1. ESPN's Dan Orlovsky has become one of the network’s top NFL analysts thanks in part to the way he breaks down plays on a big video screen while tapping all sorts of things on an iPad.
Orlovsky’s performance while analyzing plays usually comes with a lot of running around and body gyrations.
TOUCHSCREEN “Mondays”
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) October 2, 2023
Josh Allen and Buffalo’s offense was great
Equally as great was the @BuffaloBills defense plan and play@Realrclark25 @Espngreeny @GetUpESPN pic.twitter.com/1mTBm45Krn
On Friday’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith didn’t like something Orlovsky said, so he got out of his chair, grabbed Kimberly Martin’s tablet and busted out an impersonation that was pretty impressive.
.@stephenasmith did a @danorlovsky7 impression 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/7bTfIfUAKw
— First Take (@FirstTake) October 6, 2023
2. I’ve always said that game broadcasters should not be on Twitter because nothing good can come from it. But if they are going to stay on social media, this is at least good use of it by Kirk Herbstreit. After Bears wideout D.J. Moore looked to be headed for a touchdown in last night’s game against the Commanders, refs whistled the play dead because Moore stepped out of bounds.
hey NFL, show us where DJ Moore stepped out pic.twitter.com/jU8hRxX7gL
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) October 6, 2023
But did he? We never got a replay or an explanation. Herbstreit apologized for that on Twitter.
Hey. Speaking for me personally I was so locked in on the throw vs soft coverage and DJ getting another opportunity to make a big play after the catch that my attention was on his physicality and burst and didn’t see it was that close to him staying in bounds. That’s on me I… https://t.co/3CM5ToVLuo
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) October 6, 2023
3. Speaking of the Bears, they celebrated the end of their 14-game losing streak pretty much the way you’d expect a team to celebrate after snapping a 14-game losing streak. Keep an eye, in particular, on No. 69 Ja’Tyre Carter, who was especially overjoyed.
The @ChicagoBears locker room couldn't be happier to celebrate a dub 🔥 #CHIvsWAS pic.twitter.com/aj55Pfbm9c
— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2023
4. Two noteworthy nuggets from a recent interview Al Michaels did with CNN. First, Michaels says Amazon is taking the Black Friday game between the Jets and Dolphins at 3pm ET out from behind the paywall, and the game will be available to non-Prime subscribers.
Second: this exchange between Michaels and interviewer Chris Wallace.
Wallace: Do you think Congress would ever allow the World Series or the Super Bowl to be on paid-for TV streaming?
Michaels: Years ago, I would have said no. Now all bets are off. Anything is possible. It wouldn’t surprise me.
5. Here’s something unusual: a football coach who doesn’t curse. At least that’s what Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase revealed about head coach Zac Taylor.
Ja’Marr said Zac called him into his office Monday morning and he thought he was in trouble after the “I’m always F’in open” quote.
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) October 5, 2023
First thing Zac said: Great F’in interview”
Ja’Marr said he had never heard Zac cuss before and was relieved.
6. A brand-new SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast dropped Thursday. The episode features a conversation with The Ringer’s sports media columnist and podcast host Bryan Curtis.
Topics included NBC’s Taylor Swift–heavy broadcast of Chiefs-Jets, Cris Collinsworth’s odd commentary on Zach Wilson, and NBC’s Rodney Harrison taking a ton of heat for calling Wilson “garbage” during a postgame interview with the Chiefs’ Chris Jones.
Other items covered on the podcast: whether interest in Deion Sanders and Colorado football has peaked, why the NFL’s prime-time schedule is in big trouble, ABC getting Wednesday-night NBA games, ESPN’s usage of Alex Rodriguez, the proliferation of podcasts and much more.
Following Curtis, Sal Licata from WFAN radio and SNY TV in New York joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week we discuss Sal missing an NFL Sunday to look at houses, Patrick Mahomes’s controversial slide at the end of the Chiefs-Jets game, the demise of Threads, the lack of interest in the MLB playoffs and much more.
You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify or Google.
You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on YouTube.
