The Simmons Site

[Moderator1]

I think we had a thread on this somewhere. Anyway:

http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/04/28/writers_editors_join_espn/

 

[Small Town Guy]

I can't get that link to work, Moddy, but here's another if that one stays down.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2011/04/bill-simmons-new-web-site-grantlandcom-launches-in-june/1

Site will be grantland.com.

I'm really excited for this site. It reminds me in some ways of byliner.com, although this will have ESPN's money behind it of course. But I think it will be a place for some really interesting writing and sounds like there will be some freelance opportunities as well.

When you type grantland.com into a search, you get this:

One family's one year around the world tour starting August, 1997. Get on the EMail list and recieve picture postcards as the family travels.

But if you click on it is the Simmons site, although it's still coming soon. I'm guessing a lucky family got a little cash from ESPN to give up the name?

 

[Michael_ Gee]

I do genuinely admire Simmons' entrepreneurial skills and attitude and willingness to try and create new stuff. I fear that this site will contain many pieces of merit I just find too damn long to read.

 

[BYH]

Does this mean Billy is no longer feeling suffocated and unloved and unappreciated at ESPN and over the whole Boston Herald thing? Or no?

 

[Inky_Wretch]

I can't get that link to work, Moddy, but here's another if that one stays down.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2011/04/bill-simmons-new-web-site-grantlandcom-launches-in-june/1

Site will be grantland.com.

I'm really excited for this site. It reminds me in some ways of byliner.com, although this will have ESPN's money behind it of course. But I think it will be a place for some really interesting writing and sounds like there will be some freelance opportunities as well.

When you type grantland.com into a search, you get this:

One family's one year around the world tour starting August, 1997. Get on the EMail list and recieve picture postcards as the family travels.

But if you click on it is the Simmons site, although it's still coming soon. I'm guessing a lucky family got a little cash from ESPN to give up the name?

It now redirects to ... http://espn.go.com/espn/grantland/

I hope it works. I hope they do fantastic longform journalism. But invoking Rice's name seems a tad presumptuous.

 

[brettwatson]

Just finished Simmons' Book of Basketball. Very long read - think War and Peace - but extremely enlightening. Lots of laugh out loud lines, footnotes out the wazoo, and scores of genuine insights. The dude knows his pro hoops.

 

[Small Town Guy]

Eggers (who was actually there at the outset of ESPN the Magazine, correct?), Klosterman, Gladwell, Weinreb. Heavy hitters. But some different faces too on the original roster.

“I grew up loving The National, Spy Magazine and Inside Sports,” said Simmons, who authored the No. 1 New York Times bestseller, The Book of Basketball, and was a co-creator of ESPN’s Peabody Award winning series 30 for 30. “Those three publications meant an inordinate amount to me, and I’m hoping that people will feel the same about this site.

In addition to its content, Grantland.com will be set apart from information-rich sports and news sites with a simple and elegant graphic style designed by renowned magazine designer Walter Bernard. Said Simmons, “We will not throw up 100 posts every day. We’ve figured out a way to highlight the best things we publish and make it easier for people who might not have a chance to visit the site more than three or four times a week to find everything they want.”

 

[ARR]

Just finished Simmons' Book of Basketball. Very long read - think War and Peace - but extremely enlightening. Lots of laugh out loud lines, footnotes out the wazoo, and scores of genuine insights. The dude knows his pro hoops.

Except for the (literally) hundreds of errors, he TOTALLY knows his stuff.

 

[Alma]

Interesting list of writers. Wonder which ones have read Grantland Rice.

Simmons is the Jay Leno of this industry. He hired a bunch of Conans.

 

[clintrichardson]

One encouraging thing about calling it Grantland is that they seem to be asking to be judged by a high standard. Unlike if they had called it, say, Morning Pizza.

 

[secretariat]

Pro tip: If you want to work at Grantland, don't ever make fun of Lynn Hoppes.

http://deadspin.com/#!5796720/an-exclusive-interview-with-tommy-craggs-about-the-bill-simmons-grantland-project

 

[playthrough]

I'd love to know how much they paid the previous owner of grantland.com. Hope that guy played serious hardball.

 

[BYH]

Pro tip: If you want to work at Grantland, don't ever make fun of Lynn Hoppes.

http://deadspin.com/#!5796720/an-exclusive-interview-with-tommy-craggs-about-the-bill-simmons-grantland-project

NOW you tell me.

 

[BYH]

Also, after reading that drivel, I have come to two conclusions:

a.) Daulerio needs all the editors he can hire, b/c he can't write for ****
b.) he is truly the biggest piece of **** in America, and quite possibly the world, trying to napalm Craggs' job prospects at ESPN with this self-important ****stain of a story. Go to ****ing hell, Daulerio, you piece of ****.

 

[Small Town Guy]

Pro tip: If you want to work at Grantland, don't ever make fun of Lynn Hoppes.

http://deadspin.com/#!5796720/an-exclusive-interview-with-tommy-craggs-about-the-bill-simmons-grantland-project

As for Tommy's current state of employment with Deadspin, sources close to the situation have said that he was first approached by Grantland editor, Dan Fierman, formerly of GQ, in late March. According to sources close to the situation, Craggs was excited about the opportunity and the vision for the site, which has been trumpeted as "The National 2.0" by some sources close the situation.

Outing alert: I'm a source close to the situation.

Quote from: Small Town Guy on February 19, 2011, 07:27:45 PM
How about this comparison: Simmons's site compared to DeFord and The National? Did DeFord hire nobodies or did he go for stars and some people who might have even been...friends?

 

[SockPuppet]

Somewhere in heaven, Grantland Rice weeps. From the afterlife, he should sue for defmation of career. Bill Simmons couldn't carry Grantland Rice's typewriter.
I have not and never will get the fascination with Bill Simmons. He's the frat boys' favorite writer (assuming those frat boys are attending community colleges). His "Look at me, I'm not really a journalist" is a large steaming load of crap. Of the many bad things spawned by the Internet age, he ranks in the top 10.

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

Also, after reading that drivel, I have come to two conclusions:

a.) Daulerio needs all the editors he can hire, b/c he can't write for ****
b.) he is truly the biggest piece of **** in America, and quite possibly the world, trying to napalm Craggs' job prospects at ESPN with this self-important ****stain of a story. Go to ****ing hell, Daulerio, you piece of ****.

I didn't see it as Daulerio trying to napalm Craggs' prospects at all (aside from ignoring warning about writing such a story, which obviously came before he wrote it). I doubt that story will have much of an effect on his upcoming interview. They'd be foolish not to hire one of best writers working today.

 

[Mark McGwire]

Somewhere in heaven, Grantland Rice weeps. From the afterlife, he should sue for defmation of career. Bill Simmons couldn't carry Grantland Rice's typewriter.
I have not and never will get the fascination with Bill Simmons. He's the frat boys' favorite writer (assuming those frat boys are attending community colleges). His "Look at me, I'm not really a journalist" is a large steaming load of crap. Of the many bad things spawned by the Internet age, he ranks in the top 10.

Reading Simmons makes my eyes bleed, most of the time, but reading most of those writers he's hired is a joy.

 

[JackReacher]

Also, after reading that drivel, I have come to two conclusions:

a.) Daulerio needs all the editors he can hire, b/c he can't write for ****
b.) he is truly the biggest piece of **** in America, and quite possibly the world, trying to napalm Craggs' job prospects at ESPN with this self-important ****stain of a story. Go to ****ing hell, Daulerio, you piece of ****.

Huh? Did you even read the story? How the **** was Daulerio trying to napalm Craggs' job prospects at ESPN? It was as glowing a recommendation as you'll find on Deadspin.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Somewhere in heaven, Grantland Rice weeps. From the afterlife, he should sue for defmation of career. Bill Simmons couldn't carry Grantland Rice's typewriter.
I have not and never will get the fascination with Bill Simmons. He's the frat boys' favorite writer (assuming those frat boys are attending community colleges). His "Look at me, I'm not really a journalist" is a large steaming load of crap. Of the many bad things spawned by the Internet age, he ranks in the top 10.

"Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, the Cobra Kai rode again. Indramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death. These are only aliases. Their real names are: Johnny, Dutch, Bobby and Tommy. They formed the crest of the sweep the leg cyclone ...."