Boomer Esiason, who refers to Tr**P as “my dear friend”, is proving what we wrote about previously.
Sports radio needs more Black voices and hosts.
Esiason, who co-hosts the daily sports talk radio show “Boomer and Gio” in New York on WFAN (and simulcast on CBS Sports Network), has no qualms about letting everyone know who and what he supports, and remains hypocritically unapologetic about his views.
From saying the Knicks to politics aside and visit his “good friend” in the White House, yet never critiquing that same person for targeting individuals who share the same melanin as the Knicks, to today’s rant about Caitlin Clark, Esiason follows the MAGA-path of telling everyone else but themselves to keep politics and race out of sports.
In case you missed it, here is what Esiason said today about a “mistreated” Caitlin Clark during a discussion about her being bullied.
After suggesting Clark should play overseas, he said, “I think there’s petty jealousy, and she’s a straight, white basketball player, and she is not being treated with any sort of respect,” whined Esiason.
Oh, so now Clark is being disrespected and abused by Black and gay players in the WNBA?
Boomer’s Thursday pro-Caitlin Clark rant derives from a physical altercation involving the Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas, who appeared to drive her fist into Clark as she was on her back on the floor.
To be fair, this isn’t the first time Clark has been “roughed up” by opponents, so the outrage by her coach and supporters is just.
But physicality is part of the game, and seeing a star get “the treatment” isn’t anything new; ask Michael Jordan about the Detroit Pistons.
Yet this isn’t about Clark; this is about the antics of Esiason and how they exemplify the need for Black voices in sports radio.
His platform allows him to spew political views and insert race into sports unfiltered and unchecked on WFAN, a station that has its own issues with racism (Don Imus), disrespect (hosts hanging up on Carl Banks) and arrogant ignorance (Craig Carton).
Esiason, Carton and supporters of their rhetoric are quick to call others “race-baiters” yet love to play the same card without hesitation; Boomer did it on Thursday morning by describing Clark as a “straight white basketball player” and Carton did it earlier this year by going after ESPN’s Ryan Clark.
And unfortunately, there’s no voice of retort.
Now, before you supporters of their shows start crying; yes, free speech is allowed. But free speech, does, and rightfully so, come with repercussions, so if you’re brave enough to say it, be brave enough for what comes next.
Esiason loves bringing up topics and enflaming the issue by using coded language that those with even basic intelligence recognize.
He applauded Mayor Mamdani’s support of the Knicks championship run, saying, “I would think that everybody can get over the political nature of all of this. Doing the right thing by the team, which this mayor happens to be doing, I’m all in support of.”
Yet a few seconds later, he purposely said this while addressing Mamdani again.
“I have no problem with the New York Knicks going to a socialist mayor and saying, ‘We’re the champions, here are the keys,’ and the mayor basking in the glow of that championship.”
Oh, so now Mamdani is no longer the mayor but the socialist mayor. Boomer knows exactly what he’s doing by using that word.
There are currently four national sports radio shows featuring Black hosts- The Odd Couple with Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington, Harry and Freddie with Harry Douglas and Freddie Coleman, Chris Canty on ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike with Evan, Canty and Michelle and LaVar Arrington on 2 Pros and a Cup of Joe.
Locally, that number might even be smaller.
But as Boomer Esiason proves, there needs to be more for we cannot, and should not, have singular points of view, and coded language, go unchecked.
Hopefully that void is addressed soon and the importance of Black voices become revered once more so we can enjoy diverse points of views, and have more meaningful and thoughtful discussions, in sports.
