Reds analyst Chris Welsh opened Thursday's FS Ohio pregame show by apologizing for comments he made about Braves 2B Ozzie Albies. During Wednesday's broadcast, Welsh discussed Albies' recent contract extension and said, "Albies came from a very poor background, he's from Curaçao, and when somebody offers you 35 million dollars -- I mean, he may not know the difference between 35 million dollars and 85 million dollars." Welsh on Thursday said he apologized in person to Albies and his family "for the remarks that I made" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 4/26).
SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP: THE ATHLETIC's Richard Deitsch noted this week's deal between CBS and the WNBA happened after a "committee of WNBA owners, executives and NBA officials specifically targeted CBS Sports Network as part of a refresh for the WNBA," as the net "needed spring and summer sports programming." CBS Sports Exec VP/Programming Dan Weinberg said that the net "looked at the strength of the WNBA brand, the growth possibilities for CBS Sports, including audience potential, and the impact of the partnership on the CBS Sports brand." CBS Sports Network has "not assigned any on-air talent" yet to the WNBA package (THEATHLETIC.com, 4/25).
GOOD VIBES ONLY: In Boston, Chad Finn writes ESPN's "The Jump" largely works "because of the camaraderie" Rachel Nichols has with a "cast of cohorts/panelists." The "casual conversation and good-natured vibe among the panelists never seems less than authentic." That is the "precise tone and style Nichols desired when she returned to ESPN from Turner" in February '14. Nichols "consistently produces thoughtful monologues" on the NBA's "various issues" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/26).
