That theory doesn’t sit well with Phil Simms.

“I have to watch a sports station go, ‘that’s old school football, you can’t do that to today’s modern players’,” the former Giants quarterback said on CBS Sports Radio on Monday. “Well, shut up, they’re wrong, you can. It’s team building. It really does bring chemistry to the team. When guys have to run, yeah it’s a punishment, but it’s kind of funny and it brings everybody together.

“Just like the fight did with the Giants, I didn’t look at that as a detriment. And practicing too hard? Oh, come on. Come on. You gotta practice and do things on the field, take a rest, get back on, like it’s a game. And when you do things like that, scientifically it’s been proven, that’s the way to do it. And that is the best way that you can help prevent your team from getting more injuries.

“Does it work out always like that? No. But to think he’s run the training camp too hard is absurd and for people who say it, be quiet. You’re wrong!”

Judge’s training camp has made plenty of headlines so far. On the first day of padded practice last Tuesday, a late hit incited a team-wide brawl that resulted in quarterback Daniel Jones ending up at the bottom of the pile.

In the last week, a trio of veterans — 29-year-old guard Zach Fulton, 30-year-old offensive lineman Joe Looney and 29-year-old linebacker Todd Davis — all decided to retire. Another player, tight end Kelvin Benjamin, was cut before the first day of training camp was over following a heated on-field dispute with Judge.

Simms, who attended Wednesday’s practice and spoke with the team, believes Judge is preparing his team well for the upcoming season.

“All the good teams, they have one thing in common — they’re physical during training camp,” Simms said. “They have this tool. No matter what we say and how we look at it, football is still a sport about contact, being tough and it’s physical, and those are the teams that usually hang on until the end.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

Messi and Paris Saint-Germain have agreed to terms on a two-year contract that will pay the six-time Ballon d’Or winner $29 million per year. He will also earn a sign-on fee of $29 million and has a potential third year option at the same rate. 

On Tuesday, Messi arrived in Paris via a private aircraft, sporting a “This is Paris” t-shirt. PSG will hold a press conference to formally introduce Messi on Wednesday. 

Last Thursday, FC Barcelona announced that “financial and structural obstacles” precluded the club from signing Messi to a new contract and retaining the superstar for a 21st season. The 34-year-old maintained that he “did everything” to remain at the club, including agreeing in principle to a 50% wage cut. 

With PSG, Messi will reunite with Neymar, with whom he won a pair of La Liga titles and the Champions League during their four-year stint together at Camp Nou. 

PSG and Manchester City were initially seen as the two likeliest landing spots for Messi. During a farewell press conference on Sunday, Messi conceded that “a lot of clubs” were showing interest in his talents.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

Severino, on the mend from Tommy John surgery and a groin strain he suffered in June, spun four perfect innings in a rehab start for Double-A Somerset on Sunday. He struck out 5 of the 12 batters he faced, requiring only 48 pitches.

Buoyed by four perfect innings from Severino, the Patriots’ pitching staff recorded a combined no-hitter, the first in Somerset’s history.

Severino last pitched in the big leagues in Game 3 of the 2019 ALCS after undergoing Tommy John surgery last February. The Yankees had initially hoped that the two-time All-Star would return in July, but a low grade 2 groin strain derailed his first rehab stint.

Severino struggled in an outing for Somerset on Tuesday, allowing a pair of runs across 2.1 innings. On Sunday, he returned to his All-Star caliber form.

“I saw total domination,” Somerset pitching coach Daniel Moskos said. “I saw a guy who was completely locked in. … You saw a guy who is not far away from being ready to pitch in Yankee Stadium.”

Before Sunday’s game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone conceded that Severino will make “at least” one more rehab appearance. When Severino does return to the big league club, he will provide a needed boost to a rotation that has lost Gerrit Cole and Jordan Montgomery to the COVID-19 injured list, and Domingo German to the 10-day injured list with shoulder inflammation.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

FC Barcelona announced Thursday that Lionel Messi won’t be returning to the club due to financial and structural obstacles, leaving the 34-year-old’s future uncertain.

Last summer, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain emerged as the most likely landing spots when Messi informed Barcelona he wanted out over frustrations with the direction of the team.

Manchester City reportedly was prepared to offer Messi a $600 million contract at the time to reunite him with his former manager Pep Guardiola.

Many oddsmakers list Manchester City as the favorite to land Messi, but as of now it is “not in their plans,” at least according to Times Sport.

Messi earned $163 million per season in last contract with Barcelona.

PSG also could entice Messi with a potential reunion, this time with Neymar, who teamed up with Messi at Barcelona for four seasons. Like City, the Qatari-backed PSG typically has fewer financial limitations compared to other European clubs.

Still, the financial situation for each club may be tenuous. Last month, La Liga president Javier Tebas said that only “financial doping” could allow either club to sign Messi to a contract similar to his previous deal with Barcelona. Pandemic-induced losses, Tebas said, would hamper each team’s pursuit of Messi.

Oddsmakers also pointed to Messi potentially signing with any MLS team, Manchester United and Inter Milan as other possible destinations for the superstar.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

In July, news first surfaced that Brady had played the entirety of last season with a torn MCL in his left knee, an injury that warranted “pretty serious” surgery in February. Yet according to Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen, the severity of the injury had not been a secret to the Buccaneers.

“I thought everyone knew, [about his torn MCL],” Christensen said in a recent appearance on CBS Sports Radio. “When I first met him, he said, ‘Hey, my knee’s not 100 percent but with the tape job and stuff I’ll make it through the season and after the season we’ll get her fixed up.’

“He really does have a unique understanding of his body and competing and what it takes and can manage it. … He kind of managed it. We tried to be smart. We really didn’t modify much. We rested him like we would any veteran player at certain opportunities during the season.” 

The Buccaneers never disclosed Brady’s aliment on any of their injury reports during the regular season and playoffs.

The injury certainly didn’t appear to pose any limitations for Brady, who threw for 4,633 yards and 40 touchdowns. The 43-year-old played in all 16 regular-season games and four postseason matchups en route to a Super Bowl victory, not once appearing on an injury report. 

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

The star quarterback “has indicated to people close to him that he does plan to play for GB this season,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Monday, and the “expectation” is that will happen.

Rodgers, 37, originally informed members of the organization that he wanted out in April, and the relationship was thought to be strained beyond repair. Rodgers skipped both mandatory minicamp and OTAs.

The discontent is believed to stem from the Packers selecting Rodgers’ would-be successor, Jordan Love, in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Last week, Rodgers reportedly declined a two-year contract extension that would have made him the highest-paid player in all of football, eclipsing Patrick Mahomes’ $45 million per year. Rodgers currently is in middle of a four-year, $134 million contract with $98.7 million guaranteed.

But for now, with the first practice of training camp slated for Wednesday, the saga seems to be nearing a conclusion.

“We want him back, we’re committed to him for 2021 and beyond,” Packers president Mark Murphy said Monday at the franchise’s annual shareholders meeting. “He’s our leader and we’re looking forward to winning another Super Bowl.”

Added Packers GM Brian Gutekunst, whom Rodgers reportedly mocked in a comparison to ex-Bulls GM Jerry Krause: “We have been working tirelessly with Aaron and his representatives to resolve the issues (Rodgers has raised), and we are hopeful for a positive resolution.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

In Sunday’s women’s cycling road race, Annemiek van Vleuten crossed the finish line with no other cyclist in her sight. As she pedaled across, van Vleuten began to celebrate what she believed to be her first career gold medal. 

Only van Vleuten hadn’t been remotely close to winning the race. Rather, she finished a distant second – 75 seconds behind first place finisher Anna Kiesenhofer, who was so far ahead for so long that she had gone out of sight.

“When I crossed the line, I thought I had won,” Van Vleuten said after the race. “I’m gutted.” 

Kiesenhofer broke away from the peloton with more than 40 kilometers to go in the race. She cycled the rest of the course so far ahead of the other cyclists that they forgot about her altogether. 

Van Vleuten, who entered the race as one of the favorites, lamented the lack of earpieces for her premature celebration. 

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“This is an example (of what happens) if you ride an important race like this without communication,” Van Vleuten said. “All World Tour races have communication and now it’s the three of us standing here and wondering who has actually won.”

Van Vleuten’s two Dutch teammates were also initially led to believe that she had won gold. British cyclist Elizabeth Deignan, who finished 11th, even congratulated Van Vleuten in a post-race interview with the BBC. 

Though Van Vleuten insisted that she is “really proud” of her silver medal, her realization is made all the more disheartening considering her recent Olympic fate. At the 2016 Summer Games in Rio, Van Vleuten was in line to win gold at the same event before suffering a horrific crash in which she fell face-first and suffered several spinal fractures.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

“It wasn’t an easy day or my best but I got through it,” Biles wrote in an Instagram post on Monday morning. “I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times. I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard hahaha! The Olympics is no joke!”

The Americans entered the Games as odds-on favorites, touted as perhaps the best gymnastics team in history. Yet by posting a 170.562, the U.S. squad only managed the second-best cumulative score in qualifying, with the team representing the Russian Olympic Committee finishing more than a point ahead at 171.629.

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Biles contributed to her team’s struggles with a slew of uncharacteristic errors. In the floor routine, she finished in second place after falling off the mat and going out of bounds following a tumbling pass. She finished seventh in balance beam after requiring extra steps to finish.

Biles, though, still finished first overall for the all-around competition. On Tuesday, she’ll have a chance to start anew amidst mounting pressure in the finals, where she will compete in all six events.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

The 22-year-old superstar shined in his Olympics debut on Monday, scoring 48 points to lead Slovenia to a 118-100 blowout victory over Argentina. He added 11 rebounds and 5 assists.

“For me, I said this two years ago: He is the best player in the world, including the NBA,” Argentina coach Sergio Hernandez said after the game. “And if there was any doubt in my mind, there is no doubt anymore. He is the best player in the world.

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“We tried everything that we would have tried against a normal player, but he’s not a normal player.”

With 48 points, Doncic finished just seven points shy of the Olympics’ men’s basketball scoring record, set by Brazil’s Oscar Schmidt in 1988.

“I don’t care about records,” Doncic said. “We got a win and that’s what we came here for.”

It’s not a coincidence that Slovenia’s rise in the international basketball landscape coincides with Doncic’s own emergence. Before qualifying for the Tokyo Games earlier in July, the Slovenian men’s basketball team had never made the Olympics. Now, with Doncic leading the way, Slovenia is a bona fide medal contender, especially with Team USA looking like a shell of its usual dominant self.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

As the Mets continue to be ravaged by injuries, their position atop the NL East has grown increasingly precarious, the lead just 2.5 games over the red-hot Phillies. While fans plead the franchise to acquire reinforcements, Cohen took to Twitter during Monday’s game to pose a somewhat loaded question.

“Let’s play GM again,” Cohen wrote. “Make a trade now and pay a big price or wait until closer to the deadline and pay a reasonable price?”

If Cohen’s thinking is at all indicative of the Mets’ trade deadline approach, New York may have to stay afloat with its current pieces until July 30 comes around.

In the four days since the All-Star Break, the Mets’ trade needs have increased drastically. Jacob deGrom’s forearm injury has left them with just three healthy starting pitchers, while Edwin Diaz has suddenly become a ninth-inning liability, blowing three consecutive saves.

Those issues came to a head in a thrilling, 11-inning victory in Cincinnati on Monday, when Diaz coughed up a lead in the ninth inning and the Mets pitching staff surrendered 11 runs, nearly wasting a 15-run outburst by the offense.

Entering the All-Star break, the Mets figured to be in the market for sluggers, considering the fact that the offense ranked 29th in MLB with 3.7 runs scored per game at the time. Though that unit has come to life with 29 runs in the past three games, they could certainly still benefit from the presence of an All-Star caliber hitter like Kris Bryant, especially in the wake of Francisco Lindor’s oblique injury.

This isn’t the first time that Cohen has poked fun at the fanbase in regard to trade speculation. On July 2, the Mets owner tweeted, “To play GM, you have to say what you are willing to give up to get somebody.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

In an appearance on the “SmartLess” podcast on Monday, James expressed a desire to remain in Los Angeles for the rest of his NBA career.

“I truly hope that I can finish my career with the Lakers,” James said. “However many years that is, if it’s four, five, six, whatever, seven. I hope I can continue to play the game. I love being in L.A. My family loves being in L.A. Being with a historical franchise like the Lakers is something.

“… It’s like me being in ‘Space Jam’ — I never thought it would be possible. You think about Kareem and Magic and Wilt and Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, Kobe, Shaq and all of them, the whole list goes on.

James apparently considered joining the Knicks in 2019 before his wife, Savannah, shut down the idea because she wanted the family to be in Los Angeles, Vanity Fair’s Lisa Robinson said on a recent episode of the “Brian Windhorst & The Hoops Collective” podcast.

James, 36, has two years remaining on his current contract with the Lakers after signing a two-year, $85 million extension last December. He is slated to become a free agent following the 2022-23 season, at the age of 38.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

“Let me apologize right now,” Smith wrote. “As I’m watching things unfold, let me say that I never intended to offend any community, particularly the Asian community — and especially Shohei Ohtani, himself. As an African-American, keenly aware of the damage stereotyping has done to many in this country, it should’ve elevated my sensitivities even more. Based on my words, I failed in that regard and it’s on me, and me alone. 

“Ohtani is one of the brightest stars in all of sports. He is making a difference, as it pertains to inclusiveness and leadership. I should have embraced that in my comments. Instead, I screwed up. In this day and age, with all the violence being perpetrated against the Asian Community, my comments — albeit unintentional — were clearly insensitive and regrettable. There’s simply no other way to put it. I’m sincerely sorry for any angst I’ve caused with my comments on First Take this morning. Again, I am sorry. And I’ll happily reiterate these words more extensively tomorrow morning, as well.” 

On Monday’s episode of “First Take,” Smith said Ohtani isn’t the ideal person to be the face of baseball because he “doesn’t speak English.”

“The fact that you got a foreign player that doesn’t speak English, that needs an interpreter, believe it or not, I think contributes to harming the game to some degree, when that’s your box-office appeal,” he told co-hosts Molly Qerim and Max Kellerman. “When you talk about an audience gravitating to the tube or to the ballpark to actually watch you, I don’t think it helps that the No. 1 face is a dude that needs an interpreter so you can understand what the hell he is saying — in this country. And that’s what I’m trying to say.”

Smith tried to clarify his position amid mounting rebukes, first with a pair of tweets and then a video in which he doubled down.

“People are misinterpreting what I’m saying,” Smith said in the video. “… A lot of [baseball players] need translators. You know, Spanish, it can be Mandarin, Japanese, the list goes on and on and on. If you are trying to ingratiate yourself with the American public the way Major League Baseball is because of the problems that you’re having to deal with in terms of approving the attractiveness of the sport, it helps if you spoke the English language.” 

His colleagues at the World Wide Leader were not satisfied with his initial rounds of apologies.

After ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan tweeted that he would appear on Tuesday’s “First Take” to talk about Ohtani — “I’ve got some things to say,” he wrote — “SportsCenter” anchor Nicole Briscoe replied that she wished “the bosses had some things to say.”

Smith’s rant was the latest black eye for ESPN, which is still dealing with the fallout from “The Jump” host Rachel Nichols being caught on tape expressing her unease over co-worker Maria Taylor getting 2020 NBA Finals duty, which she believed was because “diversity.” ESPN gave Taylor the nod to cover the finals this year, and pulled Nichols off of “The Jump,” for just one taping as a result of the journalists’ comments.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

During Monday’s episode of ESPN’s “First Take,” the show’s host, Molly Qerim, asked Smith and Max Kellerman if “it’s good for Major League Baseball that Ohtani is the top attraction.” In response, Smith answered “not to me,” reasoning that Ohtani’s use of a Japanese interpreter diminishes the sport’s popularity domestically. 

“The fact that you got a foreign player that doesn’t speak English, that needs an interpreter, believe it or not, I think contributes to harming the game to some degree, when that’s your box-office appeal,” said Smith, who is paid a reported $12 million annually to share his opinions with the ESPN audience. “It needs to be somebody like Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, those guys. Unfortunately at this moment in time, that’s not the case.

“… When you talk about an audience gravitating to the tube or to the ballpark to actually watch you, I don’t think it helps that the No. 1 face is a dude that needs an interpreter so you can understand what the hell he is saying — in this country. And that’s what I’m trying to say.”

Ohtani will start in Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game as both the designated hitter and pitcher for the American League. Last Sunday, he became the first player in major league history to be selected at both positions, with his two-way prowess surpassing even Babe Ruth. He is batting .279 with a league-leading 33 home runs and 70 RBI, while also pitching to a 3.49 ERA with 87 strikeouts in 67 innings.

Despite admitting that Ohtani’s on-field success is “nothing short of spectacular,” Smith stuck to his original argument throughout the show. 

“In other sports like basketball, you notice, Dirk Nowitzki was German and Manu Ginobili and others were from other places, and guess what Max? They spoke fluent English,” Smith said. “You understood what they were saying when somebody was interviewing them. They didn’t need an interpreter. It goes a long way. For some reason with Major League Baseball, you’ve got these guys that need those interpreters and I think that compromises the ability for them to ingratiate themselves with the American public, which is what we’re really talking about.”

Smith, who professed that he “knows my baseball,” also drew a reference to the legendary 1998 MLB home run record chase between sluggers Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Smith lauded McGwire, who is white, for helping to “save baseball,” insinuating that Ohtani is unable to do so because of the language barrier. 

“You had a dude that you could put on Wheaties boxes because he l could ingratiate himself the younger generations out there that had America transfixed on the sport of Major League Baseball,” Smith said. “What I’m saying to you is that’s not the case (with Ohtani).”

Later on in the show, Kellerman admitted to agreeing with Smith’s opinion.

“If your point is, ‘he’s gotta learn English,’ I agree with that,” Kellerman said.

On Monday afternoon, Smith released a video on Twitter responding to criticism, though he hardly issues an apology or corrects his initial take.

“People are misinterpreting what I’m saying,” Smith said. “Baseball’s a great game, a great sport. Some of the greatest players are the foreign players. … I’m talking about the marketability and the promotion of the sport. It’s exactly what Sports Illustrated essentially alluded to in their article last month when they said that 28% of the players in Major League Baseball are foreign players.

“A lot of them need translators. You know, Spanish, it can be Mandarin, Japanese, the list goes on and on and on. If you are trying to ingratiate yourself with the American public the way Major League Baseball is because of the problems that you’re having to deal with in terms of approving the attractiveness of the sport, it helps you spoke the English language.

“… But in the United States, all I was saying is that when you’re a superstar, if you can speak the English language, then guess what, that’s gonna make it that much easier and less challenging to promote the sport.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

In a decision that may have significant implications for the Mets, the Cubs have elected to become sellers at the July 30 MLB trade deadline, The Athletic reported Friday morning. According to the report, a Cubs scout was recently seen at a Mets Low-A affiliate game, further fueling trade speculation between the two clubs.

The Mets were linked during the offseason to Kris Bryant, who even received a mysterious “Welcome to the Mets” text over the winter amid a bevy of trade rumors. Bryant, a free agent at season’s end, would add right-handed pop to a Mets offense that ranks second-to-last in all of baseball in runs scored. A four-time All-Star, Bryant is hitting .268 with 16 home runs and 43 RBIs on the season, seeing time at both third base and in the outfield.

Bryant is far from the only Cub likely to draw heavy interest ahead of the trade deadline. Out of the bullpen, closer Craig Kimbrel has rediscovered his All-Star form, posting a 0.57 ERA and notching 20 saves. Veteran Kyle Hendricks is a reliable innings-eater in the rotation, pitching to a 3.83 ERA.

Shortstop Javier Baez and first baseman Anthony Rizzo, two franchise cornerstones, are also on expiring contracts, seemingly incentivizing the franchise to net a haul of prospects rather than simply let the pair walk as free agents come the offseason.

Chicago’s decision to become sellers comes on the heels of an 11-game losing streak that saw the Cubs take a nosedive in the standings, plummeting from first place to 9.5 games back in just 15 days. They are only one game closer to the first-place Brewers than they are to the last-place Pirates.

“We’ve believed in these guys since 2015,” Cubs president Jed Hoyer said on Thursday prior to Chicago’s 8-0 loss to the Phillies. “They’ve had a ton of success and I would never count those guys out. But 11 days ago, we were certainly fully on the buy side of this transaction and everyone was calling about that. Obviously, people are now calling to see which players are available, so it’s a very different scenario than we expected. Life comes at you fast.”

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

On Friday, Djokovic advanced to the Wimbledon final by ousting 10th-seeded Denis Shapovalov in straight sets. If Djokovic is able to top seventh-seeded Matteo Berrettini on Sunday, he will capture his 20th career Grand Slam title, drawing even with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the most individual titles of all-time. 

Djokovic, who is seeking his sixth Wimbledon title, is the reigning champion of the previous two Wimbledons, winning in both 2018 and ‘19.

The top-ranked player in the world has breezed through his first six rounds in the tournament, winning all but one match in straight sets. After dropping his first set of the tournament to Jack Draper of Great Britain, Djokovic has yet to lose a set, let alone a match.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

Less than three weeks after a streaking fan invaded the 13th fairway during the U.S. Open, an unruly spectator was ejected from the Scottish Open on Friday after crashing the green and plucking a club from Rory McIlroy’s bag.

In a video captured by David Wilson, the fan can be seen nonchalantly walking onto the No. 10 tee box while McIlroy, Jon Rahm and McIlroy’s caddie, Harry Diamond, gathered by McIlroy’s bag before teeing off. The fan calmly reaches into the bag and grabs a club while the stunned trio perform a series of double-takes.

After the intruder took a few practice swings, security intervened to escort him away from the scene.

“At approximately 8am on Friday morning, a spectator entered the 10th tee area,” a spokesperson for the European Tour told ESPN. “He was quickly escorted from the tee by security personnel and the matter is now in the hands of Police Scotland.”

McIlroy carded a 70 in the tournament’s opening round and currently sits six shots back from the lead.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

Shortstop Carlos Correa and second baseman Jose Altuve each announced Thursday their intentions to skip this year’s festivities. Correa, who is hitting .288 with 16 home runs, stated a desire to be home with his pregnant wife during the four-day break.

“Baseball is really important to me, but family will always come first,” Correa said. “I’m grateful for everybody that voted for me to be in the All-Star Game. Baseball means the world to me, but I want to be with my family this time, especially with my wife, spending time with her. It’s our first child, so I need that time.”

Altuve, batting .282 with 19 home runs, blamed his All-Star Game absence on a left leg injury. The ailment has not caused Altuve to miss any regular-season games.

“I really think I need those four days to get everything right on my leg and be healthy for the second half, because I feel like the team needs me 100 percent,” Altuve said.

This year’s All-Star Game is the first since Houston’s sign-stealing scandal first rocked the sport’s landscape last January. By skipping the game, Correa and Altuve are able to avoid the potentially uncomfortable situation of sharing a locker room with players from other teams who may still be bitter over the Astros’ cheating ways.

On Tuesday, the Yankees’ Aaron Judge told The Post’s Dan Martin that he wouldn’t want any “past drama to take away from anything” at the All-Star Game. During last year’s spring training, Judge labeled the punishments handed out by MLB as “pretty weak.”

Without Altuve and Correa, Judge and others won’t have to worry about any drama putting a damper on the festivities. The Astros’ other All-Stars — outfielder Michael Brantley and relief pitcher Ryan Pressly — arrived in Houston after the 2017 sign-stealing episode.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

“It wasn’t great, but I’m glad I got the chance to do it,” McDonough said on the “SI Media Podcast” with Jimmy Traina. “Do I think we were bad? No, I thought it was fine. But it could’ve been great in my opinion, and it wasn’t.” 

McDonough joined Gruden in the MNF booth ahead of the 2016 season, replacing Mike Tirico, who left the network for NBC. He conceded that the dynamics between him and Gruden were often “awkward.” 

“You’re standing there next to somebody wondering, ‘If I ask him a question about this, is he gonna answer it or is he gonna be annoyed that I asked him?’” McDonough said. “So it was uncomfortable. … The part of it that bothered me was the narrative of some people in your line of work, ‘Oh, well that was a little too big for McDonough.’ I did the World Series when I was 30. I don’t think anybody thought I was nervous or out of place.” 

Following the 2017 season, McDonough returned to his niche as one of the network’s premier college football broadcasters, while Gruden became the new head coach of the Raiders, leaving the booth after nine years. 

McDonough noted that the show’s producers and directors often steered the broadcast towards Gruden’s forte — breakdowns and analysis. 

“I think, to be totally candid, Jon Gruden enjoyed the X-and-O part of it,” McDonough said. “He loved the telestrator. He told me when I first got the job, ‘I don’t like stories.’ So he didn’t want the stories and he didn’t want to engage in conversation. There were times when I would ask him a question or make a point and he didn’t respond, and I think it was just because he was so focused on, ‘I’m gonna dive into this play,’ and he just didn’t want to do it. 

“… Jon’s the analyst. TV is an analyst-driven medium. It was his strength. They played to his strength. It made sense. It just didn’t match with what I was there to do.”

McDonough, 59, has long been a staple on ESPN’s college football and college basketball coverage. Last month, the network tabbed McDonough as the lead play-by-play voice for its NHL coverage, beginning next season.

In recent years, the MNF broadcast team has been a revolving door of both play-by-play announcers and color commentators. Steve Levy, Brian Griese and Louis Riddick comprise the current broadcast team.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

While the Yankees hit the road, Sterling and Waldman remain in the Bronx, calling the games off YES Network’s TV feed inside a mostly-empty Yankee stadium — an oddity that began during the 2020 season due to travel restrictions caused by the pandemic. During Tuesday’s game against the Mariners in Seattle, the unorthodox broadcast style caused a gaffe on Sterling’s part. 

Attempting to announce the game off his monitor, Sterling saw a replay of a second-inning home run from Aaron Judge. Mistaking the replay for live action, Sterling began reciting his classic home run call, incorrectly crediting Judge with his second home run of the night. 

Only afterwards did Sterling realize his mistake. 

“Unfortunately, that was the replay of the home run,” Sterling said. “But it was a good replay.” 

Sterling then lamented the fact that he was calling the game from nearly 3,000 miles away. 

“I’m sorry, it’s on a monitor,” Sterling said. “What am I supposed to do?”

“This is a great way to do a game, isn’t it?” Waldman quipped. 

Pandemic-induced capacity limitations have been lifted across the league and both Waldman and Sterling are vaccinated. However, there remains no timetable for the duo’s potential return to pre-pandemic broadcasting and travel. The Yankees’ radio rights holder, WFAN, and its parent company, Audacy, save money by keeping them in the Bronx, eliminating travel expenses. 

Last month, Waldman was “embarrassed” after missing a controversial foul tip-or-no foul tip play during a Yankees-Blue Jays game that took place in Buffalo. If Waldman had been in the stadium for the play, she feels she would have been able to glean a better feel for what had happened.

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan

In a weekend story from the New York Times, a leaked audio clip captured ESPN host Rachel Nichols, who is white, expressing displeasure with the network’s promotion of Taylor, who is black. Wednesday evening, Taylor took to Twitter in her first public comments directly addressing the matter. 

“During the dark times I always remember that I am in this position to open doors and light the path that others walk down,” Taylor wrote. “I’ve taken some punches but that just means I’m still in the fight. Remember to lift as you climb and always KEEP RISING.”

The leaked recording features a discussion between Nichols and Adam Mendelsohn, an adviser to LeBron James and his agent, Rich Paul, that took place last summer. 

Nichols suggests that Taylor received NBA Finals hosting duties because the network was “feeling pressure” about its “crappy longtime record on diversity.” Nichols also expressed a fear of becoming a “victim of them trying to play catch-up” with regards to equal opportunities. 

Following the leak, ESPN removed Nichols from her duties as the NBA Finals sideline reporter and canceled Tuesday’s edition of Nichols’ show, “The Jump.” Nichols began Monday’s show with a tearful apology to Taylor.

On Tuesday, Taylor appeared on the network for the first time since the leak, hosting “NBA Countdown” ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Taylor addressed sideline reporter Malika Andrews — who is filling in for Nichols — with notable enthusiasm. 

Amidst the growing controversy, ESPN faces a pivotal decision over Taylor’s future with the network. Her contract is set to expire later this month, and The Post’s Andrew Marchand reported last week that the host is seeking “Stephen A. Smith money,” which is near $8 million annually. Taylor has already turned down a new deal that would pay her almost $5 million per year, a significant raise from her current salary of $1 million. 

This story originally appeared on: NyPost - Author:Jared Greenspan