Former ESPN star Trey Wingo rips what network has become
Responding to a complaint that 'you used to be able to turn on ESPN and not see Stephen A. Smith or Pat McAfee,' the former 'NFL Primetime' host agreed that the Worldwide Leader's direction isn't one he's on board with.
'Let me preface this by saying I have so many wonderful memories and so many great friends still working there that I want to succeed,' Wingo wrote on X on Tuesday. 'But he's right. It used to be a glorious buffet where you could pick and choose what you wanted. Now it's like a banquet dinner: chicken or fish?'
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Trey Wingo at the NFL Draft on the show SportsCenter.
AP
Wingo was a part of ESPN from 1997 up until 2020, and in recent years has watched flagship shows like 'Around the Horn' and 'Outside the Lines' get canceled and replaced by Smith and McAfee as centerpieces of network programming.
At the time of writing, ESPN produces four talk shows, with half featuring McAfee and Smith. That's down from 2017, when the network produced seven of those types of programs. The two talking heads are also fixtures of 'SportsCenter,' which airs 10 hours per day.
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Pat McAfee at the Home Run Derby on Monday.
Getty Images
McAfee, the former NFL punter, has become ubiquitous with his titular show and 'College GameDay' gig among others, and drew plenty of scrutiny for his work on Monday's MLB Home Run Derby broadcast — and seemed to lean into it a bit.
'Good morning beautiful people Fresh off a break.. got a chance to do something new with a different sport..,' McAfee wrote on X Tuesday morning. 'I really enjoyed it and think it went exactly how all parties envisioned it.. let's see what X has to say…'
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The results weren't exactly complimentary — nor were they as tactful as Wingo.
What's clear, however, is that ESPN has changed its tack and it's all-in on its current stars, whether the old guard likes it or not.
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