Michael Kay is never one to hold back, and he let ESPN have it this week after Doc Rivers left the network to become the next head coach of the Bucks.
The ESPN New York radio host told his audience on Thursday that the network had “Egg on its face” after it previously let go of Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson and paired Mike Breen with Doris Burke and Rivers as the No. 1 NBA broadcast team.
Now, ESPN likely will go the rest of the season with just Breen and Burke as their top broadcast duo or have to move another analyst into the mix and try to create chemistry on the fly now that Rivers is gone.
“The rumors about why you let go of Van Gundy and Jackson was you were afraid that they would pursue coaching jobs and you didn’t want to break up the booth by them getting a coaching job,” Kay said on his eponymous radio show.
“So you go out of your way, you let them go, which broke up the best booth in professional sports. Sorry. The best. And you got Doc Rivers and Doris Burke. Doc Rivers interviewed for the Bucks job [during the offseason], you don’t think Doc Rivers wanted to be a coach again? He leaves midseason. Their booth now is Mike and Doris for the NBA Finals. You think that was a smart play by ESPN? I’m sorry, there might be bosses that will be upset, but they look terrible!”
Kay continued to point out the weirdness of the whole situation by adding the fact that it was CNN Sports that first broke the news of Rivers’ hiring in Milwaukee.
“And on top of that, the news was broken by CNN? Doc Rivers who you paid a boatload of money to be your top analyst didn’t even give you the story first?” he fumed.
“The Michael Kay Show” co-host Peter Rosenberg did point out that perhaps the network was trying to control the story by not reporting the news.
Lakers’ win over the Pacers in the In-Season Tournament title
game earlier this season. NBAE via Getty Images
“It’s an awful look,” Kay continued. “You broke up Van Gundy, Jackson and Breen. You put together this group which still hasn’t gelled, and now he’s gone. So, what do you do?”
Breen and Burke had a bit of fun with the news during their first broadcast after Rivers had taken the Bucks’ job on Wednesday.
“Our dear friend has decided that life as an NBA broadcaster is way too stressful So he’s decided to opt for a less stressful job — an NBA head coach on a team that’s trying to win a championship,” Breen said jokingly.
“We thank him for all his many weeks of service and we wish him luck in the world. Seriously, Doris, we’re a little heartbroken today, disappointed, but we’re thrilled for our friend because coaching is in his blood, it’s what he loves to do. And this is a tremendous opportunity in a city that he has history in.”
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