Bruce Feldman Versus ESPN: Round 12 of 275

Yesterday, Feldman went on the Dan Patrick show and aired all ESPN’s dirty laundry about his final weeks. Among the complaints was that ESPN VP John Skipper told him not to participate in an interview with Poynter. Skipper, denies this. Show us the “he said, ESPN said,” Poynter Review Project blog on ESPN.com:

“It is categorically inaccurate that I told him not to talk to you guys. I am a little displeased with his actions,” Skipper said Thursday night on the phone. He said that he called Feldman in July to encourage him to “relax.” Feldman responded to that advice by saying, “the Poynter Institute called, I’m going to tell them you’re all a bunch of liars,” Skipper said.

“I suggested that getting into a public fight with your employer and calling them liars was not wise,” he said.

As our column neared its publication in July, Skipper said, “I called Bruce and said, ‘If you feel that you need to go on the record with The Poynter Institute, you should do so. I will confess that I said, ‘You need to remain careful.’ “

Feldman also said ESPN The Magazine editor, Chad Millman kept him from attending SEC media day. Millman says not so much.

“I remember he and I having a conversation that he didn’t want to be the eye of the storm and he didn’t want to be the story,” Millman said. “He was scheduled to go to (SEC) media days and I said, ‘It’s up to you, but you’ll get asked about it.’ “

According to Millman, Feldman chose to stay home. “Nuh-uh,” says Feldman.

“That is not true, the SEC is a big deal to me,” Feldman said in response Thursday night. “That is complete B.S. I said to him that the least of my concerns coming out of this is press coverage.”

So there you have it folks. A former employee and a former employer disagree on the events leading up to the breakup.

Previously: Feldman on the DP Show
Previously: What Was ESPN Thinking Suspending College Football Writer Bruce Feldman?
Previously: ESPN Ombudsman Says Bruce Feldman Was Never Suspended, But Says ESPN Handled His Situation Poorly
Previously: ESPN: Bruce Feldman Was Never Suspended or Disciplined