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Rich Shirtenleib: ‘Cedric Maxwell Had All Day To Be Pissed Off At Draymond Green’

BSM Staff
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Celtics fans that follow their favorite team on the radio know the voice of Cedric Maxwell, better known to some fans as “Cornbread,” very well. He has been part of the team’s broadcast since 2001. He is also part of the team’s storied history, having had his number retired and being named MVP of the 1981 NBA Finals.

Draymond Green took a shot at him and players in the 80s earlier in the week. The Warriors forward said that no one at that time could shoot and while everyone acts like the league was full of tough guys, the reality was there were just a few enforcers and you could fight because fines were minimal back then.

Rich Shirtenlieb brought up the comments Thursday morning on Toucher & Rich. He also brought up Maxwell’s appearance on NBA TV after the Celtics’ Game 3 victory.

“I think that Cedric was feeling it last night,” Shirtenlieb said. 

He said that he had spent much of the day with Cedric Maxwell on Wednesday. The duo hosted a pep rally ahead of Game 3. Shirtenlieb described dozens of fans coming up to Maxwell. Nearly all of them wanted to talk about Draymond Green’s comments.

“I think last time was the first time he was like ‘you know, it did kinda piss me off a little bit,” he said before playing the audio from NBA TV for Fred Toucher.

“Don’t act like in the 80s he wouldn’t have been knocked out,” Maxwell said on television after Game 3 when he was asked about Green. “Let me tell you the part that insulted me. Draymond said ‘Well, if you got thrown out of a game during that time, you only could $2.’ Well, you know what? That is an insult to anyone that played with me at that particular time, because we stood on the shoulders of giants. The reason he’s making $30 million? He got on my shoulders and somebody else’s shoulders. Don’t be disrespectful.”

Fred Toucher couldn’t help but point out that Maxwell may have misinterpreted what Green was saying. Green was saying there were no consequences to fighting in the 80s because the league did not react as harshly as it does now. Maxwell seemed to think Green was saying the consequences weren’t severe because the paychecks were so low compared to today.

”I don’t think that’s the point Draymond was making, but I see how Cedric took it,” Toucher said before giving Maxwell credit for using the line “There’s only been 32 Finals MVPs. Damn it, I’m one of them,” to punctuate his point.

Jake Crain: ‘People Like Sarah Spain Hurt Sports’

BSM Staff
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Sarah Spain used her victory on an episode of ESPN’s Around the Horn earlier this week to take aim at the Tampa Bay Rays players that refused to wear a rainbow patch during the team’s celebration of pride month citing religious exemption. Spain called the term “BS” and said it is used by bigots to justify their bigotry.

On his Wednesday show, The Daily Wire’s Jake Crain fired back at Spain.

“It never ceases to amaze me how the people that gripe the most about lack of inclusion or people being judgy turn out to be the most judgmental people around,” he said

He specifically cited the language Sarah Spain used. Crain said that it undermined her point about religious exemptions being used to skirt inclusion efforts.

“Anybody who uses the word ‘inclusion’ and then in the same sentence says ‘religious exemption BS’ is absolutely full of it. Anybody can see that.”

Crain made the move from Colin Cowherd’s The Volume to the more political Daily Wire in February. At the time, he said that his show would remain free from politics. He insisted that is still the case to anyone in his comments saying this commentary feels very political.

According to Crain, his rant is not about right and left. Using sports as a platform for those right and left arguments is what deserves to be called out.

“It’s people like Sarah Spain that continue to hurt sports more and more because it’s never about hearing all points of view,” he said. “It’s about ‘you believe our way or you’re the devil.’”

How To Fix The Media’s ‘Breaking News’ Problem

Andy Masur
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How To Fix The Media’s ‘Breaking News’ Problem

BREAKING NEWS: I’m writing a column for Barrett Sports Media on a Thursday.

Really? I write a column for BSM every Thursday. So, the answer is, nope. It just illustrates the point that EVERYTHING is presented to us as “breaking news” these days. The obvious gets the label, and even the mundane gets the “breaking news” treatment. Stations and networks are hoping the ‘shock’ value of the bold graphics and ominous music will reel you in to their story. Frankly, I’ve become desensitized to it all. News and sports. 

I get to this conclusion thanks to the realistic thinking of new CNN boss Chris Licht. He was fed up with the network’s overuse of “breaking news” according to a memo to his staff. It seemingly had become proper practice to shock and awe viewers with the concept. Licht had enough. According to the memo obtained by Axios. “We are truth-tellers, focused on informing, not alarming our viewers,” Licht said. CNN is creating a new stylebook giving guidelines about when to use “breaking news” and when not to use it. 

“You’ve already seen far less of the Breaking News banner across our programming,” Licht wrote, adding that the network is still tweaking the guidelines but will use the term only when “something BIG is happening.”

It’s sometimes used as a gimmick, designed so the listener/viewer would ‘hear it/see it first’ on that station. Ok, so, what if I’m not listening to that station, and I hear it first somewhere else? I don’t get the point. If your sports station has great reporters and great hosts that cultivate excellent relationships with players and teams, you are going to get news that others will not. It speaks to credibility. If I know that a station is constantly breaking news, that’s actually worthy of the descriptor, I’m going to gravitate there. I know that these folks are on top of stuff and not just throwing things against the wall to see what sticks. 

Breaking news is by definition, “newly received information about an event that is currently occurring or developing.” Some networks play loose and fast with that meaning. Many times, “breaking news” is used by a news/sports organization when in fact the story they’re reporting on isn’t BREAKING. The news is old, but perhaps that entity didn’t report it yet. So, I guess it’s breaking to them. But it’s not to everyone else who has already seen/heard that news. It’s all hard to avoid in today’s 24-hour news/sports cycles. Breaking news for some organizations then comes down to ‘which story has the most interest and biggest impact right now’. That’s not the intention. 

ESPN has this habit of using their breaking news graphic for the new AP Top 25 College Football or Basketball Polls being released. Huh? They come out at the same time every week, so why is this breaking? Why is it breaking when Mel Kiper Jr. releases his latest draft “Big Board” several months before the NFL Draft? Why is it breaking when a player that was injured in a game, is still injured and won’t play in the next game? A player that will be a free agent in three-years signs an extension in spring training and that’s breaking? Nope. Never. Uh uh. No way. Stop wasting my time and getting me all excited about some big news that’s about to come my way. 

The judgement shown by producers in these cases is lazy. How out of touch are some entities? Take this Tweet from the Associated Press on New Year’s Day of 2016:

That tweet is real. The basis for it, is unreal. The constant use just cheapens when things are really breaking. Right now, for many it’s a tune-out from the station and from the mind. 

Now, as I write this column, there was actually some breaking news worthy of the title. When Joe Maddon was fired by the Angels amid a 12-game losing streak, that’s big news. The details developed from an early morning report to the actual announcement from the team. This case fits the definition better than most these days. 

When your network gets a scoop that is jumping every other outlet, it is breaking news. It’s not always a bad thing to put the graphic up, just don’t do it when it isn’t worthy. There seems to be a lack of news (or sports) judgement in many cases around the dial these days. I do understand that there are hierarchies at some networks that will insist on the graphic at all times. There are just so many times you can cry wolf before the impact is lost on your viewer/listener. It has to stop. 

I remember growing up in the 80s when the news networks would break into programming for a “Special Report”. That grabbed attention. Whether it was about President Reagan being shot or the Space Shuttle launch and subsequent explosion, that graphic meant, stop what you’re doing, this is important. If it’s not worthy of breaking into regular programming, is it really breaking? I don’t think so. 

There are so many better words or phrases that can be used for news that is coming in, continuing to materialize or being reported by just one entity. How about ‘NEW’? As in ‘new this hour, we’ve learned about a contract extension for player A.’ That works. Or ‘JUST IN’? How about news that still has some sketchy details, maybe, ‘DEVELOPING’? That kind of invites the viewer/listener to stay tuned for further developments. Simple right? In the cases where nobody else has the story, an oldie but a goodie, ‘EXCLUSIVE’ seems to fit the bill. Pretty self-explanatory. 

All I’m saying is more news/sports judgement needs to be practiced here. I don’t think you are helping yourself or your network/station by falling on the crutch of breaking news. It’s too easy. It takes no thought. It’s time for sports to follow CNN’s lead. Examine the news, don’t rush to be first if you don’t have all the facts, and be better. Let others make that mistake. Then you can say, ‘they may break the news, but we fix it’. BREAKING NEWS: that line sounded good to me when I wrote it. 

The Sale of Miami Radio Stations Leading to Plan Mass Exodus

BNM Staff
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The pending sale of several Spanish language radio stations including the iconic Radio Mambí in Miami, Florida has reportedly prompted most of its employees to plan a mass exodus. 

According to the Miami Herald, leaders of the Cuban American community in Miami held a press conference on Wednesday to protest the sale to a group backed by billionaire philanthropist George Soros and the “Latino Media Network.” 

“Latino Media Network is a newly formed business venture led and controlled by social activists who espouse a leftist progressive ‘woke’ political agenda,” Silvia Iriondo, the head of the Mothers Against Repression in Cuba, said during the news conference.

TelevisaUnivisión, which owns Radio Mambí, has reportedly offered disgruntled employees a six-figure retention bonus to stay at Radio Mambi following the sale. 

“We are insulted by this action of selling our media – the media that has been actually taking us by the hand and fed our spirit all of these years – to a leftist organization,” said President of Brigade 2506 – the veterans of the Bay of Pigs operation – Rafael Montalvo. 

 According to Breitbart, the individuals leading the effort have described combatting conservative “misinformation” in Spanish as a goal of the purchase.

Report: CNN’s Plans to Be Less Partisan Could Force Out Talents

BNM Staff
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Report: CNN’s Plans to Be Less Partisan Could Force Out Talents

Could CNN anchors Brian Stelter and Jim Acosta be on their way out? There’s speculation that the pair present an obstacle for their new boss Chris Licht who reportedly wants to return the network to its roots as a straightforward news gathering agency.

According to the New York Post, Licht wants CNN’s on-air personalities to focus on conducting straightforward interviews and for producers to avoid “noise” in their booking decisions.

Six months ago, CNN fired its top-rated anchor Chris Cuomo for using his journalistic influence to persuade the outcome of a sexual misconduct investigation against his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. 

Two months later, former CNN president Jeff Zucker resigned amid an undisclosed relationship scandal involving former fellow CNN executive Allison Gollust. 

Ted Turner founded CNN in 1980. At the time it was the nation’s only 24/7 news channel. Turner’s invention spurred several other competing networks. According to Nielsen, CNN drew 660,000 total viewers in primetime this past May, while Fox pulled in 2.27 million and MSNBC had 1.02 million. 

The paper reported that Licht sent a memo to staffers declaring that “too many people have lost trust in the news media.” The message noted that CNN will focus on being “advocates for the truth” going forward.

49ers Extend Play-By-Play Voice Greg Papa

BSM Staff
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The San Francisco 49ers have inked Greg Papa to a long-term extension to continue as voice of the franchise.

49ers Director of Broadcast Partnerships Bob Sargent broke the news on KNBR Tuesday morning. “I am here to announce a new long-term extension with Mr. Greg Papa to be the voice of the 49ers through the 2028 season,” Sargent said.

“What Papa and his partner Tim Ryan have brought to our fanbase is an electric and passionate broadcast. Pop is the best. Tony Salvatore hired this man to do NFL 20-some-odd years ago, and it was a brilliant decision. I got a chance to hear this man first hand for a long time and now to have them as our own is really special.”

“We’re going to keep the party going, Pop!”

The KNBR host has been the voice of the 49ers since 2019. When he joined the team, Papa became the first Bay Area broadcaster to have a role with five of the region’s major professional teams. He previously served as the voice of the Warriors (TV & radio – 1986-97), Giants (TV & radio – 2004-08), Oakland A’s (TV – 1990-2003) and Oakland Raiders (radio – 1997-2017).

The KNBR host will continue to host his midday show Papa and Lund with co-host John Lund. That show airs 10am-2pm on KNBR 104.5. The pair have been together since 2014 and joined KNBR in 2019.

Papa is a three-time California Sportscaster of the Year Award award winner and recent inductee into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame. He has spent 35-years in the Bay Area sports broadcasting world.

ESPN Grabs Largest May Viewership Since 2015

BSM Staff
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ESPN Grabs Largest May Viewership Since 2015

ESPN was pleased to see that their strong start to 2022 continued in May. Coming off the heels of it’s largest Q1 viewership numbers since 2017, May was just as strong.

The network announced that due to large audience increases for the NBA, NCAA Softball, the PGA Championship and Formula One, it finished its strongest May in seven years. ESPN was also buoyed by the return of the NHL Playoffs to it’s channels.

ESPN says they averaged 742k viewers (P2+) on a 24-hour basis. That is up 34% from last year’s May. In prime time, the network was way up and saw an increase of 76% from last year, averaging 2.17M viewers. That number marks ESPN’s strongest prime time since 2018.

The network also says they led all cable networks in total day viewership among persons 18-49 in May (April 24 – May 28).

The biggest grabber of viewers was the NBA Playoffs which averaged 5.55M viewers for the network. That’s more than three times (up 204%) the audience of May 2021. ESPN also boasted the most-watched game in this year’s playoffs on any network – Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Boston defeating Miami, with an average audience of 9.87M fans.  It was ESPN’s best NBA audience since 2018.

ESPN’s first NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2005 provided a big boost too. The network’s coverage averaged 1.2M viewers, which represents an 81% increase versus NBCSN’s coverage in May of 2021.

NCAA Softball was a strong participant as well. The sport averaged 636k viewers (up 18% over 2021) and was the strongest for the month on ESPN since 2015.   

The Thursday audience of the PGA Championship drew 1.5M fans and was 23% larger than a year ago. It was also the biggest on any network for that round since 2002.  Friday’s second round averaged 2.1M viewers, a record for ESPN and the best on any network since 2009. 

Formula One continued its upward trajectory in the United States. The inaugural Grand Prix of Miami on ABC attracted the biggest audience in U.S. television history for a live F1 race – 2.6M viewers.  The Grand Prix of Spain on ESPN2 averaged 1.1M viewers, up 32% from last year on ESPN.  For seven races this year to date (five on ESPN), the series is averaging 1.4M persons.  That is an increase of 45% from the same point a year ago.

Also bearing fruit for the network is SportsCenter. Every edition increased its audience over 2021 (except the 1 a.m. show), led by the midnight show growing 83%.    

Get Up and First Take also recorded their best month of May ever and were up 9% and 31%, respectively. 

This Just In was up 27%, NBA Today was up 59% and NFL Live was up 11%.  For the latter, it was the best May since 2016.

The longtime pairing of Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption from 5-6 p.m. had their best May since 2019 with increases of 17% and 11%, respectively. 

Drew Brees Officially Out at NBC, Network Won’t Block Other Offers

BSM Staff
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Drew Brees is officially no longer a part of NBC’s NFL and Notre Dame coverage.

The decision was reported by The New York Post in May but had yet to be confirmed until today. Shortly after that story posted, Brees posted on social media a rebuttal. He claimed that no decision on his future with the network had been made.

NBC Sports chairman Pete Bevacqua confirmed the separation in an interview with the Associated Press.

“The unbelievable busyness of an NFL career and then really not taking a break at all and launching right in with us with both Notre Dame football and the NFL, it was certainly an around-the-clock assignment,” Bevacqua said. “This was definitely a lifestyle choice for him, which is totally understandable.”

Brees signed a multi-year contract with NBC in 2020, while still active with the New Orleans Saints. He became an analyst for Notre Dame football games with Mike Tirico. He was also featured in the studio on most Sundays for Football Night in America. The team of Brees and Tirico did get to call the wild card round game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Cincinnati Bengals.

Bevacqua said they wouldn’t prevent Brees from embracing another opportunity from another network if it presented itself, despite still being under contract with NBC.

Jonathan Jones Named New Insider For The NFL Today

BSM Staff
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Jason La Canfora is out. Jonathan Jones is in. CBS announced on Wednesday that Jones will be the new senior insider for The NFL Today beginning with the 2022 season.

CBS added Jones as a senior NFL reporter in 2019. He joined from Sports Illustrated. Prior to gaining a national platform, Jones spent time in Charlotte covering the Carolina Panthers.

“To have this role and join this crew on the most prestigious pregame broadcast on television is a dream job,” Jones said in a press release. “I’m honored and humbled to be part of a show that had its standard set by legends like Irv Cross. My TOPS, HQ and CBSSports.com teammates have been supportive from the start, and I’m excited to continue working within the CBS Sports family and with trusted sources throughout the NFL.”

La Canfora has been with CBS since 2012, when he came over from NFL Network. He was nearly replaced three years ago when the network flirted with Mike Garofolo but ultimately retained his job. The press release does not mention anything about his future at the network.

NHL Western Conference Finals See Largest Audience Since 2015

BSM Staff
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NHL Western Conference Finals See Largest Audience Since 2015

The NHL has been enjoying the fruits of its new media deals all year. Even a sweep in the Western Conference Finals couldn’t slow down that momentum.

According to a press release from Turner, the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers delivered the most-watched Western Conference Finals since 2015. The series averaged 1.8 million viewers over four games. All four games represent the most-watched Oilers games on cable ever.

That number represents 58% growth from the 2021 Western Conference Finals. It is also up 17% from 2019, the last Conference Finals series played during the traditional window.

Game 4 was the high water mark. The overtime thriller is the most-watched Western Conference Finals game on cable since 2013, peaking with an audience of 2.2 million.

The Western Conference Finals bring TNT’s first season of NHL coverage. ABC and ESPN will show the Stanley Cup Finals when they begin after the conclusion of the Eastern Conference Finals.

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