ESPN has gone “way over on the edge on the left” politically, Schilling said during an interview with conservative radio host Chris Stigall of Talk Radio 1210 WPHT in Philadelphia
ESPN’s paean to departing U.S. President Barack Obama gave him “acid reflux.” The network’s coverage of the death of Cuba’s Fidel Castro, a former pitcher who made sports a huge priority in his poverty-stricken country, “sickened” him to no end, he said.
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Schilling said the network’s alleged liberal bent has only gotten worse since he was dumped last year for commenting about North Carolina’s transgender bathroom law, he said. Schilling would prefer ESPN come clean about its own political biases.
Despite the protests against Republican president Donald Trump by high-profile athletes such as LeBron James, Steph Curry and various members of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, Schilling estimated that 80 percent to 85 percent of pro athletes are actually conservative politically. They stay in the closet because they don’t want to get attacked on social media.
He’s “deadly serious” about a possible Senatorial run against Warren, one of new President Donald Trump’s fiercest congressional critics. He’ll have to discuss with his family. And change his registration to Republican from Independent if he wants to challenge Warren, who’s “accomplished absolutely nothing” in office.
The debate over ESPN’s political leanings — and whether it punishes political conservatives such as Schilling — has become a hot-button issue in recent years.
Schilling now has his own radio program for Bretibart called “Whatever it Takes.”
Trump’s favorite conservative website has been pounding ESPN’s over its alleged bias. “Report: ESPN Losing 10,000 Subscribers a Day Over Its Political Left Turn,” read the headline on one Breitbart story published this week.
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ESPN’s rivals at Fox Sports have also been taunting ESPN over the subscribers losses that have reduced its footprint to 88 million homes from a former high of 100 million. Fox Sports radio host Clay Travis wrote ESPN has morphed into a left-wing network he calls “MESPN.” He pointed to ESPN giving the Arthur Ashe Courage award to Caitlyn Jenner at the 2015 ESPYs Awards.
In an interview with Sporting News, Jason Whitlock, co-host of FS1’s “Speak for Yourself,” said ESPN is trying to please “hyper left-wing” social media forces.
Whitlock calls his former network “EPCN.” He think ESPN’s politically correct coverage of race, sports and social issues is costing it viewers. Particularly in red states that voted for Trump, he said.
Columnist Bryan Curtis of Bill Simmons’ The Ringer just wrote a fascinating piece about how he believes the sports media has moved to the left of its readership. Wrote Curtis:
But to say ESPN has a double-standard with conservatives is questionable also.
The network re-signed conservative Mike Ditka to a new contract, for example.
Da Coach is so far to the right he nearly comes back to the left.
Ditka has publicly called Obama the “worst president ever.”
During an interview with WABC’s “Bernie and Sid” radio show, Ditka said he has no use for journalist “a—holes” hounding Patriots quarterback Tom Brady over his friendship with Trump.
Surprise: Da Coach is a big Trump supporter.