What's been the better hire Patrick at SI or Reilly at ESPN?

I would vote for Patrick on the strength of his radio show.

Not that either has done any heavy lifting or truly ambitious work at either place, but Reilly has yet to produce something that was truly eye-opening at ESPN. I'm guessing this week's beer pong column isn't making it to BASW.

Thoughts?

 

I think if ESPN and SI fired both, we'd all be better off.

 

Patrick. Reilly stopped being relevant years ago..

 

Patrick is kind of like a Harold Baines or Jermaine Dye, he's not THE guy but will occasionally deliver a key hit for the mag and is good for the mix.
I mentioned earlier that Rick Reilly is Danny Tartabull as a Yankee. A big name who has allowed himself to get lost in the mix and you wonder why they paid so much money for him.
Billy Beane wouldn't draft either of them.

 

You can have Dan Patrick. I tired of him when he was on ESPN.
Reilly? Not that carried away with him, either. My jury is still out on him.

 

Patrick's radio show shouldn't have to be considered.

His work in the magazine is, more often than not, a complete waste of space. Ditto for Reilly.

At the same time, there is an audience for these things. SI and ESPN are banking on the idea that the average fan isn't too particular or discerning; they just want positive things written about their favorite teams, and humor written about everyone else.

 

I'm not sure it's fair, or accurate, to judge Patrick without his radio show, because it's all part of the package. And saying so, it's clear SI got the better of the deal.

 

I quit reading reilly a while back when he started going stale. never could get into Patrick's schtick.

 

The fact this is even a debate is a sad commentary on where Rick's career has gone ...

 

I'm with you, lone star. Part of Patrick's appeal to SI was his show and TV presence, since they don't have the meganetwork conglomeration that ESPN has. So it counts and, yes, Patrick is delivering more, IMHO.

Agree with Bristol Insider above too regarding the fact that we're even debating this.

 

Patrick is delivering what you would expect from a broadcast guy. His radio show is one of the better sport shows out there, not that that's saying much, but it's pretty good.

When I listen to Patrick, I don't feel sorry for him. When I read Reilly, I'm embarrassed for him and what someone with his amazing talent has become.

 

So true. I'd still have to say Reilly was the better hire, though. I don't see how Patrick's radio show has been much of an asset to SI. The only thing that makes me associate him with the magazine is that page of nonsense he has in there every week. Even when Reilly mails it in, he comes up with better stuff than that.