Would be curious to see how Ponder's salary compares to Curt Menafee and James Brown at FOX and CBS, respectively.
Could never stand Ley’s and Costas’ schtick of acting like every story they covered was the Camp David Peace Summit. It’s sad when any company cuts people who don’t deserve it, but ffs Bob, have some fucking perspective. There’s tens of millions of Americans out of work right now, many of them who were fighting for scraps even when they had a job; not guys on television cashing in 6 figures or more to jerk themselves off over a home-run derby. What our country “needs the most” is its firefighters, teachers, nurses, bus drivers, sanitation workers, actual reporters, etc... Sports “journalists” aren’t the fourth estate of society.
........ He's saying just when we need good journalism the most, ESPN fired a lot of good journalists....
I think his point is sports journalists aren't necessary. Which if it is his point, then you'd have to agree sports aren't necessary
Do you think just what the country needs right now is courageous journalists willing to put their lives on the line to cover the Jrue Holiday trade rumors and Russell Wilson MVP campaign? These guys ain’t breaking 2021 Watergate, my man.
You're putting a macro point of view on a tweet that was aimed at the sports journalism world...which I cannot figure out why.
Because it was said in a moment when half the country is out of work, about to be evicted from their homes, not able to feed their kids, with no end is sight.
They didn't lay off the people who cover the Jrue Holiday trade rumors or Russell Wilson MVP campaign, so I'm not sure what it is you're going for here.
Yep. It's similar to local newspapers essentially not existing while the salaries of a few cable news hosts could staff entire newsrooms for years. Juggsian research shows Chris Berman makes $5 million a year for fucksake.
Berman is an OG, so hes going to get paid. There's certainly an argument that Ponder, etc (hosts) shouldn't make that much but those shows bring in money. The things they are cutting don't. I'd argue outside of some like Stephen A who is controversial + on everything, a lot of the talent is replaceable and could be done for a fraction of the salary
My point was that Bob Ley has always been a smug, self-important asshole who acts like he’s Edward Murrow. It’s extremely sad that ESPN is laying people off in this economic climate given Disney’s war chest, and maybe I’m tone-policing, but Ley’s comment struck me as less “damn that sucks I feel for those writers,” and more “we are the flickering light of truth shining through the darkness.”
Get rid of experienced money for someone you can pay for entry level money. It’s what my hospital system did this past year...only to totally fuck themselves and have to pay triple for travelers .
Let’s see. In that tweet, he manages to: 1) slam his former employer for lay offs during the worst economic catastrophe any of us has lived through; 2) posited that what “we need most” during said catastrophe, global pandemic, the most polarized election in modern history, and a year that saw nationwide riots, is experienced sports journalists; and, 3) signed off his statement with “enjoy...your NFL football,” as if the actual sports that give the company life and made his career are gum on the bottom of his shoe. I think I understand him just fine.
But seriously, though, I feel bad for people who lose their jobs and wish he could have stayed around in a capacity where I never saw him or heard his voice again at a similar salary.
Time to critically evaluate capitalism. Or like do some tax cuts for rich people and austerity for everyone else.
In the framework of sports media, yes, we absolutely need good sports journalist. But continue incorrectly using my words
Why tf do whoever the fuck “we” are need good sports journalism? Millions upon millions of Americans will now have nothing to read while they sit on the toilet. Aghast.
If you value sports journalism, a subscription to The Athletic probably isn’t a bad place to start. I enjoy mine.
Would be nice if we had more actual journalists asking questions about player safety instead of fanboys. Would've been nice if somebody was poking around basically any Big 10 school before hundreds of children and young athletes were molested and assaulted.
I’m sorry you don’t enjoy reading. But just because you seemingly don’t enjoy good sports journalism doesn’t mean that others don’t, and that most of us lose if there’s a lack of coverage. As Detlef Schrempf mentioned, thankfully the Athletic is around to hold up the rest of the business. Point is, ESPN sacrificed a lot of quality journalists and others for the sake of airing one NFL game a week.
Maybe I'm alone in this but it's sad/pathetic that Louis Riddick as the only analyst on MNF (they should get rid of Griese asap) would be so much better and cheaper than Gruden and Witten/Booger. There's always money for a big name regardless of whether they provide actual good analysis or halfass analysis barely better than you hear watching the game at a bar.