The Ringer Thread: Complain about everything, yet still consume content

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by Truman, May 8, 2015.

  1. Joe_Pesci

    Joe_Pesci lying dog-faced pony soldier
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    I understand that, but do people really need to be reminded that there is an extremely contagious virus spreading through the country via a podcast that's talking about how bad some tall European prospect turned out to be in 2003?
     
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  2. Anison

    Anison Fair and square
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    And even by itself it’s a pretty fucking god awful quote. “This isn’t open mic night” means there aren’t any black people *capable* of hosting or participating in a podcast - nor worthy of being given the opportunity to do so.
     
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  3. chuckmasterflex

    chuckmasterflex Attack and dethrone God
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    A pestilence sweeps the land but Tatum looks good how does Tatum compared to LeBron James I swear he can guard him.
     
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  4. THE REAL GUBBERJK

    THE REAL GUBBERJK original ocean grown
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    WHO GIVES A FUCK YOU BITCH .
    YOU TALK ALOT
    LIKE 4 YEARS WORTH OF NOTHING .
    YOUR SCARED YOU CAN5T STAND SOMEO9NE TO TELL YOU YOUR WRONG AND YOUR JUST A PATHETIC LOSER .
    NOW .
    ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND THEN QUIT BEING RACIAL FUCKBOY .
     
  5. MG2

    MG2 I like to give away joy for free
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    Somewhere, John Skipper is doing lines and laughing his ass off at now boss Bill Simmons getting crushed in media by anonymously sourced employees for his leadership style and decision making.

    It does seem odd that almost everyone involved at Grantland seemed to love it, but The Ringer has had all these public issues where Simmons is the target of these stories. Kind of makes me think Simmons could run the show at Grantland because he had ESPN to blame for all the issues and rally the troops. Now it's just him and he's not really equipped to handle criticism.
     
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  6. Josey Wales

    Josey Wales Well-Known Member
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    Also, the world is different now than 5-6 years ago, wrt people’s patience and the impetus to say something.

    Simmons giving time to his kids and dopey nephew is wholesome nepotism (gag). Awful House getting a pod doesn’t look at all good when you’re getting skewered for a lack of diverse POV on podcasts.
     
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  7. BudKilmer

    BudKilmer Well-Known Member
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    House getting 2 pods on topics he isn’t more knowledgeable on than anyone on this board is hilariously bad management
     
  8. Gallant Knight

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    So bad that he was able to sell his podcast network for a quarter billion

    have been saying this for awhile but these Ringer employees need to be careful because the vast majority of them are expendable/replaceable
     
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  9. BudKilmer

    BudKilmer Well-Known Member
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    I Stan Bill/The Ringer harder than most on this board. I used to go to a computer lab in college to read his draft diaries. I Think he has a unique eye for talent. Lowe, Barnwell, Concepcion, and Kevin Clarke are elite are what they do. There are others in his movie/ pop culture stuff that are awesome but their content Doesn’t interest me. I follow Wesley Morris entirely bc of Grantland.

    joe house and future rehab patient Ben Simmons are not what make his stuff good
     
  10. Gallant Knight

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    I agree but why does it matter? If he wants to give his buddy a podcast that probably costs like $50k a year to produce who gives a f? It’s not like house is in charge of anything or in a position of power. He is talking into a microphone for a few hours a week.

    the lack of minorities in positions of power is a legitimate gripe imo. Giving his kids or friends podcasts would be pretty low on my list of grievances.

    I also know zero people who go to the ringer blog and read anything. At some point most of those people are going to be let go now that Spotify owns them and is going to be looking at their books
     
  11. Celemo

    Celemo tell 'em Steve-Dave
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    I go to their website daily to read longform content when work is slow
     
  12. BudKilmer

    BudKilmer Well-Known Member
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    fair points gallant


    I go periodically but only for nfl and nba articles.
     
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  13. BudKilmer

    BudKilmer Well-Known Member
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    fair points gallant


    I go periodically but only for nfl and nba articles.
     
  14. Anison

    Anison Fair and square
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    It was low on mine too until he defended the lack of black on-air talent by saying “This isn’t open mic night.” Very clearly it is open mic night if you're related to Bill or part of an “in” group of white folks who came over with him from Grantland. And that’s certainly his right as the owner, but don’t tell us black folks simply haven’t met some imaginary lofty standards that Bill clearly don’t use for other (overwhelmingly white) folks.
     
  15. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    (Kang was an OG Grantland guy)


     
  16. Josey Wales

    Josey Wales Well-Known Member
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    Not to mention the core reason for this thread demonstrates a lot of current ringer ppl don’t standards
     
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  17. Josey Wales

    Josey Wales Well-Known Member
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    Lebron is gonna start a media company that does digital journalism and that’ll fix it. Boom.
     
  18. Gallant Knight

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    I haven’t seen any research on this but...

    I’m guessing the available pool of minorities to edit a blog and/or write about random stuff is pretty low just because the pay is shit in that industry. Most people I know who do that sort of stuff are still sucking on their parents tit and get allowance

    and before anyone says well just pay them more, it’s hard to pay someone more when their position doesn’t make the company any money.

    I know people here don’t like barstool, and I don’t really listen to any of their podcasts, but they basically tell their employees that if they want to start a podcast then do it and if it’s successful we will pay you more money.

    I know I’ve already said this but bill getting shit on for the Atlanta podcast being hosted by a white woman when the only reason the podcast existed was because she went to management and asked to do it is hilarious
     
  19. Anison

    Anison Fair and square
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    You keep creating excuses where we’ve already gotten answers; I’m not sure why.

    With respect to pay, the article seems quite clear that black staffers were willing to do it they simply weren’t asked. In fact, and I feel like a broken record here but whatever, Bill’s defense was “This isn’t open mic night” not “I’ve tried and there simply isn’t enough money in the budget.”

    With respect to the Atlanta podcast specifically, I wonder why Bill and Amanda didn’t take a beat to think a show about black culture could use a black co-host as opposed to a rotating list of sometimes black guests. But again, it exhibits what Bill plainly told us that black staffers have a higher standard to get on-air than whites - especially the “in” group of Amanda, Ryan, and Chris.

    And all of that is Bill’s right, but you don’t need made-up defenses for it in the face of what he just told us.
     
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  20. Gallant Knight

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    I think it would be total horseshit to take that Atlanta podcast from the woman who thought it up. And she was obviously sensitive to the race/culture issues and had minority voices on the podcast.

    they gave Micah peters an anime podcast that I’m sure like 12 people listened to.

    Shea Serrano asked for/joked about on Twitter that he wanted a podcast. I think it’s pretty much universally acknowledged that he is terrible on them. Maybe that is what bill meant

    He’s also had a bunch of black podcast hosts who weren’t employees of the ringer. Larry wilmore, jamele hill etc

    I dunno I just feel like this is all very reactive to the focus on black lives matter recently and cancel culture and sometimes people just don’t need to be shit on
     
  21. Josey Wales

    Josey Wales Well-Known Member
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    I just know we all need more Ryen Russillo takes
     
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  22. Anison

    Anison Fair and square
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    Well in the first, adding a co-host (emphasis on *co*) isn’t “taking” anything away from her so let’s dispense with the hyperbole.

    In the second, let’s be honest and not recast this as being about the current social issues. Folks including staff have been critical of Bill about diversity for years. Adding Hill and Lathan recently was in fact a response to that criticism - and that was before the recent social unrest. I give Bill credit for that; he listened.

    All of that said, it’s never going to go over well to make the issue about there not being good-enough talent among current and potential black staffers (“this isn’t open mic night”) when Bill has quite clearly given opportunities to many white people who didn’t have to clear that hurdle.

    No one is saying take Amanda’s podcast away. No one is saying “cancel” the Ringer. So please miss me with that bullshit. Let’s talk about what it means that powerful, well-meaning people in media like Bill unwittingly admit to having different standards for different people based on race.
     
  23. Gallant Knight

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    I guess. And how many minorities have gotten their start in media thanks to him?

    shea Serrano was a middle school teacher who got hit up on twitter about pitching the ringer and now probably makes half a million + a year

    I don’t find the its not open mic night as offensive as you do. Maybe I’m missing something. I also think it’s his prerogative if he wants to hook up his buddies. It’s his company he can do what he wants. If he just did that and they all sucked he would go out of business
     
  24. Gallant Knight

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    We can all agree he is brutal
     
  25. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    this is why most companies have nepotism rules, it destroys company morale and gives fuel to the fire for any grievance anyone has

    i get you, for obvious reasons, like the dynamic where the business owner can act as a dictator but that's not really a good path to go down
     
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  26. Gallant Knight

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    They have nepotism policies when there are multiple shareholders and/or its publicly traded etc etc

    when it’s one dude who took hbos money and it’s all on him he can do what he wants

    And for my firm I’ve hired 11 people, all female, 10 of whom are minorities
     
  27. Anison

    Anison Fair and square
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    I’m not particularly moved by the “let’s pick out the one colored person he helped” trope with respect to Serrano. In fact, I believe in academia it is referred to as the “Model Minority Myth.”

    Look the bottom line is that Bill can make whatever decisions he wants with the network he owns and runs. The lack of inclusion of black talent has been a notable drag on several of Ringer’s podcasts (NFL coverages is a great example; I gave up listening to it)...and it’s no surprise that it’s been a publicly aired criticism much longer than the past month.

    I don’t think Bill’s a racist. I don’t think Bill’s a bad guy. I think he’s got a blind spot - like a lot of people do - for the people around him who look, sound and think like him. They don’t need to jump over the “open mic night” hurdle that he himself stated exists for black folks (and probably whites who aren’t in his orbit to be fair). And really, that’s an issue with media and powerful institutions at large.

    So Bill can make whatever decisions Bill wants with The Ringer (obviously), but going forward that “open mic” comment won’t be lost on many of us. And if you just want to shrug it off, that’s your right too.
     
  28. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    you're a benevolent dictator

    but again, he has what 100+ employees at the ringer now? this all just makes the case for the union stronger, he isn't running some podcast out of a shed like Maron.

    this criticism of his operations goes back to ESPN with many former staffers chiming in, if he doesn't want to take that criticism to heart that's fine but it doesn't mean the critique stops being valid or needing to be raised. the open mic shot is just stupid tone deaf and his decision making is clearly super arbitrary which also leads to room for his boston biases to edge in.
     
  29. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    this isn't unique to bill or the ringer as Kang laid out in his piece

    but criticism and discussions are good, even if it just makes Bill take half a beat before starting a new podcast to think if his random relative is the best person to host it or if he's ignoring someone who could be very successful if given a chance who is on staff already
     
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  30. Gallant Knight

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    [QUOTE="Anison, post: 15624920, member: 2927I don’t think Bill’s a racist. I don’t think Bill’s a bad guy. I think he’s got a blind spot - like a lot of people do - for the people around him who look, sound and think like him. They don’t need to jump over the “open mic night” hurdle that he himself stated exists for black folks (and probably whites who aren’t in his orbit to be fair). And really, that’s an issue with media and powerful institutions at large.[/QUOTE]
    I like this take a lot more than anything else that has been said

    And I could point out a lot more minorities bill has helped out but didn’t want to go down that road as it gets to the point of people being like well I can’t be a racist I know black people!
     
  31. steamengine

    steamengine I don’t want to press one for English!
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    The first part of this are all the negative impcts of private equity and consolidation, which narrows pathways for success for anyone who isn’t the owners nephew.
     
  32. ZeroPointZero

    ZeroPointZero RIP #24
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    someone on the BS subreddit just posted video of Ben Shapiro defending Bill, good god if we ever get that pod
     
  33. Gallant Knight

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    No chance
     
  34. Joe_Pesci

    Joe_Pesci lying dog-faced pony soldier
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    Two of the WOAT voices
     
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  35. poor paul

    poor paul Well-Known Member
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    shea serrano was not a middle school teacher who just got plucked to the Ringer lol. he had recognizable work in multiple newspapers and was in the middle of publishing what would become his first NY Times Best Seller when they asked him to write for Grantland.
     
  36. Fecta23

    Fecta23 Well-Known Member
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    He has 5 podcasts hosted by racial minorities, about to be 6 with Bakari's new one.
     
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  37. Anison

    Anison Fair and square
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    Which is, of course, a much better response than “This isn’t open mic night.”

    And of course, half of those podcasts you cite have come in the past couple months. As I said earlier ITT, good for Bill that he listened and has started doing better; but the “open mic” comment is pretty fucking dismissive and offensive.
     
  38. Fecta23

    Fecta23 Well-Known Member
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    It was a really bad comment.
     
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  39. War Grundle

    War Grundle Nole Mercy
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    Russillo Pod with Producer of John Wick, Sicario and The A-Town was pretty good. Guy had some good insight into Producing movies.
     
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  40. rut row

    rut row Well-Known Member
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    I think this is spot on. Also, if Bill had just said i've been listening and recognized the Ringer needs to do a better job, hence some of the recent hires, things would be much better for him. instead he gave a stupid defensive response.
     
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  41. BudKilmer

    BudKilmer Well-Known Member
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    enjoyed that and am enjoying the HQ trivia pod
     
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  42. War Grundle

    War Grundle Nole Mercy
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    What’s that?
     
  43. Celemo

    Celemo tell 'em Steve-Dave
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    HQ Trivia? Was an online trivia game that was mega popular for a short stretch until people realized that HQ sold your info to fund their prizes
     
  44. War Grundle

    War Grundle Nole Mercy
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    Oh shit. Will check that one out.
     
  45. ashy larry

    ashy larry from ashy to classy
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  46. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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  47. Handcuffed

    Handcuffed A Succulent Chinese Meal
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    i'm sure it will get linked here but i thought the truehoop teardown was pretty dumb.

    i loved reading truehoop when it started and i suppose i'm a henry abbott fan but that expose was just chasing likes and retweets with abbott coming off like a bitter coworker. it doesn't "advance the discourse" and that's what i'd expect from abbott.

    simmons comes off like an entitled twat in it... but he's come off like that in a lot of his published media, anyways.
     
  48. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    this is the piece
     
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  49. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    its obviously a hit piece but its trying to explain why he was so successful while also outlining that same power was what led to him burning bridges everywhere and fostering a toxic workplace
     
  50. LuPoor

    LuPoor Cuddle with the homies watching Stand By Me
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    I'm gonna read that like 8 more times
     
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