Michael Wilbon went scorched earth on his network’s own rules analyst on Friday. Wilbon dug into Bill LeMonnier’s read of the controversial final play of Miami’s 31-27 win over Mississippi in the College Football Playoff semifinal on Thursday, calling the ESPN rules analyst a “sniveling idiot.” “I can’t get over the end of the game. … Read more
The Worldwide Leader has tapped out with a significant chunk out of its MMA coverage. ESPN, which had been the UFC’s broadcasting home for the past seven years before being outbid by Paramount in a groundbreaking $7.7 billion deal, let nearly all of its on-air talent contracts expire this year without renewal, sources tell The … Read more
What really was behind the Ravens’ firing of John Harbaugh depends on which NFL insider you believe. Hours after the Super Bowl-winning coach’s canning after 18 seasons in Baltimore, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the move was “simply [because] Harbaugh lost the locker room” in one of the first of many attempts to explain what … Read more
The show must go on. ESPN play-by-play man Joe Buck called Saturday night’s NFC West-deciding matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers while concealing a black eye, he revealed after the game. Posting before-and-after pictures on social media following the Week 18 clash, Buck credited his trusted makeup artist, Kathleen Vybihal, for helping … Read more
ESPN celebrated longtime broadcaster Pam Ward on Tuesday morning with a video saluting her almost three-decade career following her recent retirement. The nearly two-and-a-half-minute video package featured salutes from WNBA legends Tamika Catchings and Rebecca Lobo, Fever coach Stephanie White, colleague Holly Rowe and others. “You’re someone I’ve looked up to,” Rowe said in the … Read more
Social media had a field day Saturday when ESPN locked in on adult film star Abella Danger taking in her beloved Miami Hurricanes’ 10-3 victory over Texas A&M in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Abella, a full-time student at Miami, was captured wearing a white cropped top and an orange skirt in … Read more
“College Gameday” had a bit of a Johnny Football snafu Saturday. ESPN announced Texas A&M legend Johnny Manziel as the guest picker in a since-deleted tweet in the lead-up to the Aggies’ College Football Playoff game against the Miami Hurricanes in College Station. Only one problem: The Heisman-winning quarterback wasn’t on the set when the … Read more
Once again, we’re left to remind the double-dealers, race hustlers and the ignorantly wishful that the successful pursuit of equality is a fool’s mission if one chooses inequality as their path. And, outside of The Rev. Al Sharpton’s amen-reliant but diminishing numbers of protesters who remain confident in the come-hither presence of TV news cameras … Read more
Joe Buck will be back in the baseball broadcast booth this season for ESPN, at least for one game. The venerable sports broadcaster, and the voice of the World Series on Fox from 1996-2021, will be behind the mic when the Worldwide Leader kicks off its revamped MLB broadcast package with a Mets-Dodgers game on … Read more
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo detests the NBA Cup like only he can. “I do not understand it, Brian [Windhorst],” Russo said on ESPN’s “First Take” on Wednesday. “I apologize, somewhere, Walt Frazier and Willis Reed and Red Holzman are saying, ‘Really? We’re gonna celebrate this stupid thing? This inauthentic creation to jazz up the regular … Read more
Elle Duncan went out with a bang in her ESPN farewell on Tuesday. After a decade at the Worldwide Leader, Duncan hosted her final “SportsCenter” show before heading to Netflix and offered a few final words in defense of her company, which receives a wide range of ongoing criticisms. “Before I leave this desk, there … Read more
Do me a favor. The minute you find out where we report to surrender, let me know. Well, it’s only Friday, and already another week of warped wonder. With Pete Alonso off to Baltimore — it’s now LFGO! — Mets fans will still be more than welcomed to bet on Alonso’s No. 20 in Steve … Read more
“SportsCenter” anchor Christine Williamson will succeed Elle Duncan at ESPN, serving as co-host of the TV program’s 6 p.m. time slot alongside Kevin Negandhi, as well as the lead women’s college basketball host on “College GameDay,” the Worldwide Leader said in a press release Thursday. Williamson — who currently co-hosts the 2 p.m. and 5 … Read more
Justin Herbert just wanted to be left alone after a big win. In the moments immediately following the Chargers’ critical 22-19 overtime win over the Eagles on “Monday Night Football,” Los Angeles’ superstar quarterback appeared to want nothing to do with a Laura Rutledge on-field postgame interview. “Yeah, I’m trying to celebrate with my team,” … Read more
Craig Carton’s return to WFAN has left Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata in limbo, and ESPN’s Don La Greca isn’t so sure that’s a good call. The ESPN radio co-host, who used to run a show with Michael Kay, hates the new move to bring in the embattled radio personality, as Carton will take over … Read more
There is no glee in Kris Budden’s response. The ESPN sideline reporter pushed back at Dave Portnoy on Saturday after the sports personality accused her of showing “glee” while on camera with a graphic of BYU’s College Football Playoff chances on screen before the Big 12 Championship. “You could actually listen to the television where … Read more
Stephen A. Smith has cut ties with Papaya Gaming, the company behind the solitaire game the ESPN personality promoted as part of his ambassadorship to promote the upcoming World Solitaire Championship (WSC). “Papaya and I have mutually agreed to end our partnership,” Smith, 58, told Front Office Sports on Friday. It comes after ESPN reportedly … Read more
Molly Qerim is enjoying a getaway to Abu Dhabi following her September split from ESPN, as seen in an Instagram Story post on Thursday. The former “First Take” host, who abruptly resigned amid contract negotiations, shared a snapshot of herself walking on a beach while looking out at the ocean. Qerim, who was wearing a … Read more
The new ESPN baseball broadcast schedule may cost the company its top analyst in David Cone. With ESPN switching its showcase game from “Sunday Night Baseball” to midweek beginning next season, that will clash more with Cone’s more robust Yankees-affiliated YES Network schedule and that could lead to a potential split, according to Front Office … Read more
Paul Finebaum is sticking to sports. The ESPN and SEC Network college football analyst told AL.com that he will not run for the U.S. Senate in Alabama on the Republican ticket despite floating the idea of a foray into politics earlier this year. “I have been deeply moved by so many people in Alabama who … Read more