I really liked Bill Simmons' column this week about hold-outs. I usually fall in the "screw these whiny millionaires" camp (which I chalk up to Kevin Greene-related PTSD), but Simmons is right that a) the team owners are even whinier and wealthier than any player holding out on a contract, and b) Tom Brady really is getting screwed.
But Deadspin has an interesting twist: is not Simmons the Tom Brady of ESPN.com? They pay Rick frakking Reilly more than they pay Simmons. None of us can say whether Simmons was projecting his own issues here, but this is definitely true:
For years he's been easily the biggest draw among the non-on-air talent, and he's continually brought something new to the table. 30 for 30. The Book of Basketball. His podcasts, which he seems to devote more time to than his columns. And the thing is, ESPN indisputably needs him more than he needs them. He could easily start his own site, with him as the main draw (he flirted with the idea in an interview last fall). Think his readership would suffer? You can't blame the guy for wanting to get paid, especially since he's not even the highest-paid writer at his own company.
I'm still pissed at ESPN over the whole "let's not report on a Super Bowl-winning QB getting sued for rape, because we don't report on civil cases (except when we do)" BS. The only reason I ever begrudgingly visit ESPN.com is to read Bill Simmons.
So I would do a happy dance every day if Simmons ditched the Worldwide Leader for his own site. I can't wait to see what he would be able to write about without his corporate overlords nixing criticism of their various programming. Also: profanity, please.
I completely understand his loyalty to the people who gave him the platform he has now. As we say around here, you dance with the one what brung you. But we've all been in jobs where we've had to decide whether to stay with the company that took a chance on you, working to improve it from within, or leaving for something better.
BillSimmons.com (or whatever) would be must-read material for me every day - probably multiple times per day. And I can't be the only one.
3 comments:
same boat here babe. i wish he'd ditch ESPN so he could call out the people working there i know he's dying to call out. he is literally the only person who writes for them i can read because everyone else is either a level 10 ass-kisser or has their head up their ass.
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