Keith Olbermann's return to ESPN is almost certainly less shocking than Jason Whitlock's return. Olbermann torched bridges, yes, but that was a long time ago. ESPN president John Skipper told The Hollywood Reporter that he never even met Olbermann until last year. "I am post the Keith troubles," he said. The remaining old-timers, meanwhile, seem happy to make good. Bob Ley—who once said, "We felt not so much relief when Keith left as unrestrained fucking joy"—apparently asked, "Anything I can do for you?" after Olbermann was hired. Chris Berman and Olbermann broke bread outside the Citi Field batting cage before the All-Star game.
Now, Whitlock confirms to us he's heading back to ESPN, while an ESPN spokesman said the contract isn't signed yet but it's headed that way. Looks like there may be more kissing and making up to do! Over the past few years, Big Sexy has had plenty to say about ESPN.
ESPN is dumb:
ESPN vice president John Walsh and head of news Vince Doria are both stupid:
Really stupid:
Rick Reilly's stupid:
Reporter Mark Schwarz is an assclown:
On ESPN.com columnist Scoop Jackson:
It pissed me off that the dude tried to call himself the next Ralph Wiley and stated some [shit] about carrying Ralph's legacy. ... Ralph was a grown-ass man who didn't bojangle for anybody. Scoop is a clown. And the publishing of his fake ghetto posturing is an insult to black intelligence, and it interferes with intelligent discussion of important racial issues. Scoop showed up on the scene and all of a sudden I'm getting e-mails from readers connecting what I write to Scoop. And his stuff is being presented like grown folks should take it seriously.
On Jackson again:
Would someone please stop Scoop Jackson since the ***** editors at ESPN won't? Got damn, I don't read his **** but when he writes stupid **** like this people e-mail me and ask my opinion. This **** needs to be stopped. Read the dumb mother*****'s column and see how he equates black culture with being lazy and says Upton is going to make folks love baseball again
Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless and First Take:
Stephen A. Smith and ESPN think we forgot the fool-me idiom. Shame on them.
For the second time in less than a year, the black beard paid to mask Skip Bayless‘ blatant negro-baiting uttered “N-word, please” on a national-television platform allegedly reserved for non-profane, professional discussion.
[...]Enter Stephen A. Smith, desperate to re-emerge as a high-six-figures TV celebrity, desperate for his next hit from the TV crack pipe. Smith campaigned for the role of Skip’s beard.
Recognizing that its black viewers couldn’t resist Skip’s bait, ESPN doubled down, making Smith an equal partner in the show and re-imagining First Take as the black barbershop of sports talk. The rap-music bumpers, the black, eye-candy female host, the guest appearances by rappers and Smith are all an attempt to make Skip’s negro-baiting palatable, marketable and justifiable.
The show has been dumbed down and ghetto-ized. An environment has been created that entices Smith and others to bojangle and stoop to Bayless’ level of discourse. Terrell Suggs was celebrated for coming on the show and calling Bayless a “douchebag.”
[...]
What’s so special about First Take?
It baits Negroes to act like n—-as.
Stephen A. Smith is the villain in this scenario. Smith has enormous broadcasting talent. Dancing for Bayless is beneath Smith. He also has the intellect to see how ESPN and Bayless are using him. Smith could be the Adam Schefter/Chris Mortensen of the NBA, a high-paid, invaluable information-and-insight guru. But taking on Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski is hard work. Dancing for Bayless is easy. Being half of ESPN’s hip hop, N-word-dropping sports show makes you more popular with celebrities. It’s fun.
The best part is I'm not sure if he's wrong about any of this! When Bob Lipsyte's run as ombudsman ends at the end of next year, maybe Whitlock can slide into the public editor role as part of his "multi-platform" deal.
I'm sure we're forgetting many, many things. Please feel free to point them out below.