WISE Sports Radio MLB hit: Jan. 27, 2020

/ Ian Casselberry / Leave a comment

We had to begin Monday’s WISE Sports Radio baseball segment with some talk about Kobe Bryant’s stunning death. There was a baseball connection as one of the eight passengers who was also killed in that helicopter crash was legendary Orange County College coach John Altobelli, along with his wife and daughter, who was a basketball teammate of Bryant’s daughter, Gianna.

After that, Pat Ryan and I discussed the Cincinnati Reds’ surprising plunge into free agency, signing Nicholas Castellanos to go with Mike Moustakas, Wade Miley, and Japanese outfielder Shogo Akiyama. With last season’s additions of Sonny Gray, Trevor Bauer, and Freddy Galvis, are the Reds a contender in the NL Central?

Continue reading →

Happy Birthday, Frank Miller

/ Ian Casselberry / Leave a comment

Monday is Frank Miller’s birthday. Whether you’re a comic book fan or not, if you’re at all familiar with Christopher Nolan’s Batman films (Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher’s Bat-movies were influenced as well), Netflix’s Daredevil series (and the Ben Affleck film), or the Sin City movies, you know Miller’s work.

The legendary comic book creator turns 63, and he’s still producing work. As could be expected, he’s no longer the prolific illustrator he once was, but is still writing Batman and Superman stories for DC Comics, and illustrating stories in his 300 mythology for Dark Horse Comics.

The Dark Knight Returns is one of my favorite stories throughout all of the movies, TV, and books I’ve enjoyed and studied in my life. An aging Batman’s regret over allowing The Joker to continue his murderous reign of crime was one of the most powerful elements of that story.

Continue reading →

WISE Sports Radio spot: Jan. 23, 2020

/ Ian Casselberry / Leave a comment

With The WISE Guys taking Wednesday off, I didn’t do my usual baseball segment on WISE Sports Radio. But with the Baseball Hall of Fame announcing its 2020 class, we had to talk about Derek Jeter and Larry Walker being inducted (along with who might get to Cooperstown next year).

But we usually talk football on Thursdays, so Pat Ryan, Mike Gore and I discussed Eli Manning’s retirement (which led to some Pro Football Hall of Fame talk), the continuing downward spiral of Antonio Brown, and what improvements the Green Bay Packers need to make.

Continue reading →

WISE Sports Radio MLB segment: Jan. 20, 2020

/ Ian Casselberry / Leave a comment

If Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred was hoping that the sport would move on after he penalized the Houston Astros organization for their sign-stealing scheme during the 2017 season, he underestimated baseball fans’ need for justice.

On Monday’s WISE Sports Radio baseball segment, Pat Ryan and I discuss an ESPN survey in which a majority of fans want to see Astros players penalized, MLB players speaking out against the sign-stealing scandal, and the continuing pursuit of incriminating videos and photos on #BaseballTwitter.

Continue reading →

WISE Sports Radio NFL hit: Jan. 16, 2020

/ Ian Casselberry / Leave a comment

As football snuck onto Wednesday’s WISE Sports Radio baseball segment, baseball upstages football on Thursday with news of Carlos Beltran stepping down as New York Mets manager (probably before he was fired) after his role in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal was exposed.

Pat Ryan, Mike Gore, and I do get to football, however, discussing the Centennial Class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Odell Beckham Jr. passing out straight cash, homey. We also talk more about Matt Rhule as the Carolina Panthers’ new head coach and Sunday’s NFL conference championship games.

Continue reading →