You have to feel bad when someone gets fired, but the way in which David Steele was let go from the Baltimore Sun was just downright evil. Steele, and others, were told via phone that they were being let go, but even worse while in the press box covering an Orioles game.

Well Steele has penned his first account of the events for Real Clear Sports, and here are some of the highlights, er lowlights....

Not long after that, around 2 p.m., one of the other writers pulled me aside: “Maese just sent a text saying he got laid off." It was a perfectly legible sentence, but it made no sense to anyone there. It’s the middle of the game, they just had layoffs yesterday, he’s a prominent columnist … huh? It wasn’t anything to joke about, but it didn’t sound true at all. But he had, for the moment, disappeared from his seat.

I went back to my seat and saw that there was a message on my cell from the office. I hadn’t turned the ringer back up after the manager’s pre-game press conference, so I hadn’t heard it. The message: call back as soon as you get this. Good, I thought, we’ll straighten out this business of who is writing for the next day. Which, technically, is what happened. Still, apparently, I was either completely clueless or in total denial, I’m still not sure which.

It didn’t matter. I called back and got the voice mail. At 2:34 p.m. (that time-stamp is kind of stuck in my head for the time being), the office called back. I went into a hallway behind the press box and answered it with something like, “Hey, what’s up?’’ Or “What’s going on?’’ Along those lines.

My editor greeted me, paused, took a deep breath. “David, I’m sorry you have to be told this way …"

I actually doubled over. It wasn’t a sharp pain, and it wasn’t like I was about to get sick. It was more like a knot in my stomach. I know I said, “Aw, shit,’’ but I don’t know how loud I said it, apparently not loudly enough for my editor to take note of it. The rest is a little fuzzy, something about just now getting the list and the union and not wanting me to hear it from someone else and getting paid through the end of May and severance and human resources and return your possessions to us and thank you for your hard work and professionalism and blah blah blah.

That is just the lowest of the low right there, and a chilling account of what went down. Growing up in that area, the Baltimore Sun has always been dysfunctional, but hearing something like this just signifies the end of the end. You would have thought that the way it was depicted on "The Wire" would have been the nail in the coffin, but gutting the Sports Department seems to be the final straw. There's really no other reason to read the thing.

Press Box Layoff: How the Baltimore Sun Fired Me (Real Clear Sports)

Of all the things that could happen on Radio Row during Super Bowl Week, this was not one that I could imagine. It turns out that two feuding stations/broadcasters, one from Baltimore and one from Dallas, decided to throw down this afternoon. From Dallas Sports Fans via Deadspin....

This morning on Radio Row at Super Bowl 43 in Tampa, “Nasty Nestor” Aparicio, a controversial Baltimore radio host attacked Gordon Keith. The incident is the latest in an on-going feud between Nasty Nestor and the Ticket.

Apparently, Gordon Keith went over to Nasty Nestor Arapicio with a wireless microphone to attempt to bury the hatchet between the two parties, when Nasty Nestor became angry, grabbed Gordon Keith around the throat and attempted to strangle him. The two were then separated and the police were called.

This is not the first incident between Nasty Nestor and the Ticket. In 2008, at the Super Bowl coverage, Corby Davidson went to Nasty Nestor to make peace. Nestor Arapicio began swearing at Corby Davidson and accused him of having a hidden mic, to which Corby responded, “I swear to the good Lord I do not have a microphone.” Nasty Nestor then called Corby a “(Explitive)-ing Jew.”

Well then! If there's anything lamer than a media feud, it's gotta be a Sports Radio feud. After the banquet lunch, and my interview with Frank Caliendo, let's settle this at the Playground free Pepsi Machines outside the conference center!

If anyone has audio of the exchange, I'd love to hear it.

Nasty Nestor Arapicio Attacks Gordon Keith (Dallas Sports Fans)

Hilarious find by Sports Crack today. Jason Giambi was batting in the bottom of the sixth inning against the O's last night when Brian Roberts decided to change up the standard shift on the lefty. Instead of standing in the deep infield and moving toward first, B-Rob decided to play almost all the way in the outfield (ala a short fielder in Softball). It almost worked too, but the first baseman's shot made it just past him.

The best part though by far was Giambi's reaction after the fact. He seemed none too pleased with the inventive Roberts. Watch as he rounds the base....

Sorry for the quality there, but it was the best I could get. The photo below via SC might give you a better look....


Apparently it was all in fun, but Giambi definitely looks a bit pissed off there for a moment. You know what it is? It's the 'stache. You can never tell if someone with one is smiling or not. Either way though....hilarious.

Jason Giambi Says F U To Brian Roberts (Sports Crack)

Okay so we've finally got some clarification on the whole Terry Crowley thing from last night. Via Watchdog comes YES' apology...

Spokesman Eric Handler said an audio guy in the production truck pulled up a file on Staten Island's own Terry Crowley, whom the analysts had been discussing on the air, to play it for his producer to see whether it might be relevant, having no idea what was on it.

Two problems:

1. It was Earl Weaver talking about Crowley during a profane diatribe taped in the 1970s and originally meant as an internal joke not intended for wide distribution.

2. The tape of Weaver was heard not only by the producer, but by everyone viewing the game.

"Obviously, we apologize," said Handler, who added the matter would be addressed internally to avoid future incidents. "As soon as the offensive language was revealed, we cut it off . . . It was an honest mistake, and we apologize."

That makes sense, but I'm still curious as to why you'd have a clip like that in a file to ever play. Oh well, fun times and more networks should drop in Earl Weaver clips from time to time. The guy was awesome.



Willie apologizes Wednesday, YES does so Thursday (Watchdog)
Someone At The YES Network Has A Lot Of Explaining To Do (Awful Announcing)

About 20 different people emailed me during the third inning of the Yankees-O's game and told me that I had to get video or audio from the YES feed during an Adam Jones at-bat. Well I've found the video and it's safe to say that someone that works for YES doesn't like O's Batting Coach Terry Crowley (to say the least).

The broadcast is going along swimmingly and the announcers were talking about Crowley and his success with the O's hitters early this season when it happens. Listen very closely at the :18 mark as someone hops on the feed and just lays into him out of nowhere (NSFW words are dropped as well)....

"Terry Crowley is lucky he's in fucking Baseball for christsakes. He was released by the Cincinnati Reds, he was release by the fucking.....(voice fades out)"

Are you kidding me?! I know all sorts of crazy stuff happens in the truck, but good lord. That guy DOES NOT like Crowley at all for some reason. If anyone has more information please email me and let me know who or what that was.

I'm thinking someone might not be asking to game three of the series.

Update: So apparently that voice you hear is of Earl Weaver from an old Manager's Corner. That explains the who, but I'd love to hear why it was played on-air.

(Thanks to everyone who wrote in regarding this, especially Lozo)

I'll give you a hint.....He ain't kill no muthaf**kin' lionnnnnnn! That's right everyone Ray Lewis will be joining Chris Berman and company for this weekend's Sunday Countdown!!!

Starting a 11am Countdown will have a ton of features Tom Brady and the Patriots, but the early leader in the clubhouse is going to be Kenny Mayne's piece on Brett Favre. Via ESPN....

Mayne Event: How Favre Succeeds in Frigid Weather -- Naked

The NFC Championship pitting the Giants against the Packers at Lambeau Field is calling for frigid weather with a wind chill in the minus-teens. This plays right into Packers’ quarterback Brett Favre’s hands because, as Kenny Mayne finds out, Favre’s ability to succeed in Green Bay’s winter weather comes from practice. Favre trains by running in and about the town naked - at least, that’s what the tongue-in-cheek Mayne Event thought.

That sounds fun! I hope we get some good photos from that one. Here's everything else that's you'll get this Sunday....

*One-on-One with Brett Favre (Of course)
*Brady Bunch – An E-SPN True? Hollywood Story (Clever..can't believe they haven't used that before)
*New York Giants: Road Warriors
*Soundtracks: The Patriots vs. the Chargers (From last year)
*Film Room: Chargers Defense *Tale of the Tape: NFL Conference Championship Weekend

God things were going so well for the Ravens. They were running all over the Pats and scoring TDs...multiple TDs! They were in such a groove Brian Billick was blowing kisses at Rodney Harrison....

A Boller pick set New England on its Merry way, but the Baltimore D was there. They stopped the Pats on 4th Down not once, but twice. On the first stop Baltimore's coaches called a timeout before the play. The players looked just gassed, but they came back and stopped them again! But there was a false start penalty on New England that gave them room, and then it happened.

Flag, completion, completion, Flag, Incomplete, Extremely Questionable Flag (I take it back...it was definitely holding), Juggled Touchdown, Review, Upheld, Hail Mary Caught, Down at the Two.

I'll have video up of the last few minutes, but I think Tony Kornheiser said it best at the beginning of the telecast. Every Dynasty needs people to love them and a lot more to hate them and even though I hate the Ravens I've never rooted for a Football Team harder outside of the Redskins before. And I for sure the hell hate the Patriots, but hell they stepped up when they had to.

At least now that ass Mercury Morris can sweat things out for a few weeks (more on him tomorrow). Man that was just agonizing.

Update: Here are the last few moments in case you missed them.....

For 99% of you, if you come to this site you've probably already been to Deadspin today, but if you haven't then you HAVE to go back. Somehow Mr. Leitch obtained the Aubrey Huff appearance on Bubba The Love Sponge's Show. So you're saying you've already heard the audio? Well have you seen the video??? The one where he's painting a naked chica who's most certainly not his wife?!?! Didn't think so.

I don't really even have words to describe this. I'm not the standard for morality, so I'll let you judge for youself. I think I've decided against posting the video in this space due to it's HIGHLY NSFW nature, but if you want to see it head over to Deadspin lickety-split.

Aubrey Huff Admires "Works Of Art" (Deadspin)
Aubrey Huff Probably Won't Be Doing Radio Again Anytime Soon (Fanhouse)

(Again folks, HIGHLY NSFW....like you could get fired NSFW from the video and audio)

Ed Reed is normally the one laying the hits, but Hines Ward introduces the Ravens' Safety straight to the turf with this head on hit (wait for the replay)......

He just hid behind the other defender and then blasted the Pro Bowler Reed. Kind of cheap, but a legal hit.

So it's 35-7 and nothing starts a 2nd half off better than a picture of the infamous Ravens Camo pants. Crabcakes, Football, and Purple Camo....that's what Maryland is all about. If you're looking at a dude's pants for Grimace....you ain't finding him.

Oh yeah.....three and out for the Ravens, and another sack for the Steelers. Good times......Good times.

"I've got to entertain America."- Tony Kornheiser (Via Mookie)

We're actually okay Tony....you don't have to impress us.

"Big Ben was stroking it in the first half. Got you excited Tony."- Jaws

Whoa Jaws! Whoa.

Ravens have the ball btw....not that you care. Hagans got flipped on the previous play and Tony breaks out the jokes....

"The last person I saw flip like this was Keri Strug in the Olympics."- Tony Kornheiser

Wow that was timely Tony. Can you compare Billick to Bela Karolyi next please?

Roethlisberger rolls out and looks to throw it away, but somehow hits a wide open Holmes for the first down. Uh oh.....Big Ben is hurt on the play, but Holmes hauls it down and RACs it inside the 10.

Reed hits a FG, and then decides to take on the entire Ravens team. Not smart naked one.

38-7

Polamalu is banged up now as well. I think it's time to bench everyone Pittsburgh. Ray Lewis tackles Parker after a 3 yard game and freaks out for no reason. God I hate him.

Another sack for the Steelers, and at this rate I may just make up that 50 point fantasy deficit I had to start the night. Boller is in now and tries to show McNair up with a few passes over 10 yards. Both were incomplete.

Tony is trying to identify the 3 Rivers outside Heinz Field and failing miserably. What's the point you ask? I wish I knew.

Hey....only seven minutes left!!!! Boller sacked again. Why even punt?

"For the Ravens, if you add their points and first downs you get their total penalties."- Mike Tirico

That's horrible....weather or not.

Najeh Davenport picks up a first down, and that'll keep the clock running! Yes!!! No.....injury. God I'm in Hell. McGahee has a concussion....nice. XFLers should be playing at this point....not your starters.

Wow....Mike Tirico completely calls out NBC's green initiative by saying his game notes will go into a recycling bin!!! Buuuurn. Network Wars!!!

So that was a barn burner. Can't believe you missed it! 38-7 Steelers....the Ravens are officially cooked. Thanks for commenting through this crapfest, and hopefully you'll join me for the next week's installment of crap as the 9ers travel to Seattle.

So we've made it to Week Ten, and we're getting to the part of the Monday Night schedule where teams they thought were going to be good are actually pretty bad. Blowouts happen and Tony K gets sillier. While the game might not be fun tonight (we hope it will be) the booth should be.

Terry Bradshaw is the guest tonight during the 3rd quarter and I'm hoping he asks about Joe Theismann just to see what happens.

"When he get around traffic, he lowers his shoulders and go through traffic -- and he go through it very well."- Emmitt Smith
(Via PFT)

Oh god....here we go again. Hines Ward is currently getting a mani and pedi, and Keyshawn admits that he did it as well. Everyone busts on him and laughs at their bad jokes. Hooray!

Great job of Emmitt and Steve trying to make their picks over the National Anthem. Good work ESPN. Game time....
_________________________________________

Ooh the Steelers are wearing throwbacks in the rain.....this is going to be fun. Tony talks about Pittsburgh for a few minutes and I tune him out. Sorry Steeltown and ESPN, but no one else really cares.

"Ben Roethlisberger threw 14.....4 interceptions and was sacked a walloping 14 times."- Michele Tafoya

Wow....that'd be a record or something.

Steelers ball to start out....from their own 30. A run to Willie Parker and a pass to Hines Ward picks up a quick first down. Tony Kornheiser says Karma is the reason Pittsburgh is doing good this year. Do you think he believes his own crap anymore? Pittsburgh punts....and it's still raining.

Baltimore will get the ball from the 20 and 80 year old Steve McNair leads them out onto the field. For a rain soaked crowd....they're pretty loud. Sypniewski with a nice catch along the sidelines. Michele Tafoya talked to the Steelers' turf guy....good times.

FUMBLE!!!!!!!!!! Harrison cause the fumble and the Steelers are in business.

Two runs from Parker get nothing and the Steelers are looking at 3rd and long.

TOUCHDOWN PITTSBURGH!!!! Trevor Pryce misses ont the sack and Roethlisberger hits Heath Miller on a floater.

7-0 Steel

Ravens ball again and Mark Clayton grabs a ball. What's that his 2nd catch of the season? A false start penalty on the Ravens basically negates that play, and after a run it's 3rd and long....again. The Steelers blitz the entire team and McNair throws it into the ground. They should just bench him now and save him from any other injuries.

"Ben has an empty backfield, that means he has to pass"- Ron Jaworski (Via Matthew)

Steelers go three and out and after penalties on both teams Ed Reed goes back.....and he loses the ball! And it goes flying in the air!!!! Steelers get ball back after Harrison causes another fumble!

Ivy gets a stupid pass interference penalty called on him when Ben Roth was just trying to throw the ball away. Just dumb.

"It was one of those situations where a poor throw worked out well."- Ron Jaworski

Thanks Jaws.

"What the hell is clinical tackling Jaws? Sounds like a lame ass high school band."- Dr. C

My highschool band's name was The Bearded Clams....good times.

TOUCHDOWN STEELERS!!!! BIG BEN TO SANTONIO HOLMES. Great throw and catch....

14-0 Steelers

Wow...coming back from break Tony didn't realize they were live and was either yelling at a production guy or at Jaws....

"NO! I got it."- Tony Kornheiser

RAVENS GET BURNED AGAIN!!! Big Ben to Washington and he was wiiiiiiiide open. No one within 15 yards.

21-0 Steelers.

Terry is also in the booth a little early, so that's a plus. Terry makes fun of Jaws' notes....its called being prepared Terry....you should try it.

"Tirico needs to spend more time doing play by play and less time sucking off TB. Furthermore, stop predicting penalties...that was obviously grounding."- Matthew

Seriously....Mike can't do two things at once.

The Ravens finally get some pressure and Roethlisberger goes down, and Terry is gone. This is the one time I'd rather the guest stay in the booth to counteract the crappy game.

This is just getting ridiculous. Another McNair fumble....off another Harrison forced fumble.....and McGahee runs it back to his own two. That's followed by a false start, and the Ravens punt. Can we call this game already?

Big Ben just chucks it up.....TOUCHDOWN SANTONIO HOLMES.....ACTUALLY NO.....

Incomplete pass....Holmes dropped it on the way down. Good call by Eddie Gunz and the Gang.

"If he was any more animated, he'd be Shrek"- Tony Kornheiser (Via Dave who said he laughed.....come on Dave. Don't encourage him.)

TOUCHDOWN STEELERS!!!! SANTONIO HOLMES RUNS PAST MARTIN AND THIS ONE IS DEFINITELY A CATCH.....Too easy.

28-0.

"Look at his eyes, down field looking for a receiver" - Jaws (Via Mookie)

Ummm, that's kinda necessary.

Wow....Holmes just ran past Martin. That kid is fast. McNair hits Mason on two passes and it's 3rd and short for once. FIRST DOWN RAVENS!!!!! HOLY S**T!

JAMES HARRISON WITH THE INTERCEPTION!!!!! Good lord he's having the game of his life!!!

3 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 FF, 1 Interception

Great play by Roethlisberger to float one over the line to Parker, and Hines Ward absolutely blows up Bart Scott! Man he can block.

Touchdown Steelers.....Big Ben to Washington again.....

35-0.

"Heres Baltimore's problem, in one half Ben Rothlesberger has thrown as many touchdowns as Baltimore has all year"- Jaws (Via konck)

I hate the Ravens, but that is depressing.

MCGAHEE GETS LOOSE!!!! TOUCHOWN RAVENS!!!!!!!

35-7

We've got ourselves a ball game now!!! Ravens get a sack and they've decided to show up. That "Big Ben Godsend" sign is the cheesiest thing I've ever seen by the way.

Oh wow! Hines Ward just jacked up Ed Reed.....holy crap. He just picks people off....that video will be up shortly. James Harrison picks up another sack after just using Jon Ogden....make that a half a sack split with Hagans. Just end the half already....good lord.

35-7 Pittsburgh. Thank god that's over....I'll see you in another thread if you want to hang out. I won't be mad if you don't though.

(posted by OMDQ)

Sometimes, Mother Nature needs to know when to shut the hell up and provide good weather.

Rain interrupted B.J. Surhoff's induction into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame Saturday night (an exclusive group that also includes legendary talents such as Rick Dempsey and Chris Hoiles), requiring him to throw out the game's first pitch after home plate and the pitcher's mound had already been covered with tarps (total bummer, man - not nearly as much fun if you can't at least stand on the dirt of the mound).

It seems weird to write the words "Hall of Fame" and "B.J. Surhoff" in the same sentence, but I will say this for the guy: he was, without a doubt, a charter member of the "Holy Cow, That Guy's Still Playing?" Hall of Fame (a group that has since added Damion Easley, and probably countless others, to its ranks). Seriously, Surhoff always seemed like the type of player who talent-wise should have had a 10-12 year career, but through a combination of hard work and a willingness to play everywhere (the only thing he never did in the majors was pitch) stretched it out to nineteen seasons, most of them as a valuable contributor.

Good for him for making enough of an impact to receive this honor (seriously - Dempsey and Hoiles may be members, but so are Robinson, Robinson, Ripken Jr., and Murray. Good group).

Just passing this along because it's funny as hell. Saw this item on PFT this morning so I went searching for the audio.

Billick was discussing how hard to work teams during Spring Training Training Camp and he was recalling a story about Bill Walsh working with a Physiologist in the 80s. (5:30 mark)

Audio (WNST.net)

"And the physiologist came back and had an interesting uh view that the team was the most depleted, most physically beat up, most vulnerable prior to its first game because during training camp you just go out and beat the s*** out of them."- BB

Hilarious....he didn't he pause at all. Just a normal part of his vernacular.....nothing to hear here.