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Aaron Rodgers and Bill Maher Are “Big” Joe Buck Fans

“There’s some great ones some not so good ones,” Rodgers said. “I love (Troy) Aikman and Buck. I’m a huge Joe Buck fan.”

Jordan Bondurant

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Bill Maher, Aaron Rodgers

Joe Buck made his Monday Night Football debut on ESPN last night, and Buck has fans in both comedian and HBO host Bill Maher as well as current Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

During this week’s edition of Maher’s Club Random podcast, the Real Time host had Rodgers on as his guest, and Buck became a brief topic of discussion.

The two agreed that Buck and Al Michaels were broadcasters they enjoyed.

“There’s some great ones some not so good ones,” Rodgers said. “I love (Troy) Aikman and Buck. I’m a huge Joe Buck fan.”

“I think he’s fantastic,” Maher added.

But Rodgers pointed out that while Buck is talented, he does draw plenty of ire from fans who assume the former FOX Sports broadcaster is biased against their team.

“That is so America right now,” Maher responded. “We’re so full of hate that they even hate people who have nothing to hate about.”

“Joe’s a great dude. He’s a friend, and he’s f–king great at what he does,” Rodgers added.

Maher praised Buck for his knowledge of football and just his overall wit and intelligence he displays on a regular basis.

“He likes the game, and he’s also very much in the (Bob) Costas realm. He’s erudite,” Maher said. “You get the feeling that you’re not just watching some dumb jock or some dumb guy.”

Maher and Rodgers also gave Tony Romo his flowers for transitioning away from playing and becoming one of the preeminent color commentators out there.

Sports TV News

Alex Rodriguez: You Used To Be Able To Hang Out With Reporters And Know It Was Off the Record

“I would say that back then it was a little bit more of a camaraderie.”

Jordan Bondurant

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The way that MLB players interact with reporters has evolved and changed significantly over the years in Alex Rodriguez’s eyes.

In a media availability Tuesday ahead of the season premiere of the KayRod Cast, ESPN’s alternate feed of select games slated for Sunday Night Baseball featuring Rodriguez and Yankees play-by-play man Michael Kay, A-Rod was asked for his biggest surprises as the media coverage has transitioned over the years.

“I would say that back then it was a little bit more of a camaraderie,” Rodriguez said. “You could actually go to a bar and have drinks with reporters, believe it or not, and talk about, you know — and everything was pretty much off the record.”

In today’s game, Rodriguez said you won’t find it being the case where reporters and players are friends away from their respective jobs.

“That ship has left, right? I think it’s just a lot more Twitter, get out there first. Fact check later, but shoot first,” he said. “As a result, I think it’s made players and everybody a little bit more aware.”

“I think in a long-worded answer, I think relationships that go back many years, I think, win in the long run, that trust,” A-Rod added.

The second season of the KayRod Cast starts on Sunday at 7 p.m. featuring the defending N.L. champion Philadelphia Phillies and the Texas Rangers.

Kay and Rodriguez will be live from ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York City. There are eight total editions of the KayRod Cast scheduled for the 2023 season.

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Elite 8 Sees Ratings Drop

“Much of the pandemonium, given the number of upsets in this year’s tournament, unsurprisingly impacted viewership as things advanced.”

Jordan Bondurant

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With the last two number one seeds bowing out of the 2023 NCAA tournament by the end of the Sweet 16, viewership for the Elite 8 expectedly dropped.

Over 11 million tuned in for the Miami/Texas regional final on CBS. Viewership for the two versus four seed matchup was down 17% compared to the Elite 8 game in the same window last year (UNC/Saint Peter’s). The broadcast was also the lowest rated and least-watched Elite 8 game in that window in seven years.

San Diego State/Creighton in the early game on Sunday drew 8.34 million viewers, which was down 12% year over year.

Almost 8 million watched UConn cruise past Gonzaga on TBS late Saturday night, while Florida Atlantic’s historic upset over Kansas State had a little more than 7 million watch. The Owls’ win over the Wildcats was only down 1% when looking at the numbers from the same window in 2022 (Villanova/Houston).

Much of the pandemonium, given the number of upsets in this year’s tournament, unsurprisingly impacted viewership as things advanced.

But the Final Four and the national championship are often the three most-watched college basketball games of the year, so there should be no shortage of eyeballs glued to Houston this weekend.

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Hawk Harrelson: ‘I Didn’t Retire, I Got Retired’

“I got fired is what it all boils down to.”

Jordan Bondurant

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Former Chicago White Sox broadcaster Hawk Harrelson opened up about his departure from the team in 2018. In an appearance Tuesday on the Foul Territory podcast, Harrelson said his whole farewell that season was forced.

“I didn’t retire,” Harrelson said talking to former White Sox catcher AJ Pierzynski and co-host Scott Braun. “I got retired.”

“I got fired is what it all boils down to,” he added.

Harrelson, who was the 2020 Ford C. Frick Award winner given by the Baseball Hall of Fame, said he stand behind the claim that he was shown the door.

“I’m sure that they will deny that. But it’s what led up to that and everything else, that’s interesting,” Harrelson said.

The White Sox hired Jason Benetti in 2016 as Harrelson’s fill-in. Benetti continues to call games on NBC Sports Chicago full-time.

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