More Cuts at ESPN

It’s almost as if social media sensations don’t actually translate well to a structured TV show

 

I must say that Katie Nolan had the best smile on TV. She captivated me with that smile of hers more than once. She made big money so good for her

 

Michelle Beadle says hello. NBC hired her away from ESPN, gave her a daily show that they never found a regular slot for, it was also underproduced and she went back to ESPN for Get Up and she ended up leaving that. I think she'd work as a morning host as long as it wasn't in a role where she had to be deferential to a male co-host. And I think she'd be great on one of those "debate" shows as the moderator as long as she could call out the Skips and Stephen As on their BS.

 

Yes. Ten years ago, she was a "next big thing". NBC did a nice job killing that as quickly as possible.

Easiest job in TV sports? Being the moderator for Skip and Shannon. She does nothing except toss to Colin at noon.

 

I like Katie. Sorry to see she's out.

ESPN never really seemed to know what to do with her, and when they landed on something they made a pretty half-assed effort. They gave her a late-night show starting on ESPN+, which seemed like a really good idea, and then moved it to ESPN 2, I think... and then killed it when the pandemic hit. She had a podcast and they laid off its producer. She was good on HQ... and they canceled it.

I suspect she turns up in the LeBatard Universe.

 

I imagine Nolan got a really nice contract to move over to ESPN and like everyone else, was asked to take a haircut - probably bigger for her since she hadn't yet produced anything big at ESPN. Of course, I think whatever execs are in charge of talent in Bristol tend to stifle creativity, are loyal to those who were with them on the way up like SVP and the like - and really don't have much use for anyone else and see them as disposable. (Still don't understand their fascination with Greenburg) but whatever.

 

Katie'll land on another network. Maybe she starts a PTI-like show with women as hosts so long as she doesn't wave a flag at the end like Kornheiser.

 

Michelle Beadle Could Be Back In Time For NBA Season

 

Barstool or the Ringer would be wise to hire Beadle and just let her do her thing and let it all out. That's pretty much her brand, that's pretty much their brand.

"C'mon you incels, BRINNNNNG ITTT!!!!"

 

I don't think Beadle would have any interest in associating herself with Barstool. The Ringer, maybe, but she seems out of their pay range, and AFAIK, she's never been a guest on Simmons' various pods. He'd rather give the bag to Jackie frickin' MacMullen - great reporter, but her main function so far has been to pop on an NBA podcast with Bill every few weeks and to relate everything to the 1980s Celtics, which is sooooo Simmons it would be rejected as "too Simmonsy" if you were trying to do an Onion-style parody site.

Nolan makes more sense at the Ringer, since Simmons has had her on the pod, and on the last one, noted that he tried to hire her once or twice in the past. However, Ringer money isn't TV money - I think one of the AA stories had her estimated salary at $1M/year, which was cut with the one year extension, before they let her go this year. I'm sure the Ringer (or Lebatard, or whoever) can offer her good money, but if she's banked a lot of her contract, she might just want to sit out for mental health reasons anyway. She was one podcaster who was noticeably more dour because of the pandemic, and I think she's mentioned having severe anxiety about leaving her home at times.

 

I’m not sure what the Nolan-Simmons relationship is like these days. She jokingly (???) accused him of stealing ideas during one of the recent appearances she did on the All Fantasy Everything podcast and I don’t think she’s been on his podcast in years.

I never really got the Katie Nolan hype. I used to listen to her podcast but it became unbearable once her two co-hosts got axed by ESPN. I thought she got too much credit for hitting some commentary softballs early on and that she was given a lot of leeway when it came to failing and making mistakes. I still feel for her and wish her luck in her next move.