tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post676892995232796142..comments2023-10-31T06:31:41.395-04:00Comments on Bottom of the Barrel: Jay Mariotti Certainly Isn't Going to Allow Bill Simmons to Leave ESPN Without Taking the Opportunity to Take a Crap All Over HimBengoodfellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-72323891466034190182015-06-16T13:04:33.572-04:002015-06-16T13:04:33.572-04:00Simmons destroyed the commissioner because he didn...<b>Simmons destroyed the commissioner because he didn’t immediately announce a suspension in the Tom Brady deflated-balls scandal, and while it’s fair to wonder why Goodell is waiting, his weekend pause doesn’t warrant a nuclear explosion.</b><br /><br />The last I checked, GODDELL was still commissioner. So how did Simmons destroy the commissioner with his statement? Wow, did Jay forget to fill his over-the-top hyperbole quotient of the month? <br /><br />Slag-Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04675587994618760072noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-45166906960733366702015-06-15T14:59:19.950-04:002015-06-15T14:59:19.950-04:00I'm not sure which made me laugh harder, this:...I'm not sure which made me laugh harder, this:<br /><br />"One of America’s best sportswriters, Bob Kravitz"<br /><br />Or a similar comment made about Reilly further down the page.Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16477280386233433416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-44473282928926557262015-06-15T05:00:08.068-04:002015-06-15T05:00:08.068-04:00This article was such a tire fire it is hard to kn...This article was such a tire fire it is hard to know what is what anymore. <br /><br />I actually didn't mind reading/listening to a lot of Simmons' material. I appreciated his candor and willingness to state his mind; I also found his opinions fun to enjoy in a somewhat juvenile way (for instance his classic "Who says no?" trade proposals when it was fun to imagine but painfully obvious that one or more parties would say no). I also think his writing style is sloppy, his use of pop culture an unending drain, and his self-aggrandizement very shallow. For these reasons he was one of the few writers that Ben covers on this site that I would read both the primary material and review. It was fun to read his piece, enjoy the absurdity, then doubly appreciate Ben's review. Contrast that to Peter King's MMQB which I can't bring myself to read.<br /><br />I know that this doesn't go for everyone, but I don't really care about quotes. I don't really get much enjoyment out of them nor feel they add much context. I do enjoy in-depth, candid interviews or anonymous off the record tid bits but I never care much for the pieces that beat writers frame around some flaccid quotes from the podium. I laughed when Brian Windhorst said he wished kids weren't brought to the podium because he claimed fans were missing out on some important, serious quotes. While I don't really care about the issue of kids at all I always enjoy the consternation of some writers denied their access. Reminds me of the Seahawks playoff run when I feel the media cared a LOT more about Lynch not talking than the fans did.<br /><br />There are too many flaws in this piece to recognize them all, but I feel like his transgender criticism was somewhat unfair. It was definitely a major error on Bill's part but I felt like he owned the mistake and he did run it up the line at ESPN before he published it. Vanderbilt's story is very tragic and it is a terrible shame she took her life, but saying she committed suicide because she was outed isn't exactly true. It was a very unfair thing to happen to her and it no doubt contributed, but she was also likely plagued by the stress of her fabricated professional background (education, job history) which she used to promote her expertise in what she claimed was a revolutionary product. Bill was definitely wrong, and her story is very tragic, I just bring this up because I feel like Jay is somewhat throwing this down on Bill because it helps his point, not that he gives a shit. <br /><br />Also somewhat out of nowhere was the Nate Silver jab. If you don't appreciate stat-minded pieces fine, but ESPN is clearly just trying to fill a niche. I would say the same about the Undefeated, but Whitlock is a crazy person. Great catch that he basically paraphrased Deadspin's coverage (without credit) while slamming them elsewhere. North Westnoreply@blogger.com