Syracuse radio personality Brent Axe fired for talking too negativity about Orange athletics

ESPN Radio Syracuse personality Brent Axe, who first joined the station in 2014, has been taken off the air for negatively speaking about Syracuse's athletic programs.

Axe hosted "On the Block with Brent Axe" during the afternoon window. He is a sports columnist with The Syracuse Post-Standard and Syracuse.com, and he worked part-time with ESPN Radio Syracuse, which is owned by Galaxy Media Partners.

"I had a problem with the content of the show," Galaxy President and CEO Ed Levine said, via Syracuse.com. "I'm an SU fan. I'm sorry, but I bleed Orange. I’m not going to apologize for that, and I think a fair reading of the Orange is appropriate. I understand (Galaxy has) a business relationship (with Syracuse), that Coach (Jim) Boeheim and I are personal friends and he’s an investor in my company.

"I understand and acknowledge all of that. We’ve called it pretty fair, and I would argue we’ve been tough on SU when the on-field or off-field events warrant it. I just think over the past six months it took a different tone and became overly dark and negative. I don’t think that’s what Syracuse fans want to hear."

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Syracuse hasn’t performed well recently in major sports. While the football program made a postseason appearance in the Pinstripe Bowl, the men’s basketball program finished 17-15 and missed out on the NCAA Tournament. The disappointing campaign led to men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim retiring after 47 years at the helm.

Axe said his show offered audiences a chance to express their feelings on the Syracuse athletic program. He felt that there wasn’t a drop in interest regarding the show. Still, Axe acknowledged that his show could’ve caused some consternation.

"I did have a sense something was amiss," Axe said. "I did have a sense that what I was saying was not playing well to certain people. Galaxy has a relationship with Syracuse University in various ways and I’m sure they weren’t thrilled. Nobody said anything, but I did have that feeling."

Levine pointed that some fans were upset about the show’s criticism. He felt that Axe focused too much on the negativity around the program.

"When we haven’t had a particularly good football, lacrosse or basketball season, everyone around here knows it," Levine said. "We don’t need to have our faces ground into it every day."

Axe was informed of the decision Sunday.

The decision comes at an interesting time. This week, Levine announced on Facebook that Boeheim would make regular appearances on Galaxy Media platforms. However, Levine states that the decision is unrelated to the Axe’s firing.

"I put it on Facebook for the timing of it," Levine said. "That agreement was done a full year ago. They are unrelated. Two completely separate items altogether."

Axe has drawn the ire of Syracuse personnel in the past. Boeheim called out a "local talk show host" when addressing the criticism with reporters in February. Others reportedly took issue with Axe’s tone regarding the athletic programs.

Levine noted that he felt Axe and Syracuse.com had an agenda. He relayed that the agenda had spread onto the airwaves and was one that ran counter to Galaxy Media values.

"We have no agenda," Levine said. "We’re in business with Syracuse University, but we call it straight down the line. What I said to Brent was I wish he covered Syracuse University with the same affection that he covered the Buffalo Bills."

Levine is set to make an announcement regarding the future of drive time show. The news will come during the time slot that "On the Block" will be broadcast.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Syracuse radio personality fired for being too negative about Orange