One “winner” emerged from the recent text-fiasco featuring Joe Benigno and Robert Saleh. And it wasn’t the Jets beleaguered coach.
Coming out the other end of this bizarre controversy, Benigno’s profile has expanded, he’s under a brighter spotlight and provided compelling content for a station desperately needing it.
For reasons known only to him, Saleh thought it was a swell idea to trust Benigno, the semi-retired WFAN Gasbag, and become his texting buddy. They even played a round of golf. Up to the time he “retired” in October 2020, Benigno made a career out of being the station’s long-whining Jets (and Mets) fan.
This is the mouth Saleh thought he could actually manipulate.
But Benigno’s persona is etched in granite. It’s no act. He’s the same on mic or off. At the age of 70, losing still brings out the best in him. Benigno has no use or time for journalistic ethics, including protecting a valued source like Saleh.
Or as his FAN colleague, Sal Licata, brilliantly put it on the air the other day: “Joe doesn’t give a crap.”
This is why Benigno was all gas, no brakes when, while doing a Monday guest spot with Tiki Barber/Evan Roberts, he revealed the existence of a six-part manifesto on how to fix the Jets that he sent to Saleh. One of the “suggestions” was to restore Zach Wilson to starting quarterback. With his mouth out-running his brain, Benigno hung Saleh out to dry by sharing his off-the-record text responses with the Free World.
Benigno said: “He [Saleh] texted me back and said: ‘Joe, about [item] number 3 [which was playing Wilson] are you kidding me?’ It might have been: Are you serious?”
Benigno took this to mean Saleh has no use for Wilson (“I can tell you right now, he don’t like Zach”) but Saleh was simply chiding Benigno and other flip-floppers who repeatedly called for Wilson’s demotion and now want to see him play.
The irony did not even escape Benigno, who went on to say he misinterpreted Saleh’s Wilson comments. Yet the Talkie wasn’t exactly distraught over publicly sharing words the coach thought would never see the light of day.
In Benigno’s world, chaos is a positive. This is why he comes out a winner. For a guy who appears infrequently on FAN, (he does a Saturday morning show and also hosts his own podcast), Benigno was providing goo-gobs of compelling content (albeit at Saleh’s expense) for all FAN shows. And they were all talking about Benigno.
In the Wild West world of sports-talk radio, especially now when it’s on the fade, this is important. Benigno was moving the needle on social media too. So, what if he had to betray Saleh’s trust to get it done? A small price to pay to juice the ratings, right? A small price to pay for Benigno putting a spotlight on himself.
Was Benigno’s disregard for the trust Saleh placed in him, any worse than Licata and Brandon Tierney abruptly hanging up on highly respected Giants radio analyst Carl Banks?
That incident, intentional or not, brought a much-needed spark to FAN’s mid-day show. When asked about his “incident,” Banks would later say on ESPN-98.7: “I’m not going to buffoon myself.”
When it comes to future text interaction with Benigno, Saleh should be feeling the same way.
FOX’S FIGHT CLUB
Were they having too much fun?
The way Fox’s Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen casually chronicled the sideline skirmish between 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw and Dom DiSandro, the Eagles head of security, they viewed this uncomfortable situation more of a love fest.
Olsen/Burkhardt even positioned the security guy in Rocky Balboa territory.
“Dom is going to continue to just raise the ladder of local heroes here in Philadelphia,” Olsen said.
“There might be a statue of him if the Eagles win this game,” Burkhardt added.
Yeah, that’s the important stuff. No need for the Fox guys to show any concern over the situation possibly escalating into an all-out brawl. Or explaining why DiSandro was positioned so close to the field that he could put his hands on a player.
A LOW BAR FOR LEON
While the local hoops media has been patient with Leon (Sphinx) Rose accumulating picks and playing the long game, some marquee mouths like TNT’s Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith are examining this “strategy” and taking issue with it.
Stephen A. Smith recently joined the chorus. “They [Knicks brass] say ‘we’re building something here.’ You know who says that? People more interested in keeping their job than doing their jobs,” SAS said on “First Take.” “When you convince everybody [you’re in it] for the long game, then you get time as opposed to being under the pressure to provide results.”
That’s a problem. Yet, unless James (Guitar Jimmy) Dolan is carping behind the scenes, Rose and his front office are not taking any media heat locally because, at least publicly, they don’t do any talking and don’t have to answer questions.
And inside the Valley of the Stupid, resident Gasbags couldn’t care less. They focus on setting the bar low. All they care about is the Knickerbockers making the playoffs.
BOEHEIM’S NEW ROLE
No surprise Jim Boeheim has found a few outlets (ACC Network, ESPN, Westwood One) who value the retired Syracuse coach’s services as an analyst.
And it’s no surprise his decision to join the media ranks is under scrutiny by those who correctly bring up his reputation for, at best, being condescending to boss scribes, and at worst, treating them like garbage.
While this was in his DNA, Boeheim, in his new gig, should not be pre-judged. Let’s see if he’s candid and willing to play it straight, serving the viewer rather than protecting coaches, or players, he is analyzing.
AROUND THE DIAL
When it comes to Jets flip-flopping, FAN’s Brandon Tierney is right at the top. Of course, he was not alone in being euphoric over the Aaron Rodgers deal. Yet he went from crushing Jets fans for their loser mentality, to saying the 2023 edition of Gang Green is “unkillable,” to standing by the team as losses mounted, to calling for the firing of Robert Saleh. We may have missed a few more flips and flops, but we can say BT has stopped short of demanding Woody Johnson sell the team. … What will YES’ role be in making Juan Soto feel so comfortable in the Bronx, that he will eventually sign a long-term contract with the Yankees? Don’t expect the voices to offer any blistering critiques, even if Soto should slump. … Among the class of 2024 inductees to boxing’s International Hall of Fame in the non-competitor category are veteran sports scribe Wally Matthews, the late and wonderful CNN sports voice Nick Charles, and the ubiquitous PR guru Fred Sternburg. … Credit Steve Phillips with a thoroughly twisted idea when, during an SXM interview with Christopher (Mad Dog) Russo, the former Mets GM said: “Hey Chris, why don’t you start wearing tank tops on the show like Pat McAfee.”
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DUDE OF THE WEEK: MITCHELL ROBINSON
For not forgetting. Asking his high school coach, Butch Stockton, to move in with him after the coach’s wife died is extraordinary. And so is Robinson’s decision not publicizing it. Robinson is the Knicks Dude of the Year.
DWEEB OF THE WEEK: LOS ANGELES DODGERS
For being upset with manager Dave Roberts for telling reporters at the Winter Meetings in Nashville that the team met with Shohei Ohtani. Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes refused to comment on the meeting and was stunned Roberts confirmed it. Ohtani doesn’t want his free agency machinations publicly discussed.
DOUBLE TALK
What Brian Cashman said: “We certainly want to try, under the Steinbrenner leadership, to make this the mecca of baseball.”
What Brian Cashman meant to say: “Once again we’ll go back to mortgaging our future to win.”
