The Final Days of ESPN

ESPN headquarters circa 2020

I think I need to take a moment today to talk about the mass exodus that is happening at ESPN right now.

I've been known to bash on ESPN on this site, but that's because they are an incompetent network that hires stupid people. They also act like they are the biggest and best thing since sliced bread. That was true about 25 years ago, but times have changed and ESPN refuses to keep up with that. They have barely changed anything about themselves since the internet has basically taken over the world. The only big difference that I have noticed, yes I still watch, but it's an anger watch, is the new set. They also have people hosting their own versions of "SportsCenter", but it's still pretty much the same. The higher ups at the company are either oblivious, or they just don't care, about the changing culture.

Nowadays, almost everything is done on the internet. I wouldn't be able to write if it weren't for the internet. In fact, a lot of people wouldn't have made it without the internet. But, ESPN doesn't seem to care. I wonder if they think it is a fad, or something that will just disappear. Sorry to break the news, but being the millennial writer and podcaster on this site, the internet is no fad and it will only continue to get bigger and bigger. I can't even fathom what it will be like when my kids are my age.

That's another thing, ESPN refuses to get with the times, what with live streaming now. Hell, if I want to watch a Michigan football, basketball or even a baseball game, I can see it in real time on the BTN2Go app. ESPN claims to have a live stream, but you have to pay for the stream, or they just have the "live" stream that is just some random person writing down what happens on each play, waiting what seems like an hour to write it, and the game is so far behind when they finally give you the info. For example, after my daughter was born, I had to watch a Michigan-Northwestern football game on my phone and I started with the ESPN "live stream". It was incredibly bad. I was getting zero updates. I couldn't find out which team had the ball or what they were doing. My dad asked me how the game was going and I could not give him a proper answer. After dealing with this nonsense for almost a half an hour, my older brother told me to go to the BTN2Go app. I downloaded it, searched the game, found it immediately, and was even able to watch it on my iPhone in a hospital room. Side note, Michigan thumped Northwestern that day. When I finally got to see the game, the first quarter was just about over and they were up 21-0. So, why does a channel, BTN, that has only been around for about 15 years have a better app and better internet capabilities that a company, ESPN, that's been around for 35 plus years? That is absolutely insane.

I think the "talent" at ESPN is starting to realize that the company will not get with the times and they have no chance of advancing any further than they already have. Sure, they fired Bill Simmons after he deservedly crushed Roger Goodell, but I guarantee that, had HBO came in and made an offer before he was let go, he would have left in a heart beat. Simmons outgrew that place, so instead of letting him leave on his own terms, they decided they would save face and fire him. That completely backfired on ESPN. Simmons has throngs of fans, me included, that will follow him to whatever network he goes to. They also decided, after letting Simmons go, it was time to shut down Grantland. Another huge mistake from ESPN. They lost a ton of great writers after doing this. Most of those writers are back with Simmons now. Grantland was huge for ESPN, but they wanted to rid themselves of everything Bill Simmons, and that was idiotic. Simmons and his staff write for the younger generation and, as I've said, we will follow him and his writers anywhere. I'm pumped for his show on HBO, I'm an avid listener of his podcast and I have subscribed to and follow The Ringer, his new site, on Twitter. 

Then, there was the news that Mike Tirico was leaving to go to NBC. This is a huge problem for ESPN. While Mike Tirico may not be the nicest, most pleasant person to be around, he was a crucial member of their staff. He was the co anchor on "Monday Night Football". He called big time college football games. He called NBA games. He was huge in college basketball. I mean, the guy is a jack of all trades. And the people at ESPN just lost him. I was legitimately shocked when I read that he was leaving. I don't know who they will replace him with, but I will bet it will someone who is incredibly under qualified.

Hell, they are even losing "journalist" that are not even mediocre, they are terrible. Last year they lost the racist piece of human garbage, Colin Cowherd. And now, the most moronic, nonsensical, I think I'm right because I'm the loudest, idiot Skip Bayless is leaving to join Cowherd at Fox Sports. This gives me a newfound hatred for Fox Sports, but damn, they can't even keep terrible people over at ESPN. Skip Bayless is a flat out dummy. The guy says some of the dumbest things I've ever heard on TV. Some, wait, everything he says is filled with stupidity and an arrogance that he should never, ever have. He is so dumb and so out of his mind. This is a guy that has said that Tim Tebow is an all time great QB, if you need a reference at how truly moronic he is. But, he too is leaving ESPN. I cannot believe they couldn't keep him on board. I wouldn't be shocked if the equally stupid and equally loud Stephen A Smith is the next to go. Yeah, they let Lou Holtz go, but he is about a million years old, so not a very big deal. Sure, they let Mark May go a year ago, but he is so much better off where he is now. They let Robert Smith go, but he was pretty good on TV and I'm sure he will find a job soon. And, after repeated racial slurs and racially insensitive things he put on the internet, they finally let Curt Schilling go.

Therein lies a huge problem for ESPN. If you bad mouth the NFL, a la Bill Simmons calling out Goodell, you get fired immediately. But, it took Schilling being incredibly racist, homophobic and mysoginistic many times before they actually fired him. Bill Simmons says one bad thing about the NFL, boom, he's gone. But, it's not until Schilling takes the side of the backwards ass people in North Carolina, he agreed with them that transgender people shouldn't be able to use the bathroom with the gender they now identify with, to fire him. Schilling is a horrible excuse for a human being. It's a travesty that it took ESPN that long to fire him. And what a crock from people that claim to be forward thinking.

It's just a matter of time now before everyone leaves ESPN, or they just shut down because they refuse to keep up with the change in the world. ESPN is an inept network and that ineptness will soon catch up to them.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He does not remember the early days of ESPN, but he sure remembers the last days. The network ended in 2006 if he recalls correctly. Ty is on the internet, follow him on twitter @tykulik.

Ty has some gloating to do over the latest "Deflategate" news

The next NFL commissioner?

How does it feel dip shit commentators at ESPN?

How does it feel Colts and Ravens players and owners?

But, most of all, how does it feel Roger Goodell? Tom Brady, once again, beat all of you. I'm not a fan of the Patriots, I do like Tom Brady, but if it was any other player in the league, I'd be just as happy. This is a great day for the players in the NFL, especially the superstars. The fact that this whole thing, having some under inflated footballs, became this big a deal, is an absolute joke. There's much bigger fish for the NFL and its god awful commissioner to fry. Maybe, instead of trying to suspend your biggest star for under inflated footballs, you should deal with the rampant physical abuse, or the drug and alcohol problems, or the steroid use, or your biggest issue of all, your dumbass commissioner.

The commissioner tried and failed(typing those five words made me very happy) to show some "clout" and suspend the NFL's biggest star for one of the dumbest reasons I've ever heard. Who in the hell cares about a team gaining a competitive advantage. Everyone does it in all sports at any level, and if you don't agree with me, you're 1,000 percent wrong. It happens everywhere. The fact that this became such a big issue is asinine. I say again, who cares? The three questions I posed at the beginning are what made me angry in the first place and now makes me extremely happy with today's outcome. First of all, these morons at ESPN who called Tom Brady and the Patriots cheaters for under inflating footballs must feel like real idiots today. That network is full of morons, and the ones who complained about this being a "big" problem and that the Patriots would "get theirs" must be crying a river of tears today. The commentators that complained about this, people like Bill Polian(former Colts owner or GM, I don't remember) or Jerome Bettis, or Colin Cowherd all seem to have an agenda against Brady and the Patriots. In Bettis and Polian's case, I feel like they held the torch to the Patriots feet because the Patriots regularly ended their teams season in the playoffs year after year. I think they felt this "issue" would give them a good excuse of why the Patriots beat them consistently. Spoiler alert, the Patriots were and are a better team with better players and better coaches. They didn't cheat you guys out of victory, they beat you, just like Brady beat you again today off the field. In Colin Cowherd's case, he's just a douchebag that blows smoke up his listeners ass and complains about any and everything just so he can hear his own voice. Cowherd is a terrible, terrible commentator and person. He sucks. As far as things go for the Colts and Ravens, it's the same thing I said for the commentators at ESPN. They tried to finds excuses for why they got beat in the playoffs last year. And, no matter what you say Ravens fans, owners and coaches, you guys said something to the Colts after you blew two 14 point leads to the Patriots in the previous playoff game. The fact of the matter is, the Patriots beat you. No gimmicks, no tricks, they flat out beat you. In the Colts case, you guys lost the AFC Championship game by 38 points. Let me spell that for you, THIRTY EIGHT POINTS! They didn't even throw the ball all that much against you either. They ran and ran and ran the ball some more all the way to the tune of a 45 to 7 victory. They crushed you, and instead of taking the defeat, you looked for excuses. Well, Brady beat you again today. Deal with it.

Which brings me to the person who got crushed the most by the decision today, Satan himself, Roger Goodell. I ask again, how does it feel you asshole? You got crushed by the judge today and you are even more tarnished now than you were before. I didn't think that was possible with how terribly you've handled everything so far, but you trying to suspend Brady, getting the suspension overturned and now, you're trying to appeal the decision. You sir are a MORON. Every decision you make gets dumber and dumber. I hope this whole situation gets your ass fired and we never have to hear from you ever again. Nothing would make me happier than if you got fired and disappeared from the media and just faded into obscurity. The decision made by the judge today shows, that no matter how many owners you are in bed with, trying to suspend someone for something this miniscule is stupid. As I mentioned earlier, you have much, much bigger issues to deal with. That is, if you keep your job after today. You suck Roger Goodell and I'm so happy that you were made to look like a complete idiot today. This is a good day for football players and fans, and I hope this is the first step in getting Roger Goodell's punk ass out of football.

One can only hope.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor and co host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He loves his family, Michigan Football, and seeing Roger Goodell being made to look like an idiot. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.

Ty throws some serious shade at some ESPN talent

With the Colin Cowherd, Jim Harbaugh interview being basically a train wreck today, I'd like to talk about the blowhard, moronic, douche bag, never done anything athletic in their lives ESPN commentators.

I am going to specifically talk about three in particular, the aforementioned Colin Cowherd, Stephen A Smith and Skip Bayless. Colin Cowherd is a straight up douche with no talent at all. The only reason why he is on the air at all is, the fact that he can talk with no one in the studio or on the phone. Basically, he's good at talking to himself. I don't see how that's a talent. To me, that just means that he likes to hear the sound of his own voice, which is pretty egotistical. He thinks he's the smartest guy in the room, but it's pretty easy to be the smartest guy in the room when you're the only one there. He's an asshole that likes to hang up on callers. I mean how much of a dick move is that? A caller may have a different point of view than him or they may point out facts that prove his side wrong and what does he do? Does he talk to them and debate them like a gentleman? Nope, he just hangs up the phone. That's about as low class as you can get. How he still has a job is baffling to me. He's also a racist that, to this day, still attacks John Wall for being a thug because he likes to dance. He brought it up during Wall's rookie season and he still harps on it to this day, regardless of the good things John Wall does. Stuff like giving out free shoes to a bunch of kids in the DC area just to name one. Cowherd is a joke.

Next, Stephen A Smith might be the most sexist, holier than thou commentator on all sports television. As recent as a week ago, ;he said, for all intents and purposes, women are no good at sports and nobody wants to watch them play. How can someone, in this day and age, get away with saying something like this on social media and face no consequences. God forbid you call out people like Roger Goodell(Bill Simmons) or a sponsor like Toyota(Tony Kornheiser), because, if you do that, you will eventually be fired(Simmons) or suspended without pay(Kornheiser). All Stephen A Smith does, while on air, is yell at the camera, because when you're the loudest, you must be the smartest, right? I mean, this guy should have no career on TV or as a writer but, since he made friends with some famous people(i.e. Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony), he gets to be on shows and rant and rave like he's the best sports commentators of all time. He's not even the best person on ESPN let alone all of television. He'd be hard pressed to get a job on local Philadelphia radio(that's where he is from) because he is so awful at his job. I guess, in ESPN's case, it pays to have rich and famous friends. Stephen A Smith is an atrocity to sports TV and, more specifically, the NBA, the sport he primarily covers. He is truly, truly awful at his job.

Last and most certainly least is the biggest dildo of them all, Skip Bayless. This is the idiot who thinks that Tim Tebow is still a serviceable NFL Quarterback. I heard him on a program say that he'd rather have Tebow over Peyton Manning when the Broncos where trying to acquire Manning. He'd rather have TIM TEBOW OVER PEYTON MANNING! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! He also more recently said that the Golden State Warriors aren't true champs because they didn't beat the Cavs at full strength. Never mind the fact that they won 67 games, had the best overall record in the NBA, ran through the brutal Western Conference and beat the Cavs in six games. That's not good enough for Skip Bayless. According to this moron that has never played a competitive game of basketball in his life, the Warriors aren't true champions. And what exactly are you a champion of Mr Bayless? If you said, being the worst, most unlikable piece of garbage person on ESPN, I'd have to agree with you there. But, that's the only "championship" you deserve you human equivalent of a garbage dump. Skip Bayless is by far the worst "talent" that the horrible people at ESPN have kept on the air. He's a walking, talking piece of trash that doesn't deserve anything he gets. Skip Bayless, you SUCK.

The fact that these three guys still have a job at ESPN and Bill Simmons doesn't is terrible. Bill Simmons questioned Roger Goodell, a thing all sports fans should and need to do, and ESPN let him go. That should tell you something about the morons running things over there. They clearly have no eye for talent and only want idiotic blowhards on their TV shows and radio stations.

Get your shit together ESPN.

Ty 

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for Seed Sing. Not everything gets his coveted 37 thumbs up seal of approval. Follow him on twitter @tykulik