WFAN in New York has joined the fray of its rival station’s newest controversy.
ESPN New York’s Michael Kay, additionally the lead New York Yankees play-by-play announcer on the YES Network, took exception to Ray Santiago, a producer of ESPN’s morning drive present, calling out Kay’s present for its declining scores.
Kay went as far as saying he may make “one phone call” to get Santiago fired. But Kay later walked again his feedback, saying it was “performative.” However, a bunch on WFAN is not shopping for it.
Gregg Giannotti took to the airwaves throughout his morning present, “Boomer and Gio,” alongside former NFL MVP Boomer Esiason, and eviscerated Kay in an epic rant that Mike Francesa could be — and possibly is — happy with.
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New York Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay participates throughout pregame ceremonies previous to a recreation towards the San Francisco Giants at Yankee Stadium Sept. 20, 2013, within the Bronx borough of New York City.
(Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Giannotti mentioned Kay was “legitimately angry” and mentioned Kay’s “performative” remark was an “excuse.” He additionally known as out Kay’s co-hosts, Don La Greca and “whatever his face” Peter Rosenberg, for “kissing (Kay’s) ass” and “bootlicking” him, somewhat than placing him in his place.
“Gimme a break. You don’t have to sit there and bootlick him any longer,” Giannotti mentioned. “He’s gonna retire. It doesn’t matter if you kiss his ass or not, it’s not gonna be the difference in you getting that job when he leaves. Just stop it. Just stop kissing his ass. He was wrong. Call him out for it. He was absolutely wrong.
“It’s not efficiency artwork. You had been pissed off. How about approaching the air and being like, ‘You know what, I stepped over the road, I used to be actually mad within the second, I should not have threatened that man’s job. I talked to him off the air. I’m sorry for doing that.’ But as a substitute, I gotta imagine it’s efficiency artwork? Are you freaking kidding me? …
“To pull that kind of lie and bullcrap to me was embarrassing. Absolutely embarrassing. I sit here, and I bust everybody’s balls. I’ll point out mistakes. If I ever — ever — go and say on the air for real or go back to [WFAN director of programming] Spike Eskin and say, ‘This guy needs to be fired,’ you have permission to punch me right in the face.
“Because that may be a ridiculous, ridiculous abuse of energy. And that’s a man who I believe had no means out, could not admit that he was flawed after which painted this bullcrap image that he is some type of a performer. Jesus Christ. A efficiency artwork from Michael Kay? Performance artwork? What are you, part of the Blue Man Group? What do you imply efficiency artwork? He’s concerning the least efficiency artwork individual I can take into consideration ever that I do know.”
Yankees Broadcaster Michael Kay arrives at a screening of the “2009 World Series Film: Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Yankees” on the Ziegfeld Theatre Nov. 23, 2009, in New York City.
(Henry S. Dziekan III/Getty Images)
Esiason, the previous Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets quarterback, added that Kay was “trying to big-time a lower-level employee at that station,” whereas Giannotti joked that it was the primary time he had ever listened to Kay’s present, solely as a result of he was within the beef between Kay and Santiago.
“Never, ever, ever, would I affect their livelihood in that way, especially of someone that’s making $30,000 or whatever the hell that kid’s making. And that a-hole is making $2 million? Holy hell …” Giannotti continued. “Pick on someone your own size. Come after me, Michael Kay. Think I give a crap? Jesus, your 10 people that are still out there listening might get a kick out of it. Somebody will tell me about it, maybe, if you’re lucky. Loser. The guy’s 60-something years old and still acting like he’s 12.”
In a dialog a couple of mistake by Kay — he mentioned the Philadelphia Phillies, not Eagles, may go to the Super Bowl — La Greca mentioned his co-host shouldn’t be made enjoyable of for it. And Rosenberg mentioned La Greca was “living up to our reputation as the hack yo-yo sidekicks who just approve of everything Michael does,” citing Giannotti’s jab at Kay’s two co-hosts.
“It really bothers me when people call me that, especially people that I respect. It’s been said many times before,” La Greca responded. “If you listen to this show, Michael and I disagree 90% of the time, and I’ve got no problem going against him. But when he’s right, he’s right.”
MICHAEL KAY WALKS BACK THREAT TO ESPN PRODUCER, CALLS FIRING COMMENT ‘PERFORMATIVE’
Kay appeared baffled that La Greca “respected” Giannotti, so Kay took a shot on the WFAN morning host himself.
“So you have respect for said person who actually moved into a ready-made furnace penthouse that was made by somebody else and now is taking credit and preening as if he created that penthouse?” Kay responded.
Kay was referencing that Giannotti changed Craig Carton after Carton was arrested. “Boomer and Carton” had lengthy been the highest sports activities present in New York, and “Boomer and Gio” nonetheless ranks No. 1 of their slot since Giannotti joined. Carton now does afternoon drive on WFAN.
“He had nothing to do with that penthouse,” Kay added. “He just moved in because the other guy got kicked out. The other guy got kicked out.”
Craig Carton and Boomer Esiason pose for a photograph previous to calling a recreation between the New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins on WFAN on the Barclays Center Nov. 30, 2016, within the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
(Mike Stobe/NHLI through Getty Images)
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“You both need to make better decisions on who you respect in this business,” Rosenberg mentioned, including Esiason “threw haymakers” at Kay “out of the clear blue.”
Throughout the disagreement, Kay once more doubled down that it was all an act, even saying he has by no means known as for anybody to be fired, together with skilled sports activities coaches, regardless of being in sports activities media for over 30 years.
“The Michael Kay Show” ranked 14th in the newest New York scores e book behind WFAN’s “Carton & Roberts,” which completed second.
To take down WFAN, ESPN New York not too long ago added one other native present from 12-3 p.m. with former Jet Bart Scott and Alan Hahn. ESPN additionally moved the morning drive present, hosted by former New York Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro and Dave Rothenberg, to the 6-10 a.m. slot after spending two years on the air from 5-8 a.m.