So Bob Costas spoke openly to Mark Fainaru-Wada and ESPN—to his eventual regret, he says—about being gradually phased out at NBC after his bosses chafed at him accurately claiming that the sport of football destroys brains. You can easily read the story and see that Costas was right to speak openly against the sport, and that NBC didn’t give half a shit about his concerns, nor were they concerned about the inherently damaging qualities of NFL football. Networks pay a ransom to lick Roger Goodell’s boots, and NBC is just another one of them.
But read all of Fainaru-Wada’s story (and it’s worth doing so) and Costas comes off as both righteous and, at times, a little self-delusional. He constantly frames himself as a black sheep at NBC, and that he’s on the right side of history far more often than some of his contemporaries, which... no. This man served as the face of established TV sports journalism for decades and HE’S the rebel somehow? I don’t think so. That is the subject of this week’s Deadcast.
There’s more! INVESTIGATE? Guest host Lauren Theisen and I also look into the breaking news of this week—Papa John’s betrayal of Louisville and newfound Kentucky fandom—and sort through other depressing NFL developments. Plus we answer your Funbag questions and make fun of Bill Simmons for throwing a hissy fit about children’s soccer online. Standard shit. FUN!
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