In Boston, Gayle Fee reports WEEI-FM evening host Mike Adams yesterday "was abruptly fired," likely as a "cost-cutting move by the station where he had worked for the better part of 23 years." Sources said that the need for an evening host "has long been debated at WEEI." With Red Sox programming "taking up most nights from April until at least September, the job was a half-time position at best." The station recently signed a new deal with the Red Sox that "extended their broadcast rights" through '23, and that "may have been the beginning of the end for Adams." Sources said that WEEI's Mike Mutnansky, who hosts the station's Red Sox pre- and postgame shows, "could be given the evening slot" (BOSTON HERALD, 6/22). Also in Boston, Chad Finn reports WEEI "does not have an imminent replacement in mind." The decision to fire Adams "was not a sudden one or the result of a specific incident, but had been under consideration for some time." Entercom Boston VP & Market Manager Phil Zachary "did not dismiss the possibility that Adams could work at WEEI again." Zachary in an email to staff wrote that WEEI will "use the next 3-4 months to assess how it will replace Adams" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/22).
CRITICISM MUTED: ESPN Radio's Ryen Russillo, in response to his comments made Monday on Skip Bayless, said, "What I referenced yesterday was something personal between me and Skip. It had nothing to do with ESPN policy." But PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote other ESPN on-air personalities are or may be "insulated from criticism." Florio: "Does Stephen A. Smith get the same special treatment?" Maybe Bayless' departure will embolden other ESPN employees "to speak up, even if it causes Smith to blow a gasket." Florio: "If enough ESPN personalities do it, what's ESPN going to do? Fire all of them?" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 6/21).
IT'S IN THE GAME: In San Jose, Gieson Cacho noted "one of the bigger changes" to "Madden NFL '17" was the "introduction of a new broadcast team." Instead of Phil Simms and Jim Nantz, players will "listen to Brandon Gaudin and Charles Davis." Although they may "not have the star power of the previous team, the duo offers more flexibility with the franchise" and can "focus more on the video game instead of having to worry about broadcast TV." That frees up EA "to do something interesting things with the presentation." With better access to the "Madden" broadcasters, fans "should expect updated commentary as the season goes on." If a major injury "happens in real life and that's reflected in the roster, Gaudin and Davis may mention it during a video game broadcast" (MERCURYNEWS.com, 6/21).
ONE OF US: THE RINGER's Molly McHugh wrote under the header, "Mike Rice Was the Portland Trail Blazers' Crazy Uncle." Broadcasters Rice, Mike Barrett and Antonio Harvey last week were let go by the team "without warning, without reason, amid no scandal, with time left on their contracts, and incredible fan appeal." Rice "became the unofficial mascot of the team -- maybe the city." He was "not the best play-by-play voice; he would ramble, misidentify players, and chastise the refs." But he "was a fan" (THERINGER.com, 6/21).
FORD TOUGH: In Utah, Trent Toone profiles ESPN.com's Chad Ford, who for three months out of the year is one of the net's "top NBA draft experts." But for the rest of the year he is a professor who "specializes in conflict mediation" at BYU-Hawaii. Ford said, "Very few people on the ESPN side know what I do on the university side, and very few people at the university know what I do at ESPN. I keep them pretty separated. It's a juggling act for sure" (DESERET NEWS, 6/22).
NOTES: Texas Tech men's basketball and baseball announcer Brian Hanni will replace Kansas basketball and football play-by-play voice Bob Davis, who has been at the school since '84. Hanni "left Kansas four years ago" for Texas Tech (KANSASCITY.com, 6/21)....Lance Armstrong this week launched a new podcast series called "The Forward Podcast With Lance Armstrong," which will "feature weekly interviews on a variety of topics." Armstrong said, "Sports will probably be the fourth or fifth category when it comes to whether it's entertainment or politics or music or the arts" (STATESMAN.com, 6/21)....Houston-based CBS-KHOU sports anchor Palbo Alsina "is no longer with" the station. Alsina came to the net in August from Fox Deportes (CHRON.com, 6/20).
