1. We all know the world has gone mad, but it’s still surreal to see some of the truly ridiculous things that take place on a day-to-day basis.
We’ve all seen some firings that make no sense, but I’m not sure I’ve seen a more unwarranted dismissal than the one that took place Wednesday.
Podcaster Josh Neighbors was let go as host of the Locked on Big 12 podcast, apparently because he replayed Bob Huggins’s recent anti-LGBTQ slur, unedited, while he was condemning Huggins’s actions.
On Monday, Huggins referred to Xavier fans as “Catholic f--s” on The Bill Cunningham Show on WLW-AM while he was reminiscing about his time as Cincinnati’s coach and that school’s rivalry with the Musketeers.
Let me pause the story here to give you some background on where I’m coming from on this:
- I had never heard of Josh Neighbors or the Locked on Big 12 podcast until last night. So I’m not advocating here for anyone I have a relationship with.
- I DESPISE calling for anyone to be fired unless it’s an extreme case. I believe everyone makes mistakes, and second chances in most cases should be given. Having said that, Huggins absolutely should’ve been fired. He did not use the slur by accident, as we saw with A’s broadcaster Glen Kuiper earlier this week. He knowingly and consciously used the slur on a live radio show. This is a man who is coaching college kids. What if one of those kids is gay? Inexcusable and indefensible.
- For the first several hours after the Huggins story broke, when I just saw headlines and did not bother reading any of the stories, I literally thought Huggins used the phrase “Catholic f--ks.” I never thought he’d use the other f-word. So I think it makes sense here for the clip to be played unedited with a warning if you are a host or analyst speaking out against Hugggins.
OK, now back to Neighbors. This poor guy, who said he has hosted more than 600 episodes of Locked on Big 12, apparently got fired for replaying Huggins’s comment while Huggins himself got only a three-game suspension. In what universe does that make any sense?
Neighbors offered a heartfelt, classy and impressive explanation of what happened Wednesday night in which he took responsibility for what he did despite doing nothing wrong.
“I made the conscious decision to play Bob Huggins’s comments in their entirety,” Neighbors said. “And also without censoring the slurs that he used. I did that because I thought it was important to play and give the full context of what he had said. I followed that up by saying, I thought what he had said was abhorrent. I thought it was hateful. And also I’d said, that if I were the AD, I would’ve fired him and not want someone like that espousing those views coaching my team.”
I have been let go as the host of @LOBig12. Just wanted to give you all an update on why. The episode in discussion has been removed from sites where it was posted pic.twitter.com/qWtVD41SgJ
— Josh Neighbors (@JoshNeighbors_) May 11, 2023
According to Neighbors, whoever runs the Locked on Big 12 podcast claimed that Neighbors was being fired because he willingly posted hate speech. This person is clearly a buffoon, since Neighbors was providing context and speaking out AGAINST what Huggins said.
How on Earth is Neighbors the person who gets fired in all this? Make no mistake: The bad guys in all this are Huggins, the cowards at West Virginia who didn’t fire Huggins and the fool who runs Locked on Big 12. Not Neighbors. Whoever runs Locked on Big 12 should be ashamed and embarrassed. And someone in sports media needs to make this right and hire Neighbors ASAP.
2. A brand-new episode of SI Media With Jimmy Traina dropped Wednesday morning, and it features an interview with ABC/ESPN lead NBA play-by-play man, Mike Breen.
Breen, who is about to call his 18th NBA Finals, talks about how wide open this year’s playoffs have been, his longtime partnership with Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, and the impressive depth of NBA broadcasters across the networks.
Breen also discusses what his relationship is like with LeBron James and James’s still going strong at 38 years old, whether he ever thinks about giving up calling Knicks games, his signature “BANG!” and “WAY OFF” calls, how he used to hook up Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden and much more.
Following Breen, Sal Licata from WFAN radio and SNY TV in New York joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week, Sal explains the disaster he had to deal with while trying to watch a Knicks playoff game. We also read recent Apple reviews listeners left for SI Media With Jimmy Traina.
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. Here's what we know about the 2023 NFL schedule as of this writing:
• The season opener will take place on Thursday, Sept. 7 at 8:20 p.m. on NBC with the Lions visiting the Super Bowl champion Chiefs. This is a classic case of the NFL’s theory that it doesn’t make a ton of sense to waste huge matchups on slots that will do a monster rating no matter who is playing, such as the season opener and Thanksgiving Day.
• The Monday Night Football opener on ESPN Sept. 11 will feature the Bills at the Jets in Aaron Rodgers first game as a member of Gang Green.
• Speaking of the Jets, in Week 8 they will host the Dolphins on Black Friday, Nov. 24 at 3 pm ET on Amazon Prime.
• Two games have been released for Christmas Day:
1 p.m. ET: Raiders at Chiefs, CBS
4:25 p.m. ET: Giants at Eagles, Fox
• The highly anticipated Bengals-Chiefs matchup will take place on CBS at 4:25 p.m. ET in Week 17.
• The Cowboys will visit the Niners on NBC’s Sunday Night Football in Week 5 on Oct. 8.
4. Anthony Davis left Wednesday’s game against the Warriors in a wheelchair after suffering an injury that was believed to be a concussion, but then it wasn’t a concussion.
Early diagnosis indicates Anthony Davis appears to have avoided a concussion and is doing much better now, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) May 11, 2023
Since the Lakers’ star is always hurt and since we never see NBA players leave games in a wheelchair (outside of Paul Pierce), the concept of Davis being wheeled away became fodder for some folks on TV.
The Inside the NBA crew did their best to not say they were laughing at Davis, but Shaq and Charles Barkley made it obvious while completely losing control. This is where Kenny Smith shines as he tried his best to keep things on track.
Shaq and Charles Barkley can’t stop laughing at Anthony Davis for leaving game in a wheel chair with a head injury pic.twitter.com/yQhWmcbxCE
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) May 11, 2023
Stephen A. Smith, however, on Thursday’s First Take, went into his Chris Rock voice to openly mock Davis.
It’s wild that this is the conversation on a national talk show in 2023 the day after a player looks like they may have been knocked out of a playoff game due to a concussion. pic.twitter.com/SCrMDthGpz
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) May 11, 2023
5. Kendrick Perkins got off a good one on Richard Jefferson during Wednesday's NBA Live, but the key was Jefferson selling it like a good wrestling heel.
… ok @KendrickPerkins we get it, you made one good joke pic.twitter.com/ikn3hO3j42
— Richard Jefferson (@Rjeff24) May 11, 2023
6. I really hope JJ Redick doesn’t become the coach of the Raptors, because he's so damn good at this media thing. Here’s Redick losing it over the Mets and ballpark concession prices on Wednesday’s First Take.
Best thing I’ve seen on the internet today: @jj_redick going off on ballpark concession prices. pic.twitter.com/jysp6GK43Y
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) May 11, 2023
