This is the final Traina Thoughts of 2023. I want to thank all of you who have read the column this year. Some of you have been with me since the “Hot Clicks” days, and that just blows my mind away.
I also need to thank all of you who have listened to SI Media With Jimmy Traina in 2023. The podcast had a great year, landing some great first-time guests, including Charles Barkley, Pat McAfee and Bill Simmons.
I will have a new SI Media With Jimmy Traina for you next week. It will be the fourth-annual year-in-review roundtable with Good Morning Football’s Peter Schrager and CBS Sports Radio’s Andrew Perloff, so make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast to get the show delivered right to you.
This week’s show is an all–“Traina Thoughts” mailbag edition with weekly contributor Sal Licata from WFAN radio and SNY TV in New York.
Listeners of the podcast had questions about what Fox will do with Greg Olsen next year when Tom Brady joins the networks No. 1 NFL crew, whether Warner Brothers Discovery would pass on reupping with the NBA if it signed a deal with WWE, what the best role for Bill Belichick would be if he went into broadcasting, ABC and ESPN airing two Monday Night Football games at the same time, whether a documentary on sports broadcasters would work and much more. On the non-sports-media front, listeners asked about the best Christmas movie, reclining on airplanes, Family Double Dare or Family Feud, the Sopranos character who would have the best grievances on Festivus and more.
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 Sports Illustrated’s YouTube channel.
OK, now back to “Traina Thoughts.”
We’re breaking format today to remember 10 of the best viral sports media moments from 2023.
1. Chris “Mad Dog” Russo reveals his weekend plans of drinking, betting and taking gummies on First Take and leaves cohost Marcus Spears in complete disbelief.
This is tremendous television. @MadDogUnleashed explains how he’s gonna drink, take gummies and bet $10,000 on Colorado this weekend, leading to pricess reactions from @mspears96. pic.twitter.com/8hz2WDWpXs
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) September 20, 2023
2. Dan Le Batard interviews former Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork and compliments him on his marriage. Wilfork then reveals he’s divorced.
Today on the show: a WORLD-CLASS uncomfortable moment between Dan and Vince Wilfork (@wilfork75) 😂😂😂
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) January 12, 2023
📺 https://t.co/5criV2cGWk pic.twitter.com/uI54SUxlg6
3. Then–Raptors guard Fred VanVleet unloads on referees during a hilarious and expletive-filled postgame press conference.
Fred VanVleet went OFF on referee Ben Taylor and NBA reffing in general in his post-game after the Raptors loss. Haven't heard anything like this. pic.twitter.com/VcMkGTh0k3
— Faizal Khamisa (@FaizalKhamisa) March 9, 2023
4. CBS Miami reporter Samantha Rivera stiff-arms an unruly fan who tried to crash her live hit during the Stanley Cup Final.
Talking about Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, stiff-arming a fan trying to get on camera and getting into the highlights.
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 6, 2023
Quite the display of multitasking by Samantha Rivera of CBS Miami pic.twitter.com/yvP8C3V4BS
5. New Commanders owner Josh Harris gives ESPN’s Joe Buck a totally miscalculated handshake during a preseason game.
I can’t stop watching it. Such a hilarious miscalculation on a handshake pic.twitter.com/QafPBAr8YT
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) August 22, 2023
6. Guardians radio play-by-play broadcaster Tom Hamilton calls a wild melee between Cleveland’s José Ramírez and Chicago’s Tim Anderson.
I’ll put this up against any call in sports history. pic.twitter.com/bpHElUerCw
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) August 6, 2023
7. Sara Walsh, filling in for Jamie Erdhal on Good Morning Football, GOES OFF on spouses who spend all day on the golf course.
"It takes the international space station 90 minutes to orbit around the earth... It takes you 90 minutes to shoot 6 over through the first 6 holes."@Sara_Walsh just dropped everything all of the disgruntled golf spouses can relate to... ⛳🏌️♂️🏌️♀️ pic.twitter.com/isK9clx9Ni
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) June 28, 2023
8. Stephen A. Smith breaks down the best foods to eat before having sex.
https://t.co/DrqO4FDv10 pic.twitter.com/H7NPm6qju6
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) November 9, 2023
9. ESPN’s Rece Davis goes bonkers when a made free throw leads to free bacon for the home crowd at a Virginia Tech game.
"BACON FOR EVERYBODY!" 🥓 - @ReceDavis pic.twitter.com/OAZAz9ghwg
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 22, 2023
10. West Michigan Whitecaps play-by-play man Dan Hasty calls an at bat as if it was taking place at the Masters.
Yesterday, our broadcaster @ThatDanHasty announced an at-bat as if it was @TheMasters. pic.twitter.com/Ks0keXM3Eo
— West Michigan Whitecaps (@wmwhitecaps) April 9, 2023
