Anson Carter goes at Michael Russo on national TV, Russo responds
6 P.M. THURSDAY UPDATE
In a Twitter threat issued just after 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Michael Russo announced that he and Anson Carter had a chance to have a conversation and clear the air.
Original story
Nearly a full week after a Twitter dustup between NHL on TNT analyst Anson Carter and The Athletic's Michael Russo, the issue was brought up out of the blue by Carter again on Wednesday night during TNT's national broadcast.
The back-and-forth between the former NHL star and the renowned Minnesota Wild beat writer started when Carter questioned the Wild's depth during a nationally televised game between the Wild and Chicago Blackhawks. His opinion wasn't very well accepted by Minnesota fans and reporters, as Carter found out.
"These [Wild] fans (& reporters) talking about their depth after beating an awful [Blackhawks] team. Where were y'all after the Winter Classic beat down missing Ek, Brodin and Spurgeon???" Carter tweeted on Feb. 3.
Russo took the tweet personally, telling Carter, with "great respect for you," that he took his tweet as a "shot at me." Russo then suggested that Carter watches the Wild "once a month" so he'd "trust the fans and reporter you're laughing at who watch them regularly."
The situation appeared over and done with until Carter went after Russo on Wednesday night while on set with Wayne Gretzky and the rest of the NHL on TNT cast.
"Again, I can't comment on this. I don't watch any games according to that writer Russo. I don't watch any hockey whatsoever," Carter said with sarcasm. "I'm just saying, guys. We're not authorities on these teams."
Gretzky, who said he watches "eight games a night" with Carter, tried to change the subject but Carter wasn't done.
"I want to get back to Russo guy at some point," Carter continued. "Apparently I don't watch games. Just stay on code, Russo. Stay on code, buddy. Lazy. Fans that are saying I've got an ego too. OK, he doesn't have an ego for saying 'he's not an authority' on this same talk? It's the wrong month. Stay on code. Please stay on code because we know exactly what's happening."
It's unclear what Carter was implying by saying "it's the wrong month" and "we know exactly what's happening." Carter didn't say anything explicitly about race, but his comments have taken off on Twitter with some alleging Carter was accusing Russo of racism, with Carter's use of "the wrong month" taken as a reference to February being Black History Month.
"I don't know how much oxygen I want to give this because it's been a very stressful morning," Russo said during an appearance on KFAN radio in the Twin Cities.
"This was all six days ago and then last night he brought it up on the air and obviously turned it to a different vein," Russo explained to KFAN's Paul Allen. "Nobody wants to be accused of this type of stuff on national TV. People know my character."
"It's been a tough morning. I"ll just leave it at that," he added.
Bring Me The News has reached out to Turner Sports and Russo for comment.
