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How Ali Mac Landed in Mornings at 92.9 The Game in Atlanta

John Mamola
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How Ali Mac Landed in Mornings at 92.9 The Game in Atlanta

The morning after the opening night of the NFL Draft is always must-listen sports radio, as stations across the country experience increased listenership tuned in for reaction to the latest name added to their local NFL franchise’s roster. In Atlanta, following a surprising first-round selection of Michael Penix last year, it remained to be seen how impactful the newest addition could be for the “Dirty Birds.” For 92.9 The Game, the buzz surrounding the Falcons’ selection the previous night wasn’t the only news to discuss the next morning, as the station announced Ali Mac would be the latest addition to the radio station, joining The Morning Shift.

A seasoned radio veteran, Mac walked into the doors of 92.9 The Game in a full-time capacity, teaming up with former Atlanta Falcon Mike Johnson and co-host Beau “Squidbilly” Morgan to form The Morning Shift as an enhanced destination for sports fans in Atlanta. Mac’s journey to The Game is unlike many of her contemporaries, where a week of fill-in work one summer caught the ear of Program Director Mike Conti, leading to a phone call earlier this year with an opportunity for an Atlanta-born sports junkie.

“There was a point in time last year where they were having women fill in on the morning shift while Tiffany Blackmon was covering the Olympics,” said Mac. “They brought in different people from radio and media, and I happened to be one of them. That week when I filled in with them, I wondered, ‘This feels good.’ I could see potential with this show.”

The potential that Mac saw in The Morning Shift has taken shape over her first month on the program, bringing her wealth of ideas from previous experiences into the model of the show. Her experience working morning drive on Soft AC and Country music radio stations has provided her with the skill set to insert different concepts into a morning show packed with Falcons, Braves, and all things sports.

“What’s been great is Mike, Beau, and Mike Conti. They don’t say no to any of my ideas. They love everything I’m bringing to the table,” explained Mac. “I bring in a lot of creative energy, and I get to bring in other experience that I have from other formats with interviewing artists. It’s just been great. They don’t turn down any of my ideas, and that’s been the biggest bonus.”

Making The Transition From Music To Sports Talk

Mac’s arrival at 92.9 The Game was due to the departure of Tiffany Blackmon, who was an original member of The Morning Shift when the show launched in March of 2023. Blackmon’s final show with Johnson and Morgan was on April 4 before it was announced that she would be pursuing other opportunities. Mac stated that she has not spoken to Blackmon since her departure to gain any insights on the day-to-day of The Morning Shift. Blackmon spent the last two years balancing morning drive on 92.9 The Game along with her outside duties with CBS Sports and several other media outlets.

“From what I understand, she was burning the candle at both ends, working so much as a sideline reporter and having so many things to do with so much on her plate,” stated Mac.

It’s no secret that making the transition from music radio to sports talk radio can prove to be a difficult one for many. However, Mac insists that because of the initial experience she got to have with Johnson and Morgan last summer due to Blackmon covering the Olympics in Paris, the progression has been less bumpy and more of a smooth evolution.

“I absolutely love it. I don’t feel like there’s been much of a transition,” says Mac. “These guys are solid—just absolutely solid people. Mike has so much knowledge about sports and can handle anything that is thrown his way. Beau, obviously working in radio as long as he has, he’s hungry to be there every single morning, and we’re just having so much fun. I’ve gotten to open up all my creative juices. I’ve created all these games and stuff for them. I love doing that kind of stuff, and I get to highlight what they’re so good at. It’s just been amazing.”

Evolution From Being A Fan To Playing On The Game

Mac is no stranger to the Atlanta sports scene, as her passion bleeds through the speakers every morning. She grew up in the ‘ATL’ cheering on the Atlanta Braves’ run to eleven straight division titles and attended the 1995 World Series. Growing up in a family of Falcons, Braves, Hawks, and Georgia Bulldogs fans, she feels, helps her depth in her approach of entertaining the listening audience.

“The feedback so far—the audience wants to hear more from me. They realize that I do know my stuff when it comes to sports in Atlanta,” Mac noted. “They want to get to know more about what I know about sports, because everybody has known me from the music formats. It’s just a matter of getting more involved in the technical sports talk.”

Atlanta is also home to the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA, which continues to see a surge in interest and viewership over the past couple of seasons. As sports radio stations continue to navigate ways for more discussion surrounding women’s sports to meet the demand for it, Mac understands the importance of her role in catering to the increasing interest.

“It’s so important. I have nieces and I want them to hear about women professional athletes on the radio,” explains Mac. “I’m all about making sure that women get their due when it comes to promoting them on the show and making sure we are talking about them. Little girls’ eyes are on them. We want to make sure we’re talking about them so that they know they have a place in professional sports as well.”

Mac believes the added interest in women’s sports should lead to more women being represented on sports radio stations across the country. She’s seen that more women are being introduced into sports media every day and feels that things are turning toward more inclusion of women in sports coverage.

Finding A New Home With Unwavering Support

What’s most important in Mac’s everyday life is her marriage to Grant McCauley, who serves as the Atlanta Braves reporter for 92.9 The Game and works for several other television and digital outlets. She notes that McCauley has been her biggest proponent and supporter in taking the role with The Morning Shift, knowing that her creativity and energy would add a lot to the program. They support each other with their shared passions for sports and broadcasting, albeit what Mac described as “shift passing in the night,” as Mac works mornings and McCauley works most evenings. In the end, the couple is making the schedule work because of the support they have for one another.

“We both understand each other. Grant and I found each other later in life because we’ve always been career-first. I absolutely support his dreams, and he supports mine,” said Mac. “It’s just been incredible to have my husband as a coworker. I get to interview him every Friday and ask him the nitty-gritty about the Braves. It’s been a very surreal experience, and I absolutely love it.”

With the football season nearing—both college and professional—Mac is looking ahead to a very exciting first year hosting morning drive in a passion-fueled football market like Atlanta. She’s looking forward to having a front-row seat to watch and share her thoughts every morning with the city she calls home, bringing fun and excitement to The Morning Shift.

“I’m having so much fun doing this. It just feels like something’s there, and now I’m in that seat,” said Mac. “I’m not taking it for granted, and this is where I want to be for many years.”

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

For K-Earth’s Lara Scott, a Dare Led To a Radio Career

Charese Fruge
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For K-Earth’s Lara Scott, a Dare Led To a Radio Career

Lara Scott hosts middays on Audacy’s K-Earth 101 Los Angeles, as well as sister stations Big 94.5, KOOL in Phoenix and Sunny 98.1, KXSN in San Diego. The Florida native grew up like everyone else in radio, listening to all the local stations. Pretending the personalities were all her friends and making DJ tapes for her mom. Self-training for a lifetime of success on the microphone.

When she was 17 and living in Central Oregon, a friend dared her to call a local radio station and ask if they were hiring. Despite the friend’s motive of hoping to hook up with the new morning guy, who “sounded cute,” the dare worked out for Scott more than for her friend.

Having no idea how to get a radio job, she took the dare and made the call. She went in for an interview, hoping maybe she could at least get an office job. The station was short-staffed, and they needed bodies to keep it on the air. When the PD asked her if she had any experience, she told him she used to make DJ tapes for her mom. He hired her on the spot, gave her one day to train, then put her on the air, and the rest is history.

“I was hooked from my very first shift and knew then what I wanted to do with my life,” she says. “My hope is that when people listen, they hear a friendly voice and feel connected to what’s happening in their city.”

“I love sharing info about events happening in LA and Orange County. Talking about what shows and movies everybody is watching, and I love putting listeners on the air and letting them shine, whether that’s giving a shout-out to their kid, talking about the Dodgers, or winning a contest.”

“My mission from the start has been that whenever somebody hears me, their day will be better. I always want someone to feel uplifted after listening. That goes for social media, as well.”

“I’m constantly prepping for my show,” admits Scott. “I love doing research, so it is fun for me. I have a prep sheet document, and I’m constantly adding to it. Everything goes on there, from celebrity birthdays that are coming up, to events I’ve heard about, to the names of offices/businesses I’ve walked into that have K-EARTH playing that I want to shout out to. You name it, it all goes on the prep sheet!”

“The wonderful thing about radio is that it differs from listening to something on your phone because with radio, everyone experiences it together. An artist can release a new song, and maybe when it first comes out, everybody is checking it out, but not at the exact same moment, which is what you get with radio.

“The community experience and being live is so important – you see it in moments like the Southern California wildfires that happened in January, where we weren’t just giving out important information, sharing where people could donate and help out, but also giving our audience a space to share and grieve and heal.”

“How great is it to play music at work every day? How fun is giving away incredible prizes like cash and concert tickets, and making people happy? And how cool it is to meet your favorite artists. And get to go to concerts and movie screenings? Bringing back remotes and getting out into the community can get younger people excited about radio, as well.”

“I remember begging my mom to take me to a department store on a Saturday afternoon because the afternoon guy at my local station was going to be broadcasting at the mall, and I was so curious about what he looked like. I still remember that because the energy at that remote broadcast was electric.”

So, how do we get the younger generation excited about radio like that?

“There are so many wonderful things about radio!” says Scott. “All these years later, I still absolutely love my job and talking about it with younger people. Occasionally, we have groups of students who come through. Even the kids who may be hanging back when they first come in or looking a little bit bored, when they hear their voice on the radio, their eyes light up.”

“Often, I will record them and then play them back while they’re in the studio. It’s mesmerizing for them. They will inevitably ask, ‘Wait—everybody just heard that?’ So, I think it’s important to show the younger generation how awesome it is and not just tell them.”

Outside of radio, Scott is a big fan of writing, blogging and traveling. “I am working on two books right now,” she informs us. “And my dream is to write a Christmas movie one day. I love expressing my creativity. I’ve gotten good at using pockets of found time during each day.”

“I work and I have a commute. I am a mom, taxi-driving my kids around to their sports games and practices after work. I’ve always got my phone with me. I’ve always got a charger or an extra battery pack. When I have five minutes here or 15 minutes there, I put it to good use.”

Follow Lara Scott on all socials: @Larascottmedia

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox. 

The Best Place to Market Your Show is on Your Radio Station

Peter Thiele
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The Best Place to Market Your Show is on Your Radio Station

Where are we marketing my show? Every Program Director and Market Manager has heard that question at one time or another. Every host wants to be promoted by the company that they work for. With marketing cash for radio stations hard to come by, stations largely have zero marketing budgets unless it’s a trade deal with a local TV Station. A marketing campaign for your radio station or show is there to build cume. The job of the Program Director or Host is to provide entertaining content that builds loyalty.

The first form of marketing many radio hosts desire are Billboards. It’s kind of logical; people listen to the radio while driving. In my career as a programmer, I’ve had billboards several times. I’ve yet to see a billboard campaign increase station cume. If the billboard says, “Johnny Sunshine, Mornings” under the Classic Hits 105.9 logo, it is not a driver of ratings or cume. If you can demonstrate to me a successful billboard campaign that increased cume, please email me at thepeterthiele@gmail.com.

There is one reason for your radio station to have a billboard campaign. It is a terrific asset to the sales department. Your station’s Account Executives can state that your station has a marketing campaign. Sadly, it also states that the radio station needs the least effective marketing medium available. So, there is that.

The first rule of any marketing message is what is the Unique Selling Proposition? So, driving in a major city with a billboard that says ‘Traffic every 10 minutes’ could qualify. Almost nothing else does.

TV Campaigns for News/Talk stations should never center on the personalities. It should be the content. I was a part of the biggest waste of money ever spent on a TV commercial. The morning show host was given carte blanche by the Market President for the copy and execution of the ad campaign. I was mad as well. The Ad was a self-serving ego stroke to the talent. The ad gave zero reasons to listen to the radio show. It was the morning personality showing himself off in different scenarios. There was no unique selling proposition or attention-grabbing opener.

The agency’s buy was worse. The TV buy was on morning shows that are certainly not targeted at a News/Talk audience. I warned the Market President in a sternly written email that this expensive campaign was going to fail. Well, I was right. The company spent hundreds of thousands of dollars for advertising that didn’t add one listener to the station. There was zero additional cume. There was no bump. It was an abject failure.

TV Advertising should be built around what is happening now and what your station is discussing. Because of amazing and affordable 4k cameras and equally cheap software to build tv commercials, these spots are now very affordable to make. Your cluster likely has a video production department that is capable of producing these on the fly. But what is the Unique Selling Proposition? What is the attention-grabbing opener?

Here are some examples of what not to use: “Best Conservative Talk is on _____”. “The radio station with the best news is _____”. The most important stuff is specifically what issues are gripping your community.

Try something like this instead: “Homeless marauders are destroying our neighborhoods, and the politicians don’t care.” “AM 560’s Jack Smith irritates little old ladies.” Use your station’s unique selling proposition after the attention-grabbing opener. You know, like our radio stations, they create commercials for advertisers. I have noticed imaginative creative services departments make awesome ads and the radio station’s TV spots all seemingly avoid basic advertising principles.

Nearly every radio group sells digital ads. When is the last time that your station had a digital advertising campaign? Being totally transparent, I have little understanding of the digital advertising space. I know that advertisers love it because there are analytics on the effectiveness of the campaign.

There is an awesome place for you to market your radio station – it’s called your radio station! Your radio station helps businesses succeed every single day.

How good is your radio show? Is every moment on your show a listener-focused experience that builds good-will with your audience? How are your daily promos? Are they boring as hell because you don’t want to really do one? How is your show? I speak from experience. I have hosted 3 hours a day, 5 days a week for years. It is a real challenge to have 3 hours a day that is stellar in every segment.

Are you discussing the topics that your listeners expect from you and your station? How super-focused are you on your target demographic? Are your generic promos awesome? What about your social media? Are your posts interesting, inventive, and driving listenership? What percentage of your station’s afternoon show is listening to morning drive? How can you improve that?

These people are listening to your station. Perhaps build a strategy to maximize your station’s cume. We are all hunting for more listeners. It is easy to make excuses. Ultimately, it is up to you as a Producer, Host, and Program Director to provide essential listening for your audience.

I don’t see many radio stations with healthy marketing budgets. We control what we control – what’s coming out of the speakers. Make your show essential, memorable, and impactful. It is your key to success. The power is in your hands.

What Is the Media Rating Council, and Why Does it Exist?

Dr. Ed Cohen
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What Is the Media Rating Council, and Why Does it Exist?

In the past, I’ve mentioned a couple of interesting items raised by Evan Shapiro, who has a Substack called Media War and Peace. While going through old email, I read his column from January 27th titled “Measure for Measure” with a subtitle of “Nielsen FINALLY Enters the 21st Century”. The topic was one I’ve covered here before, which is the use of big data in the Nielsen video ratings.

His last paragraph caught my eye:

My proposal to the industry: Fold the MRC.

This is an organization formed the same year the original Star Trek launched. The last few years have proven, emphatically, that in the digital era, the MRC’s useful life has come to an end. The only accreditation that really matters now is the one you give, based on the trust your partners earn and the credibility they can prove.

I’m going to hold my thoughts on Evan’s comment until next week. If you don’t know about the MRC, you should. Here’s the background:

MRC refers to the Media Rating Council, an organization I’ve mentioned before in passing, but this column will help you understand the group’s role. If you want to do your own review of their material, check out www.mediaratingcouncil.org. Just a warning: the word “dry” doesn’t begin to describe MRC materials.

Evan is nearly correct in that the MRC was formed in 1964 (two years before the original Star Trek). It was christened as the Broadcast Rating Council, changing to the Electronic Media Rating Council and eventually the Media Rating Council. Even an organization like MRC must consider branding.

MRC exists because of Congress. In the early ‘60s, Congressman Oren Harris of Arkansas held hearings on ratings (the Harris Committee). I haven’t read the material in years, but apparently, there were companies out there “creating” ratings for TV and radio, not based on surveys, but made up.

The committee’s conclusion was essentially “Clean up your house or we’ll do it for you”. Perhaps some of you would prefer a federal Department of Ratings, but the MRC (as the BRC) was started to ensure that audience measurement met a minimum level of quality. The Minimum Standards document, with revisions over the past 60+ years, remains the basis of the MRC’s remit.

Any company that uses media measurement can become a member. Only entities (companies, associations, etc.) can be members; individuals cannot. There are some unusual situations where a company may be both a buyer and supplier. For example, Amazon, Google, and Meta (Facebook) are MRC members but also have MRC-audited services. They can review audits and vote on other services but are not involved with the deliberations about their own offerings. Companies that are only suppliers (Nielsen, comScore, etc.) cannot be MRC members.

MRC’s role is to “accredit” services. In other words, based on a (very) thorough confidential audit by an independent auditing firm, a review by MRC members, followed by votes, that the service in question meets the MRC’s minimum standards. Subcommittees exist for different media (there is an MRC Radio subcommittee) and the subcommittees review each audit and vote first.

Whether the vote is up or down, the entire membership, referred to as the Board of Directors, then votes. Each member (an entity can hold multiple memberships) is automatically on the Board of Directors (currently around 170) and has one vote per membership. Positive votes confer MRC accreditation and the ability to use the MRC double checkmark logo on the product.

Measurement suppliers don’t have to apply for MRC accreditation, but many on both sides of the table consider the double checkmarks a necessity to be a serious player. At a minimum, going through the audit process is proof that a service wants to be in the “big time”.

Full disclosure: I’ve represented companies at MRC and presented numerous times to MRC committees during my time at Arbitron/Nielsen. I brought Clear Channel (now iHeart) in as an MRC member in the mid ‘90s and later represented Cumulus at MRC.

The audits themselves can be lengthy. Audits of PPM or the diary service run into hundreds of pages although from personal experience, much of the document is repetitive. When I was at Arbitron, I’d see an advance copy and any findings of “violations” of MRC minimum standards were sore points. I would meet with the auditors to discuss and question their findings and there are others who can vouch for a raised voice and the use on my part of various words that you can’t say on broadcast media. The audits were annual affairs which I compared to a colonoscopy, although the auditors didn’t always appreciate being likened to proctologists.

MRC’s operations are funded entirely by member dues. MRC is the contractor for the audit services (usually with Ernst and Young, but other audit firms are doing MRC work as well) although bills are sent to the firms being audited.

At one time, I had responsibility for the audits at Arbitron and even then, my annual audit budget was around $2 million. Since we’re beyond the statute of limitations, I can tell you that I always padded it and Fred and Paul Jacobs can confirm that the MRC audit budget paid for The Bedroom Project and Goin’ Mobile, two wonderful industry research studies funded by Arbitron. That budget line for audits didn’t include two full time staffers whose sole role was working with the outside auditors.

The MRC has been headed since 2000 by George Ivie, a former partner at Ernst and Young who was in charge of the MRC audits back in the ‘90s. George has been an excellent leader for MRC taking the group into the digital world and growing the membership and scope of the group over the past quarter century. You’ll hear nothing but good things about George from me as well as most everyone who has ever worked with him.

There are other staff members as well, all with solid experience. The key person though is Albana Gashi. She was there before George’s arrival and keeps the trains running on time.

So, what about Evan’s comment about the MRC folding up its tent? My thoughts will hold until next time because without some context about the MRC, any comments won’t mean much to you.

Let’s meet again next week.

Around the Horn Closes Out Historic Run on ESPN

BSM Staff
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Around the Horn Closes Out Historic Run on ESPN

Around the Horn closed out a run of 4,953 episodes with a grand finale, which featured special surprises, emotional tributes, and a massive gathering of personalities who have appeared on the program for the past 23 years. Host Tony Reali led the final episode of the program, which debuted in November of 2002, with Reali officially taking the reins as host in February of 2004.

Moreover, the program featured more than 20 panelists who came together to share in the finale of the long-standing ESPN staple at 5 p.m., including a final front-facing foursome of Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times, Woody Paige of The Gazette, J.A. Adande, who now serves as director of sports journalism at Northwestern University in Chicago, and Bob Ryan of The Boston Globe.

“Life scores us all a little differently every day, with a rule book that changes a little bit every day,” said Reali. “You have to roll with it, good and bad. That’s how I feel, and that’s how I scored Around the Horn.”

In fact, the first-ever episode of Around the Horn aired on November 4, 2002, with former ESPN commentator Max Kellerman hosting alongside an initial panel of Paige, Ryan, T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times, and Jay Mariotti of the Chicago Sun-Times.

“It was a very good system, and it worked for a very long time. Now it’s all over,” reflected Reali. “In looking for the real I found something that was more real than real, you shared back. To me, that’s what makes the show go. It’s the connection.”

Additionally, several other panelists made appearances in the final episode, including several regulars. Pablo Torre, Bomani Jones, Mina Kimes, Jamele Hill, and Sarah Spain were among those who attended the final taping of the episode.

“Life goes on and we thank you for watching all these years,” said Ryan in his final FaceTime.

Furthermore, the finale of the program included final FaceTimes from Tim Cowlishaw, Tim Blackistone, Frank Isola, and Jackie MacMullan.

“I had a wonder 22-plus years on a show where I felt imposter syndrome every time I walked into this studio,” said Cowlishaw. “I hope the next show and the people in this time slot have as much fun and bring as many smiles over the next 22 years. I’ll be counting.”

The final episode was taped at ESPN’s Seaport Studios in New York and was produced by Rydholm Projects, with Erik Rydholm serving as executive producer and Aaron Solomon as senior coordinating producer.

“I’ve said this a thousand times for 22 years, but finally for once I’m right. It’s over,” said Plaschke. “This wasn’t just a TV show, it was a miracle. May its legacy of wit and wisdom live forever.”

As part of the finale, the show opened with Reali taking a tour of the Seaport location and showcasing the entire behind-the-scenes staff of the program. This included a touching appearance by his family and the New York Liberty mascot, ‘Elle.’

“Family. Which is what this whole production over more than a generation has become,” explained Blackistone. “Thank you for visiting our home, and I hope you enjoyed your stay.”

Adande used his FaceTime moment to thank Woody Paige for being the brainchild of the program’s unique inception. Notably, Paige broke Around the Horn tradition by being the first non-newspaper member of the show’s panel, paving the way for others to follow in his footsteps.

“We all owe you so much, Woody,” said Adande. “Michael Jordan once told me Woody was his favorite panelist. Game recognizes game. G.O.A.T. recognizes G.O.A.T.”

In terms of accomplishments, Woody Paige finished as the all-time leader in wins among the panelists, with 688 victories. Tim Cowlishaw and Bill Plaschke followed in second and third place, respectively.

“I hope all of us at Around the Horn and all of you tens of millions of viewers in 178 countries have been changed for the good by this 23-year experience,” noted Paige. “I hope we have brought you sports and entertainment programming on this network, ESPN. I hope for everyone health, harmony, happiness, and hope for the future.”

Finally, Reali closed his final speech by thanking the viewing audience, especially those who sent in their appreciation and stories regarding the show.

“The debate goes on now without us, but you pick up where we left off,” Reali concluded. “I came into this world a stat boy, I’m going to leave it a stat boy. Thank you very much.”

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Jordon Hudson: Pablo Torre’s Findings are ‘Defamatory and Targeted’

BSM Staff
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Jordon Hudson: Pablo Torre’s Findings are ‘Defamatory and Targeted’

On Friday morning, a new episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out featured reporting from host Pablo Torre where he divulged that he visited the Airbnb used by Jordon Hudson two years prior. A Ring camera video showed former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick leaving the property, which ended up circulating online and going viral. The owners of the property were skeptical about the situation and sent the video to a friend, and it eventually made its way around the internet.

Hudson, however, posted on Instagram and accused Torre of delivering “factually incorrect” and “defamatory” reporting. This followed an initial report from Torre claiming that Hudson had been banned from the University of North Carolina football facilities, a claim that the institution itself disputed through a statement shortly thereafter. Belichick was named the head coach of the Tar Heels football team last December and spent time on the road in the ensuing months recruiting players.

“Pablo Torre’s ‘findings’ have been nothing short of factually incorrect, slanderous, defamatory and targeted,” Hudson said. “Can y’all please stop giving credibility to this ‘reporter’?”

The Instagram post, which featured a screenshot of a text exchange between Hudson and the owner of the Airbnb, was deleted shortly after it was posted. Hudson also posted to X where she shared two comments from users critical of Airbnb for the recording being circulated and then expressed her own thoughts on the situation.

“Hey @Airbnb – Quick question,” Hudson wrote on her X account. “How do you feel about Airbnb owners publicly distributing security footage and information about tenants / their stay?”

The situation with Hudson and Belichick has been in the public domain for several months, but it gained traction following a CBS Sunday Morning interview to promote his new book. When Belichick was asked about how he met Hudson, she interjected and stated that they would not be talking about the matter. This resulted in public criticism and subsequent questioning into Hudson’s involvement with Belichick’s business ventures.

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Ryan Clark Apologizes for Invoking Robert Griffin III Wife Into Heated Debate

BSM Staff
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Ryan Clark Apologizes for Invoking Robert Griffin III Wife Into Heated Debate

It’s been a busy week of reaction to the very personal back-and-forth between ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark and former ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III. This all stems from the former Baylor quarterback saying in a tweet that he believes Chicago Sky star Angel Reese “hates” Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. Consequently, many people from across the sports media landscape have shared their insights on the exchange between the two former NFL players, ranging from ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith to former ESPN commentator Jemele Hill.

In response, Clark took to The Pivot Podcast YouTube channel to provide a statement following the week’s events. He reflected on how he now feels he needs to better understand the power of his words.

“All of it started over an Angel Reese take that he felt was a sports take that I didn’t feel that way about. I felt that it was away from the court. I felt that it was away from basketball,” said Clark. “Because of the personal feelings I have about RG3, I took a take that was personal to another person and made it personal to myself. I shouldn’t have done that.”

Furthermore, while reflecting on the choice of words he used in reference to why he felt Griffin didn’t understand the challenges of Black women—because Griffin married a white woman—Clark apologized for invoking that issue at all.

“I shouldn’t have brought his wife into the equation. Even though in my mind, before speaking about her I processed as much as I could to speak of her in a way that was positive,” noted Clark. “Trying to make sure it only illustrated a point about the way that he approached Angel Reese, and in that in some ways to some people I probably missed the mark.”

Additionally, Clark mentioned that although he is not friends with Griffin, their past interactions did influence how he reacted to Griffin’s comments. He admitted that his remarks about Griffin’s wife prompted some to bring unwanted attention and commentary to his own family, including his children. As a result, Clark acknowledged that he should not have used Griffin’s wife as an example to make his point.

“To Greta, I was out of line. I was out of bounds, and I apologize,” said Clark. “Families should be off limits. I started that by bringing her into it. I see that now. No matter what my intent was, the impact was different. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it differently.”

Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.

Jim Nantz: Chiefs-Cowboys Thanksgiving Day Game is ‘Going to Set Records’

BSM Staff
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Jim Nantz: Chiefs-Cowboys Thanksgiving Day Game is ‘Going to Set Records’

Earlier in the month, the National Football League released the 2025 regular-season schedule that includes marquee matchups allocated to its media rights partners. One game in particular that stood out is a Thanksgiving Day tilt between the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys, placing two of the most popular teams in the league against one another. CBS Sports will broadcast the game, presumably with its lead announcing team of play-by-play voice Jim Nantz, analyst Tony Romo and sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson, who recently called the Chiefs’ AFC Championship Game victory over the Buffalo Bills that drew an average of 57.7 million viewers on CBS.

Nantz recently appeared on The Rich Eisen Show to discuss the interconference matchup that could feature superstars Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, Travis Kelce and Micah Parsons facing off. Within his appearance, Nantz made the argument that the Chiefs and Cowboys are the two biggest brands in the league at the moment. In fact, he stated that the Chiefs are trying to go after the “America’s Team” moniker that has been synonymous with the Cowboys for many years. CBS Sports will broadcast eight additional Chiefs games throughout the season, the most among NFL media rights partners, as it enters its 66th year of coverage.

“KC and Dallas, to put those two gigantic brands together on the most-watched day of the regular-season in the NFL, it’s going to set records,” Nantz said. “That’s not what I’m out for it to do, but I just hope it’s a great football game, but it will be a wonderful matchup to call on Thanksgiving. KC at Dallas – it’s the game we wanted. We wanted KC and Buffalo also, and I think those are the headliners on our schedule.”

The NFL set ratings records on Thanksgiving Day last season with the most-watched average viewership across its three-game slate in the history of broadcasts on the holiday. Aside from the Chiefs-Cowboys game, the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions will square off in the early game on FOX, and NBC will cap off the day with the Cincinnati Bengals facing the Baltimore Ravens. Eisen voiced that he believes the Chiefs-Cowboys game could be the most-watched regular-season game Nantz has ever called, which is currently the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Washington Commanders in November 2023.

Earlier in the interview, Nantz also expressed his gratitude for being able to call a rivalry game featuring the Chiefs against the Bills. The two teams will square off on Sunday, Nov. 2 in a Week 9 matchup televised live on CBS. The last time the two franchises faced off in the regular season, the game averaged 31.2 million viewers on CBS, the most-watched game of the NFL regular season to that point.

“Romo and Wolfson and I, we’ve had this matchup, I believe, seven of the last eight times, and Buffalo wins these regular-season matchups, but Kansas City wins in the playoffs, and that’s precisely what happened last year with the AFC title game being at Arrowhead and the Chiefs winning that game in a nail biter,” Nantz said. “So look, it will be one of the games of the year.”

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US 96 Jackson’s Hannah Lane To Guest Host Grand Ole Opry

BMM Staff
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US 96 Jackson’s Hannah Lane To Guest Host Grand Ole Opry

Your Country US 96 Jackson, MS morning co-host Hannah Lane will be the October 3 Grand Ole Opry guest announcer. The show will be part of the Opry’s “Opry 100” celebration.

On Facebook, Lane wrote, “I’m incredibly honored and feel privileged to share that I’ve been invited to be a guest announcer at the Grand Ole Opry for the Opry 100 on October 3rd in Nashville, TN. Standing behind the mic at the Opry is a true dream and a milestone I do not take lightly.”

Lane continued, “To host on an iconic stage that has shaped the heart of country music for generations is something I will remember and honor forever. I can’t wait to soak in every moment and bring each of you along with me.”

In October 2025, the Grand Ole Opry will commemorate its 100th anniversary. Each performance features special acts and highlights that celebrate a century of musical history.

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Megyn Kelly: Jake Tapper Told Me He Wanted to Answer Tough Questions About Book on Joe Biden

BNM Staff
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Earlier this week, Megyn Kelly welcomed Jake Tapper to her show for an interview about his new book on former President Joe Biden. It was, at times, contentious, and subsequently went viral.

During an appearance on Mark Halperin’s podcast, Kelly shared the strategy behind her interview with Jake Tapper.

“I did go back and forth on how I should start it,” Kelly said. “Should I start it by getting into the facts of the book, or should I start it by really pushing him on whether he’s the right messenger? I knew I had to get to pushing him on whether he’s the right messenger, that that could not be sacrificed … that made sense to me.”

Kelly noted that she was somewhat limited in the time she would have with Tapper due to the nature of her SiriusXM show.

She also shared that she and Tapper are friends, adding an extra layer to the interview.

“We’re not like tight friends, but we’re friends. We’ve been friendly — I guess is a better way of saying it — for some 15 years. Now, I’ve never done anything social with Jake, but we like each other, so it was kind of awkward. In the booking process, he and I had been in touch, and that I was going to push him. He told me before the interview he wanted that because he wanted to answer the tough questions for all of his skeptics. So I felt like we were on good ground for me to go for it.”

During the interview, Jake Tapper called Kelly’s questions “tough but fair,” while the SiriusXM host told the CNN anchor that “One of us didn’t miss the biggest story of the century when it comes to presidential politics, and one of us did.”

In “Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again,” which Tapper co-authored with Alex Thompson, questions about Biden’s decision to run for re-election in 2024, as well as his mental acuity, are called into question.

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