D-C Radio: Promos On The Fan Mock ESPN 980

“The Man Cave” — a new morning drive program co-hosted by Chris Paul and former Washington Post columnist Jason Reid — did not make its planned debut Monday on WTEM 980 AM, WWXT 92.7 FM and WWXX 94.3 FM /ESPN 980. “Mike & Mike,” which was scheduled to move to ESPN 980′s sister station, SportsTalk 570, aired on 980 instead. Steve Czaban’s syndicated show aired on 570, according to The Washington Post.

There's widespread perception was that top Redskins officials were miffed by the hiring of Reid, a sometimes harsh critic of the team in recent years. Redskins owner Daniel Snyder also owns ESPN 980, which broadcasts the team’s games.

Meanwhile, crosstown WJFK 106.7 FM The Fan took advantage of the news to mock its rival station and play up its own “uncensored” coverage with three pre-recorded spots on Monday morning, which aired during “The Sports Junkies” and “Grant & Danny”. Click Here to listen to one.

Jason Reid

Rumors began circulating Sunday that The Man Cave had been canceled just a day before its scheduled rollout. Jason Reid, a former Redskins beat writer and then columnist for the Washington Post, had just quit his job at the newspaper—where he was occasionally tough on the team and its management, particularly late in his tenure—to host the program.

According to deadspin.com, sources claim, conspiracy theories ciriculated alleging that Snyder had orchestrated Reid's hiring just to get him out of the Washington Post. In reality, Reid got bounced from his radio gig at the 11th hour because Snyder only recently found out that he'd been hired.

"Jason Reid has been disliked by [team] management and Dan for years, ever since he was a beat reporter," Deadspin quotes a former Snyder employee familiar with the situation after talking with ex-colleagues.

WTEM program director Chuck Sapienza, who hired Reid and assembled the team for The Man Cave. The Washington Post's Dan Steinberg tweeted Monday that station management was telling employees that Sapienza had "resigned."

E-mail from Red Zebra CEO Rick Carmean to staffers says that ESPN 980 VP of Programming Chuck Sapienza has resigned
— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) March 16, 2015