Bill Simmons and Rachel Nichols Should Probably Keep a Safe Distance from This Guy
ESPN, Media Gossip/Musings June 20th. 2007, 6:45pm
At the risk of over-doing it with posts related to the four-letter today, when somebody sounds off on ESPN in a manner like that of a young fellow named Adrian Dater, well, we must bring the news to you. Dater, you see, ran into a fellow journalist at the Yankees-Rockies game Tuesday, and the two got into a spirited argument about who matters in the sports media world. You don’t need an MBA from Harvard to know the direction this conversation went.
Dude whipped out an dynamite and blew Bristol off the map … and then he hunted down Bill Simmons and popped him, execution-style.
Do you hear me, Ed Werder? Do you hear me, Rachel Nichols? Do you hear me, Chris Mortensen? Do you hear me, Marc Stein? Do you hear me, ESPN producer schmucks? You didn’t break JACK SQUAT. Some real journalist at a newspaper broke that story. You’re nothing more than a bunch of pathetic piggybackers, trying to fool that gullible sports audience out there – of which you have legions of the duped tuning in daily. Oh, and here’s a little shout out to guys like the Bill Simmonses of the world – guys who never did the real work of journalism but just love to sit from their on-high funnyman thrones and crack wise on the doings of those who could: Hey, I’m from New England – I AM YOUR DEMOGRAPHIC – and I’m even tired of your act. Thanks, Bill, for the 113th “column†on a Vegas trip last weekend. Hench, J-Bug, the line at McCarran, Seventh Circle of Hell, oh, it’s all so fresh and funny, my man. Yes it was, the first 23 times I read it.
Ordinarily we’d stop there and let you have it, but after the jump, there’s one more hilarious paragraph, and Dater used ALL CAPS to make his point …
“And here’s my answer to my still respected friend, that I should have said right away: hell yes, I’m glad I’m not some ESPN stooge, who might make more money than me, but spends his/her entire day preening around the athletic arena, microphone in hand, makeup case in hand, hair spray in hand, ready to ask an inane, suckup, kiss-butt question to a player that, at the end of the day, at the end of this life, at the end of this universe, HAS ABSOLUTELY NO RESONATING IMPACT ON THE MEMORIES OF ITS VIEWING AUDIENCE, AND ABSOLUTELY NO LASTING IMPACT ON ANYTHING REMOTELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ART CALLED “JOURNALISM†WHICH YOU FALSELY ATTACH YOURSELVES TO.€
For the second time today, we’ve been rendered speechless. That sound you hear from newsrooms everywhere? A standing applause for the now famous Adrian Dater.
Kiszla hearstsSakic, Dater does not heart ESPN (Jibblescribbits)
All Things Havs (Denver Post)
105 Responses to “Bill Simmons and Rachel Nichols Should Probably Keep a Safe Distance from This Guy”
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June 20th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
People tell me all the time newspapers are dying, and I remind them that will never happen because then radio and TV won’t have anywhere to get their news. Good on Dater. At least he has principles.
Or he’s as fugly as Ufford and can’t get a TV gig.
June 20th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
*yawn*
Usually I ignore those I dislike. I certainly don’t get fired up like this. At the end of the day, the stooge who wrote this is going to go home and tell his buddies about his comment he left. Tomorrow, he’ll wake up and still be “pissed” at ESPN.
Meanwhile, the broadcasters, suits, staff of ESPN will forget this guy’s name and continue doing what they are doing. Tomorrow, some other stooge will complain again and they’ll brush that off.
It’s common knowledge that ESPN does what they do. Move on, get over it. Don’t watch. But at the end of the day, Mort is still on t.v., still making a hell of a lot more cash than the journalist who broke the story and could still care less what anyone thinks.
Seriously, let your erection for ESPN go limp.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Zing! Can we get this guy his own show? Possibly on ESPN? I could take hour upon hour of honesty on 6 different stations. It’s much better than hour after hour after hour after hour after hour of bullshit on 100 different stations.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
The white-hot hatred some have for the WWL is a bit sad.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
But it needed to be said…
June 20th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
Do you think the Bill Simmonses and Ed Werders actually care?
They are making six figures, get to set their own schedules for the most part, and have all the resources they could ever need. Don’t blame them; blame the masses who still soak up the tired material.
Honestly, if you could have Bill Simmons’ job, would you not take it? Or course not.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
This guy is more of a baby than my 9-month old. Cry me a damn river! Simmons’ Vegas article(s) are a bit stale, but he still writes entertaining pieces. What does Simmons have to do with reporting or breaking news at ESPN? If you don’t like someones articles or blogs don’t read them. It sounds like Dater needs to get laid.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
Simmons is refreshing and very entertaining. Granted he writes about the same shit a lot, but he puts out a ton of stuff. What do you expect?
June 20th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
99.9% of the people who hate Simmons want to BE him.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Wow, can you feel the burn. You don’t have to be talented to be hired by ESPN. Plenty of their on air talent sucks.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Actually, Keith Hernandez, it’s the long-term and highly detrimental effect ESPN has had on the sporting world that’s sad. The WWL has used its unparalleled influence in sports to no good end, other than the financial self-interest and wellbeing of its corporate parents. All intelligent, passionate sports fans suffer – and we’ll continue to suffer for a long time. So, like Smed argues, it definitely needed to be said. And repeated many times over.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:18 pm
That attitude of Mort’s and the rest is why I don’t bother with buying a television. Do I need to watch Chris Berman on any sporting event ever for any reason? How about Joe Morgan, he’s making a killing doing jackshit, do I need to watch him? Is there ever any reason for me to watch anything with Mitch Albom on it?
Fuck those dickheads, the web is where everything is going. They’ll only get more and more desperate and sleazy. Look at the Evening News…those ratings are falling through the floor.
I can go to a bar and watch NFL Sunday Ticket and have a better time, and spend less $$$ than I would for a year of cable or sat.
I can’t tell you the last time I went to the “dot com”.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:21 pm
What a pathetic article. Because this guy stands in front of Jorge’s locker every night we’re supposed to give him some incredible level of respect? Please. Perhaps this guy forgot that he writes about sports. He writes about games. How many sports related writings of any kind really resonate with us. Maybe a couple in a lifetime, and it usually has nothing to do with the facts of the game, but the human interest story behind it. Dater writes about GAMES. He deserves no more respect than any of the people who show highlights of GAMES or give opinions on GAMES. There’s nothing noble, heroic, or courageous about what he does. What he does is no more noble or pure than what a Hollywood Gossip columnist does. What a laugh. Congratulations on standing in the locker room, scouring the police blotter, or trying to ingratiate yourself to the clubhouse janitor so you can get the scoop on player’s hat sizes. Seriously…thumbs up.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:21 pm
If this guy hates ESPN so much, IGNORE IT. If he hate Bill Simmons so much, how the hell does he know what his most recent column is about. Ranting and ravings about ESPN but still paying attention to what they do will only put more money in their pocket. Granted, they cannot always be ignored, but 90% of the time, they can. ESPN functions like every other corporation. Deal with it and quit whining.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
I love it when people rip BIll SImmons by telling us about his last column. If you don’t like him, DON’T READ HIM!
Boggles the mind.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
This dude will be a six-figure correspondent by Summer 08 for the four letters.
His rant is equal to the Milwaukee Brewers saying they’re the real ball players because they play in small markets for little or no glory. BS.
Will be interesting to see if Woody Paige has an opinion about this column.
He does have a point on Simmons, who while he may be one of the great columnists out, doesn’t have a clue when it comes to reporting.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Kevin,
I’m not saying I love all things the four-letter network does, but I also fail to see how sports fans “suffer” due to its existence. Please do expound on this.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:36 pm
Josh, re-read the article. He isnt making himself out to be some great-grinder journalist or something. He is pointing out that the fat cats in Bristol dont do ANY of the work knowing there is no competition for ESPN, all they have to do is wait for someone else to break the story on-line perhaps, radio interview, etc, and they look like the ones breaking it cause they snap up the story and slap it on the ticker within minutes. All he is saying is that ESPN is taking credit for everyone else’s work. NOT A BIG DEAL OR ANYTHING, not like we have copywrite laws or moral and ethical standards to uphold or anything important. He’s dead on. Denying it is giving props to the 4 letter. Its not like the “majority” even have an option. Espn is all thats out there unless you tune into your local coverage which can be great for the home teams but if you want to know anything about any other teams, there is no where else to turn to except ESPN or you can take what you can get off the net. I prefer the latter, BUT if my Bears can only be seen on ESPN, or if sunday night baseball is the cubs or sox and the local net is blacked out or not broadcasting, you cant fault me for watching it on ESPN bc like i said before, there is no other option. its either sports with espn, or no sports, or possibly the high school all area football highlights from last season…. thats fun.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
his premise about simmons is dead-on. simmons is a broken record who writes like an eighth grader after chugging two mountain dews.
outside of college football, college basketball, pti, monday night football and a handful of baseball games, i rarely watch that network it has sunk so low. the screaming idiots try to beat over my head the same six or eight teams over and over and over and over that it’s to the point of insulting.
there are all sorts of places out on the net and my directv world of 600 channels where i can get sports information and highlights and not have to tolerate that garbage that bspn spews out.
boo-yah my ass!
June 20th, 2007 at 7:40 pm
Simmons fits perfectly with the WWL’s undying support of everything east coast…I do find humor in some of his articles, but overall get tired of constantly hearing bout Theo Epstein, what the Celtics should do with their draft, and how Tom Brady is GOD….I applaude Dater for coming out with some strong comments
June 20th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Bernard,
If you don’t own a television how do you know Berhman and the fellow ESPN broadcasters suck? Are you judging your opinion by those who write on .com? That’s a completely different venue my friend.
Again, those that argue how much ESPN sucks usually don’t have valid arguments.
Guess what, I dislike Jim Rome. So I don’t watch his show and I don’t listen to his radio show. I’m not out there bitching and complaining about him.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
Jimmy, i love the 8th grader line, priceless!
June 20th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
I think the guys rant is weakened by bringing up Simmons. Simmons is a pure entertainment guy, as is page 2 as a whole. It seems as if ESPN was just page 2 he would not mind, because then they clearly would not be journalists. The article has merit and though it does not apply to everyone there. For instance, Olney was a journalist as were many others. It ticks me off that espn claims to have so and so breaking every story. Like I needed to know the depth of the nascar journalism when some clown I never heard of had the scoop that Dale Jr was signing with HMS. Please. And I think draftexpress does better work than Chad Ford. Maybe they don’t talk to as much management as Mr. Ford, but they produce better and more relevant material.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
I am not certian Simmons considers himself a journalist, looking to “break” news. He’s a columnist, who does “love to sit from his on-high funnyman throne”. That’s his gig.
The four letter network is a business, like any other. They need to attract viewers to make money. They are the corporate heavyweight in that industry. Their influence will anger some sports fans, just like big movie studios anger the artsy and/or independent filmakers; just like Home Depot angers the mom and pop hardware stores, etc, etc, etc. I am not sure if anyone there is looking to make a “resonating impact on the memories of its viewing audience” After all, it’s only sports.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Each newspaper does not tirelessly dig up every story, they have the AP for that. Just think of ESPN as a conglomerate of mostly AP stories. They have the biggest audience so they serve to you whatever they feel is most relevent.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
The 4 Letter is essentially a MONOPOLY. They are in the position to put out the first and last word on EVERY TOPIC even remotely sports related. Anti-Trust laws should break them down. If the ESPN Networks were forced to compete against each other would it increase credibility? Credibility is EVERYONE’s MAIN ISSUE WITH ESPN RIGHT?
June 20th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
ESPN’s problem is their stale product and trying to make themselves bigger than the sporting events that they are covering. Their TO related controversies and shoving the Red Sox/Yanks down America’s throat at every possibility are exhausting. Or cowing to the NFL and cancelling Playmakers. I applaud this guy.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Anti-trust laws? Seriously? Just because the rest of the sports networks have failed, that isn’t ESPN’s fault. Fox Sports made a decent run years ago, but couldn’t keep it up.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
Much as I agree with most of his swipes at the Evil Empire, I have to take minor exception to his premise that ESPN does not “break” news. After all, I plan to be glued to my set this July, watching the gripping, bracket-busting action in ESPN’s fabricated celebrity-athlete tournament “competition,” so that I can have Mark Schlereth, Steven A. Smith, Trey Wingo, Sean Salisbury, and Stuart Scott inform me as to “Who’s Now!” I mean, this “Who’s Now!” fake news story is a complete ESPN exclusive. I just hope I win my office bracket pool!
June 20th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Seriously. How was foxsports going to do anything when ESPN has 8 different broadcasting channels already? numerous websites, plus the cash money to buy up any competitors. They dont even report sports anymore, its like a copy of star magazine sports edition on tv every hour. the only stories they should be breaking should involve the top character AND statistical athletes or when someone does something off the field that will effect their presence on the field. other than that, its no one’s business. like the A-rod wo(man) stripper. none of my damn business and actually, i would have rather not known that he was a scumbag that likes manish women. the guys going to break the record that bonds is setting in a couple years, and i would like to be able to respect the guy a little by that time if not for being a great role model, then at least for not being a steroid guy. There literally are no choices to get your news from ON TV that doesnt somehow connect to ESPN. compare fox sports to apple and espn to ibm about 20 years ago and they comparisons never end.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
How can everyone be saying that ESPN is the only one out there? Don’t you people watch Versus?
June 20th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
Johnny,
I’m talking about 10 years ago or so. Fox Sports was going to go after ESPN but just couldn’t do it. Remember when they signed Olbermann?
Instead, they decided to break it up into several regional networks.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
I think Dan Shanoff said it best about bashing other writers (and I’m paraphrasing) “If you’re gonna swing haymakers, you always swing up the ladder.”
Clearly this guy has an inferiority complex, even if he is speaking some truths. I could give two shits as to who breaks the stories. Granted, I’m sure the journalists do, but what does that have to do with me?
June 20th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Espn hacks and a hockey beat make Dater a dull boy.
Espn hacks and a hockey beat make Dater a dull boy.
Espn hacks and a hockey beat make Dater a dull boy.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:38 pm
I never understood this fascination with getting credit for the scoop of an inevitably released news story. Investigative journalism, yeah, OK. That I get. But who reports first that Allen Iverson was traded to the Nuggets? Who cares? The press conference is going to be in two hours anyway.
What I do care about is the analysis of that news. Or inside info on what other offers there were out there. That’s why I choose which channel I watch or which site I visit.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
johnny:
exactly on the hollywood line. a couple of months ago i referred to sportscenter as the entertainment tonight of sports. you can predict what will be featured every episode:
ET: bradgelina, tomkat, donald trump, paris hilton, rosie o’donnell, lindsey lohan, britney, katie couric.
SC: yankees/a-rod, red sox/hype-k, lakers/kobe, luh-bron, TO, duke/carolina, pats/brady.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Bro, i certainly remember foxsportsnet, i promise. it was what i watched until it folded and i had to go back to countless booyas! yhatzees! and shamma-lamma-ding dongs. they broke it up cause it was a sinking ship. olbermann’s career has only blown up since leaving cause he is critical of the network.
so you are saying since one network tried once to provide credible competition for ESPN and failed that it shouldnt happen again? thats about as unamerican as the french. get back on the horse right? if blogshow was broadcast in chicago i would watch it, bc im assuming they arent agenda driven egomaniacs, and would provide me with stories taht either really do matter, or are funny enough to make me laugh instead of cringe. and in absense of any real material, instead of making up stories like the “WWL” they could show me the utube clips that i missed, and i the people would celebrate, as it was all good.
as for eternal stench, you should give two shits if people are breaking the stories unethically, you know, by stealing other peoples scoops and claiming them as their own. its cheating, just like bonds, just like playgerism (sp?)
deteriorating moral and ethical standards have made nearly every media outlet 100% discredible, even here at the big lead with the story about jordans bulls vs the spurrs, there was an agenda behind taht story, and it forced someone to make an assinine statement in order to increase traffic or commenting or whatever the hell is important to the site. all i want are the facts, and a few credible opinions, leave the rest to me. i do have a brain. remarkably, im still able to use it too!
June 20th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
i forgot the four-letter network’s hyperventalating over tiger woods. whenever there’s a golf match (yick) you can almost hear the panting in bristol down in florida.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
“Adrian Dater’s best-selling book, “Blood Feud: Detroit Red Wings v. Colorado Avalanche, The Inside Story of Pro Sports’ Nastiest and Best Rivalry of Its Era†is on sale now at bookstores and Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com
His forthcoming book, “Denver Broncos, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly†is availabe for pre-order now at Amazon.com”
All that needs to be said…
June 20th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
What? That the guy is trying to make money by EARNING IT? I see no problem with that, even more reinforcing is that he is writing about teams of which he has full-in-depth knowledge of, meaning its probably about as good a source as you can find. So you lost me Bruce. was there a point?
June 20th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
“so you are saying since one network tried once to provide credible competition for ESPN and failed that it shouldnt happen again?”
It should ABSOLUTELY happen again, though it won’t. I just don’t think we should blame ESPN for not having any competition.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
Adrian Dater should invest in some grammar lessons if he’s going to go the ALL CAPS route (hmm… sounds like Stephen A.) and end with fuck-all grammar.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
Unfortunately, they’ve put the ‘E’ back in ESPN. It’ may be the opposite of when they took the ‘M’ out of MTV, but the end result is just as poor.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
Bruce is saying that he’s trying to get his name in the paper as an indirect way to promote his forthcoming book. In other words, if he didn’t have a book coming out, he wouldn’t have said what he said.
June 20th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
Hilarious.
I bet steam was rising from the keyboard as he was writing that.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
“In other words, if he didn’t have a book coming out, he wouldn’t have said what he said.”
The only reason I disagree is that his rant seemed as genuine as I could imagine. Steam in fact was rising from his keyboard, I’m sure of it, which is why I throw away the publicity comment. Does it not seem genuine to you?
I dont blame ESPN for not having competition, I blame them for what they have done in the absense of worthy competition. Its like the Nazi party took over sports and is telling you its this road or the high road son, get the picture? cant say that hitler did nothing good for germany, but once he had total control, he poisoned the mind of a generation of people and killed 6 million jews, the only difference between taht and espn is the 6 million jews, yet they are only replaced by 6million sheep instead.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
1. The people who always describe themselves as “real” or claim they’ll never “sell out” always seem to be the less successful people. Like this guy. Like the indie actress who claims she’d never “cross over” but in reality would jump at the chance to do a superhero flick. Like the musicians who say they’ll never sign to a big record label but sprint to sign on the dotted line if actually offered a contract. The list goes on and on. It’s a joke. Envy breeds hatred. It’s human nature.
2. Not sure how guys like Peter Gammons, Buster Olney and Chris Mortensen aren’t good enough to be considered journalists in this guy’s book. He must be one hell of a reporter to be on that high of a horse.
and
3. This guy needs to get some Prozac. Ef he is actually this upset about freaking ESPN, he has other issues. Maybe mommy and daddy didn’t love him. Maybe he’s a virgin. Whatever it is, go to a doctor, or take a vacation. Just calm down.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
ESPN had me sold after their SportsCenter anchors started doing Austin Powers impressions.
And the lord said you gots to rise up! Boo yah!
June 20th, 2007 at 9:03 pm
wowowow. i DID just relate ESPN to Nazi-Hitler Germany. I need to stop soon. I dont feel like im very far off on this though, can someone validate me a little here?
June 20th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Look, the problem with the World Wide Lemur and Simmy Boy is that they are toothaches; ignoring them is damn near impossible, and being a toothache is not indicative of talent. Of course we all want his job: left unsaid is that many of us would do it better, and mail it in a hell of a lot less than he does. He’s like SNL: a bad restaurant with a great location.
Sportswriters are like fastball closers; one day we lose it and can’t hit triple digits on the gun. It’s too much to ask the player to take himself out, but at some point, the manager/editor has to step in and enforce some quality control. That ain’t happening there.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
wow….Adrian Dater is even more bitter than 99% of the sports bloggers out there…didn’t think that was possible.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
A couple of things – in an act of full disclosure, I am a Denver native. I’ve been following the writings of Adrian Dater at the Denver Post since his first assignment as Avs beat writer, immediately following the team’s relocation from Quebec in 1995. You would be hard pressed to find a more knowledgable, passionate, and insightful individual with a better grasp on anything and everything dealing with the Colorado Avalanche – a consummate professional in every sense. For over 10 years, he has completely infiltrated the organization. He’s cultivated relationships with players, management; from the owner right on down to the janitor. Nothing out of the ordinary here, as I’m sure everyone understands that a beat writer’s main responsibility is to keep a pulse on the local team.
Now, imagine being in Mr. Dater’s position. Your job is to consume everything Avalanche related. Your job is to establish relationships, massage the phones, work your contacts, and find the scoops that would only be relevant and obvious to someone with such intimate knowledge of a singular organization. You spend 6 months chasing down a story, break said story, and within fifteen short minutes you see the following headline, “EXCLUSIVE REPORT: JOHN BUCCIGROSS AND ESPN REPORT THAT JOE SAKIC HAS AGREED TO TERMS ON A $21 MILLION CONTRACT WITH THE NEW YORK RANGERS”.
For those of you who missed the point – here’s the meat. Somewhere along the line, ESPN’s insatiable appetite for ratings has led them down a dark path. Their overriding arrogance has blinded them to think that it’s OK to take someone else’s blood, sweat, and tears; repackage it with one of its so-called “experts”, slap an “ESPN” logo on it, and trot it out in a dog and pony show by leveraging its unparalleled reach. Bullshit. There are a lot of things to dislike about ESPN; but, an egregious deviation from elementary journalistic principles crosses the line. Give credit where credit is due.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
again, *yawn*
June 20th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Ripping on the Four Letter can never got old.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
HEY LOOK! SOMETHING ACTUALLY WORTHY OF A “BOOYA!”
nice angle. don’t journalists take some sort of oath or creed or something that speaks directly against the kind of actions that ESPN regularly takes? I thought they had to. Maybe I’m wrong, but the idea isnt, they should be held to some sort of moral standard. Nothing they say is true anymore.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
This is beautiful stuff. I love seeing men catfight for change. Purrr!
June 20th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
This is like a mad-lib of anti-ESPN rants. Over the last six months, I must have read a few dozen of these same sad rants about ESPN and Simmons in particular. It’s the same ridiculous thing over and over. This is very similar to the moralists who want to scream and shout about violence or sex or something nasty on TV. Change the channel. Don’t read what you don’t like. But the transparent jealousy couched in righteousness is played out.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
My last question. If ESPN was what it was 10 or 15 years ago, would anyone be unsatisfied? Didn’t think so. Maybe getting back to the roots would do the WWL some good.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
I think everyone needs to remember sports is just entertainment, and even if ESPN is “corrupting” the system or whatever you would call it, you are wasting far too much time on this issue. How about sports fans put 1/100th of their concern over the sanctity of sports journalism and the integrity of a media conglomerate into reading up on some real issues? Pick a topic–Sudan, the Attorney General, health care, whatever, just shut up and do something meaningful with your life for a change.
June 20th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
I actually just got done reading Simmons’ latest draft post and it’s kind of amusing. Thought I’d share that will fellow lovers of Simmons.
I can’t believe I actually admitted to enjoying a piece by Simmons. I gotta go home.
June 20th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
people talk sports to avoid talking politics, if i really wanted my head to explode, i’d go post on CNN.com and tear hilary a third, possibly 4th asshole.
June 20th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
I’d take Simmons’ job as soon as it were offered to me. That’s my dream to sit around all day and write and get paid big bucks for it.
June 20th, 2007 at 10:53 pm
is the last quote about Simmons?
June 20th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
What a whiner. The first obvious flaw is that Simmons is not a journalist, he’s a columnist, and he writes how the average guy wants to read. I really enjoy Simmons and I’m not ashamed to say so. Second, could he be any more self-important? Do we really need to bow down to the people who ask the stupidest of stupid questions, “tell me about the 8th inning…” (not even a question) or, “how did you feel about [opposing player]’s game tonight?”
There is a reason that beat writers like this guy DON’T make 6-figures, it’s because he can be replaced by any senior in a high-school english class.
And talk about the pot calling the kettle black, does he really think that ANYTHING he has done will “HA[VE] ABSOLUTELY NO RESONATING IMPACT ON THE MEMORIES OF ITS VIEWING AUDIENCE, AND ABSOLUTELY NO LASTING IMPACT ON ANYTHING REMOTELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ART CALLED ‘JOURNALISM’ WHICH YOU FALSELY ATTACH YOURSELVES TO.€
Gimme a break…
June 20th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
um, maybe I’m just wasted, but it looks like the original link from the denver post website has been pulled. wtf?
June 21st, 2007 at 12:02 am
Who’s Bill Simmons?
June 21st, 2007 at 12:35 am
Jeff, you’re a total and complete @!*&^-ing buffoon. People like that HACK Bill Simmons do more to shit on journalism than they do anything else. You want to talk about someone who could be replaced by a high school kid? Like Simmons, the high school kid would live at his parents’ house, too.
I don’t read Simmons. I do, though, read Adrian Dater. He’s a professional journalist and knows what he’s talking about and who he’s writing about. That’s why his stuff is good. He gets off his couch and goes to games, goes to practices, goes on the road. He, you know, WORKS FOR A LIVING!!!!
Here’s the biggest difference between hacks and losers like Simmons, and real journalists. If Simmons rips some athlete, coach or GM, he can do it from the safety of his home. If a real reporter, like Adrian Dater, rips somebody, then he’s gotta go down there the next day and face said player/coach/GM. You gotta have balls to work in this business. I’ve been in enough locker rooms where I’ve seen coaches or players or GMs go after writers.
I’m sure no one’s going after Bill Simmons, or any other blogger, because they’re a bunch of nose-picking dorks typing with one hand only.
It’s easy to rip sports reporters. It’s another to jump into our shoes and do our job. Fuck-o’s like you make it that much harder.
Sorry to rant, but narrow-minded pencil dicks like this guy Jeff piss me off.
June 21st, 2007 at 12:47 am
Wow Adam, relax man. I’m not sure how I made it “that much harder” for guys like you to do your job, but if a random blog comment makes your job harder then maybe you should pick a different occupation. I have NO doubt that Simmons could be replaced by a high-school writer, but the truth is that a lot of people read, and like, Simmons, regardless of his talent. I think the bias in your comment can be addressed by one line, “I don’t read Simmons.” If you don’t read him, how can you claim that he shits on journalism, ESPECIALLY when he’s NOT A JOURNALIST?
June 21st, 2007 at 1:04 am
PS Glad to see that there is some class and integrity within the beat writer’s community: “you’re a total and complete @!*&^-ing buffoon,” “they’re a bunch of nose-picking dorks typing with one hand only,” “Fuck-o’s like you,” “narrow-minded pencil dicks.” Very classy, you write your articles like that?
June 21st, 2007 at 1:10 am
I enjoy reading Simmon’s columns. They are pretty entertaining.
I remember reading an article in his archives where he addresses how readers are going to hate him/get tired of him because of the endless stories about his friends, all things Boston, stale 90210 jokes etc.
I don’t understand why everyone gets upset when that is what he writes about. He warned us and what you read is what you get.
June 21st, 2007 at 1:24 am
Adam.
Get over yourself. You’re a jock sniffing, angry, low paid douche mad at the world because you are covering highschool sports in Sioux Falls, Idaho or some shit.
Wow. How challenging to ask athletes questions. Write down what they say. Then report it back. What balls it takes to step in the locker room and ask questions. Do they issue kevlar with your pad and pencil?
Get over your profession. Quit your job and see if anyone notices. If they don’t send the next available breathing corpse they find out wearing your shoes.
1 out of every 250 beat writers is cared about by anyone but their mother.
Get a grip.
Your jealousy of Simmons has paralyzed your vision.
June 21st, 2007 at 1:25 am
Adam.
Get over yourself. You’re a jock sniffing, angry, low paid douche mad at the world because you are covering highschool sports in Sioux Falls, Idaho or some shit.
Wow. How challenging to ask athletes questions. Write down what they say. Then report it back. What balls it takes to step in the locker room and ask questions. Do they issue kevlar with your pad and pencil?
Get over your profession. Quit your job and see if anyone notices. If they don’t send the next available breathing corpse they find out there, wearing your shoes.
1 out of every 250 beat writers is cared about by anyone but their mother.
Get a grip.
Your jealousy of Simmons has paralyzed your vision.
June 21st, 2007 at 1:47 am
One thing y’all are missing when you say Simmons “isn’t a journalist” — the master’s in print journalism he earned at Boston U.
If he’d, you know, actually been paying attention through his college daze, he would have learned that even columnists should abide by SOME ethical standards.
But hey, he’s funny, so who cares if he gets s^#&! wrong?
Right?
June 21st, 2007 at 1:52 am
I admit it. I’d kill for Bill Simmons’ job. I even admit that I read his columns (the ones that don’t have to do with Boston or his Vegas obsession).
But he’s still quickly becoming a hack, good for only a few good jokes per column. He’s the quintesential Monday Morning Quarterback who talks about all of the things he would do IF he were running a team or playing quarterback. But he’s not running a team. And no team would ever ask him to do that, because he really doesn’t have much of a clue of what he’s talking about.
For example… for the 57th time today, he slurped Kevin Durant’s sack and tacitly ripped Greg Oden. He did that all season long and even wrote a column before the National Title game about all of the excuses people have been making for the perceived absence of a dominant game. He even predicted that there would be more excuses after the game. Then Oden goes out and dominates the Florida frontline, and Simmons comes back the next day and crowns him the #1 pick. But, two months later, he’s back caressing Durant’s balls and calling Oden just another big center with a ceiling.
It’s becoming typical of a columnist that can’t admit when he’s wrong because of his bias towards teams or players he doesn’t like. (See Peyton Manning). But he’ll continue to hold himself high as someone that could succeed as a GM, while at the same time never recognizing that his foot remains lodged in his mouth.
June 21st, 2007 at 3:03 am
TBL-
A few days ago you said you’d make up for last week. I didn’t believe you; I was wrong. Great job today!
Just a thought, but isn’t Adrian Dater’s column similar to Dan Hawkins’ “THIS IS BIG 12 FOOTBALL!” rant? What’s in the water in Colorado?
June 21st, 2007 at 4:09 am
“He isnt making himself out to be some great-grinder journalist or something. He is pointing out that the fat cats in Bristol dont do ANY of the work knowing there is no competition for ESPN, all they have to do is wait for someone else to break the story on-line perhaps, radio interview, etc, and they look like the ones breaking it cause they snap up the story and slap it on the ticker within minutes. All he is saying is that ESPN is taking credit for everyone else’s work.”
Actually he is doing exactly that. As far as what ESPN does…we all know what they do. Are they really trying to take credit for everybody elses work? If so, they’re doing a piss poor job of it, because we all know that there is little or no investigative journalism going on at the WWL. This dude just set up a weak straw man, and you can go bash it with him all you want…but here’s a clue, we all know what ESPN is and what they do, and we don’t care. This article is nothing more than envy and an attempt to make himself fill a little better about the utter meaninglessness of his job.
June 21st, 2007 at 4:55 am
Wow Adrian Dater, you are reporting what is going on in the inside world of the Colorado Avalanche and their locker room! You deserve all the respect in the world for tackling such a tough assignment, sir. The world is a better place from your accomplishments, that’s for damn sure. Those people like Mort and Olney are big-time jerks, who report and actually provide analysis to thousands upon thousands of people who obviously want it and are seeking it. And Simmons, (I think) the most widely-read sports columnist on the internet, is obviously out of his realm, and regardless of comparing his readership to what you could ever wish to accomplish in your work, you are in fact much more righteous and important to journalists worldwide. Not a whiny bitch looking for self-promotinon at all, you’re definitely not.
June 21st, 2007 at 5:18 am
hey, i’m not taking a side here, but i thought it was important to point out that a columnist is a journalist. simmons is a journalist. journalist encompasses all writing for a newspaper, magazine, web site, or heck, even a blog. even if you keep a journal you’re technically a journalist. you don’t have to be on a beat or in a foxhole in a war zone to be considered a journalist. journalist is a very broad term.
June 21st, 2007 at 5:58 am
lozo,
The saddest part about your comment is that you had to type it up anyway. The fact people can’t understand that a columnist is a subgroup within journalism is ridiculous (as is the fact I’m writing this).
I love your work lozo, keep it coming.
June 21st, 2007 at 12:02 pm
blah, blah, blah…..know I am late on this, but damn this dude is speaking on a tired subject. Everyone already knows what ESPN is. Everyone already tunes in when they want to get what they want. Everyone turns the shit off when they get tired of hearing it. ESPN is probably thrilled this guy is talking about them. Any PR is good PR for a joint as big as ESPN.
Love the posts on Simmons being a columnists and not a journalist, huge difference between the two. I read Simmons for his opinion, not for breaking news or in depth/on point stats.
Could we have a day that we don’t have to read a post about ESPN though……that would be nice.
June 21st, 2007 at 12:06 pm
adam
you guys are so tough and have so much balls to talk shit about teams and the athletes than go into the locker room the next day. I mean it takes so much balls to talk shit about overpaid gms, managers, and athletes. Then you go in the locker room and get cursed out. You must be fearful everyday.
Our Soilders, Police Officers, Firefighters, and Boarder Patrol Agents should take lessons from you “journalists”, right?
Get over yourselve a monkey can do your job and he does his name is Bill Simmons.
June 21st, 2007 at 12:20 pm
“Love the posts on Simmons being a columnists and not a journalist, huge difference between the two. I read Simmons for his opinion, not for breaking news or in depth/on point stats.”
And it’s his opinions that are becoming the joke. Seriously, when the guy does a bit on how many 3 or 4 team trades he can come up with for Kobe Bryant (all of which aren’t feasible), then your opinions lose credibility. When you continue to poke fun at Peyton Manning, regardless of what he accomplishes on the field, you lose credibility. When you whine and cry about the NBA just because your team (Celtics) sucks, then you lose credibility. When you bitch and moan about the Yankees, but your team (Red Sox) does the same shit, you lose credibility. When you bail on the NHL because your team (Bruins) sucks, you lose credibility.
The only redeeming value in Simmons’ columns are the pop-culture references and analogies that he makes with the sports world. His opinions are worthless. It’s his comedic ability that keeps the readers coming back.
June 21st, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Bill Simmons is a trained monkey.
Most entertainers are…it’s a fact of life.
Dance monkey, dance.
June 21st, 2007 at 1:07 pm
I just love that he calls it “the art called journalism”. Yes, writing games stories about the Av’s 5-2 victory over the Thrashers on a Wednesday night is truly an art.
June 21st, 2007 at 2:49 pm
I seriously doubt that anyone beyond the realm of sports that we currently occupy knows that ESPN is garbage. Have you never heard of the guy that wants to catch his highlights to keep up on sports? Granted, we all know the guy that watches his sports in an hour of sportscenter really isnt that big of a sports fan, but regardless, the bullshit that ESPN feeds these people is really irritating. Have you ever sat through a strongly worded conversation about sports with someone that gets their only info from SC. They think they are right cause they got it from SC, and even worse, they take on the WWL’s “personalities” when arguing their incorrect point.
The only thing I dont get is why it would be soooo damn important for ESPN to make false reports? Im sure they are aware they do it constantly, but why? ITs sports. The business of sports is ruining the games.
June 21st, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Jeff, here’s how people like Simmons, who blog from their wordly lofts on the world, make my job harder as a real reporter. Too many times I have seen some blogger let loose with some rumor/innuendo that I have to run down to make sure is not complete BS. And since this blogger never has to do that work – he/she just sits on high – that’s what makes it difficult.
I don’t read Simmons. Actually, that’s not true. I made through half of one of his essays once, thought it was stupid, inane and boring, and never went back. My problem with him in particular is that I – probably naively – thing ESPN is the CNN of sports, or at least it should be, because a long time ago that’s what it was. And the fact that this whatever-he-is, Simmons, is front and center on their web site while being completely talentless, clueless and unaccountable for whatever he posts, really angers me.
That’s what shits on reporting.
June 21st, 2007 at 4:00 pm
I’m a little late to this party, but as someone with a journalism degree whose writing career was somewhat inspired by Simmons’ success, I think it’s important to note that a good/successful journalist is one who does work that highlights his best skills. Someone who is better at and more interested in digging up leads, making contacts and breaking stories is clearly better-suited to being a beat reporter. Someone who is better at stylistic writing that interests and draws strong opinions from a large number of readers is obviously best used as a columnist.
The world of sports journalism needs both of these types of journalists, and the recognition and compensation that one may get over the other is generated by market forces. Whether or not anybody thinks Simmons “deserves” the recognition or salary he gets is as irrelevant as whether you think sports teams charge too much for tickets. Nobody is forcing you to consume either product.
The sheer volume and intensity of Simmons is baffling to me, even after I had to deal with this on a much smaller level (but enough so to get my phone number unlisted) on my old website. I guess the bottom line is that almost nobody would bother to hate Simmons if he wasn’t the most widely read columnist in North America.
The problem isn’t with him, it’s with the tastes of the public. As is often the case, the hatred is misdirected. Don’t hate celebrity tabloids for overwhelming us with vapid Paris Hilton coverage. Hate the public for continuing to consume it. Another way to put it… don’t hate the player, hate the game.
June 21st, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Whoops, the first sentence in the third paragraph should read, “The sheer volume and intensity of hatred towards Simmons is baffling to me”. Needed to correct that since it changes the whole point of the post.
June 21st, 2007 at 4:07 pm
I find it deeply ironic that the thousands of sports blog that were inspired into creation by ESPN in general and writers like the sports guy in particular, love to rip the two entities. Yes ESPN is getting annoying, and yes the Sports Guy is cliche, but without them sports bloggers wouldn’t exist. You all aspire to have the influence they do. That’s why you work so hard to post every day…. In the words of Nathan R. Jessup, “I’d rather you just thank me, and went on your way.”
June 21st, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Hey Adam, maybe you are chasing the wrong stories around buddy, seeing as none of us appreciate any of the stories that ESPN is ‘blowing’ for you anyways. Maybe take on a new perspective, ignore what the other media outlets are reporting on, and do some investigative reporting on something SIGNIFICANT, to leave a lasting impression as said above reporter indicated. Honestly, does anyone care about Sammy Sosa’s 600th homerun? the popular opinion was already layed out that no one cared at 6 this morning. Why even bother telling everyone then? Want to know what I would like to hear about? I want someone to speculate on why all of a sudden, the infield ’shift’ for players like Papi and Thome has become this big fad all of a sudden. Someone break down why the Spurs are so uninteresting and the finals suffered so badly even with its top star on the opposing end. Someone talk about how the business aspect of pro sports has destroyed the small franchises of yesteryear. Talk about how longstanding organizations, and in some cases founding teams like i dunno, the blackhawks in chicago have been crushed by a horrible, suffocating owner that has choked the hockey spirit out of the 3 largest market in america. or how bout the mismanagement of the Oriols, a once proud franchise that Cal Jr. himself would not claim to be affiliated with anymore bc of, i dunno, their propensity for signing guys that just got on or came off the juice. Oakland used to be a respectable football franchise, but ive yet to hear one remark about heralded number one pick Russell being able to turn the fortunes around, despite his immense talent. so why not talk about how Al Davis should step down. that would be a PRODUCTIVE STORYLINE. ask the hard questions, dont just do the hard legwork to confirm some bullshit lead that none of us cared about to begin with. the bullshit stories are eaten up and spit out in the blogosphere. espn is too dumb and cocky to realize it, which is why such arguments take place regularly, criticizing the WWL. Everyone is tired of the sports ‘Schtick” that everyone is trying to perfect. really, sports were best relegated to half drunk debates between friends at a family function where the men are all trying to avoid the women. honestly, that is where ESPN is stepping, and that is the problem. too far they have gone. Get back to the sports. get back to the wrongs in the sports. if the players are doing wrong in their lives, they arent long for the sport to begin with then, and therefore arent worth the effort of reporting on.
June 21st, 2007 at 7:46 pm
My imitation of ESPN.
Michelle Wie, Danica Patrick
Michelle Wie, Danica Patrick
Michelle Wie, Danica Patrick
Michelle Wie, Danica Patrick
Michelle Wie, Danica Patrick
Michelle Wie, Danica Patrick
Michelle Wie, Danica Patrick
Michelle Wie, Danica Patrick
Michelle Wie, Danica Patrick
Michelle Wie, Danica Patrick
Michelle Wie, Danica Patrick
June 21st, 2007 at 9:43 pm
Why shouldn’t I criticize Bill Simmons? Just because you’re popular doesn’t mean you’re any good. Shit, the Backstreet Boys practically lived at the top of the charts for 5 straight years. Dare I say that Simmons is nothing more than a glorified pop artist with no talent.
June 21st, 2007 at 10:03 pm
I actually like reading Simmons’ columns about Vegas and actually was hoping for a J-bug or Hench reference and didn’t get one.
June 21st, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Does someone here know what kind of agreement the AP has with ESPN?
Since the rise of the internet, it has been easier for regional papers to have a national audience. I’d be pretty ticked if I broke a story that went online at 6:30 was suddenly a story broken by ESPN News Services and Andy Katz at 7:00. (What, does Andy call someone and verify? Does that get him the byline?)
June 22nd, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Cry me a frikkin river….
ESPN is like Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart doesn’t make or create any of its products. Everyone b*****s and moans about how it is killing mom and pop stores, which is probaly true, but still EVERYONE SHOPS THERE.
We don’t care how we get our products or information, as long as it’s as convenient and cheap as possible.
Like it has been said multiple times if you don’t like don’t watch it or read it. Wait till 10:58pm to catch the 30 seconds of highlights on your local news broadcast. That’ll show em!
June 22nd, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Wow, this level of rage could really be channelled into something that actually matters.
June 22nd, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Saying people hate Simmons because they are jealous of him is pure apologist bullshit. I used to like Simmons’s columns very much, when he was kind of the only guy on the scene. But over the last five years or so he has suffered from a) repeating the same themes (Hoosiers, ‘86 Celtics, Vegas, etc etc etc etc etc), from b) becoming arrogant about New England sports supremacy, when part of his charm early on was raging against the arrogance of Yankees fans … he truly is one of them now, pulling his “count the rings” assholish retorts, c) his writing, which is just not that great. It’s competent, it’s sometimes entertaining, but it is purely pedestrian. For someone to say that Simmons is some great wordsmith is just laughable.
Oh, and d) thinking for some reason that any one of us gives a shit about his personal life, like being a dad and hanging with his buds and watching the draft with his dad. Sentimentality has really gotten the best of him.
June 22nd, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Well, this is nice and all, but did anyone ever tell Dater that Werder was a very successful newspaper guy before going to ESPN, Nichols and Stein worked for some paper called the Washington Post and Mort won the George Polk Award? I’ll give him the Simmons rant — that guy sucks — but the stuff the others do is more of a product of what ESPN producers and the stupid viewers want.
June 22nd, 2007 at 9:11 pm
Someone posted this above, and I can’t let it slide…
“Yes ESPN is getting annoying, and yes the Sports Guy is cliche, but without them sports bloggers wouldn’t exist.”
Um, I’m pretty sure that sports blogging would exist without the World Wide Lemur. Since, you know, people blog about stuff that interest them, and lots of people are interested about sports.
However, it needs to be said that no one would point out the obvious in a comments thread if it wasn’t for me. I *totally* invented that.
June 22nd, 2007 at 9:14 pm
You know why this strikes a chord? Coz it’s true. It’s like that Vanilla Coke (or whatever type of Coke) commercial where a guy tries to sue real Coke for copyright infringement when….his product is made by the same people. ESPN has such an iron grip on sports publicization (I wouldn’t really call much of what they call “News” except for the 30 min. segments which I enjoy on ESPNEWS-I get all the facts I need there) that it just has no sense of promoting anything other than itself, basically, at this point.
June 22nd, 2007 at 9:43 pm
Do you think the people who claim that Simmons is a great writer simply because he has a huge following also insist that McDonald’s makes better food than a five-star steakhouse because more people eat Big Macs?
June 23rd, 2007 at 2:44 am
Which one of the above Simmons apologists above do you think is actually Simmons himself?
Creepy motherfucker he is.
June 25th, 2007 at 5:48 am
It read like silly, immature and petty jealousy to me. The funniest part was something mentioned above – that this guy thinks because he asks Posada about screwing up that means he is a serious journalist writing important things. Uh, up wake up, asking a guy about the 3-2 pitch ain’t exactly discovering where Osama Bin Laden is hiding out. Nothing connected to sports is that important. If this guy wants to do serious work and change the world what the hell is he doing in sports writing for a rag that is in bed with ESPN in the first place? Isn’t that Paige’s paper?
June 26th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
So, my buddy J-Bug showed me this post, and I just wanted to stop in and say that this guy is just mad that he doesn’t have Tom Brady or Dice-K.
July 3rd, 2007 at 2:40 pm
I think people are highly underestimating the job that sports reporters like Adrian do. He spends a majority of his time concerned with what is going on in the sports sphere, especially the Avs, the team he has been covering since their arrival in Denver. He is constantly on the phone with coaches and players trying to break stories, whether it be a retirement or a trade. Much of the joy of his job comes from these breaks that he works so hard to attain. Now people are saying that he is just jealous and would take a job with ESPN any day. He is not that kind of guy, let me tell you (or let his rant about make-up tell you for me). He is a sports fan; sports are his passion and always have been. He doesn’t want to be famous for being some on-air personality. He is a journalist, plain and simple. And he’s a bad-ass one at that. What Adrian is trying to get across is that, when posed with the question whether he would rather have his job or a fancy one at ESPN, he would definitely keep his job. He wants to be at the games. He wants to be building relationships with players. He wants to be an honest reporter. He wants to write honest stories. This is what he went to college to become. He does not want to be sitting in a studio, having his hair and make-up done, talking about stories that real journalists already broke.
Anyways, Adrian is my brother so I decided to come to his defense. And just to clear up what some false information that previous posters have stated: he does not need to get laid, he is not a bigger baby than your 9 month old (he’s 6′ 5″ and could probably kick your ass), and he is not simply jealous of the on-air personalities at ESPN.