Gregg Giannotti goes scorched earth on Rich Eisen before ESPN return: ‘Like smelling salts'
'The talk show is Ambien,' the WFAN 'Boomer & Gio' host said Thursday. 'Any clip that I see, it feels like they're doing a remote from a funeral home. It could not be more boring.'
Gionnotti shredded the popular NFL voice for being a terrible talkshow conductor after the recent reveal that Eisen will be returning to ESPN with his self-named show nearly two decades after he exited.
ESPN will begin airing Eisen's program this fall as part of the sports giant's direct-to-consumer service, according to The Athletic, along with ESPN+ and Disney+.
'He's got to be the most boring talkshow host in America,' Giannotti said of the 'The Rich Eisen Show' on Thursday. 'Why is everyone talking about him? Why does he have all these jobs?'
Eisen largely is viewed in a positive lens, becoming a popular 'SportsCenter' host in the late 1990s and early 2000s before leaving for NFL Network in 2003.
'The Rich Eisen Show' then debuted in 2014 and is now aired on Roku.
Giannotti praised Eisen for his 'SportsCenter' days, calling him a good studio host and complimenting his work when providing highlights.
Riche Eisen interviewing Kevin Costner on his show in 2017.
The Rich Eisen Show
But that's where the praise ended.
Giannotti referenced the time when Eisen hosted the 2023 NAB Marconi Radio Awards, describing his experience as 'Holy hell, I'm like I needed to get tased.'
He added: '(It) was like smelling salts.'
The WFAN host, who's known for his impressions, then referenced how controversial ESPN host Pat McAfee seemingly believes Eisen's return is a shot at him.
McAfee mentioned how the two will be live at the same time, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET weekdays, calling it a 'counter program.'
'That feels very interesting,' McAfee said on his self-named show Tuesday. 'But also, love Rich Eisen, so I am cool with whatever… Noon-to-3 is fascinating, for sure. Is that a message? I don't know. But yeah, cool, whatever. But nonetheless, we're happy Rich is back.'
Gregg Giannotti (r) is not a fan of Rich Eisen.
@awfulannouncing/X
Giannotti wondered how McAfee could even be concerned in the slightest since he believes there's an enormous gap between the two programs.
'If Pat McAfee is really worried about Rich Eisen messing with his show, then some executive is gonna get fired because Pat McAfee's show is interesting and entertaining, and he's done a really amazing job of carving out a niche…' Giannotti said. 'I can't imagine that that's actually a real thing, that they're trying to send Pat McAfee a message by putting on Rich Eisen.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
26 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Yankees' Manager Aaron Boone on Aaron Judge's Health: 'I Don't Know Yet'
Major League Baseball Yankees' Manager Aaron Boone on Aaron Judge's Health: 'I Don't Know Yet' Published Aug. 19, 2025 2:53 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Giancarlo Stanton will return to the New York Yankees' lineup in right field Tuesday night after missing three games with what the team described as general soreness, manager Aaron Boone told radio station WFAN, but things aren't as clear when it comes to the status of star slugger Aaron Judge. Boone said there is no timetable on a fielding return for Judge, who might not get back to full health this season. "I don't think we're going to see him throwing like he normally does at any point this year, but that's OK," Boone said. "We've got to feel like he can go out there and protect himself." Judge has been limited to being a designated hitter since being activated from the injured list on Aug. 5, which makes writing up the Yankees' lineup difficult given the presence of Stanton. "I don't know yet," Boone said about Judge's return to the field. "What I've said is I'm waiting on the trainers to say, 'Thumbs up.' He's expected to long toss again today, so I don't expect it here in Tampa. Could it be Boston? Maybe. I just don't know yet." ADVERTISEMENT The Yankees are coming off a three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals and hold a three-game lead for the final American League wild-card spot. Offensively, they will be satisfied if Judge can simply remain productive at the plate. He entered the week batting .333 with 39 home runs, 91 RBIs and a 1.134 OPS, all among the league leaders. His home run Sunday was his first extra-base hit since returning. Judge's inability to play the field has reduced the team's flexibility. Stanton is batting .299 with 12 home runs, 34 RBIs and a .953 OPS this season, but his long injury history makes any outfield assignment a risk. He did not debut until mid-June because of tendinitis in both elbows. After playing three straight games in the outfield last week, he missed three consecutive games with soreness. He has declined to specify where the discomfort occurred. Entering play on Tuesday, the Yankees are in a three-way tie for a wild card spot, as the Red Sox and Mariners have the same .540 winning percentage. The Guardians are three games back of the trio, at 64-60. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! What did you think of this story? share
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
Alex Palou Still Has Chance At More INDYCAR History In 2025
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Alex Palou Still Has Chance At More INDYCAR History In 2025 Published Aug. 19, 2025 2:29 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Alex Palou has won the 2025 title but he can still chase some INDYCAR history. Palou, who clinched his fourth title (and third consecutive) after the race earlier this month at Portland, can tie the series record for wins with 10. To do it, he would have to win the last two races of the year at The Milwaukee Mile and Nashville Superspeedway. Before this season, few would think he could win back-to-back races on ovals, considering he had never won on an oval. But after winning at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 0.894-mile Iowa Speedway, there is no counting out Palou at ovals. Now let's be clear, it would take an incredible effort to do it. Palou, when asked after clinching the title at Portland, dismissed the idea of him tying the record: "By numbers, yes [it's possible]," Palou said. "But it's no. Realistically, no." Here's the thing: Palou has had an unrealistic season, winning eight of the first 15 events. So he has made the unrealistic, well, realistic in a way. Last year, the series returned to Milwaukee (a 1.015-mile asphalt oval) for the first time since 2015. At the doubleheader weekend, Palou finished fifth and 19th. It also was the first year that Palou had raced at Nashville, a 1.33-mile concrete oval. He was 11th at that race, getting the result he needed to win the title. Which drivers should have a good shot of winning this weekend? First look at the winners last year — Pato O'Ward and Scott McLaughlin won at Milwaukee and Colton Herta won at Nashville (where O'Ward was second). McLaughlin led 165 of the 500 laps of the two Milwaukee races. ADVERTISEMENT Josef Newgarden was fast at both tracks last year but got caught up in accidents in both Milwaukee races and then finished third at Nashville. Of those four drivers, only O'Ward has won this year. McLaughlin, Herta and Newgarden entered the season with the expectations that they would win races, and the pressure is on them to salvage the year with a win. Scott Dixon and Will Power have also won at Milwaukee in races at the track from 2009-2015. And then when you look at other intermediate-style ovals on the INDYCAR schedule, World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway) is 1.25 miles but different than Nashville in a little bit of configuration, banking and surface. Kyle Kirkwood won at Gateway earlier this year, and he led 67 laps at Nashville last year on his way to a fourth-place finish. Bottom line: Despite his success this season, Palou faces an uphill battle to tie the 10-race win record set by A.J. Foyt and Al Unser. But it is possible. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass. What did you think of this story? share
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
Notre Dame Names CJ Carr Its 2025 Starting Quarterback
College Football Notre Dame Names CJ Carr Its 2025 Starting Quarterback Published Aug. 19, 2025 2:43 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link It's CJ Carr time. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish named the aforementioned redshirt freshman and highly-touted four-star recruit as its starting quarterback for the 2025 college football season on Tuesday. Carr beat out senior Tyler Buchner, sophomores Kenny Minchey and Anthony Rezac and freshman Blake Herbert for the starting job. Carr appeared in just one game for the Fighting Irish in 2024. Notre Dame's quarterback room lost 2024 starter Riley Leonard to the 2025 NFL Draft, while Steve Angeli transferred to Syracuse, with whom he'll start next season. Carr and No. 6 Notre Dame begin the 2025 season against a pair of ranked opponents, playing No. 10 Miami (FL) on the road in Week 1 and hosting No. 19 Texas A&M – whom they defeated at College Station in Week 1 of last season – in Week 2. The Fighting Irish are coming off a 14-2 season that saw them make the College Football Playoff for the first time in four years and reach the National Championship Game. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! ADVERTISEMENT What did you think of this story? share
