Today on AirTalk, we update you on the latest COVID-19 news and answer your questions. Also on the show, we discuss the Superbowl and where Tom Brady ranks in the pantheon of greatest sports athletes; talk to Metro CEO Phil Washington; and more.
DOC AMA: AstraZeneca Vaccine Not Effective Against The South Africa Strain, Some California Churches Reopen & More
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Kimberly Shriner, infectious disease specialist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.
Today’s topics include:
How many variants of the coronavirus are there?
South Africa halts AstraZeneca vaccine rollout over new variant
South Africa seeks new vaccine plan after halting AstraZeneca
ICU nurses say relaxed staffing levels are affecting patient care
Time to double masks as coronavirus variants emerge, experts say
As COVID-19 vaccines raise hope, cold reality dawns that illness is likely here to stay
Some California churches reopen after Supreme Court lifts ban on indoor services
Has Israel found the cure for COVID-19?
Guest:
Kimberly Shriner, M.D., infectious disease specialist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena
With Seven Super Bowl Rings, Where Does Tom Brady Fall In The Pantheon Of The Greatest Athletes Ever?
Tom Brady has never been the fastest guy on the field, or the most athletically-talented.
In the 2000 NFL Combine, Brady ran a sluggish 5.28 40-yard-dash, good for second-slowest in the QB class that year. And despite holding several all-time passing records. Brady has only led the league in passing yards three times and in touchdowns four times during his 21 year career in the NFL. But after dismantling Patrick Mahomes and the juggernaut Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl LV on Sunday night, there is little debate that Tom Brady is one of the greatest athletes in the history of sport. Brady now owns seven Super Bowl rings -- more than any of the 32 NFL franchises, including his former team, the New England Patriots.
Despite having spent the majority of his career as the favorite to win, the odds were unusually stacked against Brady and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers heading into the Super Bowl. He was in his first season in Tampa, under a different coach than the one with whom he had partnered to win six Super Bowls between 2001 and 2019, and facing the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who were favored by 3.5 points in Vegas ahead of the kickoff and led by a quarterback in Patrick Mahomes that many believe could rival or even eclipse Brady’s legacy when his career is done. But as he has done so many times before when the lights shine brightest, Brady played masterfully, limited his mistakes and kept his cool on football’s biggest stage to win yet another Super Bowl ring and the first for Tampa Bay since 2002.
Today on AirTalk, we’ll explore where Tom Brady fits in the pantheon of the greatest athletes of all time, and how his greatness and sustained success compares to the idea of athletic greatness we ascribe to others like Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Lebron James, the Williams sisters or Michael Phelps, who are more known for their dominant athletic prowess than Brady, who is lauded for his continued success and ability to win.
Guests:
Kavitha A. Davidson, host of “The Lead” podcast from The Athletic and Wondery Media; she tweets
Andrew Beaton, sports reporter for The Wall Street Journal covering the NFL; he tweets
Impeachment Preview: Timeline, Where The GOP Stands
The Senate is set to launch the impeachment trial Tuesday to consider the charge that Trump’s fighting words to protesters at a Capitol rally as well as weeks of falsehoods about a stolen and rigged presidential election provoked a mob to storm the Capitol. Five people died as a result of the melee, including a police officer.
Many senators including Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell immediately denounced the violence and pointed a finger of blame at Trump. Following the riot, Wicker said Americans “will not stand for this kind of attack on the rule of law” and without naming names, said “we must prosecute” those who undermine democracy. But with Trump now gone from the presidency, Republicans have shown little political appetite to take further action, such as an impeachment conviction that could lead to barring him from running for future office. Those partisan divisions appear to be hardening ahead of Trump’s trial, a sign of his continuing grip on the GOP. Today on AirTalk, we discuss the upcoming trial. Do you have thoughts or questions? Call us at 866-893-5722.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Anita Kumar, White House correspondent and associate editor for POLITICO; she tweets
Susan Mcwilliams Barndt, chair and professor of politics at Pomona College and editor of American Political Thought Journal
AirTalk Checks In With Metro CEO Phil Washington: His Plans To Step Down, Staffing During The Pandemic And More
Metro’s CEO Phil Washington joins Larry Mantle for his regular check-in to talk about all things public transit. Topics include:
L.A. Metro's Phil Washington stepping down
Metro experienced staff shortages and canceled trips due to regional surge in COVID-19 cases
Metro approves $12 million for Monterey Park, South Pasadena transportation projects
LA Metro to spend $24 million to restore transit services cut by COVID-19
LA Metro encourages riders to be vigilant of victims of human trafficking
LA County looks to strengthen mask policy for Metro bus riders
Metro agency is developing plans to vaccinate staff
LA Metro is expecting almost $300 million more in revenue than it expected
Guest:
Phil Washington, CEO of The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)