Atlanta radio hosts fired for mocking Steve Gleason
Steve Gleason was diagnosed with ALS in November. (Gerald Herbert/AP)
Rick Mack, VP and general manager of The Zone 790, released a statement Monday afternoon announcing that the co-hosts of “Mayhem in the A.M.” have been fired.
“We deeply regret the comments made by Mayhem In The AM this morning on 790 The Zone regarding former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason,” Mack wrote. “790 The Zone, Lincoln Financial Media, our sponsors and partners in no way endorse or support the unfortunate and offensive commentary concerning Mr. Gleason this morning. The members of the show involved with this incident have been suspended indefinitely pending further management review of their actions.”
Steve Gleason is this week’s guest columnist for Monday Morning Quarterback. He wrote 4,500 words for the piece … using his eyes, and some special computer technology. Suffering from the devastating effects of ALS, Gleason is an inspiration to just about anyone who has met him or knows his story.
But all of that did not stop an Atlanta sports-talk radio show, “Mayhem in the A.M.” on 790 The Zone, from taking some shots at Gleason Monday morning, during a horribly ill-advised segment.
Off the Snap: Johnny Manziel wants out, Donald Driver wants in
Johnny Manziel threw for 3,706 yards and ran for another 1,410 last season. (Patric Schneider/AP)
Catching you up on the latest must-read news and analysis from around the web….
Friday Toss-Up: Le’Veon Bell vs. Eddie Lacy
Le’Veon Bell will get a chance to be the unquestioned starter in Pittsburgh. (Keith Srakocic/AP)
Each Friday this offseason, Audibles will pit two players head-to-head in an attempt to figure out which one will have a better 2013 season. We’ll then take it to Twitter, to get your opinions on the debate. Find our previous Toss-Ups here.
Running backs had a rough go of it in the 2013 NFL Draft, with nary a one selected in the opening round. Five players from that position came off the board in Round 2, however, including Le’Veon Bell to Pittsburgh and Eddie Lacy to Green Bay.
Those are the two players under the microscope for this week’s Friday Toss-Up.
Is Craig Dahl right about 49ers tipping their plays?
Craig Dahl (43) will now experience the Rams-49ers rivalry from the other side. (David Welker/Getty Images)
Former Ram and current 49er Craig Dahl made some NFC West waves this week when he revealed how the St. Louis Rams defense had, to some extent, solved San Francisco’s offense in 2012. The 49ers tipped their plays, Dahl told the San Jose Mercury News, allowing the Rams to often figure out whether a run or pass play was coming at them.
“Different personnel and different alignment stuff really were the big keys as far as giveaways,” Dahl, who left St. Louis to sign with San Francisco this offseason, told the Mercury News. “It’s been addressed and corrected. They knew most of it before I even got here. We just reconfirmed it. It’s ongoing self-study and self-scouting that got it cleared up, too.” That revelation was met with scorn from Dahl’s former Rams teammate Cortland Finnegan, who tweeted, “Craig Dahl is lame and weak for that glad he with another squad we know how he play thanks for the tips we know who 2 go at.”
The Rams played the 49ers, then with Alex Smith at the helm, to a 24-24 tie in San Francisco and later knocked off the Colin Kaepernick-led 49ers, 16-13 in St. Louis.
It’s that latter game that we are putting in the spotlight here. Was Dahl right about the 49ers’ tipping their plays? It sure seems like it, based on what the game tape shows …
Declining Player to Watch: Andre Smith
Andre Smith could be a one-season wonder. (Michael Keating/AP)
As we power through the summer toward training camps, Chris Burke will highlight players that interest him this season for various reasons. This week, he’s looking at three players who might regress in 2013.
This all boils down to expectations.
Through two-plus seasons after being taken No. 6 overall in the 2009 draft, Andre Smith looked like he might be a massive bust. Then, rather suddenly, the light came on — Smith closed the 2011 season with several solid performances, then in 2012 played as one of the NFL’s elite right tackles. The Bengals rewarded him with a three-year, $18 million contract.
So what exactly are they paying for?
