Sports Radio News

Josh Lewin Manages Mets/Chargers Conflicts

Published

8 years ago

October 14, 2015

Josh Lewin admitted he might not have been quite as focused as usual Monday night when he was calling the Chargers’ game against the Steelers for the Chargers’ radio network.

That is because while that game was unfolding in San Diego the baseball team for which he usually calls games on WOR radio was busy winning Game 3 of the NLDS at Citi Field.

“It was absolutely bizarre,” Lewin said upon arriving for Game 4 Tuesday after driving to Los Angeles to grab a red-eye flight back to New York through Chicago.

“I don’t know that I did my Chargers job beautifully, because I had one eye on our game here if not both eyes at times. In fact, at one point both games were 7-3. Kind of a nightmare scenario to have that conflict. I feel awful.

“I was going to have to miss something I felt passionate about and felt that I was going to let somebody down either way. Going forward I am committed to the Mets from here on. I feel good about that. I feel awful I had to miss one.”

Lewin missed other Mets games of note in the regular season because of his Chargers duties, including when they clinched the National League East and when the Nationals’ Max Scherzer no-hit them.

His contract allows him to miss 12 Mets games per season. He only has missed 10, but he informed the Chargers he will not skip any more. That includes two potential Sundays during the NLCS. Wayne Randazzo filled in for him on Monday.

“They’ve been really great,” Lewin said of the Chargers. “I see their point. There are only 16 of those and every one of them is very special. But my position to them has been the Mets being in the playoffs is pretty special, too. And I’ve got 11 years out there, whereas I’m a little newer here.

“It’s a nice problem to have loyalties to split, I guess, because I’m passionate about both places I work. I love them both and I hate that there was a collision.”

Lewin called it a “Halley’s comet event” that the Chargers had a Monday game this week. Had they played on Sunday he would not have had to miss a Mets game. There was an off day in the NLDS on Sunday.

“It was a 16-1 horse that came in that we would have the conflict,” he said.

Lewin has made elaborate plans in case the Mets host Game 5 of the World Series Nov. 1, a day on which the Chargers play the Ravens in Baltimore at 1 p.m. He plans to hire a helicopter to deliver him in time for the night baseball game.

“It will be the most epic day of my whole life,” he said. “Believe me, I have done all of the math. I’m taking a loss financially, but it’s well worth it.”

Credit to Newsday who originally published this article

Jason Barrett

Jason Barrett is the owner and operator of Barrett Sports Media. Prior to launching BSM he served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He has also produced national shows for ESPN Radio including GameNight and the Dan Patrick Show. You can find him on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or reach him by email at [email protected].

Up Next

Timberwolves Strike New Deal With WCCO

Don't Miss

Katie Nolan Launching “Garbage Time” Podcast

Sports Radio News

John Kincade Celebrates 700th Show at 97.5 The Fanatic

“In radio, if you could find a show that’s faced more adversity in 700 shows, I’d like to buy them a beer.

Published

7 hours ago

October 4, 2023

Jordan Bondurant

Courtesy: John Kincade

97.5 The Fanatic host John Kincade reached a milestone for his show on Tuesday – show number 700.

Kincade has been on the air at the Philadelphia station since 2020. He made sure to show love to everyone involved with the show for all they’ve done.

“Congratulations to the entire crew,” he said.

The road to 700 for Kincade in Philly hasn’t always been an easy one. One thing John has been dealing with has been a colon cancer diagnosis back in the spring that led to a brief time away from the show.

Still, Kincade was thankful for the listeners who’ve continued to tune in and get the show to this point.

“In radio, if you could find a show that’s faced more adversity in 700 shows, I’d like to buy them a beer. That is what I would say to you,” Kincade added. “We appreciate all of you being a part of us for 700 shows, and we hope you’re gonna be with us for the next 700.”

Jordan Bondurant

Jordan Bondurant is a features reporter for Barrett Sports Media. He’s a multimedia journalist and communicator who works at the Virginia State Corporation Commission in Richmond. Jordan also contributes occasional coverage of the Washington Capitals for the blog NoVa Caps. His prior media experiences include working for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Danville Register & Bee, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, WRIC-TV 8News and Audacy Richmond. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @J__Bondurant.

Sports Radio News

Paul Allen: I Don’t Know What We’ll Do if Taylor Swift Says Yes to Announcing With Us

Allen offered to let Swift announce a portion of the upcoming Vikings/Chiefs game with him on KFAN.

Published

7 hours ago

October 4, 2023

Jordan Bondurant

Courtesy: Dan Myers

It’s been a few days since VP of programming for iHeart Twin Cities Greg Swedberg attempted to get Taylor Swift’s attention ahead of Sunday’s Chiefs/Vikings game in Minneapolis. But Swedberg’s offer for Swift to come to the KFAN FM 100.3 broadcast booth and potentially do some play-by-play with Paul Allen still stands.

Swedberg was a guest with Paul Allen on Tuesday. Allen, the radio voice of the Vikings, asked Swedberg what exactly the plan was for Swift if she happened to see him and say hello.

“I thought she could come in and give you a break on play-by-play,” Swedberg joked.

“That’d be sweet! That’d be great!” Allen responded.

Swedberg has known Taylor Swift since she was a teenager just breaking through on the country music scene. While he said he wouldn’t consider them close friends, they know each other as associates.

Allen asked what would happen if she did show up. She usually rolls pretty deep with security and the like, so the situation in the broadcast booth could be crazy. But Swedberg did say he realizes Swift likely isn’t going to come say hello or anything on Sunday. He acknowledged that it’s possible Taylor doesn’t even show up in Minnesota at all. He just wishes some people would let people enjoy things.

“It’s a bit. Pretty much everything we do here is a bit to a certain extent,” he said. “But, I wouldn’t rule it out. It’s possible.”

“We would make room, wouldn’t we?” Allen asked.

Paul asked Greg the possibility that Swift and Travis Kelce’s family could be situated in a suite near the broadcast booth. Swedberg said if that’s the case, it would make it hard for her to ignore stopping in to say hi.

“If she wants to come in, it’s a quick trip from that booth – I’ve made that little trip myself – into your booth,” Swedberg said.

“It’s an extreme longshot, but hey, you know somebody for 17 years you take a shot,” he added. “And she’s very conscious of PR, and it would be a great scene!”

Jordan Bondurant

Sports Radio News

Greg Hill: NFL, Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift All Working Together for Publicity Stunt

“I don’t think Taylor Swift needs the publicity.”

Published

16 hours ago

October 3, 2023

BSM Staff

(Photo: WEEI)

Are Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and the NFL in cahoots to drive publicity for each other? That’s what WEEI morning host Greg Hill believes.

During The Greg Hill Show Tuesday, the Boston-based host led a discussion about whether or not Swift was more popular than the NFL. Co-host Courtney Cox argued that it’s undeniable she is more famous than the NFL on the global stage. Meanwhile, colleague Jermaine Wiggins argued the pop start isn’t even the most popular artist in America.

“The reason this came up is because of the massive fraud, charade that is being pulled on America by all of them,” Hill said. “And that’s Kelce, that’s her, and that’s the NFL. Who is it benefiting the most? I think Courtney is right. I don’t think Taylor Swift needs the publicity.”

Producer Chris Curtis claimed 2.5 million people in Brazil watched Super Bowl LVII, while only 2 million attempted to get tickets for Swift’s shows in the country. Cox argued that was an apples-to-oranges comparison.

Hill maintained the alleged relationship between Swift and Kelce is simply a ploy by the NFL to seek out a new potential fan base with Swift’s massive following.