Month: June 2020

WISE Sports Radio NFL update: June 4, 2020

/ Ian Casselberry / Leave a comment

Drew Brees really stepped in it Wednesday when asked about NFL players once again kneeling during the national anthem this season to protest racial inequality and police violence.

Brees said “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America.” And while he clearly has strong feelings about those who serve, he also completely missed the point of such protests. Stunning, really, since he’s on a team and shares a locker room with many black players.

After intense blowback from many athletes, including several New Orleans Saints teammates, Brees apologized. But do his remarks and other tone-deaf comments from Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio indicate that the NFL has to do a better job with informing its players and coaches on social and racial issues? That was the main topic on our WISE Sports Radio NFL update:

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WISE Sports Radio MLB spot: June 3, 2020

/ Ian Casselberry / Leave a comment

I hope the WISE Sports Radio listeners in Asheville don’t think that I’m a broken record or automaton repeating the same bleak forecast. But I’ve been pessimistic about a 2020 Major League Baseball season being played since the COVID-19 shutdown. But I initially thought it would be due to health and safety concerns, not team revenues and player salaries.

On Wednesday’s baseball update, Pat Ryan and I responded to the news that MLB team owners rejected the latest proposal from players. And there doesn’t appear to be much urgency for another proposal or negotiation. To me, this just looks even more hopeless.

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Baseball talk on Edmonton’s TSN 1260

/ Ian Casselberry / Leave a comment

I’m always excited to talk to radio friends in Canada. It looked like I blew a chance to do so this week when I didn’t respond to a text message soon enough, but I ended up getting passed to another show on Edmonton’s TSN 1260. And I’ve never talked to morning host Dustin Nielson before, so that was fun.

Naturally, we talked baseball and whether or not MLB will have a 2020 season. What was once a question of COVID-19 safety concerns is now a money dispute. And I don’t think that bodes well for MLB playing this year.

Thanks to the crew at TSN 1260 — including producers Ryan Holt, Matthew Iwanyk, and Hernan Salas — for having me on. As I mentioned at the end of that segment, I hope to listen to the station’s Sandwich Draft when it happens. I have definite thoughts on sandwiches!

WISE Sports Radio MLB update: June 1, 2020

/ Ian Casselberry / Leave a comment

In the tennis match between Major League Baseball team owners and players, the players’ union volleyed back a counter-proposal for a 2020 season that includes more games on the schedule and prorated salaries. And… the owners are almost certain to turn it down.

So as I said to Pat Ryan on WISE Sports Radio, this doesn’t change my opinion that we won’t have a baseball season this year. The shame is that the stalemate is over money and not COVID-19 safety concerns.

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