Atlanta Sports Shock Jocks Make Fun Of Steve Gleason... (UPDATED: Suspended Indefinitely, Firing Might Be Easier Than Before, NFL Contacts Falcons)

Full disclosure on two fronts: The HQ is a member of Team Gleason and supports ALS research...

So, this morning on Atlanta morning-drive sports talk radio...

790 The Zone is an ESPN Radio affiliate, but they do their own morning show from 6-10AM...

They've done it for years, and at times, it can be funny... but, honestly, we're talking years ago...

This morning, however, they were not...

In a bit at their half-way point, they decided to do a bit making fun of New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason and his battle with the disease...

((NB: We're waiting for audio to surface so we can publicly ridicule them))

Word started on the LSU message board, "Tiger Droppings," and has made its way back to Scott Fujita and his Twitter:

I'm going to reserve judgement until I hear this morning's playback from @790TheZone. But right now I'm enraged.

Sources close to OSG HQ say that the segment idea began since Steve Gleason did Peter King’s article this week on SI.com. He said he now has to communicate using his eyes and is unable to speak. They then said could you imagine trying to interview him on a radio show...

And the bit started...

One of the jocks, Nick Cellini came out with this idea on his Twitter feed:

we took a shot, it backfired. Live and learn...

Really...???
Live and learn...???

Learn this, gentlemen...
((HT: Fox 6))


NOON UPDATE: Cellini followed his first Tweet with this one:

My apologies to everyone. It was a stupid attempt at humor that backfired. Emphasis on stupid.

Thanks for that... and thanks for jokes like this one...

Knock knock
who's there?
smother
smother who?
smother me, do me a favor

If only the ALS community could do that to your on-air signal...

1315 UPDATE: The hosts have been suspended indefinitely... according to Rick Mack- 790 The Zone Sr. VP & General Manager


1445 UPDATE: From Pro Football Talk

One of the hosts of the "Mayhem" show, "Steak" Shapiro was widely thought of as an owner of the place- which would have made it difficult to fire himself.

But Shapiro and Andrew Saltzman sold their equity stake to Lincoln Financial in 2010.
Lincoln Financial took the assets from Shapiro and Saltzman's Big League Broadcasting since Big League's foray into St. Louis sports talk was a financial money pit and abject failure- and they, probably, could use the financial rescue.

From the AJC's Rodney Ho at the time of the sale:

“Owning your own company is extremely rewarding,” Shapiro said. “We decided to trade in the day-to-day stress for the security of a great job at a great company.”

Here’s Saltzman in the press release:

“We have accomplished a great deal as entrepreneurial broadcasters, and this acquisition allows 790 The Zone to compete at an even higher level,” said Saltzman. “I am pleased with the development of this strategic partnership.”

Just how much longer they're partners will be interesting to see...

1500 UPDATE: Sources close to the 790 situation are saying that the National Football League has contacted the Atlanta Falcons over what happened this morning. 790TheZone is part of the Atlanta Falcons radio network.

They are also part of the Georgia Tech radio network, but no response has come from the Flats as of yet...