Worthwhile Will Leitch essay on Bill Simmons

Who said he had to call Sterling names? He could have introduced himself and asked for an interview.

 

That's some good stuff right they're.

 

Just don't take anything pre 1980 as accurate.

 

Elliotte, I respect your opinion to the max. To me, Simmons is lima beans. I can't eat it. That's personal taste, and therefore has no argumentative merit. I acknowledge that technically he's a good writer. But in all honesty, passion is about the last quality I think matters in what is supposed to be a history book -- or more accurately -- a summing up of something as large as the NBA. Loving something (gosh, Bill does) is not the same as understanding, or communicating that understanding to others.

 

It's easy to have passion for something when you don't have to be submerged in it on a daily basis.

Put Simmons on a beat and check back and see how much 'passion' he has.

 

Not sure this is the right place for this, but Olberman's father died this week.

As polarizing as both Simmons and Olberman can be, and as much as they may dislike one another, I find it interesting that they have one specific thing in common: their fathers played a very important role in their lives by introducing them to sports and encouraging them in their passions.

http://keitholbermann.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/03/theodore_c_olbermann_1929-2010.html

 

That was what I was getting at.

Sterling is, by many accounts, a scumbag. Simmons' criticisms of him through the years have been well founded. But here, he had a chance to go face-to-face with him and instead of doing it, he ducks him and makes a joke about it. If you're going to rip somebody (repeatedly, no less), you've got to be willing to face them at some point.

Quite frankly, given Simmons' connections and the fact he's been a Clippers season ticket holder for about five or six years now, I'm somewhat stunned he has managed to avoid Sterling for this long.

 

Michael, how can anything you say about Simmons not be taken with a grain of salt considering your history. I don't necessarily disagree with you and normally agree with you but how personal is it?

 

Fantastic story/obit. I can't believe Olbermann has the same virtual space as the goofballs on MLBlogs. He should have a more official, respectful home, if he's going to write for that site. It would be like Bernie Lincicome on ChicagoNow.

 

All I know is that KO's broad views of baseball more closely mirror mine than those of any other primary baseball media figure, and I
love him for it.