USA Today Says Eric Wynalda Replacing Steven Cohen on Fox Football Fone-In
By: Daryl | July 29th, 2009
According to the USA Today’s soccer blog, Steven Cohen – whose comments about the Hillsbrough disaster caused all sorts of trouble recently – is being replaced as host of the Fox Football Fone-In television show by… Eric Wynalda.
The same Eric Wynalda who was suspended, and eventually canned, by ESPN for saying “Jim Rome can suck my dick! And he should be very afraid, because I’m the kind of guy, if I get too many drinks in me, I will club his ass.”
So, yes, Wynalda is one abrasive individual. And I can see why some people don’t take to him. But I quite like that he’s opinionated, especially because he can usually back up those opinions with an argument. If anything he’s much better suited to a football discussion show, as he’ll be less constrained by studio time (ESPN are never too generous with the time given to pre and post-game stuff).
“When you’re a commentator, everybody talks about you and has a problem with you,” Wynalda says. “If people want to talk about me or have a problem with something I said, now they have the opportunity to just pick up the phone and call me. I like it. It’s a great forum.”
No reaction yet from Steven Cohen, but I can’t imagine he was keen to give up hosting the show. This will likely be seen as a victory for those who were boycotting his sponsors, but I want to focus more on what this actually means for those of us consuming soccer media in the United States.
I’ve been an non-committed, intermittent viewer of Fox Football Fone-In for the past couple of years, mostly because it was too Premier League focused and I never felt the show went into any given topic in enough depth. Remains to be seen how the show will now evolve with Wynalda at the mic, but I’ll definitely be tuning in to find out. First show is August 10th.
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Category: World Football
Tags: Eric Wynalda, ESPN, Fox Football Fone In, Fox Soccer Channel, Jim Rome, Steven Cohen, World Football, World SoccerSubscribe
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Comments | Add your comment
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I think the only one worse than Wynalda would be Jim Rome himself. Don’t know why some of other guys on Big Soccer Radio can’t hop in. Maybe they’re fugly.
Posted from
United States
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Seriously. I’d pay to see Wynalda and Rome to fight and hope that they’d both kick the shit out of each other. It’d be hard to choose the bigger jackass in that one.
Posted from
United States -
My goodness, it never ends. I don’t agree with Cohen’s hatred of all things Liverpool. However, many of you are arguing from incorrect positions. Now, I don’t mean that to piss off those anti-Cohen folks in this forum. I’m writing to the point that–and I listen to WSD most days–Cohen’s argument (when he gets to it) is that Liverpool fans bear some responsibility for what happened…perhaps the police deserve more, tickets sellers some, the stadium some, etc. etc. If I’ve missed Cohen go much beyond that forgive me, but I don’t think he’s ever said Liverpool fans “deserved to die” because of X, Y, and Z.
Posted from
United States -
The problem is, the official enquiry stated that the Liverpool fans bear none of the blame.
Those are the facts.
And anyone that claims otherwise is a liar.
Cohen is a liar.
And he should be driven out of business.
If he blamed the people that jumped out of the WTC on 911 for their own deaths, would you just change the channel?
Read the official report. Compare it to what Cohen the Liar said.
Judge for yourselves.
Posted from
Canada -
PS.
It never will end.
If you’re hosting a soccer talk-show, don’t lie about Hillsborough.
Simple as.
YNWA
Posted from
Canada -
Okay Tom. I don’t know if Hillsborough affected you personally (or by extension because you’re a Liverpool supporter)…hell I’d bet most here weren’t even alive when Heysel (sp?) and Hillsborough happened (i.e to have any real idea about what happened). Either way, both of your camps’ arguments are too emotionally engaged to ever have a discussion of much of anything when it comes to Liverpool.
I said I don’t agree with Cohen’s anti-Liverpool rants, okay? But, quite frankly, anything, including an “official enquiry” can be questioned. Does/Did Cohen go too far? Likely, but he can question whatever he wants and that’s the bed he made. If you want to run him out of business that’s your free market choice. I don’t agree with it, but you (and others) can stop patronizing him. Warts and all, I’ll continue to listen to WSD.
This anger that you seem so willing to unleash on him really needs to be directed at greater problems.
Posted from
United States -
Wow, Bush huh. To bad Clinton didn’t pick up Binladen when he had the chance, three thousand people would still be walking the earth today. Oh thats right he so cooool getting BJ’s instead of protecting us but thats ok we can blame Bush for everything. What a dick you are.
Posted from
United States -
Cohen is the type of fan who chants ‘murderers’ at LFC supporters and these are the types of fans we want out of the game. As far as him having a show, he certainly never deserved that. For all of his lies, his race-baiting and his lack of respect I say good riddance.
Posted from
United States -
race-baiting? Seriously?
Posted from
United States -
I might just be missing something or not properly enjoying the American experience, but since when do you have to be related to or know someone to care that people died or are dying? I’ll accept that Cohen’s comments are being blown out of proportion and I’ll accept that people want to continue supporting him, but the line of thinking that “Well none of your relatives died, nobody you know died so why do you care?” shows a level desensitization I don’t want to jump on board with.
Posted from
United States -
Its not desensitization, as much as an irrational attachment insofar as the amount of time and vitriol you’re willing to commit. It would be like me protesting against IBM now because of their aid to Nazi Germany in WWII, which then led to the death of millions. It sucked, but…?
Posted from
United States -
I personally don’t see anything wrong with choosing to do that.
Posted from
United States -
jon – on Cohen’s own WSD webpage he urges people to protest LFC’s “anti-semitism.” It’s really pretty pathetic of him.
Posted from
United States -
“And anyone that claims otherwise is a liar.”
…and has good sense, an understanding that Liverpool supports cling to that “official inquiry” like a life preserver, understands that the “official inquiry” could be politically/economically motivated, understands that the “official inquiry” has no actual standing as a historical document – just an official placement of blame that does the most good for all involved, has logical thoughts and a sense of the broader picture – that Hillsborough was just another episode as opposed to a stand alone one.
Posted from
United States -
christ…i can’t stand wynalda. incredibly annoying.
Posted from
United States -
JP2, the term is a stretch, but its based on LFC’s support and endorsement of SoS and other supporter’s group, who have used and advocated the use of verbal attacks on Cohen, including virulent anti semitism.
Posted from
United States -
jon – Uhhh…you don’t just get to assert and walk away here…almost every word you wrote is pure lie. Show me LFC’s “official” support for SoS, the group that’s been their biggest critic. Then show me SoS advocated “virulent anti-semitism.”
Utter drivel, you should be ashamed.
Posted from
United States -
“SoS, the group that’s been their biggest critic.”
There is a lie for you. It’s the critic of the American ownership, not the club. It’s stated so in their website:
“Spirit Of Shankly was begun when about 350 Liverpool supporters crammed into The Sandon in January 2008 and felt that action had to be taken about the dreadful custodianship of Hicks and Gillett.”
“Cohen is the type of fan who chants ‘murderers’ at LFC supporters and these are the types of fans we want out of the game.”
Another lie. This is pure speculation
“his race-baiting”
Another lie. He’s not baiting a race, he’s baiting supporters of a football club.
“almost every word you wrote is pure lie.”
Someone is writing lies…
Posted from
United States -
Nice how you responded to none of your claims. I’ll repost again:
Show me LFC’s “official” support for SoS, the group that’s been their biggest critic. Then show me SoS advocated “virulent anti-semitism.”
You made these claims, back them up. Or be quiet.
Posted from
United States -
want steve cohen back hosting the show.i don’t know if eric is the right choice.its not the same ,there is somehing missing . i don’t know if i will continue watching the show .
Posted from
United States -
I will not be watching FFF anymore. Cohen was the shows shining light. Nick Webster is an egotistical blowhard. I remember him claiming that he was ‘the producer’ of FFF and deserved to be top dog. Cohen started the show. Cohen is a big reason people watched. Webster tagged along.
Hell, Webster didnt have the cajones to say who he supported.
Truly a sad day for me. I will really miss the show.
Posted from
United States -
I will not be watching FFF anymore. Cohen was the shows shining light. Nick Webster is an egotistical blowhard. I remember him claiming that he was ‘the producer’ of FFF and deserved to be top dog. Cohen started the show. Cohen is a big reason people watched. Webster tagged along.
Hell, Webster didnt have the cajones to say who he supported.
Truly a sad day for me. I will really miss the show.
[Sorry if this is a double post. Im not sure whether posts must be moderated first or I did something wrong the first time.]
Posted from
United States -
The writer of the USA Today article says that the Fone- in show was too Premier League oriented. I hope it is. Anyone that has an authentic interest in football(yes that is the correct name of the sport) would want it that way. The coverage for MLS should be at a minimum since it is a very poor league.
Good luck to Steven Cohen. He was always entertaining.
Posted from
United States -
He deserved to go. When the club you support disowns you then you know you’ve gone too far. Every year he spread hate speech about liverpool fans, and it got worse every season. His original co-host Nick (can’t remember last name) was a liverpool fan and seemed to keep him somewhat in line, but since he left he became quite virulent. And yes he does have a 1st ammedment right to express his opinions, however false, but so do liverpool fans who basically returned the favour by expressing their views of him to his advertisers. The advertisers ultimately decided to pull their support of his show – not liverpool fans.
I wonder how many of his supporters on here would support an analyst that blamed workers in the WTC for the 9-11 attacks. That’s basically analogous of what he said about liverpool fansPosted from
United States -
Wynalda is simply a chore to listen to. His commentary is always off. He’s like the guy at a party who always has something to say but never makes any sense. And way too American for the show. I get enough of Carlos Machedo, Jeremy St. Louis and the gang, errrggh.
Cohen brings a dry humor and great knowledge to the table, always with an intellectual spin. Bring em back!
Posted from
United States
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