What is cracking sports media, consumers? Welcome to The Coverage, a column dedicated to sports media stories from Australia and abroad.
Sports media gets treated very differently in Australia and the United States. In America, outlets such as Awful Announcing and Front Office Sports routinely cover the people, personalities, deals and decisions behind the broadcasts. We don’t have quite the same ecosystem here. That’s one reason The Coverage exists.
I keep up with a lot of sports media, in Australia and abroad, and if there is one thing I have noticed, it’s that sports media isn’t reported in Australia like it is in America. Websites such as Awful Announcing and Front Office Sports bring people the sports media stories that matter. That’s what The Coverage will be doing with both Australian and American Sports.
That’s enough of an introduction; let’s get stuck into it, shall we!
Jastremski, Traina, and Licata join Underscore Media
For those who don’t know, Jimmy Traina, John ‘JJ’ Jastremski, and Sal Licata are three of the biggest names in New York Sports Media. It was only a matter of time before these three men came together to form the ultimate sports media organisation for those who love sports, and more specifically New York sports.
Traina worked for Sports Illustrated for over 20 years, where he wrote a daily column and hosted the SI Sports Media Podcast. He also spent time at Fox Sports in the 2000s. Traina’s last Podcast with Sports Illustrated was on Thursday, August 13. According to Underscore, he’s joining a creator-led, feed-first sports media company built around live programming, newsletters and events. The media company said Traina will continue covering the national sporting scene, while the company will focus on New York Sports.
John Jastremski, also known as JJ, hosted the podcast New York, New York on The Ringer Podcast Network. He left The Ringer in April 2026 after five years, and New York, New York continued independently. And now, New York, New York is part of the Underscore programming lineup. Before The Ringer, JJ worked on WFAN Sports Radio, and he also appears on SportsNet New York.
Sal Licata also worked at WFAN, first as a producer on Mike and the Mad Dog, and would later produce Mike Francesa’s radio show. Licata left the station and later returned to host a midday show with Brendan Tierney. After the show was cancelled, he started his own podcast, the Sal Licata Show.
These three men are the epitome of New York Sports media, and for them to come together like this will make New York sports fans over the moon. I’m an Aussie who loves New York sports, and I think this trio is amazing.
Tatts a bet
It was an unusual sight on Wednesday to see Triple M and the Bye Round’s host extraordinaire, Charlie White, wearing a Perth Bears jersey on the Triple M podcast ‘The Journos’ with Danny Weidler and former Dragons coach Shane Flanagan.
White has been bashing the Bears from pillar to post, either over the roster or the social media posts announcing a new signing. Co-host Weidler put him on the spot and rang his Channel Nine colleague James Bracey, who is on the Bears board. To my surprise, White told Bracey exactly what he thought the Bears’ chances were in their first season.
White predicted that the Perth club would run last, and then a bet was made. The terms: if the Bears win more than five games, White has to get a Perth Bears Tattoo; if they lose, then Bracey has to get a Triple M tattoo. Ever since it was announced that the NRL was getting a team in Perth, I’ve wanted the team to be successful. Now I will be going for them even harder after that bet announcement.
In the same episode, White’s bias really shone through when talking about the PNG Chiefs. White talked about the Chiefs chasing the game’s premier halfback, Nathan Cleary, and how good it would be if they were able to get Cleary.
Of course, former journalist and podcast co-host with White, Michael Chammas, is the Chiefs’ general manager, and since day dot White has done nothing but talk up the Papua New Guinea side’s chances. Given White’s friendship with Chammas, I’m sure that doesn’t hurt the Chiefs’ standing in his eyes.
The full episode below is worth a watch.
Chammas the comedian
Speaking of Michael Chammas, he returned to his old stomping ground of 100% Footy on Channel Nine this week. Joined by recruit Connor Watson, Chammas once again spoke very well when asked questions. Phil ‘Gus’ Gould especially gave some questions that, in some of the interviews that I have seen, haven’t really been asked before.
When Nathan Cleary came up, Chammas said they would like to sign the Penrith halfback. The former journalist said, “I’ve never met Lach…. Nathan Cleary, I’ve been asked a lot of questions about who the halfback’s going to be.”
There was confusion among the panel as Cameron Smith questioned what Chammas had said, before laughing and saying it was a sly dig at ‘Gus.’ While it has been said that ‘Gus’ gave a bit of a smile, or that he wasn’t happy with the joke, you can see the man give the slightest of smiles. Ultimately, it was hard to tell what the great ‘Gus’ Gould was thinking; To me, that slight smile looked more like a man who wasn’t particularly impressed with the joke.
Danny Weidler said on The Journos Podcast that Chammas is not a comedian, so I don’t think he will be getting his own Netflix stand-up comedy special anytime soon.
You’ve reached the end of the very first Better Late Than Never Column. Thank you for taking the time to read.
Until next time, take care!
Merce.
