Axe has been axed

[LeMoyneCuse]

I never suggested that an opinion host must have played or coached to offer insightful or fact-based opinion.

Bob Costas provides thoughtful analysis though he never played or coached.

Ray Didinger in Philadelphia provides very strong football analysis - as good as you’ll ever hear - though he never played or coached.

Bob Ryan. Dan Shaughnessy. Mike Francesa.

There are any number of sports journalists who build their knowledge base - learn the sport - and develop a substantive understanding of the issues.

Brent Axe provided little evidence of having done that.

You're the first person I've ever heard say a nice thing about either Shaughnessy or Francesca.

 

[Moontan]

While I didn’t love all of the show, this out of towner enjoyed being able to listen to a live Syracuse sports radio show a few times per week (thank you TuneIn Radio!).

Brent’s “question” at the end of the Boeheim/Autry press conference was a horrible move and may have been the last nail in the coffin.

 

[djcon57]

I never suggested that an opinion host must have played or coached to offer insightful or fact-based opinion.

Bob Costas provides thoughtful analysis though he never played or coached.

Ray Didinger in Philadelphia provides very strong football analysis - as good as you’ll ever hear - though he never played or coached.

Bob Ryan. Dan Shaughnessy. Mike Francesa.

There are any number of sports journalists who build their knowledge base - learn the sport - and develop a substantive understanding of the issues.

Brent Axe provided little evidence of having done that.

By the way, I felt that Jim Boeheim should have done what Jay Wright did - leave a bit too early rather than a bit too late.

Didinger is the best of all time. With you there

 

[SUforme]

While I didn’t love all of the show, this out of towner enjoyed being able to listen to a live Syracuse sports radio show a few times per week (thank you TuneIn Radio!).

Brent’s “question” at the end of the Boeheim/Autry press conference was a horrible move and may have been the last nail in the coffin.

Imo that last question is exactly what I think made this happen. Axe knew exactly what he was trying to do and get a certain answer. Sucks for anyone to lose their job but when you do certain things there are repercussions.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Imo that last question is exactly what I think made this happen. Axe knew exactly what he was trying to do and get a certain answer. Sucks for anyone to lose their job but when you do certain things there are repercussions.

yeah that was probably it for Axe there. Ed Levine should have just stated they are taking the program in a new direction and moved on. Axe is a ham and egger, very mediocre. Some liked him some did not but Levine should have just said pretty much nothing and been done with it.

I do agree with OrangePa that Axe never really wanted to understand nuance of either sport he covered, never got any better or evolved, same old same old.

 

[Stern]

Jim needs to go on a long vacation. Been a rough week for him. This story that he got Axe fired (even if he didn't, perception is now he did) ain't going away. Everyone is jumping in now

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Jim needs to go on a long vacation. Been a rough week for him. This story that he got Axe fired (even if he didn't, perception is now he did) ain't going away. Everyone is jumping in now

Nobody will care in another 24-28 hours. All the journalists making a big deal out of it will move on and write another piece and once the tournament starts it will no longer be anywhere.

and Boeheim at age 78 could care less, I don't think he's accepting applications for new friends and definitely not in the media.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

and Boeheim at age 78 could care less, I don't think he's accepting applications for new friends and definitely not in the media.

And yet people (Weitsman, Levine) seem to go way out of their way to make it clear they're friends with JB.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

And yet people (Weitsman, Levine) seem to go way out of their way to make it clear they're friends with JB.

Well sure they do. Like I said, only mistake made here was Levine opening his mouth. That's the whole story. Axe made his bed, employment is a two way street. Levine can hire and fire anyone he wants, it's his business.

 

[oldpinepoint]

Jim needs to go on a long vacation. Been a rough week for him. This story that he got Axe fired (even if he didn't, perception is now he did) ain't going away. Everyone is jumping in now

Just replying to to headline of the article and not your comments Stern, only thing that is bush league is Levine making it public. The contract with the university brings in way more advertising dollars than on the block. If complaints about axe were consistent with this narrative then to me it’s much more of a business decision. I get that other radio hosts are sticking up for him but he runs an opinion based radio show, it’s not about free speech, it’s about content and what direction the owners want to go in

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Just replying to to headline of the article and not your comments Stern, only thing that is bush league is Levine making it public. The contract with the university brings in way more advertising dollars than on the block. If complaints about axe were consistent with this narrative then to me it’s much more of a business decision. I get that other radio hosts are sticking up for him but he runs an opinion based radio show, it’s not about free speech, it’s about content and what direction the owners want to go in

and nobody knows if Axe was warned to tone it down a bit as well and then he goes in guns blazing at the presser. I bet that was it. Nobody will ever know the entire truth, nothing left now but 1/2 truths from both sides as the media continues to run with it and yeah guess who the media is going to side with? It's going to blow over very soon, Axe should be looking for new start somewhere else.

Axe is a bit of a buffoon.

 

[NKR1978]

Jim needs to go on a long vacation. Been a rough week for him. This story that he got Axe fired (even if he didn't, perception is now he did) ain't going away. Everyone is jumping in now

I really hope this story is nonsense.

 

[OrangeDW]

Nobody will care in another 24-28 hours. All the journalists making a big deal out of it will move on and write another piece and once the tournament starts it will no longer be anywhere.

and Boeheim at age 78 could care less, I don't think he's accepting applications for new friends and definitely not in the media.

All of these “nobody will care in ______ hours” stories add up.

Public perception of Boeheim and Cuse basketball is not good. Doesn’t matter if people are still amped up about every individual story - they just know there’s always something. We’re a freakin soap opera.

Hopefully a new day in that regard, going forward.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

All of these “nobody will care in ______ hours” stories add up.

Public perception of Boeheim and Cuse basketball is not good. Doesn’t matter if people are still amped up about every individual story - they just know there’s always something. We’re a freakin soap opera.

Hopefully a new day in that regard, going forward.

Agreed, new coach, new era. New show covering the new era at some point as well. Turn the page. Time for a change anyway in both areas

 

[jonibob]

I really hope this story is nonsense.

The Boeheim haters are piling on without knowing the facts.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

The Boeheim haters are piling on without knowing the facts.

he's an easy target these days and media is always going to come to the defense of their peers in situations such as this.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Levine can hire and fire anyone he wants, it's his business.

I have no additional knowledge. Just wonder if Axe had a contract, and if so, if the language of his contract agrees with your statement.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

I have no additional knowledge. Just wonder if Axe had a contract, and if so, if the language of his contract agrees with your statement.

I am sure he did but I don't think much will come from it. Not a good look for either of them to take it any further, IMO. But you never know. Axe is still working in Syracuse, not sure that would be a great path to go down. and again this is where only having 10% of the facts is the issue but it is an internet message board so we all like to debate.

 

[oldpinepoint]

I have no additional knowledge. Just wonder if Axe had a contract, and if so, if the language of his contract agrees with your statement.

My guess is it probably does, I’m sure any contract would be way in favor of the employer, Im sure Axe didn’t have a lot of leverage

 

[oldpinepoint]

I am sure he did but I don't think much will come from it. Not a good look for either of them to take it any further, IMO. But you never know. Axe is still working in Syracuse, not sure that would be a great path to go down. and again this is where only having 10% of the facts is the issue but it is an internet message board so we all like to debate.

Axe still has a job at Syracuse.com, but I guess I would be pretty careful in dealing with the university as it’s your primary source of material for your articles. Wouldn’t want to bite the hand that feeds you

 

[Cusefan69]

I have no additional knowledge. Just wonder if Axe had a contract, and if so, if the language of his contract agrees with your statement.

It probably does. We are not talking Howard Stern here. Likely the contract in place is very beneficial to the hiring party, not the person being hired. Galaxy would have made concessions for pay and benefits at most if terminated. Galaxy would never agree to anything that would limit their right to terminate.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

I am sure he did but I don't think much will come from it. Not a good look for either of them to take it any further, IMO. But you never know. Axe is still working in Syracuse, not sure that would be a great path to go down. and again this is where only having 10% of the facts is the issue but it is an internet message board so we all like to debate.

I don't see a lot of debate. I just see a lot of punching down.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

It probably does. We are not talking Howard Stern here. Likely the contract in place is very beneficial to the hiring party, not the person being hired. Galaxy would have made concessions for pay and benefits at most if terminated. Galaxy would never agree to anything that would limit their right to terminate.

THIS^ Probably a termination for convenience clause in there or something very similar.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

I want to reframe this conversation a bit.

The issue here isn't whether or not Axe is any good. I don't listen to talk radio, and I know Axe personally. He's a good dude.

The issue why Axe was dumped. The real holder of power in this situation, Syracuse University Athletics, feels they should be immune from criticism, and a media partner agrees because the owner wants to look good at cocktail parties. That's a huge issue with implications that go well beyond Axe.

 

[oldpinepoint]

I want to reframe this conversation a bit.

The issue here isn't whether or not Axe is any good. I don't listen to talk radio, and I know Axe personally. He's a good dude.

The issue why Axe was dumped. The real holder of power in this situation, Syracuse University Athletics, feels they should be immune from criticism, and a media partner agrees because the owner wants to look good at cocktail parties. That's a huge issue with implications that go well beyond Axe.

Disagree with your assessment here, doubt SU has anything to do with this, however they are certainly intertwined because it’s the major source of content for Axe. I would argue thatLevine has no problem with criticism but the level of criticism is what the issue is. If Levine thought that level was detrimental to his business then he has every right to try and real that in. Remember Levine is trying to run a business, one that is very hard to make profitable. The university is a major source of content and is much more important to his bottom line than Brent Axe is.