ESPN Radio Schedule Gets A Big Update With Mike Golic No Longer Featured Anywhere

ESPN overhauled their radio schedule after stalwart Will Cain moved to Fox News and there are some changes longtime ESPN Radio fans are confused by. A brand new show helmed by former NFLer and ESPN LA Radio veteran Keyshawn Johnson will serve as the flagship morning show and longtime ESPN Radio fixture Mike Golic is out while his former cohost Mike Greenberg (and Golic’s son Mike Golic Jr.) are in as part of the schedule moves.

Here’s the new ESPN Radio schedule with the relevant part of their show breakdowns, and some of my thoughts, from ESPN’s press release:

Keyshawn, Jay and Zubin: 6 – 10 a.m.

“NFL Live analyst and Super Bowl Champion Keyshawn Johnson will co-host, alongside NBA and college basketball analyst Jay Williams and SportsCenter anchor Zubin Mehenti. The trio will discuss the morning’s top stories and overnight developments with their own perspective and analysis.”

I’ll support my fellow USC alum Keyshawn Johnson getting a show … but four hours for a new trio who haven’t done those reps together seems kind of brutal. Jay Williams and Keyshawn are both good personalities individually while I’ve got no read on Zubin. I’m sure ESPN has a logic to the choice but honestly I’d go with a Matthew Berry or Le Batard here, or even my old pal Katie Nolan, to maximize value from people who could fill four hours without a hitch.

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz: 10 a.m. – Noon

“The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz will follow from 10 a.m.-noon. The show has been part of the national ESPN Radio weekday lineup since 2015 and features Dan Le Batard – host of Highly Questionable and the South Beach Sessions podcast – and Jon “Stugotz” Weiner – host of the Stupodity podcast – connecting with listeners through their unique blend of self-deprecating humor, insightful guests, and thoughtful conversation.”

Le Batard is now the LeBron of this lineup. It’s a bit of a surprise they didn’t expand his footprint or put him in more of a key time. But maybe he didn’t want a longer show, and with commutes less of a factor currently, his time is perfectly fine for loafing around the house and doing work.

The Mike Greenberg Show: Noon – 2 p.m.

“Host of ESPN’s morning show Get Up, Mike Greenberg makes his highly anticipated return to ESPN Radio.”

The sort-of-maybe blood feud between Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg sees Greenberg back on the airwaves while Golic is out. Mike Greenberg is the Littlefinger of ESPN … is Golic the Ned Stark? I can get with that.

The Max Kellerman Show: 2 – 4 p.m.

“Featured commentator on ESPN’s marquee morning debate show First Take and host of Max on Boxing Max Kellerman will make his national ESPN Radio debut with The Max Kellerman Show from 2-4 p.m. Kellerman will regularly expand on the most-timely debates from that day’s edition of First Take from his point of view.”

Between Stephen A. Smith’s new deal and this, it’s clear that arguing minutiae has never been more valuable at ESPN.

Chiney and Golic Jr.: 4 – 7 p.m.

“Two-time WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike will be joined by ESPN Radio’s Mike Golic Jr. from 4-7 p.m. for Chiney and Golic Jr. The duo – who regularly contribute to ESPN’s digital shows surrounding major events and the network’s additional studio programming – will engage with fans while discussing topics of the day and looking ahead at the night’s events.”

For the record, I’ve hung out with Mike Golic Jr. once or twice previously and found him to be an utterly lovely human being.

Spain and Fitz: 7 – 9 p.m.

“From 7-9 p.m., award-winning writer for espnW and ESPN Radio host Sarah Spain – who also appears on the network’s Highly Questionable and Around the Horn – will be reunited with former co-host Jason Fitz – who will also continue as a leading commentator for ESPN’s digital shows and special event programming. ”

Sarah Spain strikes me as kind of a vanilla contributor to ESPN’s shows these days, especially compared to her sports blog days where she took some more chances. But there was a clear effort to get female voices in the mix this time and she’s one of their top ones who isn’t overbooked so I can get with the move even though it feels like maybe you could have given her middays instead of, or with, Mike Greenberg.

Freddie and Fitzsimmons: 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.

“The weekday lineup culminates with Freddie and Fitzsimmons, led by veteran radio host Freddie Coleman and football sideline reporter and analyst Ian Fitzsimmons, from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Coleman and Fitzsimmons take fans inside the sports news and events of the day with inviting conversation, strong opinions and reactions as that night’s events unfold.”

This is my first time hearing of either guy and, for all I know, ESPN made them up. Their show will have to get wacky to get attention with those hours.

…

So there are your national ESPN Radio changes. Are they for the better? Does it even matter in the world of podcasts? Who knows. But it’s the end of an era for Mike Golic fans and this tweet from ESPN PR vet Bill Hofheimer sums the magnitude of the move well:

Lots of changes announced today, but ESPN Radio won't be the same without @espngolic, who started w/ the network in October 1998. That's thousands of mornings, interviews, stories, road shows, friendly wagers – and, yes, donuts. There's a reason Mike is a Hall of Famer. pic.twitter.com/j2nPCEAlVF

— bill hofheimer (@bhofheimer_espn) July 7, 2020

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