible. Some thought his style was antiquated, that it would no longer work with the modern athlete. It was not seamless for either with the Giants.
I think at the end of the day, Tiki was only guilty of one thing: bad timing. When he said what he said, it came across as malicious, but that was never the intent. He was transitioning to the media, and I think the tone was unintentionally lost. Do I think Tiki could have communicated his thoughts on Eli better? I do. It was a bit awkward.
Forget about this business for one second though. Let’s just talk character. I’ve always taken immense pride in reading people, being able to decipher good intentions versus malicious ones. I’ve sat in the same studio with Tiki every day for nearly a decade. I know his character. I know the type of father he is. I know how well-intentioned and selfless he is with all of his charitable endeavors. Some fans will come with venom initially. I fully expect that and so does he. But I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t win them over quickly.
If you truly know Tiki Barber the person, the man, the father and husband, the concerned citizen, you can’t help but like the guy. And oh yeah, by the way, he’s one of the greatest players in the history of New York football, so there’s always that.
DR: When you consider how WFAN was built over the past three decades and compare it to the new lineup and direction entering 2022 and beyond, what final message do you have for New York sports fans who’ve made this brand a huge part of their lives?
BT: I do not take this responsibility lightly. I view it as if I am finally putting on the pinstripes, the absolute best brand in all of sports radio. This has always been a dream of mine. I’m from here. Grew up in Brooklyn and high school in Manhattan. My parents still live in the same home I grew up in. Sister lives in Manhattan. Both sets of grandparents lived in Brooklyn.
My roots run deep in this city. I’m one of you. I just happen to be blessed with a microphone every day. I can promise you we will not always agree and we will most definitely battle, but you will get my absolute best. Every fiber in my body will be fixated on doing this job to the absolute best of my capability. If you’re thinking it, I can promise you I will have the balls to say it. And back it up. When I’m wrong, I will own it. I don’t hide and I won’t duck. I will be accountable and I will demand accountability and transparency from every team in this market. Fans deserve that. Every morning at 10 AM, a little piece of Mike and Chris and Joe B and the Schmooze and all of the other great pioneers of this amazing network of voices and personalities will be with me in spirit.
I’ll do it my way, the only way I know how. I will be true to who I am and what I believe in. And I hope that before long, people will say, “You know, that BT, I really like that dude. He’s a little nuts, a little loud, but he knows his shit. Would love to have a beer with that guy.”
I’ve been fueled by this crazy dream I conjured up all those years ago. I’m ready. That’s my message for New York and New Jersey. Now, it’s time to stop telling you what I’m going to do. It’s time to simply start doing it.
Things just seem to feel different this year as we near December 25. A surge of new COVID-19 cases driven by the spread of the omicron variant has fostered feelings of apprehension and uncertainty around the world. People are adjusting and/or canceling their holiday plans while remaining vigilant during this winter surge.
Courtesy: Getty Images
One of the institutions embarking in this battle is the National Basketball Association, a league that has seen 115 players enter its COVID-19 health and safety protocols this month alone. Currently, those testing positive for COVID-19 have to remain in the protocols for a minimum of 10 days, or if a player registers two negative COVID-19 PCR tests from samples obtained in a span of more than 24 hours. Many of the league’s superstar players have entered the protocols, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, Luka Dončić and Trae Young, all of whose teams are scheduled to take the floor Saturday. The NBA, however, has no plans to pause the 2021-22 season for now, instead opting to adjust to live with the threat of COVID-19 looming large.
ESPN and ABC will mark its 20th season bringing viewers exclusive coverage of all the action around the NBA on Christmas Day Saturday, broadcasting 13 hours of studio and game programming. The game action begins with a First Round rematch between the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks from Madison Square Garden. The day continues on with the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks hosting the Boston Celtics at 2:30 p.m. E.S.T., followed by a showdown between the two best teams in the Western Conference – the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns – at 5 p.m. E.S.T. Shortly thereafter, the primetime game takes place on both ABC and ESPN at 8 p.m. E.S.T. between the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers from the newly-renamed Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif., with the statuses of stars Kevin Durant and LeBron James in question due to health and safety protocols and an ankle injury, respectively. Finally, the day concludes from Salt Lake City, Utah as the Dallas Mavericks visit the Utah Jazz at 10:30 p.m. E.S.T.
Throughout the game coverage, ESPN analysts Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon, Jalen Rose, joined by host Mike Greenberg, will provide their knowledge, expertise and opinions to fans on NBA Countdown. The cast of the show was reconstructed prior to the tipoff of the NBA season, and is up 51% in its ratings as compared to last season, consistent with the 26% increase in NBA regular season game viewership on ESPN.
“In a very short period of time, the NBA Countdown team has delivered a very consistent product based on what I believe to be their strong knowledge of the sport, their relentless commitment to working around the clock if necessary, and the commitment to just the sports fans in general,” said Dave Roberts. “We all know that this show has been the subject of press in the past, and I just want to underscore that point [and the ratings increase] because I think it’s relevant as we head into the most important day [of the season] besides the NBA Finals.”
Throughout the year, protocols have been put in place at ESPN to ensure the health and safety of on-air talent and other staff and personnel both in studio and for broadcasts on the road. Additionally, media members have had to follow enhanced protocols at various NBA arenas, including TD Garden in Boston, Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and Madison Square Garden in New York.
“We’ve been in arenas, and we have followed some new and really fascinating protocols in order to be on the floor unmasked,” explained Mike Greenberg, host of NBA Countdown. “[Additionally], the protocols at our studios at the Seaport are stringent and have been in place since the beginning of the pandemic, and ESPN has done a great job seeing to it that those are enforced.”
Courtesy: ESPN
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the primary goal of television programs and broadcasts on ESPN was to be as close to perfection as possible. As circumstances have changed across the globe however, the nature of broadcast production has fundamentally shifted to ensure networks can continue to bring their viewers compelling and engaging content each day, albeit its presentation may not be up to par to what it had been within a lone studio environment in the past.
“I think the idea that it’s not going to always be perfect is now accepted,” said former NBA player and ESPN analyst Jalen Rose. “The idea of bringing people on with FaceTime or remotes – that wasn’t necessarily encouraged. It was tolerated. Now not only do multimedia personalities accept that [as] the way it is, but also fans accept the way it is. So if somebody was doing an interview now on TV and their television screen starts buffering, two years ago the television world would freak out because we are all about perfection, but now we understand that that’s going to happen, and it’s the new climate that we live in.”
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While NBA coaches and team personnel were required to receive a COVID-19 vaccination before the start of the season, NBA players were not – since they are under the aegis of the National Basketball Players Association. Nonetheless, 97% of NBA players have been vaccinated, with 65% of those players receiving a booster shot, something that has been scientifically proven to be advantageous in diminishing severe effects of the omicron variant. Yet there have been some notable players who have opted not to get vaccinated, including Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards, Jonathan Isaac of the Orlando Magic and Michael Porter Jr. of the Denver Nuggets.
As he battles a COVID-19 diagnosis himself, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, who is vaccinated, believes NBA Commissioner Adam Silver needs to invoke the “Best Interest of the Game Clause” and mandate players be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to maintain the competitive integrity of the game and allow for the completion of the season, something integral to media outlets covering the league.
“The only time a pause should take place is for the NBA to conduct a meeting with all the players in attendance and say: ‘Okay – either you all accept this vaccine mandate, or we’re going into a bubble. Those are your two choices,’” said Smith. “‘Pick one because what we’re not going to do is let the season come to a halt. We’re not doing it.’”
Due to New York City mandates put into place by Mayor Bill de Blasio, Irving, along with any other players on teams within New York City, is unable to enter an indoor arena without proof of vaccination, making him ineligible to play home games at Barclays Center, and across the East River at Madison Square Garden when the Nets visit the Knicks. Wherefore Irving’s limited availability as a result of his objection in getting vaccinated against COVID-19, the Nets decided not to allow him to play in any of its games this season, despite him being eligible to play games in all other cities outside of The Big Apple.
Since that decision was made in October though, the Nets, despite holding the best record in the Eastern Conference, have been decimated by injuries, causing star players Kevin Durant and James Harden to consistently play heavier minutes. Because of this and the organization’s championship aspirations, the team made the controversial move to allow the unvaccinated Irving to rejoin the team. During the intake process, though, Irving reportedly registered either an inconclusive or positive COVID-19 test, thus placing him in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
The story has garnered much media attention throughout the first quarter of the NBA season, with Smith frequently voicing his opinion on the matter on First Take and Stephen A.’s World. As the saga has unfolded, a consistent point of emphasis articulated by Smith is that despite his “box office” talent, Irving is often not available or willing to play for various non-basketball related reasons. A core principle of Smith in his work ethic is to be available when called upon at ESPN, hence why he fully intends to be on the air, albeit remotely, on Saturday.
“The one obligation we have [as broadcasters] is to make sure that come hell or high water, 99 times out of 100, we’re there,” said Smith. “And the one time we ain’t there, it’s a damn good reason for us not to be there. Guess what? The same is applicable to any professional athlete; any professional coach; any professional team because you’re asking the audience to take time out of their busy schedule and to ingratiate themselves with whatever it is that you are offering… You [have] got to show up to work, or there needs to be a damn good reason why you’re not.”
“The loyalty that the fans used to have to teams, they don’t have anymore,” Rose said in response to Smith’s point. “Like Stephen A. was talking about, they now follow the players. What ends up happening is, yes, these same fans during the regular season are now conditioned that they know the best players might not be playing anyway because of load management.”
While football is the number one sport in the United States, Rose expressed that NBA players are simply more famous than National Football League players.
“You can go by any metric,” said Rose. “You can go by social media. You can go by commercials. You can go by the Forbes list. You can go by whatever you want. Basketball players are more famous than football players.”
For that reason, along with the sheer intrigue it would undoubtedly cultivate across the basketball landscape, Irving returning is a scenario that could resurrect some disappointment among fans amid a flurry of absent NBA players in health and safety protocols.
“I only root for the most interesting possible things to happen,” opined Greenberg, “and so with that in mind, I would love nothing more than to see [Kyrie Irving] go running out there on Saturday. I have no idea, literally none, whether he will or he won’t, but it sure would help us make this Christmas Day as memorable as any that I can think of in recent NBA years.”
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All major media networks have adapted to producing and disseminating content across multiple platforms to align with consumption trends and meet consumer demand, a process that has been expedited because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout Christmas Day, every one of the five matchups, along with telecasts of NBA Countdown, will be able to stream on the ESPN App. The prime-time game between the Nets and the Lakers will be broadcast on ESPN Radio with Marc Kestecher on the play-by-play and P.J. Carlesimo providing color commentary, along with the preceding game between the Warriors and the Suns with Sean Kelley and Ros Gold-Onwude on the call. Additionally, fans can watch the digital pregame show Hoop Streams, featuring Chiney Ogwumike and Christine Williamson, on the ESPN App, plus its simulcasts on the social media platforms Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Everyone covering games on those platforms are optimistic for the future of this NBA season. But for now, they understand the fluidity and precariousness of a surge that everyone hopes is ephemeral in scope through a holiday season of disquiet and a dearth of quotidian ways of life.
“My mentality is that… the NBA [and] the networks themselves [are] putting forth their due diligence,” said Smith. “It’s a global pandemic that we’re talking about here, and everybody is acting like everybody is supposed to know the answers. Well, even the scientists don’t have all the answers. They’re figuring it out as we go along. We have to understand that, respect that, and come together as best as we possibly can to put forth our due diligence to make sure that we insulate ourselves.”
It was March 4, 2011. Harry Teinowitz, then one of the afternoon hosts on ESPN 1000 in Chicago, was arrested for driving under the influence. While it may have contributed to him losing his gig with the station a couple of years later, the incident forced him into rehab and ultimately may have saved his life.
Teinowitz had been a fixture in the Chicago sports landscape. He combined a ‘rain man’ like memory for details of games and uniform numbers with a unique voice and unique takes. With a comedy background, Teinowitz was the guy with the off-the-wall commentary. I’ve worked with Harry on a few occasions and you have to be ready for anything, which is actually kind of a cool thing. He challenged you, in a good way, to be on your toes and think quickly on your feet.
After a long career in radio in Chicago, he found himself without a job in the industry. Opportunities weren’t coming as they normally did. Teinowitz took it upon himself to create entertainment from a piece of himself, to share with the audience what it was like for him to go through all that he did.
Thus, When Harry Met Rehab was born. The stage play is currently running in Chicago and has been met with rave reviews. Teinowitz was able to secure the services of Dan Butler, who played Bulldog on Frasier, to play Harry. Melissa Gilbert also stars in the play as ‘Barb’, Harry’s therapist. Of course, you remember Gilbert from Little House on the Prairie.
I caught up with Harry this week to chat about the play and his past life and present.
Andy Masur: What was your life like, before you went into rehab?
Harry Teinowitz: It was fun. A little hectic, and unfulfilled, but fun.
AM: How difficult was it to come to terms with what was happening to you?
HT: I never realized I needed to come to terms until I was a month into rehab.
AM: Did your job in Sports Talk radio contribute to the stresses?
HT: You know it did. My first real job was working for my dad in commercial real estate. It was there I figured out deals aren’t always made in a conference room. They’re made at ball games, in restaurants, and in all kinds of bars. Working for an FM rock station, “The LOOP” (97.9 FM Chicago), was the first time I was going out and doing appearances for the station. They would pick me up then when it was over, they would drive me home, so I could be the life of the party and everybody else there could be at a kick-ass soirée.
In sports radio I had many more of those appearances where I’d say come watch the game with me, I’ll be in this town at this bar. But in order to make our show different a lot of times we would go to a game so we could talk about it from our perspective the next day. Well, you can bet there was alcohol consumption at all these games and when I finish there I know there’s a good chance when the game is over I’d go out afterwards as well.
AM: When did you first get the idea to write a play about your experience?
HT: I have been out of work twice in radio, both times it wasn’t my agent who got me my next job it was me. Just by calling different stations and setting up a meeting with the program director where we could connect and both times, I found a job. Once after four months once after six. However, the third time, nothing was happening.
At a certain point it became clear to me they were just as happy to go with young people who would work for less than I would and that didn’t have a D.U.I. that was in the newspapers four days in a row and even once made it as the second story on the 5:00 news. I was spending so much time trying to get work and I felt like I was wasting my days so I decided I had to create something tangible. I started out with a movie and then five days later I thought, why am I making up a story when there’s one inside of me that’s been burning a hole because it needs to come out?
AM: How difficult was the process of getting all your thoughts together?
HT: It wasn’t that difficult. First, I went from memory, then I went through all the homework that I had done while I was in rehab. Yeah, they give you homework in rehab.
Then I researched the hell out of it and just sort of settled in with the idea because I knew nothing about it and how important it was in getting me on the path to sobriety my story had to be from start to finish about rehab. With the exception of the opening D.U.I. scene that’s exactly what it is. Also, I knew I wanted to have these other characters, I was in there with, be in my play, but I hadn’t written one in the show. Spike (Manton, a former radio partner and the eventual co-writer) asked me if he could read it and after he consumed the script, he said this can’t be a one-man show. We have to bring all these characters to life, so that’s what we did.
About a week after that I asked him, “What do you mean, we?”
AM: Emotionally, what is it like to see the finished product on stage and being acted?
HT: Throughout rehearsals, as I watched it, I felt like it was important I was there. I could make changes and Spike was there watching so he could make changes. We could get the story even better. But, to sit there in the audience for these shows, it’s so bizarre.
A big part of my getting sober was going to these meetings that we go to and I still go to. It was being honest in rehab so I’ve learned to not have any secrets when I’m around other people. They’re in the same program but it’s another thing when they get brought up on stage and everybody kind of goes, “Wow, he did that?”
AM: What do you think of sports radio today? Do you still listen?
HT: That’s a good question. It’s hard for me to listen. I never took one day on the air for granted. I appreciated every day that I got to come to work for that fantasy job. Then because of a really bad decision on my part, it was all taken away from me.
Currently, I have a wonderful publisher who has tasked me with a glorious opportunity. I’ve got a dream producer for the play and he’s focused on this show and has all kinds of plans for it. The possibilities are exciting. The feedback from the audience has been humbling. The critics who have reviewed the show are picking up on everything and I’m so appreciative of all of them for walking into the theater with an open mind and not saying ‘oh great here comes another one of them damn battles with alcoholism stories.’ Obviously, the great reviews mean a lot to me and help drive ticket sales but the specific things they each say invigorates me. So, I’m looking forward to what happens with, When Harry Met Rehab, but my dream scenario is the next thing that I write. Whether it’s with Spike, someone else, our family cat, or one of the kids in the neighborhood, that I would have another opportunity to work with (producer) Don (Clark).
However, I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t think about getting back on radio.
Put yourself in the shoes of a professional athlete. You have just retired from playing the game that you love, a craft you have been perfecting from the moment you stepped onto the field, and are wondering what comes next. These thoughts are quite common among retiring athletes. For many of them, stepping away from the sport as a player does not mean they step away from it completely.
After 15 years in the NBA, JJ Redick retired from playing but still remains involved in the landscape of the game as an analyst for ESPN. Similarly, former National Football League defensive end Chris Canty, following 11 years in the NFL, joined 98.7 FM ESPN Radio New York as an on-air host, and has seen his role evolve into working as a national host for ESPN Radio.
Many former athletes have or are in the process of establishing themselves as integral parts of the world of sports media, whether it be as an on-air host, analyst, contributor, executive, etc. Former athletes bring a perspective other commentators lack; that is, the ability to place themselves in the mindset of those on the field or court or ice, and discuss things from that angle.
Lou Merloni played Major League Baseball for nine seasons, the first five of which with his hometown Boston Red Sox. Merloni finished his career with a .271 batting average, and a .716 OPS as a second baseman in stints with the Red Sox, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Angels. After retiring in 2007, Merloni worked to find his niche in sports media, starting at WEEI as a co-host on The Big Show. Additionally, Merloni began his foray on the television side as an analyst on NESN’s Boston Red Sox pregame and postgame shows during the 2008 season. Today, Merloni continues to work at WEEI with Fauria as a co-host of Merloni and Fauria on weekdays from 2-6 p.m.
Tom Waddle played six seasons in the NFL as a wide receiver for the Chicago Bears. In 60 games, Waddle had 183 receptions and 2,109 yards, and retired from the game prior to the start of the 1995 season. Waddle has had roles on radio and television since his retirement Waddle currently serves as a football analyst for WLS-TV, and a co-host of Waddle and Silvy with longtime radio personality Marc Silverman on ESPN 1000 Chicago on weekdays from 2-6 p.m.
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Derek Futterman: How would you describe your relationship with the media during your playing days?
Lou Merloni (Host, WEEI): I think I had a pretty friendly relationship with all of those guys. I was a utility guy in Boston, but I think I made friends with a lot of the media members.
Tom Waddle (Host, ESPN 1000 Chicago): It was very friendly. I played from ‘89 to ‘95 and thought the relationship between all the players and the media – for the most part – was pretty good. I would definitely say that I had a good relationship with a lot of the guys covering the team. I actually was also doing some media work towards the tail end of my career, so I kind of looked at some of those guys as a good resource to guide me to do what I was going to do.
Futterman: What similarities exist, if any, between playing and talking about the game?
Lou Merloni: [As an athlete,] the test… is the game itself. And the test for us is the actual show itself. You really can’t accomplish either one if you don’t put the work in beforehand. If you’re playing — if you’re not doing the right things — taking your ground balls; taking batting practice; going over scouting reports, you’re not going to be prepared for the game. I feel like it’s the same thing with radio and the show. All the real work is done the night before in watching a game and writing down notes and waking up the next day and reading and thinking about what you want to do and putting a show together. And the test is the actual show, and at that point you have everything in front of you and you just perform.
Tom Waddle: [It is] very competitive. There are very few jobs and an immense number of people that want those jobs. There is a certain level of competition. It’s a challenge for sure; you’re in an arena that you might not be as comfortable in. You have to perform; when the light goes on in television, or when the music stops and it’s your turn to talk on the radio, you’ve got to have something to say.
Futterman: What do you say to those who might say you are unable to understand a fan’s point of view due to not experiencing the highs and lows in the same way they have?
Merloni: For me, it’s being in Boston where I grew up. I was a fan of the teams — following them as a fan, thinking as a fan, before I was a member of the Red Sox. When we were in the ALCS, you’re thinking as a professional athlete in the moment, but there are times you sit back, and say ‘Man, we win this game, we go to the World Series.’ And thinking as a fan: ‘[If we win,] we are going to the World Series.’ Sometimes the job takes you in different areas where you have to be more critical than you would be if you were just a fan, but I was a fan first before I was a professional athlete.
Waddle: I think I got a head start on that because I was a blue collar player who was probably less athletic than most of the fans who were listening to us. I think I had a great relationship to begin with because there was an identity that existed from my playing days. I came into the industry, and my thought was: ‘I’m going to be honest. I’m going to give you the perspective I have. I’m going to be professional and tell you how I feel.’ I respect the players; the audience; and the fans, and in some ways, you have to walk a fine line by giving them what they deserve and respect, but not becoming personal. I came into the industry with the benefit of kind-of knowing how it stings when people are critical in a personal manner, and kind of felt that would be something that was going to be a focal point of my next career.
Futterman: How has being part of a team as an athlete differed from being part of a team as a broadcaster?
Merloni: It’s interesting. As much as baseball is a team sport, it’s probably the most individual sport of them all because my teammates, even though there’s things we can see and help with one another, whether it be scouting reports, when I’m in the box it’s up to me. When a guy hits me a ground ball, it’s up to me. There are ways where teammates definitely help you, but for the most part, it’s up to you to get the job done. I actually think in the media when you are doing a show with somebody, you rely on them more than you rely on a teammate to help you do your job in baseball. When it comes to baseball, I rely on my teammate for that show to click more.
Waddle: There’s some similarities, obviously. I don’t know that it is significantly different. Maybe smaller teams — on the air, it’s myself and Marc Silverman, and we have two producers. I live by the same concepts that everyone’s contributing and that no one is more important than anyone else. I was one of 11 in an offensive huddle; now I’m one of four doing a show from 2-6. I think there are more similarities than differences to be honest with you.
Futterman: Having been coached as a player, what similarities and differences have you noticed in handling feedback from media bosses?
Merloni: I think it’s a lot easier being a pro athlete receiving constructive criticism than maybe somebody who’s never gone through that before. As an athlete, if I’m not hitting well, I’m searching for answers and relying on resources and coaches to try to get me to where I want to be. And I don’t care what kind of criticism I hear from them; as long as it gets it to where I want to be — that’s all that matters. When you’re in the radio business, that doesn’t bother me — I just want to know what I need to do to be better. I think hearing that as a pro athlete; you are able to take those criticisms in this profession a little bit better than maybe some.
Waddle: You’ve got to be receptive to it. Just because I played in the NFL doesn’t mean I deserve any special type of treatment or recognition as a broadcaster. I want to be treated the same way by my bosses as I was by Mike Ditka – minus some yelling – as a player. I don’t have any problem with somebody coming in and saying, ‘Hey, guess what? I think you should have gone this direction with the interview.’ I am not above being coached, that’s for damn sure.
Futterman: How do you manage criticizing former teammates or friends on the air?
Merloni: That was the hardest part — the first few years of doing radio. When some of my former teammates and friends were still on the team. It made it a lot easier when some of those guys left, and I was able to look at it critically. I’ve always kind-of felt like the athlete will always be able to look himself in the mirror. Initially, they might not like what they hear, but at the same point, if it’s wrong that’s one thing. But if you are talking about ex-teammates or friends, you know them well, and you kind of know the reasons why things are going south. It’s not that they want to hear those things, but deep down, they might know that that’s the reason. That was probably the toughest thing to do for those first few years.
Waddle: It’s part of your job. I think you can be critical without being an asshole. As long as you don’t cross the line, or start making comments that are personally offensive, I don’t think that you’re crossing the line. I think the job is to give the opinions and analysis they brought you in to give; you have to have strong thoughts. I don’t have any inclination to want to take cheap shots at anybody; I don’t think it’s necessary, and I don’t think you’re doing anyone any favors.
Futterman: Who was the first player, coach or executive who you ticked off with something you said?
Merloni: Probably the first one was Terry Francona. I remember it was NESN right after a game, and there was a situation. I think I said after a game that I felt like [a player] should have bunted [in a situation]. That was the first time I had a conversation with a manager [as a member of the] media. It was one of those — you don’t have all the information; you don’t this, you don’t that. And I was like, ’No, I don’t. Unless you want to call and discuss it. All I can base it off of is what I see and what I know.’ We know in the media that we don’t know. There’s a lot of things that happen in the dugout and clubhouse that we don’t know about, but when we’re asked to react about it immediately, we can only base it off of our experiences and opinions. I always respected the fact that Terry wanted to talk to me about it, and we sort of moved on.
Waddle: There’s no question about that. I was working with David Kaplan on WGN Radio, and we were in a broadcast trailer outside of Wrigley Field. I think it was a weekend game, and we were doing postgame coverage of the Cubs, and our show branched out into all sports arenas. We had Jerry Krause on, and we were previewing a draft prospect or something of that nature and I asked a question about a particular player in college, and the college season was over at the time, so it wasn’t an inappropriate question. Jerry bit my head off, and became very unprofessional with me. I remember taking my headset off, and looking at David Kaplan, and going ‘Well, you can take this the rest of the way — I’m done.’ That just didn’t sit well with me, and maybe I was being a dumbass or a hothead about it, but even someone as accomplished as Jerry Krause, I just thought it was an unnecessary approach he took to my question. I think that was the first time I was exposed to somebody giving me hell about something, and I didn’t handle it with the maturity I would handle it with 25 years later.
Futterman: If there is one piece of advice you can share with athletes who might be considering moving into this business, what would it be?
Lou Merloni: Don’t hold back. Be fair, but give a strong opinion, and remember that this is your job. Your job is to be truthful and analyze what you see. I think some guys that come in the media that aren’t all in the media kind of soft pedal a little bit. Their friendships are more important than their next career, and I’m not saying you should just destroy your friendships, but your friends should realize that you’ve moved on and this is now your job if they are really your friends.
Tom Waddle: Be prepared. No different than when you were playing against the Lions, or you lined up against the Packers. If you weren’t prepared, you’d be exposed quickly, and your job security would be challenged and you wouldn’t last long. The same goes for the broadcast industry. There are guys who go out and work just as hard covering teams or the different things who are talking about as former players because of the work ethic that got them to where they got to. I would always tell anyone — be willing to do the hard work; don’t think you are going to get by just because of your accomplishments on the field. You are in a different arena, and will be exposed quickly. I think the same lessons you learned on the playing field will serve you well and the television and radio booth. What you did as an NFL player — there’s a shelf-life to that if you don’t hone your craft and work at it.”
Futterman: What remaining goals do you hope to accomplish in the media industry?
Merloni: I think it’s funny because when you’re done with baseball — whether you are a Hall of Famer or not — I think a lot of athletes would tell you that an important thing is how a lot of your former teammates talk about you. You can be a Hall of Famer [with] nobody [liking] you. It’s how they talk about you afterwards. When the career is over, or whatever my goal is, people can look back and say ‘He said what’s on his mind. It wasn’t just cheering for the home team all the time.’ I hope people look back and say I gave an honest opinion. My goal isn’t any more than that — to do my job and to do it the best I can.
Waddle: I’ve been so blessed at this point. I never would have thought that I would work at the NFL Network or ESPN in Bristol; that I would do national work, or have my own radio show with anybody. I feel so blessed that I’ve been given so many of the opportunities I’ve been given. I don’t have these lofty goals — I feel like I’ve been able to accomplish and experience a lot. I just want to continue to be better every day, and continue to work hard at it and hopefully entertain people. Maybe that sounds like I don’t have a lot of goals — I do — I’ll be 55 in February. I want to do this for the foreseeable future, and get better at it every day.
Suppose you want to know more about a local or even regional business. Walk-in!
Lately, my prospecting has been about one thing, getting to know who is in charge. That’s it. I walk in, ask for the manager or owner who would make the marketing decisions, and leave. Just yesterday, I attacked a typical Best Buy, JC Penny, and Dicks Sporting Goods-retail area right off a freeway. Several strip centers with dentists, salons, and quick service/sit-down restaurants.
You get the picture. Here is what I found.
TIME
It took me about 4 hours, from 11:30am-3:30pm, to get in and out of twenty-eight businesses. I passed on the national fast-food chains, restaurants like Olive Garden and Best Buy. I know the local manager doesn’t have much influence on what the agency is going to do. If you have found different, let me know.
I hit virtually every other business without fail and even some smaller national chains with success. I walked right past a Jersey Mike’s and into a Smoothie King. I was rewarded. I met the General Manager face to face, and he immediately texted an introduction to the owner whom he said would be interested in advertising. He gave me the owners’ cell phone numbers, and I am making a proposal for their consideration. I may have to add them to my 18 total prospects list. Each stop was about 5 minutes or less, and I stopped to make some phone calls, go to the bathroom, eat, Christmas shop, and drive.
Some calls were longer where managers insisted on seeing me or giving me a tour. When was the last time that happened to you emailing a prospect?
APPROACH
I used the same line over and over. I wanted to introduce myself to the manager, owner, or person who made the marketing decisions and let them know about a new ad program we had for their business. I would leave behind my card and a one-sheet to give them if they were out. Most employees understood 100% why I was there and had no problem with it—most of the time.
I had my fair share of “we don’t give the decision-makers names, emails, or particularly cell phone numbers out”. The classic “leave us what you want, and we will get back to you if we are interested” line was used frequently. I admit to feeling a bit rejected on that one. It classified me as an annoyance and threat to their safety, somehow. I realize that is my stuff, and I will work to overcome that. I highly recommend you read Don Miguel Ruiz Four Agreements, especially why we should never take things personally.
In my 28 walk-ins, I bet I only met three decision-makers, and all of them were too busy at the time to know more but invited me to come back. One owner was preparing to work lunch, and another medical office manager had a caller on hold but wanted to know all about my idea.
RESULTS
I learned so much about who the decision-maker was, where they worked, how many stores they had, what they were like, and how motivated they may be to advertise. Sometimes I was given the decision-makers cell phone, but consistently I was handed their email (I just handed them my notebook, and every one of the gatekeepers just wrote down the info I needed).
I was told how busy they were. I saw what the store looked like; I earned the endorsement of the assistant who liked my idea and would champion it forward. My follow-up emails to the decision-makers will now include my recent visit to their store, whom I met, and I can ask them if they saw the one sheet I left for them. All great ways to make a cold call warm.
Cancer sucks. Plain and simple. There’s no other way to look at the disease that takes so many good people from us, oftentimes, way too soon. I’m sure you all know someone who’s had it. Those that have it share a quality that just amazes me. Not just strength and conviction, but a positivity that isn’t fake or forced. They know what lies ahead. They take it on and face each day with a determination that is fierce. It’s an emotional rollercoaster for the individual and their family and friends. Many of these people fight in private. They of course have a support base of those close to them, but it’s mainly kept to those in the inner circle.
Imagine if you are someone recognized by millions of people. Say you’re a television analyst for college basketball and your name is Dick Vitale. “Dicky V” is a fixture in the sport on our televisions and computer screens.
In mid-October of this year, he learned he had cancer again. After beating a different form of the disease in the summer, Vitale had another battle ahead. He, himself revealed to the world, that he was diagnosed with lymphoma and the prognosis was good. Vitale said he would be able to work around doctor appointments.
“With all that said, I consider myself very lucky,” he said in a statement released by ESPN in October. “I’ve seen firsthand the devastation that cancer can have on families, on children, and on all of our loved ones. It can bring you to your knees. It’s physically and emotionally exhausting. It robs you of so many things, including life itself for some of the most unfortunate patients. I never lose sight of that, and that’s why I feel so lucky.”
Vitale wasn’t always destined for work on television. He was a basketball coach. After a couple of years as an assistant at Rutgers, he was hired by the University of Detroit in 1973 to become its head coach. Vitale took Detroit to the 32-team NCAA tournament in 1977. The season included a 21-game winning streak and a win over the eventual champion Marquette in Milwaukee. He coached the Pistons for a season and 12 games before being let go in 1979.
From there, the rest is history. Vitale was given an opportunity to work at a then ‘upstart’ network, ESPN. He wasn’t sure that it would work out. Vitale didn’t know anything about television and wanted to get back into coaching. He was reluctant to accept the position but his wife Lorraine told him to go have fun, so Vitale accepted on a temporary basis until another coaching job became available. He called ESPN’s first college basketball game on December 5, 1979, when DePaul beat Wisconsin 90–77. The rest is history.
Fast forward back to the present day. I happened to be at the Gonzaga/UCLA game with my girlfriend, a UCLA alum, in Las Vegas. We were settling into our seats and the scoreboard showed the broadcast table. Dave O’Brien and yes, Dick Vitale. Fans started to clap and then the PA announcer at T-Mobile Arena asked all the fans to rise and ‘give it up for Mr. Dick Vitale!’ It was a pretty cool moment. It was one of those moments where the hair on your arm stands up. Vitale got up from his chair and acknowledged the ovation. For a moment we all forgot we were about to watch the #1 and #2 teams in the country battle it out. Since I was present for the game, I did not hear the exchange Vitale had with O’Brien. Here is their conversation from November 24, 2021, Vitale’s first broadcast since being diagnosed with cancer.
The same situation happened for Vitale last week when he did the Baylor/Villanova game from Waco, Texas. The Baylor crowd gave Vitale a standing ovation at one point, which moved Vitale to tears almost immediately.
Vitale has been receiving well wishes, congratulations, and words of encouragement from all around the game. His dear friend, Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski spoke about him at length following Duke’s 107-81 victory over The Citadel the night before Vitale’s game in Vegas.
“I communicate with him probably every other day, he and I are really close friends,” Krzyzewski explained.
“I’m so proud of you because you doing this shows the thousands of people who have cancer that you are going to fight it…I’m really proud of you showing that,” Coach K relayed to Vitale in a text message the other day.
Krzyzewski reminded everyone that Vitale has been an advocate for helping children fight cancer in his annual gala to raise money for the cause. “What he’s doing is God’s work,” Krzyzewski said.
Dick Vitale is also a huge supporter of the Jimmy V Foundation, but was unable to attend the games this season. Vitale says he was inspired to fight for pediatric cancer research because of his friend Jim Valvano’s ‘courageous fight.’
Dick Vitale deserves all the love. Not many are brave enough to disclose the battles we are fighting. Especially when you’re a nationally known person. Whether he realizes it or not, Vitale is setting an example, with every Tweet and appearance on television that he makes. He is an inspiration to some, a living example of how to go about this fight. Vitale is humanizing it, and he continues to show such courage. We all know how much he loves the game of basketball. We know that his words express his love for the sport, now more than ever. I’m sure that as he continues to get a chance to do what he loves, the fans will show him their adoration at every stop.
The kindness of strangers is said to be some of the best medicine. Dick Vitale has always been a character. His catchphrases, “He’s a diaper dandy!”, “PTP’er, Prime time player” and his “All Windex Team” are as much the game as anything. Fans can’t help but root for Vitale. For a man that has given so much of himself for the fans, it only seems right that they return the favor. Boy are they ever and it’s “Awesome with a capital A!”
This past weekend, the Army-Navy football game made its return to the New York-Metropolitan area for the first time since 2002 to observe the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The game, being played for the 122nd time in history, was an incredible show of patriotism, with MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. hosting 82,282 spectators, a number that broke its college football attendance record.
The people were treated to a thriller on the gridiron as the Navy Midshipmen took home the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy with its upset of the Army Black Knights, 17-13. Navy held Army scoreless in the second half of the game, and ended an otherwise difficult season on a high note, winning the contest for just the second time in six years.
The day prior to that, though, another event took place on the Hudson River at Pier 86 in New York on a former aircraft carrier that was in use for 31 years. USAA and the Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum hosted a media row ahead of the Army-Navy game. The event welcomed radio stations and other media outlets from across the country. On-air hosts, engineers and content creators left studios around the United States for the day and broadcast live from the USS Intrepid, bringing listeners a unique perspective on the game from a historic location.
Some of the shows that broadcast from the USS Intrepid included Boomer & Gio on WFAN, In The Loop on SportsRadio 610 Houston and Tiki and Tierney on CBS Sports Radio, along with programming from WDAE in Tampa, 97.3 The Fan in San Diego, KNBR in San Francisco, 106.7 The Fan in Washington, D.C., 104.5 The Zone in Nashville, KFAN in Minneapolis and Armed Forces Radio – just to name a few.
Guests at the event ranged from former athletes to active military officials and were available to be interviewed throughout the day. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, former Navy running back Napoleon McCallum, ESPN College GameDay panelist and former Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard, CBS play-by-play announcer Brad Nessler and Westwood One color commentator Ross Tucker all made the rounds. Additionally, event attendees had the ability to tour the Intrepid, and take photos with the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy.
As the second-largest media row behind the Super Bowl, this event was representative of a rebirth of radio stations doing live shows on the road again. Radio stations were side-by-side broadcasting local and national programs. They also utilized video to create unique content to be shared on social media.
For many media outlets, it was the first time they were able to be outside of the studio since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the realization of a yearning to be among colleagues within the industry once again. As a hub for content creation and dissemination, the USS Intrepid was certainly the place to be last week. It represented a choppy transition to a “new normal” for society as a whole. A former aircraft carrier for the U.S. Navy docked in the waters of the Hudson River served as an ideal location to welcome media personnel back outside of the studio on a crisp and sunny day in New York City.
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