ESPN Suspends Bill Simmons

Basis4day · Sep 24, 2014

Such BS

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/09/espn-su ... fl-goodell

Sac · Sep 24, 2014

Apparently their journalistic standards don't apply to a certain NFC west blogger.

Scottemojo · Sep 24, 2014

Bill Simmons pretty much dared them too.

ESPN has walked a weird line on Goodell. They essentially give him a pass, And why would they release their expose on the Ravens on Friday afternoon?

Oh yeah, they broadcast NFL games.

Maelstrom787 · Sep 24, 2014

Actually, Bill Simmons, you don't get to say that on your podcast without punishment from your employer.

Well deserved suspension. I also respect what he's saying, but the suspension is just.

cdallan · Sep 24, 2014

Maelstrom787":2ch698gd said:
Actually, Bill Simmons, you don't get to say that on your podcast without punishment from your employer.

Well deserved suspension. I also respect what he's saying, but the suspension is just.

If they just want writers who will toe the party line trotted out by the NFL, then to hell with them. Makes them a PR agency and not journalists. I'm boycotting ESPN for the length of the suspension.

3Girls'HawkDad · Sep 24, 2014

Who will compare NFL players to Teen Wolf and the Karate Kid?

Reaneypark · Sep 24, 2014

Holding Simmons to "journalistic standards" is like expecting McDonalds to earn a Michelin Star.

Sarlacc83 · Sep 24, 2014

Someone on KSK pointed out that Steven A. Smith got 2 weeks for saying some women deserve to get beaten.

In the end, as Scottemojo said, criticizing the NFL affects the bottom line. ESPN should be ashamed and I'm not even a Simmons fan.

mikeak · Sep 24, 2014

To criticize Goodell is one thing. To go on and dare them to suspend him ensured it...

volsunghawk · Sep 24, 2014

I was a Simmons fan before all this Goodell hullabaloo.

I'm even more a fan now.

kearly · Sep 24, 2014

Lost some respect for ESPN here.

And their citing 'journalistic standards' is ironic to say the least. The guy that actually speaks up to call a spade a spade is the one who lacks standards?

Bill Simmons sounded like he was mad as hell, and wasn't going to take it anymore.

RolandDeschain · Sep 24, 2014

That's too bad, I like Bill Simmons. That being said, he did kind of push them, lol. He was literally daring anyone to call him out about it or do anything.

ivotuk · Sep 24, 2014

He didn't need to swear in his podcast, that just takes away from his message and makes him sounds uneducated.

If you're really serious about something, make it about the message and don't try to embellish with swear words.

" such [expletive] [expletive]. It really is, it’s such [expletive] [expletive]. "

Sounds more like something you'd hear from the swamp people, not an educated broadcaster.

Not to mention, it's against FCC rules.

My guess, he did it on purpose because the suspension makes it a bigger story and ESPN played in to his hands.

SeaTown81 · Sep 24, 2014

ivotuk":2wcq8xc7 said:
He didn't need to swear in his podcast, that just takes away from his message and makes him sounds uneducated.

If you're really serious about something, make it about the message and don't try to embellish with swear words.

" such [expletive] [expletive]. It really is, it’s such [expletive] [expletive]. "

Sounds more like something you'd hear from the swamp people, not an educated broadcaster.

Not to mention, it's against FCC rules.

My guess, he did it on purpose because the suspension makes it a bigger story and ESPN played in to his hands.

I understand what you're saying about how swearing doesn't make you come off in the best light. But if you listened to the podcast, he was on a rant. He was frustrated and got heated. It was honest. It was passionate. It was exactly why I listen to his podcast on a regular basis.

And for the record, he didn't swear on the podcast. It was bleeped out. Podcasts aren't live. No listeners ever heard him swear. He swore during the taping of a conversation with his friend. That's how his show works. He has conversations with people that are edited down after the fact for listener consumption. Huge difference than swearing on air.

Also, podcasts aren't regulated by the FCC. They're edited when put out by companies owned by mega-corporations such as ESPN and Disney. Hence why this was edited. But it's not a requirement. Plenty of podcasts have explicit tags on them. He got emotional and dropped a couple cuss words. They were masked for the final product. SO WHAT?!

Simmons' podcast introduces every episode as "THIS IS A FREE-FLOWING CONVERSATION THAT OCCASIONALLY TOUCHES ON MATURE SUBJECTS".

Give me a (expletive deleted) break.

I keep seeing people who didn't listen to the podcast want to blame Simmons swearing as the reason he was suspended. That's about as BS as the crap Simmons was calling Goodell out on. We know exactly why he was suspended. If this was a rant against NHL commish Gary Bettman (ESPN does not have the rights to NHL games), this wouldn't have happened.

Total bull. Lost a lot of respect for ESPN with this. And to think I'd been giving them props for their coverage of the whole Rice scandal up til now. :141847_bnono:

TXHawk · Sep 25, 2014

ivotuk":106y18yo said:
He didn't need to swear in his podcast, that just takes away from his message and makes him sounds uneducated.

If you're really serious about something, make it about the message and don't try to embellish with swear words.

" such [expletive] [expletive]. It really is, it’s such [expletive] [expletive]. "

Sounds more like something you'd hear from the swamp people, not an educated broadcaster.

Not to mention, it's against FCC rules.

My guess, he did it on purpose because the suspension makes it a bigger story and ESPN played in to his hands.

Internet podcasts aren't regulated by the FCC.

And ESPN let Simmons start Grantland in order to allow him and other writers more freedom to write about sports and other cultural topics without the restrictions you find on ESPN. It's not unusual for there to be profanity in a piece on Grantland and ESPN apparently never had a problem with it before.

This is all about ESPN protecting their multi-billion dollar relationship with the NFL.

And I think Simmons is right...Goodell is a liar and knew exactly what was on that tape before it was aired by TMZ. He just didn't think it merited more than a two game suspension.

Reaneypark · Sep 25, 2014

Simmons challenged them and they decided to put him in his place. It'll be interesting to see what comes from this. I agree with Bill and I think ESPN was chickencrap for suspending him.

Milehighhawk · Sep 25, 2014

He bit the hand that fed him and is reaping the repercussions, which he seemed fully aware of. Not sure what the big deal is.

LawlessHawk · Sep 25, 2014

ESPN: Hey Bill, we need to say something here, but can't.... (wink, wink)
Bill: No problem, I'm game. What did you have in mind?
ESPN: You go off, let'er rip real good, we'll fain indignation and suspend you to protect our "interests". You get a 3 week paid vacation and lots of publicity...
Bill: Right up my alley...

ivotuk · Sep 25, 2014

SeaTown81":3p8t4ftv said:
ivotuk":3p8t4ftv said:

He didn't need to swear in his podcast, that just takes away from his message and makes him sounds uneducated.

If you're really serious about something, make it about the message and don't try to embellish with swear words.

" such [expletive] [expletive]. It really is, it’s such [expletive] [expletive]. "

Sounds more like something you'd hear from the swamp people, not an educated broadcaster.

Not to mention, it's against FCC rules.

My guess, he did it on purpose because the suspension makes it a bigger story and ESPN played in to his hands.

Click to expand...

I understand what you're saying about how swearing doesn't make you come off in the best light. But if you listened to the podcast, he was on a rant. He was frustrated and got heated. It was honest. It was passionate. It was exactly why I listen to his podcast on a regular basis.

And for the record, he didn't swear on the podcast. It was bleeped out. Podcasts aren't live. No listeners ever heard him swear. He swore during the taping of a conversation with his friend. That's how his show works. He has conversations with people that are edited down after the fact for listener consumption. Huge difference than swearing on air.

Also, podcasts aren't regulated by the FCC. They're edited when put out by companies owned by mega-corporations such as ESPN and Disney. Hence why this was edited. But it's not a requirement. Plenty of podcasts have explicit tags on them. He got emotional and dropped a couple cuss words. They were masked for the final product. SO WHAT?!

Simmons' podcast introduces every episode as "THIS IS A FREE-FLOWING CONVERSATION THAT OCCASIONALLY TOUCHES ON MATURE SUBJECTS".

Give me a (expletive deleted) break.

I keep seeing people who didn't listen to the podcast want to blame Simmons swearing as the reason he was suspended. That's about as BS as the crap Simmons was calling Goodell out on. We know exactly why he was suspended. If this was a rant against NHL commish Gary Bettman (ESPN does not have the rights to NHL games), this wouldn't have happened.

Total bull. Lost a lot of respect for ESPN with this. And to think I'd been giving them props for their coverage of the whole Rice scandal up til now. :141847_bnono:

Thanks for the explanation. I was trying to play devil's advocate as well as give my thoughts on the subject. I stand corrected.

Happy · Sep 25, 2014

::sigh::

My impression is B.S. was trying to cut through the noise floor by being blunt and direct. What he said is no different than what you hear from John Stewart every single night. From where I am sitting Bill is one of the good guys and he stood up for what he thought was right.

The drumbeat of commerce is drowning out our humanity. Those who speak up by definition create a conflict of interests. I find it deeply troubling.

The only way to make this right is for Goodell to go and for the owners to evaluate their mission statement and make a course correction. It's either that or congress needs to take another look at the league anti-trust exemption.

ESPN Suspends Bill Simmons

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