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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Kristen Wong

Fans Bash ESPN’s Chris Russo for Comparing Shohei Ohtani Free Agency to ‘Atomic Bomb’

Chris Russo had one of his more memorable appearances on ESPN’s First Take this week, and it wasn’t for a good reason.

On Wednesday, the longtime sports radio personality went on a tirade about Shohei Ohtani’s hushed free agency, specifically complaining about the way the two-time AL MVP has chosen to privately handle individual team meetings.

In the middle of his rant, Russo used what many considered an unnecessary and tactless analogy to an atomic bomb.

“What is the big secret? Jeez, he’s a free agent! He’s talked to six teams. … What is this, the atomic bomb? We’re not allowed to find out? This is baseball. He’s a celebrity. This is what it’s about. This is stupid!”

Russo continued his World War II-themed commentary by referencing “peace talks in Tehran” and name dropping Joseph Stalin and Winston Churchill.

“And the idea that we have to treat this as the peace talks in Tehran in World War II is ridiculous … when Stalin and Roosevelt and Churchill got together. It drives me absolutely crazy!”

Given Ohtani’s nationality and the timing of the First Take episode, which aired one day before the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec. 7, 1941, Russo’s tone-deaf remark opened the floodgates on X (formerly Twitter) as hordes of fans bashed Russo and his insensitive choice of words.

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