1. Before we start, please email me (Jimmy.Traina@si.com) or tweet me any and all questions you may have for this week’s SI Media Mailbag. Thanks.)
I have ranted and raved many times in this space about Major League Baseball’s ridiculous streaming deals, which include exclusive games on Apple TV+ on Friday nights and exclusive games on Peacock on Sunday mornings.
So today, I'm going to let TBS analyst Ron Darling, who also calls Mets games on SNY in New York, do the ranting and raving.
The Mets played on Peacock this past Sunday, and it just about broke Darling, as he explained what happened during Tuesday’s Texas–New York game.
When describing a play from the Mets game against the Angels on Sunday, Darling said, “I would’ve seen it live, but I’m a little IT challenged on getting the Peacock channel yesterday. I was so frustrated.”
Darling then explained to Mets play-by-play man Gary Cohen exactly what happened in his quest to watch the Mets and this was their exchange.
Darling: You know why I ended up not getting the game? Peacock came up, and I said, ‘O.K., I’ll get Peacock.’ I looked at my family and what they own already.
Cohen: Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney, blah, blah, blah.
Darling: It was a protest. I said I’m not getting another one. I’m not spending another $5.
Ron Darling is not a fan of MLB's Peacock partnership pic.twitter.com/kLhq1lKFJl
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 29, 2023
Just a reminder: If you’re a baseball fan, these are all the networks you need to pay for to watch games: ESPN, Fox, FS1, TBS, MLB Network, Apple and Peacock.
Not to mention your local sports channel that carries the bulk of your teams’ regular-season games.
Who can blame Darling for being fed up?
2. Clippers forward Paul George unleashed a Charles Barkley impression on his podcast this week, and it was pretty damn good.
Paul George doing Charles Barkley is too good 💀 definitely on Kenan Thompson levels 😭 (h/t @PodcastPShow) pic.twitter.com/wKIdOIQVjC
— Law Murray 🤫 (@LawMurrayTheNU) August 28, 2023
3. A Wisconsin bar, still stung by Aaron Rodgers leaving Green Bay for New York, will offer free drinks after every Jets loss this season.
If the New York Jets lose, there's free booze! That's the deal this NFL season at Jack's American Pub on Brady Street. But -- it comes with a few stipulations. Take a listen and let me know what you think!https://t.co/8ChTlvSlUb pic.twitter.com/opJuju6cDY
— Mallory Anderson (@MalloryNews) August 29, 2023
4. This was a great mic’d-up moment from last week’s Jets-Giants game with wideout Randall Cobb saying he “blacked out” while delivering a blind-side block penalty that he was flagged for.
.@rcobb18's big block didn't go according to plan. 😂
— NFL (@NFL) August 29, 2023
“What are you doing bro? This ain’t 2014!" - @AaronRodgers12
New #HardKnocks tonight at 10pm ET on @StreamOnMax pic.twitter.com/oj9lOjHd7M
5. This is a wild stat to see five months into the MLB season.
The Rangers currently have more blown saves than converted saves this season. 😬 pic.twitter.com/mMT8sRx1oo
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 28, 2023
6. The latest SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast features the first appearance of Charles Barkley on the show. Barkley gave me 90 minutes of his time, and we covered a lot of ground. Among the topics we discussed:
• The Rock
• His future on television
• Would he work for another network if Turner loses NBA?
• New NBA TV deals
• A rule that would prevent NBA owners from raising ticket prices
• Sports needs to penalize teams that suck
• Betting Saturday’s Notre Dame–Navy game
• How serious was he about going to LIV?
• Turning down an offer to call Monday Night Football
• Would he call an NFL game today?
• Wanting to call a game with Dick Vitale
• His opinion on ESPN’s firing Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson
• Wanting Jeff Van Gundy to join Turner
• Hating sports media people who make things personal
• Is he sick of talking about his fallout with Michael Jordan?
• How many times has he been in the same room with Michael Jordan in the past 25 years?
• Turner putting an end to his “Big San Antonio Women” bit
• Is he cancel-proof?
• His love of College GameDay
• Issues when Shaq first joined Inside the NBA
• How he preps for the NCAA tournament
• Losing 70 pounds
• His all-time worst gambling loss
• His love of Scott Van Pelt’s “Bad Beats”
• NFL Future bets he likes
• Why he’s rooting for the Lions this season
• Going to Las Vegas with friends every two to three weeks during the NBA season
• Why he thinks sports gambling has gotten out of hand
• College football is ruined
• Funniest people in sports media
• Will he be remembered more for his playing career or broadcasting?
• Why nurses are the best
• Why LeBron’s story is the greatest story in sports history
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.
