New York Post

Few options left at ESPN for longtime host Wingo

- By Andrew Marchand

You ask, we answer. The Post is fielding questions from readers about New York’s biggest pro sports teams and getting our beat writers and columnists to answer them in a series of regularly published mailbags. In today’s installmen­t: sports media.

Any news on what’s happening with Trey Wingo after gone from morning show. There is nowhere else for him to go since nfl live already has a host. The nfl draft is only job he would have and can’t see ESPN keeping him around then. Also who would be front runner to replace Trey Wingo as nfl draft host? — @JustinRoze­ll

Yes, Wingo’s future at ESPN is expected to be either in a reduced role or no role. Hard to see any other outcomes at this point, as ESPN Radio has replaced him and Mike Golic Sr. with Keyshawn Johnson, Jay Williams and Zubin Menenti on mornings and all the prime NFL hosting gigs are occupied.

Wingo originally asked off mornings, which seems as if it were a very poor way to begin negotiatin­g on an expiring contract. He’s been at ESPN nearly 25 years, but the current state of its business makes it so you have to earn your pay. No free rides.

If Wingo were no longer at ESPN, the network has plenty of candidates to replace him. Sam Ponder and Suzy Kolber currently lead “NFL Countdown,” and Laura Rutledge is rising in the company.

Another legitimate candidate could be Steve Levy. Levy has a good chance to be the new voice of “Monday Night Football.” He is a better host than play-by-player, so leading the draft would make sense to complement his potential new MNF gig.

Others who could be considered, if they wanted it, include Scott Van Pelt and Mike Greenberg.

So ESPN has a lot of options, if Wingo does not return.

With the recent hiring of Adam Amin to FOX Sports, FOX has a plethora of young talent they can utilize now. Can you break down some of their top play by play guys and what roles you potentiall­y see them in?

— @DidGetUpGe­t300K Hiring well leads to good results. Amin, 33, is an excellent, young addition for Fox. Fox has Joe Buck to lead on the NFL and MLB, while Gus Johnson is its top voice on college football/hoops.

After that, Kevin Burkhardt, 46, might be the best studio host in the business, and also Fox’s No. 2 NFL play-by-player. Besides Amin, Fox has 32-year-old Joe Davis. With Burkhardt, Amin and Davis thinks it has three young guys who could one day be No. 1s in a booth. Still room to grow.

Then it has some veteran depth with Kenny Albert, Tim Brando and Thom Brennaman.

Who do you see as a replacemen­t for Dick Stockton?

— @RobertZoli­ne Stockton isn’t going anywhere. Even with the Amin addition, Stockton, 77, will probably do around eight games, give or take.

Is Mike Golic Jr. considered high on ESPN talent chart?

—@sethlissak

I think he’s great. I hope he gets more of the spotlight soon. Timing is a part of success. Golic Jr. is under contract. Now, he and Chiney Ogwumike can try to build something in the afternoons. Golic Jr. is just 30. While moving from mornings to afternoons on national radio is not the right direction, he has a chance for a U-turn.

With the Yankees playing night games almost every weekday through the end of September, is this the end of Mike Francesa’s 6:00 WFAN show? — @pmon914

Most of the Yankees weekday start times are at 7 p.m., so he will lead into the Yankees’ pregame, much the way Steve Somers used to with a halfhour show. As we have said before, the idea of continuing the makes-nosense half-hour show long term seems highly unlikely on every front.

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