Sports Radio News
Mike Golic Welcomes Entire Family For Final Hour On ESPN Radio
“The entire family was wearing a shirt that said “A True Pro: Mike Golic” written in Notre Dame colors.”
Published
2 years agoon
By
BSM Staff
If you did not have the chance to watch or listen to the final edition of Golic & Wingo in its entirety, know that the final hour was a perfect microcosm of the whole affair, as both Mike Golic Sr. and Trey Wingo received farewells and well wishes from the people that love them.
“Welcome to the unmitigated disaster portion of the show,” Mike Golic Jr. said to start the final hour, which opened with the three Golic children, their significant others, and their parents in front of the microphones in the Golic family basement.
The entire family was wearing a shirt that said “A True Pro: Mike Golic” written in Notre Dame colors. The shirt is being sold by a company called Homage, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the South Bend Center for the Homeless, a charity that Golic has supported for a long time.
Golic Sr. revealed that listeners that feel like they have become part of the family will still be able to get their fix. He announced that the family’s podcast Sorry in Advance will continue.

Arizona State football coach Herm Edwards called in in the next segment to make sure Trey Wingo got a proper goodbye. He said that the two had been best friends since the first day Edwards showed up to the NFL Live set.
“It’s more than just working at ESPN. Friendships are forever,” Edwards said. “He taught me to do what I needed to do to entertain the audience man, he was my mentor.”
Wingo left the show a segment early so that the final few minutes could be all about Golic, who noted that this partnership is only over on the air. The two are still friends and still live just five minutes apart from one another. Before he left, Wingo delivered one final message to Mike Golic Sr and Jr.
“Know that I love you both. I’ll see you both a lot. It’s been an absolute blast.”
The entire Golic family was back on set for the final segment. Senior gave credit to every single producer he has had during his 22 years in morning drive, noting that he has done more than 4500 shows on ESPN Radio. Junior then recognized the entire Golic & Wingo staff by name.
Golic Sr. acknowledged what so many have said about him this week. His family has always been the most important thing in his life. That is why so much of their home life wound up on the radio.
“To have people be part of that and want to be part of that is pretty cool,” Golic said in reference listeners’ responses to those stories and conversations and their investment in the family’s life.
If you made it this far into the hour without breaking down into tears, it was impossible to keep that up once Mike Golic Jr. started speaking.
He started out upbeat and strong in his delivery as usual. He said that he doesn’t look at today as a sad thing. He noted that when the mic goes off, everyone in the Golic house still gets to call Mike Sr. dad.
“Even after we turn off the mics, you still get to be our dad.” –@mikegolicjr
— ESPN (@espn) July 31, 2020
The Golic family joined @espngolic as he signed off from ESPN Radio for the last time ❤️ #ThankYouGolic
(via @GolicAndWingo) pic.twitter.com/EMI1JAP17H
That is when the quiver came into Junior’s voice.
He talked about how much impact it had on his brother, his sister, and himself to see their father give up calling college football games once they entered high school. He talked about how lucky he felt to know that both of the parents would be in the stands for every football game. Finally, he paid tribute to his dad on a personal level, saying that the Golic & Wingo experience is something he would never trade.
“To get to do this with you for the last three years will be the highlight of my professional life and my personal life,” Junior said. “To get to do the thing you always wanted to do with the person you always wanted to be is just surreal.”
The tributes to Golic Sr continued on social media where colleagues and affiliate stations tipped their cap to the long time ESPN Radio morning host.
I wanted to say thank you @espngolic for all the hours-weeks-& yrs you entertained us. You have been a reliable & consistent voice for many yrs. As this business has turned into shock jock & “hot takes” you were our conscious on so many topics-Thank you-We’ll miss you brother. 🙏🏼
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) July 31, 2020
End of an era. Have know @espngolic since college at @NotreDame and so glad the rest of the world has gotten to know him also! Special dude, so giving to chairties, awesome dad! Will miss him in the mornings but excited for his next journey! 🍀 pic.twitter.com/6d5meebFn8
— Hannah Storm (@HannahStormESPN) July 31, 2020
Just want to say thanks to @espngolic
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) July 31, 2020
Yes for being a trail-blazer in this industry of sports media-but more so for the type of Dad he seemed to be. I hope my kids one day speak of me like his (@mikegolicjr )do of him as I’ve tried to learn from afar!👏👊🏻
Mike Golic Jr. just explained @espngolic. "Even when we turn off our mics, you still get to be our Dad…" ❤️#ThankYouGolic
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) July 31, 2020
Thank you @espngolic for your incredible analysis, passion and being one of the most genuine people at ESPN for 22 years. And thank you for still one of the most impressive performances I've ever seen. #ThankYouGolic pic.twitter.com/Bv74GWi0PG
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) July 31, 2020
Today's final show for @espngolic will include a special live listen-in to the final hour as his family joins the set from 9am-10am. Listen on 850 ESPN Cleveland, the ESPN App or at home on your smart speakers #ThankYouGolic pic.twitter.com/GWqIhDK7rc
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 31, 2020
#ThankYouGolic for providing us with this memorable moment in 2006!
— 97.1 The Fan (@971thefan) July 31, 2020
.@espngolic .@GolicAndWingohttps://t.co/rIGZqfrrmn
Sports Radio News
Dave Rothenberg Can’t Stand Hearing Kenny Albert Mispronounce ‘Raleigh’
“I would think a true professional, like somebody that cares about their craft, would get that kind of feedback and welcome it.”

Published
3 hours agoon
May 25, 2022
Dave Rothenberg has a tiny bone to pick with Kenny Albert, and it’s over the way Kenny pronounces the Carolina Hurricanes’ home city.
Talking on his show on ESPN New York on Tuesday, Rothenberg, who spent three years working in Raleigh on 99.9 The Fan, said he wished someone would get in Albert’s ear and correct the way he’s been saying it adding that it has made him wish one of the top play-by-play voices in hockey wouldn’t be on the call for the playoff series between the Canes and New York Rangers.
“I would think a true professional, like somebody that cares about their craft, would get that kind of feedback and welcome it,” Rothenberg said.
Albert has been pronouncing the city’s name as “RAW-lee”. It is properly pronounced “RAH-lee”.
Co-host Rick DiPietro and the rest of the show crew thought Albert would take offense to the correction, especially since it’s such a minor thing, but Rothenberg thought that was ridiculous.
“See, no one can deal with tough love anymore,” Rothenberg said.
The New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes series shifts back to Raleigh on Thursday for Game 5. The series is tied 2-2.
Jordan Bondurant
Jordan Bondurant is a features reporter for Barrett News Media. He also works for ABC8 News and Newsradio WRVA and 910 The Fan in Richmond, Virginia. His prior experiences include working for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Danville Register & Bee, Virginia Lawyers Weekly and iHeartradio Richmond. He can be reached by email at Jordan.E.Bondurant@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @J__Bondurant.
Sports Radio News
NBC Sports Names Al Michaels To Emeritus Role
The partnership will keep Michaels on for the Olympics and NBC’s NFL playoff coverage.
Published
18 hours agoon
May 24, 2022By
BSM Staff
NBC Sports, which had been the home of Al Michaels since 2006, will still feature the veteran broadcaster despite Michaels’ moving to Amazon for Thursday Night Football.
The network announced that Michaels will still be a part of NBC Sports’ high-profile broadcasting properties including the Olympics and NFL Playoffs. Michaels’ last broadcast with the network had been Super Bowl LVI in February, his eleventh Super Bowl.
NBC Sports Chairman Pete Bevacqua said in a statement, “Revered by viewers and colleagues, Al has been the soundtrack for many of the greatest moments in sports television history. We are thrilled that he’s staying in the family and raising the stature of our events for years to come.”
“I’m looking forward to continuing my longtime NBC relationship while also launching the Thursday Night Football package on Amazon this fall. A special thanks to NBC Sports Chairman Pete Bevacqua and the folks at NBCUniversal for their help in making this happen,” Michaels said.
Michaels moved to Amazon Prime Video this season for their Thursday Night Football package. He will be paired with ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit. This season will mark his 37th NFL play-by-play campaign in primetime.
Following another historic broadcasting moment in which Michaels deftly demonstrated his expertise and versatility, he became just the second sportscaster in history to receive a News Emmy nomination for his coverage of the San Francisco earthquake during the 1989 World Series.
In addition to the 11 Super Bowls, Michaels has worked nine Olympics and called eight World Series.
In December 2020, Michaels was honored with the 2021 Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Michaels is one of only five distinguished broadcasters to be recognized with the baseball honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Pete Rozelle Award (Dick Enberg, Lindsey Nelson, Jack Buck, and Curt Gowdy).
One of television’s most respected journalists, Michaels has covered more major sports events than any sportscaster, including 20 years as the play-by-play voice of Monday Night Football. He is the only commentator to call the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals and host the Stanley Cup Final for network television. In addition, Michaels called the classic 1985 championship boxing match between Thomas “Hit Man” Hearns and “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler.
Among his many accolades, Michaels has captured eight Emmy Awards – seven for Outstanding Sports Personality – Play-by-Play and one in 2011 for the Lifetime Achievement Award, and has three times (1980, 1983 and 1986) received the NSSA Award from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association; he was inducted into the NSSA Hall of Fame in 1998. Michaels was named Sportscaster of the Year in 1996 by the American Sportscasters Association, and, in 1991, he was named Sportscaster of the Year by the Washington Journalism Review.
Sports Radio News
Thom Brennaman Continues to Search for a Second Chance
Brennaman has been searching for a broadcasting gig since he spoke a homophobic slur in August 2020 on a Cincinnati Reds broadcast.
Published
19 hours agoon
May 24, 2022By
BSM Staff
The last time Thom Brennaman sported the microphone for a major broadcast was August 19, 2020. It was game that featured a doubleheader between the Cincinnati Reds and the Kanasas City Royals and in between the two, Brennaman blurted a homophobic slur that has thus far kept him off radio and television.
Brennaman has struggled to find his footing since that error. Recently, Brennaman recorded an episode of Tell Me A Story I Don’t Know, a podcast hosted George Ofman. That episode was available Tuesday and in it, Ofman asks where Brennaman thinks he’ll be in six months.
Brennaman said, “I have no idea. I really don’t. There were a couple of times I thought that maybe somebody out there was going to give me a chance to broadcast again and then this same thing comes up again.”
Brennaman sounded baffled that he’s still searching for work, citing other influential local leaders and what they opined in the days after the incident. “You know what you find out George, the guy who’s considered to be the leading voice of the LGBT community here in Cincinnati, he’s a big executive with Johnson and Johnson, a guy named Ryan Messer. He had written, and I had never met Ryan Messer at this point in time, like two days after what I said, he wrote a letter to the editor of the Cincinnati Enquirer, local paper, that Thom Brennaman should not be fired. There is room for growth here in so many areas and a great opportunity for him, for the gay community, for the Reds, for our society.”
Brennaman added that the two met as well as did Brennaman with other leaders in the LGBT community at the time. “I reached out to the guy and made contact with him and he’s the guy who’s house we went to that I made reference to earlier in listening to a bunch of the stories with some gay leaders. But anyway, I said ‘if you have people there – and I know you do – that are gay that work there, I would put up the amount of hours that I have spent in the gay community in some form or fashion over the last year against anybody you have that works in that office that’s gay’.”
Despite his efforts, the broadcasting veteran is dismayed that it’s failed to sway opinion, “it’s almost like in some cases it just falls on deaf ears.”
Regardless of where he is at now, he’s confident that eventually he’ll be afforded another opportunity. “But I ‘d like to think there’s somebody out there – and there will be and all it takes is one – is just to say ‘you know what, this was a mistake. Here’s the documentation of what the guy’s tried to do since then. We’re going to take a chance – answer some tough questions – and take a chance and get him back in the booth.”
And if another opportunity doesn’t present itself? “If it doesn’t happen, it’s not going to be the end of my life.”