ON THE DL

Wyshynski on Mike Richards vs. Media and Other NHL Matters.

Plus: McGwire Picked Costas, So Why Won’t NBC. NFL Coaches & Greenberg’s Gaffe.

Today feels like a Monday. Lots of show for you today.

First, Greg Wyshynski from Puck Daddy over at Yahoo joins the show to talk about the NHL. We discuss the situation between Flyers captain Mike Richards and the Philadelphia media. Is the media being unfair or is Richards taking things too personally? The most recent rift stems from quotes Richards gave to the Hockey News a few weeks ago. Do athletes not realize their local media will read the quotes or to they just not care?

And why won’t Richards just take the high road? Hasn’t he learned anything from Donovan McNabb in this town -- don’t fight with the media because you’ll lose.

Wyshynski and I talk about the NHL conspiracy between Alex Burrows and referee Stephane Auger where Burrows claimed that Auger told him before the game that he was going ‘get him back’ for Burrows showing up the ref in a previous game. Burrows ended up with a ton of penalty minutes, then bitched to the media after the game that Auger threatened him about just that.

The league investigated and sided with the official, fining the player for yapping to the media. Fair?

Last, Wyshynski and I talk about the upcoming Olympics. What’s his role going to be and can he manage to watch all the hockey without cheering for the US team in the press box? Oh, and who are these guys on the US team anyway? Has hockey taken a back seat to other sports in the Olympics because we just don’t know, as average American sports fans, who the hockey players are anymore?

Or am I just a terrible old hockey fan?

Inside The Press Box:

Nick and I discuss the report from SBD that Mark McGwire’s PR team hand-picked Bob Costas to do the interview. Was it the right PR strategy so far? What about the impromptu presser this weekend?

And we discuss my idea of giving 10pm on NBC to Costas for a five-day-a-week sports show. Two long interviews a week - there is no way that McGwire interview should have been on MLB instead of NBC - and three days of other sports programming. It can’t be worse than what they have now.

Football Talk:

We talk about the coaching situations in Dallas and San Diego and how the 2011 season impacts both. Oh, and how perfect is Rex Ryan for NYC?

And what about this running up the score nonsense?

Housekeeping:

We bring up the Greenberg gaffe here, briefly. And some other stuff. Thanks for listening.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010