If this show were a boxing match, the last time Richard Deitsch was on the show, I lost on all cards. Perhaps I have been ducking him ever since. Alas, he’s on today and it’s a doozy. If you are a regular listener of our show, I’m going to assume it’s shows like this that makes the subscription worth it. At the very least, frank discussion and the occasional moment where I get put in my place is good for ones posture…or something. I think I need a raw steak to put on my eye.

We talk about Deitsch’s Media Power Rankings with includes another Levy (David) in the industry. We also talk about Ernie Harwell’s passing and how different the world of broadcasting and sports media has become. There’s a good amount of back and forth on how I’m too easy on my guests and how I complain that Jimmy Traina of SI’s Hot Clicks is a de-facto publicist for Erin Andrews, yet I’m a publicist for everyone who comes on my show. To Deitsch, there’s little difference.

We talk about Jon Gruden and wonder why people love him so much. We also dovetail that into an interesting conversation about someone’s comments on the record or sources off the record. Jay Rothman said, on the record, that he gave Gruden the last day of the draft off. But PFT wrote, and many of us heard, that Gruden didn’t want to do it — for a number of reasons — and THAT’S why Rothman gave him the day off. So, do we believe Rothman when he goes on the record, even if sources indicate otherwise?

Another example of this issue is how we figure out what the heck happened with the Dez Bryant situation. Do we believe the leak that came out from the Dolphins, which seems entirely plausible, or do we believe Bryant, who vehemently denied that version of the story when he spoke with Mike Silver of Yahoo? Silver believes Bryant because he can use his name next to the quotes. But is Bryant telling the truth? Is Ireland (or whoever the Dolphins source is)? Is going on the record equatable to being more truthful?

We talk about the Brian Cushing DPOY re-vote and discuss if the AP voters were right to do so. Doesn’t this open up a can of worms with every vote that’s ever been cast by the organization? Was this more a point to the NFL that the writers were upset that the information wasn’t given to them by the league, even though the rules of confidentiality were collectively bargained? Could it be that the MSM just wanted this handed to them, rather than doing a little leg work?  Someone had to know about this failed test, right? Why didn’t this come out when it happened?

Or do I just have a big chip on my shoulder from all the years handing media people stories while they eat in the press box. And yes, as Deitsch points out, eating in the press box is MSM for writing in my parent’s basement. And no, as Deitsch points out, I’m not better than that.

Deitsch takes up way too much time with THIS show trying to book FUTURE shows. He has one heck of a guest list set up for me. Maybe I should let him book things for me.

We end, I believe, with a conversation about Adrian Wojnarowski’s article on LeBron James. It was great, but what point did it prove? Was that missive fired at LeBron? Will LeBron ever read it? Or is it a shot he can take from press row to impress all the readers, and specifically those in the industry. The question is, as good as it was, who’s the audience for that and if you admit it’s NOT LeBron, himself, then does it have as much bite as we think?

There’s a lot more I’m sure I missed. Oh, and you can win something if you listen to the whole show. I’m serious.

Thanks for listening. No show tomorrow. Happy Birthday to my wife (today) and daughter (tomorrow), on a pretty tough day for us.

Tags: Media, Richard Deitsch