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Bill Simmons Questions ESPN's Support of Grantland

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Riptide, Mar 17, 2015.

  1. Riptide

    Riptide Well-Known Member


    [​IMG]

    At SXSW, Bill Simmons gave a legitimately interesting interview to Re/code.It features Simmons sliding from passive-aggression to bluntness, but always railing against his ESPN bosses for not giving Grantland the funding or credit he believes it deserves. ...

    Everything here has to be read in the context of Simmons's impending free agency. He has had increasingly more personal conflicts with the Bristol machine, and more of them, culminating in a three-week suspension for going after Roger Goodell that saw Simmons feeling like he had lost the backing of his champions.

    But this is business: Simmons believes he's done great work on the contract he signed in 2010, which made him, at the time, the second highest-paid "talent" at the network. Simmons doesn't think he's talent, though—he wants credit for being the muscle that convinced the network to fund 30 for 30, and for being essentially the GM of Grantland. And he wants the company to put even more resources into his projects.

    Bill Simmons Questions ESPN's Support Of Grantland



     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2015
  2. Riptide

    Riptide Well-Known Member

    First-world problem, by the way.
     
  3. TheSportsPredictor

    TheSportsPredictor Well-Known Member

    Deserve ain't got nothing to do with it.
     
  4. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    ESPN's going to sweep the leg out from under him.
     
  5. Riptide

    Riptide Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]

    Meanwhile, here's a shot of Simmons pitching a story about Kate Upton.
     
  6. RecoveringJournalist

    RecoveringJournalist Well-Known Member

    30 for 30 was his baby wasn't it?

    If a Simmons-ESPN breakup is imminent, I would wonder where he would wind up.

    Then again, awhile back, ESPN's relationship with Tony Kornheiser was at least as contentious as its relationship with Simmons. I hope they work it out, because I really enjoy Grantland, but it would be very interesting to see what would happen if he does leave.
     
  7. Jake_Taylor

    Jake_Taylor Well-Known Member

    If Simmons leaves I would be happy to take over Grantland and continue on with the same financial and promotional support from ESPN.
     
  8. JC

    JC Well-Known Member

    I'm sure you will be their first call.
     
  9. da man

    da man Well-Known Member

    All together now: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
     
  10. mpcincal

    mpcincal Well-Known Member

    Would that fall under the category of "participatory journalism"?

    Gotta admit, Simmons seems like a guy I would just want to slap the shit out of, and a lot of his "poor me" whining gets on my nerves, but I have to give the guy credit, he can come up with some good ideas and follow up on them. I've loved the 30 for 30s that have come out, and I always find something interesting when I go to Grantland.
     
  11. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    It's just sad. He sees his glass as half-empty when everyone else on the planet sees it as full, overflowing and flooding the neighborhood. Enjoy it, dude.
     
  12. Mr. Sunshine

    Mr. Sunshine Well-Known Member

    I had high hopes for Grantland, but it bores me. I think I've just grown out of wanting to read about sports all the time.
     
    LongTimeListener likes this.
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