Warner Wolf has spoken with YES about the possibility of resurrecting his career by joining the network, sources have told NYP TV Sports.
Since being fired by WCBS-2 on Memorial Day weekend, Wolf has been searching for a new job. He also has met with YES’ regional rival, MSG.
The problem right now for the 66-year-old Wolf is finding a role at either of these places.
A YES spokesman declined comment.
*
Fox Sports President Ed Goren confirmed to us that YES did contact him about its CEO position. The parties met last month, but Goren, despite being from New York, isn’t heading east.
“I’m not going anywhere today, tomorrow or years from now, other than out to a golf course,” Goren said from Los Angeles.
*
Twice a week, HBO’s Cris Carter will co-host a talk show with ex-WFANer Steve Cohen on Sirius’ Satellite’s NFL network. The network is set to launch this summer. Sirius is trying to add ex-CBS analyst Deion Sanders as well.
*
To the disappointment of The Next Great Champ leading man, Oscar De La Hoya, Teddy Atlas has been unable to strike a deal with the Fox reality show yet. Part of the problem has been ESPN’s reluctance to accommodate Atlas, who serves ESPN as a boxing commentator.
“ESPN’s main concern was that Teddy would not be a commentator for the show and that Teddy wouldn’t miss any of their boxing shows,” Atlas’ agent, Gary Rosen said.
Atlas would be a trainer, not a commentator, and wouldn’t miss any ESPN shows, Rosen said.
*
It seems pretty simple. When a show does a story about someone who passes away, it should pay its respects, then fade to black before going to commercial. Also, during the stories, it should lose any score tickers.
This week on SportsCenter, ESPN produced a nice tribute to deceased sportswriter Ralph Wiley of ESPN.com. During the segment, ESPN ran its “Bottom Line” scores of the day and news ticker. After the piece, the network teased what was up next on the show. These are nitpicky points, but when dealing with death, networks should lose any self-promotion and trivialities.
“Our position is, it is part of the show,” said SportsCenter managing editor Norby Williamson. “It is the way we produce the show. We are constantly evaluating. Maybe there is a better way to do it.”
*
YES’ Michael Kay gets the most out of his analysts of any local baseballcaster, but his home-run calls have a little too much radio-style description – unnecessary when there are pictures. Since 1050-ESPN Radio replays his calls, we thought that might be the reason.
“Absolutely not,” Kay said. Kay disagreed with the too much play-by-play assessment, but said it could be remnants from his many years of doing Yankee radio.