Whether he's talking basketball, fashion or pop culture, Jeff Van Gundy isn't afraid to speak his mind.
And one of Van Gundy's most recent on-air rants, about Howard Stern leaving the Knicks game early, has landed him in the radio star's doghouse.
The "King of All Media" sat courtside at last week's Knicks-Nets game at Madison Square Garden. With the Knicks up big, Stern left before the fourth quarter started. Van Gundy, who was doing color commentary of the game for ESPN, called Stern out for bolting.
“I wouldn’t give you front row seats again if you leave early,” Van Gundy said. “Nick Lachey is still here, (with the Knicks) up 27 points.”
Stern wasn't too happy to hear about this. During his show on Tuesday he fired back at Van Gundy, saying it takes a certain level of commitment to be the best at something.
“Has he ever won a championship? So, he wouldn’t really understand the effort it takes,” Stern said. “I’ve been No. 1 many times in my career, Jeff, and let me tell you something it takes intense dedication. I can’t sit at Knicks game all night, I’ve got way much to do. … Sometimes you have to leave a Knicks game early.”
Stern is a regular at Knicks games, and surely this isn't the first time he, or another courtside celebrity, has left early. It seems a little confusing for Van Gundy to call out Stern, and maybe there is something more to this beef. Or perhaps Van Gundy was simply looking for something to riff about with the game getting out of hand.
To hear Stern's full, R-rated comments, see here.
