Michael Felger Apologizes For Roy Halladay Comments: ‘I Have No Defense, I Have No Explanation’

On Wednesday, 98.5 The Sports Hub host Michael Felger generated controversy with his comments about the death of former MLB pitcher Roy Halladay.
To open Thursday’s show, Felger addressed the situation.
“In a nutshell I would say that I feel bad about what happened on a lot of levels. I feel bad about what I said and how I conducted myself. To say it was over the top and insensitive is really stating the obvious. It was obviously those things,” Felger said to start the show.
“I could come in and say ‘I apologize if I offended anyone,’ but that’s fake and hollow and everyone hates that, don’t you? Isn’t that the worst, when someone comes in and says that?” he continued. “Besides the only folks that I would really want to extend that to are the loved ones of Halladay. They’re the ones dealing with enough right now not to have to have me come over the top and do what I did yesterday. So, sorry doesn’t do that justice as it relates to them. That one’s going to stick with me for a while, as it relates to them.”
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[@ThePhillyjack]

In a nutshell this sounded like, "Sorry, but not really."

[@lurkintomgaming397]

Basically the real problem was the Earnhardt comment. He works for NBC Sports... they broadcast live NASCAR races. That was the actual issue. Halladay fucked up on his free time.

[@lurkintomgaming397]

Thanks for apologizing for the Earnhardt thing. That’s the only thing you said that actually pissed me off. I live here in MA, I’m a listener I remember this. But you did apologize for the only bad thing you said imo thank you

[@shellb339]

You can't...CAN NOT...apologize and then not apologize in the same breath. No.

[@erikpaul5847]

Looks like he did a similar kind of thing he accused Halladay of doing--being reckless and stupid without regard for the consequences. Showboating around on a pubic forum putting his livelihood and reputation in danger and jeaprodising his family. Fortunately for him, unlike Halladay, he gets a chance to learn from his blunder.

[@JoeBlack540]

Roy Halladay was a classic act on and off the field thanks for the great memories dude. Philly has nothing but love and respect for Roy Halladay.

[@igotanM16]

He was fool to fly an experimental ultralight propeller plane like a fighter jet 10 feet above the water with less than 250 hours on the aircraft. He played with fire and he got burned... big time. Felger just publicly called him an idiot (rightfully so) and got the backlash from butthurt millennials who demanded that 98.5 do something about it. Give me a break

[@TCVB491]

igotanM16 Millennials watch Baseball?

[@jhacksb1399]

AHRSOLE, Felger. Back in 2017, 98.5 host Mike Felger apologized for the “low-class” comments he made in the wake of Cy Young award winning pitcher Roy Halladay’s death in a small plane crash. Felger had said of Halladay on air: “I looked at that guy and said, ‘That ain’t no tragedy.’ It just sort of angers me. You care that little about your life? Your little joyride is that important to you, that you’re going to risk just dying? … ‘Whee! Whee! Yeah, man, look at the G-Force on this! I’m Maverick. Pew, Pew! Yeah, man, look at this, this is so cool!’ And you did. Splat, and it’s over. Boston Herald, May 30, 2024

[@axd0045]

Look, Journalists go over the top sometimes. Felger just went way over the top. He's a great talk show host and I listen regularly. He knows he was wrong, he admits he was wrong. There was no sense firing him.

[@cameroncrazie818]

I agree he shouldn’t have been fired, but it’s pathetic that Kirk Minihane got cancelled for doing far less than Felger. Kirk got canned because a moonbat activist targeted his show’s advertisers all because Kirk thought it was stupid that the parents of a child under 10 wanted their kid to have a sex change operation.

[@MrGreggamacd123]

I have no defense for what I said...now lets play some audio so I can defend myself really quick. Great apology. Could really sense how genuine he was.

[@philyoung1234]

As someone who regularly listens to the Sports Hub, Mike Felger is a troll who lives to rile up Boston fans & generate buzz. He was out of line and I sincerely believe that this apology is genuine & true. He 100% deserves the grief he’s receiving but regardless, I believe his radio persona & true beliefs do not aline with this sophomoric rant.

[@davecannamela18]

I'd say the presentation of his rant is unacceptable...which he took 100% blame....as far as what he actually said,I clearly understand where he's coming from.Once i heard of the death....then saw how it happened....I too was angry more than saddened.To fly a plane carelessly, knowing your life is at hand with a wife and 2 children at home counting on you to be there, is also unacceptable.Hopefully this untimely death will save lives in the future.

[@kevinc1001]

If this was any other radio host would this be an issue? Honest question.

[@langdonalger9219]

Kevin C why wouldn’t it be?

[@kevinc1001]

Cause its obvious people hate the guy cause of one heartless comment.

[@langdonalger9219]

Kevin C well, yeah. I mean, what do you expect? You can’t make comments like that and expect people not to get upset.

[@cwp4eva]

Kevin C you’re justifying it?

[@cameroncrazie818]

Absolutely, not that I think Felger should’ve been cancelled, though. Kirk Minihane got cancelled for far less. A moonbat activist targeted his show’s advertisers all because Kirk thought it was stupid that the parents of a child under 10 wanted their kid to have a sex change operation.

[@CB0915]

I cant believe Felger even kind of apologized... meaning he says crazy stupid shit all the time. Really he is a good radio host, but sometimes his mouth goes off! U know its bad if hes even taking the time to reflect on what he said. Jeesh

[@kimmykimzee]

Very insensitive comments by Felger that could have been stated less offensively, but not untrue. It's amazing how many people underestimate safety and the value of life. Sad and unnecessary death.

[@charpat89]

Back tracking.....

[@TR_89]

Laughing at all these people who wants Felger fired all because some article who doesn't know Mike Felger, manipulated his words to make it seem like what Felger said was cruel and horrible. These same people want his head but will laugh and encourage all the crap that Howard Stern does on his show. At the end of the day, here's a message to anybody who doesn't live in Massachusetts and who's not familiar with Boston radio stations: Mind your business! We the listeners of these stations know the hosts and DJ's well enough that whatever they say is nothing personal. They have different opinions like all of us and some of them are not afraid to say what other people hold back on- which is something we respect and also the reason why we tune in at 2 pm or 10 am or whatever time their show airs. This not just for 98.5 but also WAAF, Matty in the Morning, Ramero and Pebbles and so on and so forth.

[@bert6744]

AlbinoBlacky89 Here's a message for you ; Karma's a bitch for people who make sport of the dead before their buried. Stay in your safe place kid.

[@TR_89]

Robert Rhoades So you can't talk about someone before they're buried but you can talk about them after? 🤔 Felger wasn't "making sport" over Hallady's death, he was making an opinion. In a situation like Halladay's, everybody wants to throw the victim card. Felger was being the realist and saying what all the other realists were thinking- that his death was not a tragedy.

[@cullen6767]

People need to ease up and see all the quotes are all 100% out of context and he did not say much bad was rude and extremely insensitive but not really bad go listen and see the context then rant

[@paulft272]

he spoke the truth

[@ivandiablo8282]

just fire him so he understands that doing someting stupid has consequences

[@craigcollinsjr]

Ivan Diablo , you're one of those people. Whats it like to be perfect and uninteresting?

[@bert6744]

TenaciousC Without consicquences for wrong doing there's nothing

[@craigcollinsjr]

Robert Rhoades , yep. That doesnt mean fire him.

[@mmafan2223]

Well the one guys dead

[@johnf3305]

"he got what he deserved"....YOUR words about Halliday, so you DID say he deserved to die; no spin you put on it afterwards will undo what you originally said...

[@nblumer]

FIre Felger. Boycott 98.5 until they do

[@igotanM16]

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!!

[@Maddawg31415]

6 years later, he’s still there. Ngl I don’t think his comments were that offensive. Let’s be honest- much of human life is a joke.

[@oliviacruz9606]

He should be fired. Very sad.

[@igotanM16]

The results of what happens when a bunch of butthurt crybabies get outraged at the truth... Felger is forced to apologize. Unbelievable.

[@JohnDoe-gk7ok]

igotanM16 There may be truth to what he’s saying, but to say that Halladay deserved to die because he was reckless is just disgusting, vile, and wrong. And yes, he did say that; he used an analogy and said that the person in the analogy deserved to die, which is basically the same thing. Was he seriously trying to claim that while the person in the analogy deserved to die, Halladay did not? That is so ridiculous. So yes, he needed to apologize for that. Halladay didn’t deserve to die.

[@igotanM16]

@@JohnDoe-gk7ok Felger never specifically said that Halliday 'deserved' to die... what he said was that when you perform dangerous maneuvers like he did: Bad sh*t's about to happen. And it did.

[@JohnDoe-gk7ok]

igotanM16 He did say that. When he used himself in an analogy, he specifically said “he deserved to die.” Listen to the original audio

[@igotanM16]

@@JohnDoe-gk7ok I remember hearing it live on air. He said he (Felger) once went helicopter skiing and if he ever died going helicopter skiing: we would have every right to say Felger "got what he deserved" I'm a professional pilot and I would NEVER pull stunts like he did. Especially not in an experimental aircraft like the A5. Nor with only

[@JohnDoe-gk7ok]

igotanM16 And saying that we would have every right to say that he got what he deserved is wrong, insensitive, and disgusting. Halladay probably deserved some things, but he didn’t deserve to die.

[@seanfitzpatrick8983]

You felt bad, especially after your producers forced you to try to save face. Too late. Enjoy unemployment.

[@Pantallideth94]

Sean Fitzpatrick lol nothing happened

[@Maddawg31415]

6 years later nothing happened. Meaning his comments probably did not offend many people