Putting His Money Where His Mouth Is, Dan Le Batard Rehires Producer Fired by ESPN: TRAINA THOUGHTS

1. ESPN had mass layoffs last week that hit production and behind-the-scenes people especially hard.

One of the many people who lost their job was Dan Le Batard Show With Stugotz producer Chris Cote, who has been with the show since 2012. Chris's dad, Greg, is a big part of the show, as well.

Le Batard, naturally, was not happy about losing one of his guys, so he took matters into his own hands.

He announced this morning that he has personally rehired Cote and would be paying Cote's salary and giving him a raise.

"We have spent the last five days trying to figure out what it is that we can do with this,” Le Batard said, “and I’m actually happy to report—and this is a pretty cool thing to be able to report because some creativity was required from us in order to get here—but I’m going to hire Chris Cote as my personal assistant to fill the role, with a raise on his present salary to fill the raise vacated by Allyson Turner. I will cover the raise. I will cover the entire thing.”

Very impressive. Well done, Dan. Well done.

2. Bill Belichick is not a fan of coffee.

“I understand I’m probably missing it, but I don’t like coffee. I can’t stand the smell of coffee,” Belichick said Monday on WEEI. “I don’t like coffee ice cream. I like every sweet that has ever been made, but that’s not one of them.

“I don’t like coffee-flavored anything. I don’t know, I just don’t have a taste for it. I’ve tried, but it doesn’t work for me,” he said. “My grandmother put a glass of milk, and poured like a thimble of coffee in it, and I couldn’t drink that. It’s just one of those things I didn’t develop a taste for it. … I didn’t develop a taste for Scotch, either. I tried that. But I couldn’t develop a taste for it.

“Nothing against coffee, nothing against Dunkin’ Donuts,” he went on, “it’s just not for me.”

3. Trevor Bauer would 100% clash with the New York media if he ended up on the Yankees or Mets, but this is still a great quote.

4. Imagine what would be going on in college football if he didn't turn the corner on COVID-19.

5. A new SI Media Podcast with Jim Nantz will drop this afternoon. Subscribe here to get the podcast as soon as it's released.

6. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: I still don't understand the concept that anyone waits around all day on Sunday for Sunday night, when there is football on all day on Sunday, but this 86-year-old certainly seems like she waits around all day for Sunday night.

7. SPORTS VIDEO OF THE DAY: RIP to Celtics announcer Tommy Heinsohn.

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Stitcher. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter and Instagram.