Whitlock done all around ESPN

[Inky_Wretch]

Simmons' response is interesting and telling.... The guy made his name shredding members of the media and pandering to win the respect of 3,000 bloggers who spend 8 hours a day....

Simmons is a hypocrite!?! I'm shocked — SHOCKED! — at such a revelation. [/sarcasm]

 

[jason_whitlock]

Wretch, I know you're joking. But I'm genuinely surprised by his statement. Not in a betrayed way. He has a right to his opinion. No skin off my back. But it just paints him in a light that's the total opposite of his shtick.

 

[Clever username]

Jason, what's with capitalizing the first words of sentences in your posts? Is that really you?

 

[jason_whitlock]

i Go bacK and forTh...just depenDs on If i'm feeling Lazy.

 

[Clever username]

i Go bacK and forTh...just depenDs on If i'm feeling Lazy.

Touche, sir.

 

[TigerVols]

Hey I love Whitlock as much as the next guy, but let's all keep in mind that TV is a visual medium and I'd argue that he's the most obese man to appear regularly on camera since Ironsides (or at least Conlin). Looks matter quite a bit in the world of TV, and Jason's size XXX-L just doesn't cut it for Skipper and Walsh and the rest of the signal callers in Bristol.

 

[Clever username]

Hey I love Whitlock as much as the next guy, but let's all keep in mind that TV is a visual medium and I'd argue that he's the most obese man to appear regularly on camera since Ironsides (or at least Conlin). Looks matter quite a bit in the world of TV, and Jason's size XXX-L just doesn't cut it for Skipper and Walsh and the rest of the signal callers in Bristol.

Um, since most -- and yes, this a sexist generalization -- of the viewers tuning in to watch the shows that Jason was on are male, his looks and appearance are probably not much of a concern. Who gives a fork what these guys look like? Lupica isn't exactly Johnny Depp, but people don't watch these shows to ogle the hosts. (At least I hope not, because that would be really disturbing.) They watch them for the point/counterpoint arguments about sports topics. At least that's the ideal. Of course, that certainly isn't the case if Jason isn't allowed to have a dissenting opinion from Lupica and whoever else is now on The Sports Reporters -- I used to watch the show regularly, but the morning and I have fallen out of favor with each other -- but that should be what these shows are about, not Jason's waistline.

I'm starting to despise ESPN more and more. Thanks, guys.

 

[GB-Hack]

Oooohhh that Mitch Albom...He's so sexy.....

 

[dooley_womack1]

This is probably a stupid question, but does Simmons ever come on here? My guess would be no, but I thought I'd ask.

He has at some point because he brought this site up in some of his columns. Basically he said he hated this site because we all allegedly hate him and we are why he got out of newspapers, or something to that effect. I know he posts on SOSH and I am pretty sure he at least reads shirt on here.

Yeah, I knew about Son of Sam Horn, so obviously he's not adverse to message boards. Personally, I think he should come on here and clarify his comments on Whitlock. For someone who is always complaining about not being able to speak his mind about announcers, anchors, ESPN and the like, it's seems pretty hypocritical for him not to be in Whitlock's corner. I guess we really are seeing his true colors.

Later in his chat he rips on Kornheiser and Theisman, so I don't really understand. He also takes shots at Rick Reilly and says he works harder than him.

Not to threadjack, but I think this question and response from his chat is why he never made it in newspapers. You have to be able to right a tight column and still be entertaining and he doesn't seem to have the ability to do that.


TJ (Minneapolis, MN): Are you capable of 950-word columns? I'm not convinced.

Bill Simmons: Anyone's capable of a 950-word column. But here's the problem, and this is why I hated writing my mag column when it was 700 words (which is absolutely ludicrous) and 800 words (not as ludicrous, but still ridiculous): You barely have enough time to bring up a point, argue it and wrap it up with that little space. The biggest challenge is just conserving words and making your point in as little time as possible. Well, how is that entertaining? I understand the mentality 20 years ago, but with the internet taking off, we should be figuring out ways to take advantage of the extra space and have fun with it, you know?

Bill Simmons: For instance, my Lambeau column was initially meant to be for the magazine. And after it was over, I was thinking about it and decided, "Wait, some really funny stuff happened on this trip, why would I cut it down to 1200 words, why not explore the studio space with it?" So I wrote a 9500-word first draft, then spent the next 2 days cutting it down to a semi-reasonable length (6200). Now, would you have rather have read a 1200 word column or a 6200-word column? I don't know. I'd rather print out the 6200 words and dive into it, personally.

I'd read 6,200 words of some writers. Simmons ain't one of 'em

 

[Bubbler]

They watch them for the point/counterpoint arguments about sports topics. At least that's the ideal. Of course, that certainly isn't the case if Jason isn't allowed to have a dissenting opinion from Lupica and whoever else is now on The Sports Reporters -- I used to watch the show regularly, but the morning and I have fallen out of favor with each other -- but that should be what these shows are about, not Jason's waistline.

I'm starting to despise ESPN more and more. Thanks, guys.

Point/counterpoint has devolved on most ESPN shows to scream/scream louder. Or worse, scream for the sake of screaming even though the topic you're screaming about wouldn't normally raise your pulse one iota.

So much of this comes off as fake made-for-TV bullshirt, and great paychecks or not, in the long run it hurts our industry because it makes us look like forking clowns.

 

[tommyp]

Point/counterpoint has devolved on most ESPN shows to scream/scream louder. Or worse, scream for the sake of screaming even though the topic you're screaming about wouldn't normally raise your pulse one iota.

So much of this comes off as fake made-for-TV bullshirt, and great paychecks or not, in the long run it hurts our industry because it makes us look like forking clowns.

Honestly, I don't think a lot of the viewers of these shows are that interested in the lifestyles and habits of the sportswriters sitting on those panels. The reality is, they look like clowns mostly to those of us in this forum.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

The Little Unit . . . the Dwarf . . . the biscuit . . . Skippy . . . Eddie . . . clowns?

Yes.