There was a rumor, that started from a Deadspin podcast, that Bill Simmons would be filling in for Tony and/or Mike on PTI this summer, but apparently that's not the case. Dan LeBatard told the Deadcast that he and Simmons were all set to host the show together, but according to show producer Erik Rydholm, that's not the case. Via The Sporting Blog....

When Tony and Mike came back from vacation this week, the question became if, not when, Simmons and Le Batard would have their chance to pardon and/or interrupt one another. Usually the fill-in weeks are during the dog days of July, and with August just around the corner and football season starting, there may not be time for Simmons to do a full week of PTI.

I emailed with Erik Rydholm, executive-producer/creator/genius behind PTI and he told me that he would like to make it work, but scheduling isn't cooperating. He wrote:

"Very few upcoming stretches when both Tony and Mike are off. A couple of single days and it makes little sense to fly Dan and Bill in from forever away for one day. Hope to get something (scheduled) down the line."

It's surprising to me that Simmons has never had a stint on the show, especially when you think of all of the random people they've had as fill-ins. I mean, Patrick McEnroe was a co-host at one point! Personally, I think it would be a fun experiment to have Simmons on, but I guess if it ain't broke, there's no need to fix it.

Don't Expect Bill Simmons Pardoning Any Interruptions This Summer (The Sporting Blog)

It's round two of the Randy Moller Experiment over at the Dan Le Batard Show, and I couldn't be more pleased. We need something like this to get us going on a blah Tuesday, right? Right! So get your popcorn ready, sit back, and enjoy....RME 2.0!

(Oh and please make sure you listen around the :30 mark for what could be the best call in the history of Sports)

Bonerama!? Are you kidding me??? And Meatloaf too? This is just too much. I have to go lay down.

In his first sitdown with Sports Media since his New Year's arrest, Charles Barkley chose Dan Le Batard as his destination. Among the topics were the details surrounding the arrest, his endorsements and his drinking issues. From 790 The Ticket via SbB....

The crazy part of the whole interview isn't really those comments, but rather the fact that the talk was over 50 minutes long! That was just the first three minutes. Other than that, I can't really tell a grown man what to do with his life, so I just hope Charles can come to happy medium with his drinking and gambling. It's not an easy thing, but his job and well-being depends on it.

FYI- Barkley will be conducting another interview with Ernie Johnson before the start of Inside the NBA tonight.

The Dan Le Batard Show (790 The Ticket)
Barkley’s 1st Post-DUI Interview: “I Like To Drink” (Sports by Brooks)

I'm mad at all of you Hockey fans out there. How could months pass by and none of you even alerted me to the greatness that is Florida Panthers' radio announcer, Randy Moller. Moller, an ex-player, has taken a fondness to using pop culture references during goal goals, and lucky for us, the Dan LeBatard Show has decided to put a collection of them on Youtube. I don't think you're ready for this....

So so good. I've already listened to it three times, and I hear something new each time. My personal favorite has to be the "She blinded me with Science" one, but "Ma! Where's the Meatloaf?!" is a close second.

I missed this last evening, but Jay Glazer was on Dan Le Batard's radio show, and had some choice words for ESPN concerning the whole Brett Favre texting situation. The interesting thing however, wasn't Glazer's thoughts on the situation, but rather Le Batard saying that he didn't believe the network he works at. Via SbB....

Before Glazer came on the show, Le Batard weighed why ESPN wasn’t reporting the story, saying, “ESPN is ignoring the story entirely. It’s not their story. Their guy didn’t make that story. Or they haven’t been able to confirm it. Or maybe the story is wrong.”

While talking to Glazer, Le Batard said, “I would think what ESPN is doing there is prideful. You know how this stuff works, you get beat on a story and then you don’t want to acknowledge that the story exists.

And after the interview, Le Batard remarked, “I’m siding with Jay on this one.”

I'd love to get you the audio, but apparently 790 The Ticket hasn't updated podcasts in about a week, but I'll try my best to get a hold of it. Anyway, I wonder if ESPN will be upset with Le Batard after their "do not comment" edict wasn't followed. I know that he's only a part-timer at the network, and obviously he doesn't have to follow the rules outside the doors, but ESPN can't be happy after hearing that. Yet another interesting wrinkle.

Update: Here's your audio, complete with some nice shots at ESPN....



Le Batard Sides With Fox On ESPN Story Boycott (Sports By Brooks)

Dan Le Batard has a myriad of awkward interviews under his belt, but this one might head right to the top of the list. The Miami radio host had Michael Phelps on yesterday, and after asking a few uncomfortable questions, the swimmer decided to cut the interview off. Well the fun didn't stop there. Phelps forgot to hang up the phone and was heard calling Le Batard an idiot. Via Sports by Brooks....

Sadly, the bewildered Phelps then went into “that’s my story and I’m sticking to it” mode, offering up more pap about how he loved to get the word out about swimming and help people.

To which Le Batard responded, “Do you go into the nightclub with these Kellogg’s products and just drop them on the floor with your face on them?”

That’s when Phelps had had enough, saying, “Sorry, I think we’re going to head to the next interview. Thank you very much for your time.”

After the interview, Phelps accidentally didn’t hang up the phone for a moment, saying to his handlers about the interview and Le Batard, “I didn’t say nothing. That guy was a idiot, that was ridiculous.”

Here's the interview in its entirety but near the 3 minute mark is when it gets interesting....

Too funny. The dial tone at the end was just awesome. I don't think I'm alone here, but the sooner Phelps' fifteen minutes are up....the better.

Please, Don’t Ask Michael Phelps to Tell The Truth (Sports by Brooks)

There's been a rumor floating around the Sports World for awhile now that ESPN was/is planning a late night talk show to air weekdays on ESPN2. Well according to multiple media outlets, including the NY Post, the rumor is soon to become a reality.

The show, according to officials, would be more of a cross between talk radio and "SportsCenter" than "The Tonight Show."

"It would be tomorrow's sports talk - tonight," a spokesman said, declining to provide further information citing the network's policy of not discussing shows in development.

ESPN sources note that the show is still in its earliest stages - although executives did tease the show to potential advertisers last May during the network's "Upfront" presentation.

The understanding is that the new show would include three recognizable ESPN personalities offering their opinions on the day's sports news.

ESPN 2's late night slate is currently something of a TV wasteland, with shows ranging from coverage of streetball to a NASCAR wrap-up show.

This is beyond a terrible idea, but there seems to be no stopping the "Leader" now. The sure-to-trainwreck show is plowing forward and if you thought First Take's ratings were bad....wait until ESPN "Late Night" gets going. The host names that have been floating around included Erik Kuselias, Dan LeBatard, Jason Whitlock and yes....Colin Cowherd. The good news is that TBL's "sources" say that three of the four have declined. The bad news....the one that hasn't is Kuselias. It very well could be the reason you've been seeing him everywhere on the network as of late.

I have a different thought though. Who's the one person at ESPN who actually has a good bit of experience working on a talk show? That's right folks....Bill Simmons. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but don't be surprised.

ESPN Joins Late Night (NY Post)

Tony Kornheiser is really starting to depress me as of late. He was on 790 The Ticket with Dan Le Batard yesterday and said the above quote in a talk about his buyout and the state of print media....

I'll try to ignore the fact that Kornheiser conveniently waited until HIS retirement to say that the medium is dead and just focus on his words. While I don't entirely understand the attachment to ink and paper, it's still sad to hear someone lose something they love so much. If you add to these statements Le Batard's words over at TBL it makes it even more depressing.

As someone who worked for newspapers in every capacity from writer to paper boy I obviously have some attachment to the industry, but I see it differently. Newspapers aren't dead, they're just different. There's nothing wrong with change and to deny it is just counter-productive. The fact that Kornheiser thinks of himself as useless now is just weird to me.

Tony Kornheiser joins Dan to discuss why he is leaving the newspaper industry (790 The Ticket)

It's extremely extremely rare that someone in Sports Media bashes their own, but it's happened to ESPN again. Tim Legler was on Dan Le Batard's radio show yesterday and when asked about the state of Sports Media he had this to say about his network's dealings with the Sport he covers. Via Sports by Brooks...

Tim Legler Audio (790 The Ticket, 5:30in)

“I look at our network (ESPN) as much as any and think it’s become a situation where it’s a great time to be a journalist, because there are so many opportunities on television and I know that it pays more and you get greater exposure … now there’s a lot of guys (sportswriters) that are household names. That’s how they started out, and that’s fine when you’re giving information, and you’re giving your opinion and reporting things.

“But then sometimes we blur the line and (sportswriters) cross over into providing analysis and I think sometimes people aren’t qualified to do it. If you really dive into it (what sportswriters are saying), I think most of the time it’s inaccurate.“

It's a harsh criticism, but it's true. If you watch ESPN in a 24-hour period there are probably anywhere from 15-20 writers from around the Country on various programs (see: First Take). With their Basketball coverage alone they have two main players that are former or current columnists during the day (Wilbon, S.A.S.). Some are good for the Network, but the bad ones are either just trying to be controversial or just don't belong on television.

The funny part of the whole conversation is that Le Batard is one of the people Legs is complaining about and he obviously didn't delve further into the question after that statement.

Gee, We Wonder Who Tim Legler Is Referring To? (Sports By Brooks)

Last time it was Dan versus Jay Bilas, but for this one Le Batard is just sticking to moderator. On today's radio show he had on Kyle Turley and ex-NFL Player and ESPN Analyst Robert Smith to debate the NFLPA's Disability Program and things got, well pretty heated to say the least (NSFW language around 2:30).....

Wow. It's not often that you hear two ex-NFL players going at it like that. This is only a 3 minute snipet of over a 25 minute debate that's worth a full listen if you have the time.

Dan Le Batard's radio show is becoming a must listen as of late.

Kyle Turley and Robert Smith (790 The Ticket)
Radio Fight! Le Batard vs Bilas (Awful Announcing)

I put a link in the open thread below, but I thought this one was worthy of its own post. Here is Jay Bilas and Dan Le Batard getting into it on 790 The Ticket earlier this evening....

Wow...that was kind of intense. I wonder if there's a bit of a history between those two. Anyone have some insight? As far as the interview I think Le Batard is right in saying it's not stupid and Bilas is right in bringing up the European angle. Like I say time and time again....no good can come when you bring up race.

Jay Bilas Interview (790 The Ticket)

Charles says something outlandish just about everyday, so you know it has to be extra special for him to make these pages. Well yesterday was just that crazy. Chuck started the day on Dan Le Batard's radio show bashing ESPN and personalities like Mike Lupica, Jemele Hill, and Jay Mariotti and then ended his night by saying he wanted to grab some lady's "popcorn".

790 the Ticket Audio

The fun starts about a quarter of the way through. Here some of the quotes via The Big Lead:

“Seems to me that the white guys don’t know anything about the sports and all the black guys want to talk about race … Jay Mariotti, Skip Bayless, they don’t know anything about sports. Jason [Whitlock] and Jemele Hill, they always talk about race, because they know that’s controversy.”

“If it wasn’t for guys like myself, all these quote, unquote, sports fans would be listening to Skip Bayless, Jay Mariotti, Mike Lupica - the little midget … I like ESPN a lot, but they want to dominate the world.”

“I’m not going to let all these losers, like Bayless and Mariotti and Lupica … they can say what they want to. I’m gonna say what I want to. They’re going to deal with it or they’re going to shut the hell up. I don’t care.”

“ESPN rode all those clowns out there everyday like they’re experts in every sport … first off, they’re not experts in every sport. Trust me - Jay Mariotti, Skip Bayless, and now, Jemele Hill - they’re just people giving their opinion. They’re not the law, and they’re not that important. Get that straight.”

Well that was fun wasn't it? Well later in the night on TNT he went especially off the deep end and we have the rundown via reader IANJ.....

They played a clip of a TrailBlazer falling into a female fan, spilling her popcorn and then taking some from her bag and eating it. Ernie Johnson then asked if Charles would have done the same thing. He basically said he wouldn't have grabbed the popcorn, bur rather her breasts." I would have grabbed the other popcorn".

He called out Rick Mahorn after video played of an altercation when they played and told Mahorn he would have beat his ass.

He mentioned that he "hated" a ref when he played, and if he saw him in the street, he would run over him with his car, and then back up to make sure he got him.

He abused Kenny saying "How long is he gonna milk this pregnancy thing"

Great day all around for the Chuckster. I'm still looking for the popcorn clip but Odenized has the referee clip, which is pretty funny.....



Barkley Sounds Off on “ESPN Clowns” (The Big Lead)
Charles Barkley hates Mike Mathis (Odenized)