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A six-pack of media notes on a Monday:<\/p>\n
\u25aa Brian Windhorst\u2019s job \u2014 working the phones all day and bouncing from ESPN show to show the rest of the time \u2014 has been particularly thankless the past week.<\/p>\n
As LeBron James decides on his next team, the ubiquitous NBA insider has been asked to repeatedly appear on three of the network\u2019s signature studio shows and offer fresh material on a topic that is a closely guarded secret and remained, as of mid-afternoon Monday, in something of a holding pattern.<\/p>\n
Windhorst, during the past week, has been at the epicenter of what I have found to be a curious transformation: a shift in tone from ESPN personalities about the merits of the Heat\u2019s appeal to LeBron James.<\/p>\n
Windhorst admitted he dismissed the Heat as an attractive option too quickly when James announced plans to leave the Lakers. He has made up for that repeatedly during the past week, saying that even other teams pursuing James acknowledge that Miami is the best basketball fit.<\/p>\n
Others who initially dismissed the Heat as an appealing or leading option \u2014 including ESPN\u2019s Kendrick Perkins and Yahoo\u2019s Kevin O\u2019Connor \u2014 also have begun making the case for the Heat.<\/p>\n
So has two-time WNBA All-Star and ESPN analyst Chiney Ogwumike, who has said Miami gives Antetokounmpo a unique chance to play with a bunch of \u201cdawgs.\u201d<\/p>\n
I can\u2019t remember a prominent free agent where the sentiment among talking heads has gone from largely dismissing a suitor to lifting them up as an attractive landing spot.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, none of this makes any difference. But it has been fascinating to witness.<\/p>\n
ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania said at 3 p.m. Monday that he spoke to agent Rich Paul on Monday morning and there\u2019s no decision by James and no timetable on a decision. Charania said his understanding is focus remains on the Heat, Cleveland and Philadelphia.<\/p>\n
\u25aa In recent weeks, we\u2019ve been reminded of two perceived sports media sins that typically trigger a torrent of rage that is laughingly disproportionate to what is warranted.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re a sports journalist and want to elicit expletive-filled tirades or snarky reprimands, be sure to tip picks during the next NFL or NBA drafts (in other words, post them on social media before they\u2019re announced on the TV broadcast) or tell readers that a pitcher is throwing a no-hitter or perfect game.<\/p>\n
Yes, we live in a society where people love to be angry, where many go out of their way to seek reasons to be offended. But the level of fury created by tip picking and no-hitter acknowledgements consistently floors me.<\/p>\n
The vitriol leveled at reporters who tipped picks during this year\u2019s NFL and NBA drafts ranged from the mild (\u201cdon\u2019t be that guy\u201d) to obscene attacks that would be more appropriate for someone who burned down your house.<\/p>\n
In the amount of time it takes to type a string of insults and ad hominem attacks, someone on X could just as easily unfollow or mute the reporters who typically tip picks \u2014 Jordan Schultz, Ari Meirov and Aaron Wilson on the NFL, and Jake Fischer, Evan Sidery and Jonathan Givony on the NBA.<\/p>\n
Because there\u2019s an easy way to remain active on X throughout the draft and silence pick-tippers, the firestorm created by this has always struck me as enormously excessive.<\/p>\n
And during Eury Perez\u2019s recent attempt at a perfect game (he was lifted after seven perfect innings), we were again reminded of fan criticism of sports journalists pointing out ongoing no-hitters.<\/p>\n
Philadelphia 76ers president Mike Gansey even taped a video apology to Phillies pitcher Jes\u00fas Luzardo after being blamed for jinxing a no-hit bid by the former Marlins left hander during a recent broadcast.<\/p>\n
How exactly, in 2026, is this still a thing? How does anyone believe that a writer alerting fans to a no-hitter has any impact on a pitcher who is both aware he\u2019s throwing a no-hitter and unaware of any of these posts on social media or comments on broadcasts?<\/p>\n
And if you are highly superstitious by nature, do you think the media should withhold the information from fans in the remote chance that a no-hitter jinx actually exists?<\/p>\n
MLB Network host Greg Amsinger last week asked two of the game\u2019s best pitchers about such jinxes.<\/p>\n
Paul Skenes, the National League Cy Young award winner in 2025, said unequivocally that broadcasters cannot jinx no-hitters.<\/p>\n
Jacob Misiorowski, who leads baseball with a 1.62 ERA, insists jinxes are real and apply not only to broadcasters, but anyone on Earth who shares news of an in-progress no-hitter.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s anyone and everyone,\u201d Misiorowski said. \u201cDon\u2019t say it. Don\u2019t say it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo I really carry that much power?\u201d Amsinger asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, you don\u2019t,\u201d Skenes said.<\/p>\n
Thanks, Paul. Now tell the people who don\u2019t want pick-tipping to simply mute the writers who do, and stop being control freaks.<\/p>\n
\u25aa The Marlins found a good one in radio voice Jack McMullen, and at least one national network has noticed.<\/p>\n
The CW Network hired McMullen to call Mountain West football games this season.<\/p>\n
He said the Marlins will permit him to miss one three-game series in September, but he won\u2019t miss any other games.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m incredibly grateful that the Marlins have allowed me to add this to my schedule in the offseason,\u201d he said. \u201cI hope to be with the Marlins for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u25aa According to Sports Business Journal, YouTube has emerged as the leading candidate to be the NBA\u2019s centralized streaming hub that will distribute games of most or all the teams beginning as early as the 2027-28 season. ESPN also has expressed interest.<\/p>\n
Even if the NBA goes to this centralized streaming model as expected, the Heat has made clear that it wants to retain an association with WPLG 10, which will carry most of the games this season. Ultimately, the Heat and league must decide how many games to place over-the-air in a centralized streaming world.<\/p>\n
For now, at least, WPLG\u2019s divorce from ABC will pay dividends for Heat fans, who will be able to watch the games next season even if they don\u2019t subscribe to a cable or satellite service or a streamer.<\/p>\n
The separation from ABC also allowed WPLG to carry the Giannis Antetokounmpo news conference on Thursday and a prime time special recapping the day.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Heat continues to look for affiliates in West Palm Beach and Naples-Fort Myers, two markets where WPLG 10 is prohibited from streaming the games on its app.<\/p>\n
\u25aa Quick stuff part 1: DirecTV settled its carriage dispute with Scripps, meaning DirecTV homes in South Florida will be able to watch Panthers games this coming season\u2026.<\/p>\n
The Comcast\/NFL Network dispute rages on, however…<\/p>\n
Happy trails to longtime Orlando Magic TV voice David Steele, who retired after 37 years. Steele was the radio voice of the Gators in the 1980s before leaving to become the Magic\u2019s only TV voice.<\/p>\n
Eric Reid has been the Heat\u2019s play-by-play voice for 35 years \u2014 after spending the franchise\u2019s first three years as the analyst alongside Sam Smith \u2014 but still has a ways to catch George Blaha, who has been the Pistons\u2019 announcer for 50 years.<\/p>\n
\u25aa Quick stuff part 2: We\u2019re starting to see more integration of NFL Network talent on ESPN in the wake of ESPN purchasing the network. Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero made appearances on \u201cNFL Live\u201d and Mike Greenberg\u2019s \u201cGet Up\u201d in recent weeks\u2026.<\/p>\n
Dave Pasch and potentially Bob Wischusen are expected to replace Chris Fowler on ESPN\u2019s No. 2 NFL team. Fowler realistically couldn\u2019t continue in the role because most of those games will be international contests that would have forced Fowler to give up college assignments on Saturdays this fall\u2026<\/p>\n
Former quarterback Chase Daniels is the new analyst for ESPN\u2019s Thursday night college football games….<\/p>\n
Netflix\u2019s first presentation of the Home Run Derby drew just 5.3 million viewers. That\u2019s the lowest since 2003, per Sports Business Journal. Netflix is paying $50 million a year for the opening night game, the Home Run Derby and the Field of Dreams game (which is Twins-Phillies on Aug. 13).<\/p>\n
News note<\/p>\n
ESPN dropped NFL analyst Ryan Clark on Monday afternoon as part of a fresh round of layoffs. Others who are being laid off will be informed on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
A source says that ESPN informed Clark he was being let go during Monday\u2019s episode of \u201cNFL Live\u201d because ESPN had received media inquiry about his impending dismissal and they feared the news might be reported before the program ended. ESPN didn\u2019t want him to see it on the internet before informing him directly.<\/p>\n
The sides then mutually agreed that he would not finish out the show and he consequently departed during the program. He was going to be told Tuesday.<\/p>\n
This story was originally published July 20, 2026 at 3:17 PM.<\/p>\n