1. If you’re like me and you don’t have one college football team you root for and you adopt different teams each year, I have your squad for the 2023 season.
The Charlotte 49ers of the AAC.
Charlotte’s coach, Biff Poggi (right off the bat, that's a great name, so I'm already partial to Poggi), seems to be quite a character based on his media interactions this week.
On Tuesday, Poggi didn't hide his disgust at AAC media day when the journalists in attendance could muster up only three questions for him.
“That’s it? Three questions?” Poggi asked in disbelief as he slapped the lectern. “Maybe that’s because you have us ranked last. That’s all that you think of us. … So, we get that message. Thank you.”
😏 🤌🏻 @BiffPoggi #BadCompany pic.twitter.com/Spv3edQiBV
— Coach Oz (@CoachRyanOsborn) July 25, 2023
Poggi was back at it, this time on SiriusXM College Sports Radio.
“I can’t wait to start playing because I can tell you this, this will be the last time we ever come to this building and get the disrespect we’ve gotten,” said Poggi.
SiriusXM host Roy Philpott then asked: “You’ve been picked last in the conference. Is that part of the disrespect?”
And now it was Poggi's time to shine:
“Last. Yeah. Last. Press conference, three questions. You know, ‘You guys suck, let’s get to the next guys.’ And I would like to take whoever those writers were who voted on that, and hold them upside down by their ankles and smack their heads off the ground a couple times because they don’t know s---.”
It’s the first season for @CharlotteFTBL in the @American_Conf and head coach @BiffPoggi is out to prove people wrong after being voted last in the preseason media poll, as he told @RoyPhilpott. #GoldStandard pic.twitter.com/L1hHNVxSA1
— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) July 26, 2023
I love the passion. I love that Poggi reminds me of Brian Dennehy’s character in Tommy Boy. I love the content.
Go 49ers!
2. Last week I wrote about longtime sports columnist Bob Kravitz, who was laid off from The Athletic and wrote a scathing takedown of the company. Among Kravitz’s revelations was that The Athletic told him he had to generate 395 subscriptions in a three-month period while he was recovering from quadruple bypass surgery.
Kravitz is the guest on this week’s SI Media With Jimmy Traina. He expounded on the claims he made in his column while also revealing many other things about working at The Athletic. He also talked about why he wrote the piece and whether he regretted it. He also shared his opinions on the state of sports media.
You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Google.
You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on YouTube.
3. While being interviewed by Chris “Mad Dog” Russo on the MLB Network’s High Heat, Reds first baseman Joey Votto cut one hell of a WWE promo on the host.
.@JoeyVotto cutting a promo like he's in @WWE 😂
— MLB (@MLB) July 27, 2023
Full interview: today at 11 am ET on @MLBNetwork pic.twitter.com/KtAV7LvP2w
4. Joe Burrow had a fancy way of saying, “I go into the YouTube rabbit hole” at his media session Wednesday. This is outstanding.
Joe Burrow said he spent the offseason relaxing, playing video games and watching YouTube videos.
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) July 27, 2023
He was then asked if he has a go-to YouTube channel.
“I wouldn’t say go-to. I diversify my mental portfolio on YouTube.”
I love this guy. pic.twitter.com/61Ojh0qyAh
5. A lot of people flipped over Wednesday after seeing this tweet from Colts owner Jim Irsay.
NFL Running Back situation- We have negotiated a CBA,that took years of effort and hard work and compromise in good faith by both sides..to say now that a specific Player category wants another negotiation after the fact,is inappropriate. Some Agents are selling ‘bad faith’..
— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) July 26, 2023
I don't see the issue with it. Running backs are being paid what the market dictates. There’s a salary cap in the NFL. It’s been proven that you get by without a stud running back. Just facts.
6. I love Paul Heyman. I threw out the bait on Twitter on Wednesday, and he took it.
I like how @SInow’s @JimmyTraina continues his petulant pursuit to bait me.
— Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) July 26, 2023
Sigh.
And I respect the opinion of @CodyRhodes, the fourth greatest performer in his family’s magnificent history, only behind Dusty, Dustin and @TheBrandiRhodes!
THE WISEMAN COMETH!
ACKNOWLEDGE… https://t.co/PvRAWf7hwZ
You can listen to the full podcast with Cody Rhodes below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Google.
You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on YouTube.
