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LooseCannon

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Gonzalez

Gonzalez

Posted
Posted

...AND LET THE CABLE SPORTS WAR BEGIN!!!

 

ESPN president John Skipper has capped a whirlwind month by snatching Fox Sports’ top digital talent and longtime ESPN nemesis Jason Whitlock, just days before the launch of Fox Sports 1, sources exclusively tell The Big Lead.

This shocking development – Whitlock famously left ESPN in 2006 after an interview with this website - culminates Skipper’s master plan to define ESPN as the Worldwide Leader in original sports thought and intellect, while letting his new challenger, Fox Sports 1, go the “jockularity” route.

Whitlock didn’t return a call or text message seeking comment. [UPDATE: Fox Sports has sent out a press release confirming the move.]

Whitlock’s hiring comes on the heels of ESPN re-hiring political firebrand Keith Olbermann and snagging New York Times statistical wunderkind Nate Silver. This trio, along with Bill Simmons (Grantland), Dan Le Batard (in a play for Latino sports fans, ESPN is building him a massive studio in Miami), radio hosts Colin Cowherd and Scott Van Pelt and NCAA-slayer Jay Bilas, gives ESPN a formidable and unprecedented sports lineup of original thinkers and personalities.

During a CNN appearance on Reliable Sources Sunday, Skipper was clear about what he’s been looking for: “We have long looked for smart talent and unique points of view … we’re on the lookout for people who can make us smarter.”

Skipper, who took over as ESPN president in January 2012, has made it his goal to fix the network’s No. 1 problem: the perception that the lowest-common-denominator debate culture of First Take defined the Worldwide Leader in Sports. Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless will continue to make incessant, annoying noise, but it will be impossible to deny ESPN’s increased intellect push.

That search, according to sources, led Skipper to Whitlock in early August and a clandestine meeting in Los Angeles. The controversial columnist – a fixture on ESPN’s Page 2 and on The Sports Reporters in the early 2000s – has spent the past six years writing columns for Foxsports.com. During that time, he has occasionally taken shots at the network that now employs him. He ripped ESPN for its coverage of the Bernie Fine child-molestation allegations. He slammed Stephen A. Smith and First Take when Smith appeared to drop the N-word on air.

Whitlock’s return to ESPN seems even more odd considering Fox Sports green lit a TV segment featuring him on its new network. Writers and athletes from around the country flew to Los Angeles in July to rehearse the segment, titled “Red, White and Truth.” [Full disclosure: Two writers from The Big Lead staff participated in the rehearsal.]

However, Whitlock’s sports-as-social-commentary style was an odd mix for Fox Sports 1’s new “jockularity” and the Foxsports.com web site has undergone a dramatic overhaul. Last week the site featured a Jen Engel column that claimed Johnny Manziel was the new Rosa Parks. The column appeared to be a rebuttal to a Manziel column Whitlock had written the previous day. Whitlock tweeted around the subject.

While ESPN.com doubles down on journalism by hiring beat writers for every NFL team, FoxSports.com seems to be the latest mainstream media outlet going the aggregation route. It is unclear what the move will be going forward for their columnists, who shortly will be moving more to the TV/radio side.

Whitlock is expected to appear on all ESPN platforms.

http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2013/08/14/jason-whitlock-has-left-fox-sports-to-return-to-espn/

 

I think this thread needs a renaming.

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Kuetsar

Kuetsar

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God bless the Onion:

 

 

 

New ESPN Program To Feature Attractive Blonde Reading Tweets For 30 Minutes
SPORTS NEWS IN BRIEF • Sports • ISSUE 49•33 • Aug 14, 2013
Posted Image

LOS ANGELES—ESPN programming executives announced Wednesday the debut of a new show called The Pulse that will air afternoons on ESPN and evenings on ESPN2 and which will consist of an attractive blonde host reading tweets and Facebook comments to the camera for a half hour. “This new show will tap into the real conversations taking place across social channels and then literally repeat those conversations back to people,” said Jamie Horowitz, vice president of original programming. “We are confident that a beautiful, flaxen-haired young woman flirtatiously reading short, easy-to-digest messages aloud is exactly the kind of innovative programming that the discerning modern sports fan demands.” After several rounds of test marketing, the collected data suggested that The Pulse has the potential to become the most popular program on the entire ESPN family of networks despite frequently veering completely off the topic of sports.

 

The really sad thing is this could actually happen. . .

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Reggie20x6

Reggie20x6

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Posted

...AND LET THE CABLE SPORTS WAR BEGIN!!!

 

ESPN president John Skipper has capped a whirlwind month by snatching Fox Sports’ top digital talent and longtime ESPN nemesis Jason Whitlock, just days before the launch of Fox Sports 1, sources exclusively tell The Big Lead.

.

http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2013/08/14/jason-whitlock-has-left-fox-sports-to-return-to-espn/

 

I think this thread needs a renaming.

 

SHOTS FIRED!

 

FS1 takes the US Open from NBC.

 

ESPN takes a terrible sports writer from Fox.

 

That would be the equivalent of WWF getting Y2J away from WCW, and WCW responds to that by taking Public Enemy from ECW.

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supremebve

supremebve

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I can't live in a world where Skip Bayless, Screamin A Smith, and Jason Whitlock on the same show in any form. Can America add that to his new contract :unsure:

I don't think Whitlock should be lumped in with Skip Bayless and Steven A. Smith.  Don't get me wrong, all three seem to have based their careers off of being as controversial as possible, but unlike the other two, Whitlock usually has a point.  Whether or not you agree with anything Whitlock says or not, if you actually read his writing it is usually thought through to the point that you can tell where he is coming from.  Skip and Sreamin' A. seem to just be arguing for the sake of arguing.

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Kuetsar

Kuetsar

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I can't live in a world where Skip Bayless, Screamin A Smith, and Jason Whitlock on the same show in any form. Can America add that to his new contract :unsure:

I don't think Whitlock should be lumped in with Skip Bayless and Steven A. Smith.  Don't get me wrong, all three seem to have based their careers off of being as controversial as possible, but unlike the other two, Whitlock usually has a point.  Whether or not you agree with anything Whitlock says or not, if you actually read his writing it is usually thought through to the point that you can tell where he is coming from.  Skip and Sreamin' A. seem to just be arguing for the sake of arguing.

 

Put Whitlock on Around the Horn, and have him be be a permanent guest host for PTI, and give him space on Grantland, stat.

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supremebve

supremebve

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I can't live in a world where Skip Bayless, Screamin A Smith, and Jason Whitlock on the same show in any form. Can America add that to his new contract :unsure:

I don't think Whitlock should be lumped in with Skip Bayless and Steven A. Smith.  Don't get me wrong, all three seem to have based their careers off of being as controversial as possible, but unlike the other two, Whitlock usually has a point.  Whether or not you agree with anything Whitlock says or not, if you actually read his writing it is usually thought through to the point that you can tell where he is coming from.  Skip and Sreamin' A. seem to just be arguing for the sake of arguing.

 

Put Whitlock on Around the Horn, and have him be be a permanent guest host for PTI, and give him space on Grantland, stat.

 

Don't forget a podcast, his podcasts are generally really good.  He brings in people that he disagrees with, and actually lets them express their opinions instead of talking over them.  His talent is in his ability to be contrarian without dismissing the accepted opinion as foolish.  I understand he isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I think that this is a great hire. 

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Kuetsar

Kuetsar

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Hugh Douglas out at 4 letter per dead spin. http://go.redirectingat.com/?id=33330X911648&site=deadspin.com&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgo.redirectingat.com%2F%3Fid%3D33330X911648%26site%3Ddeadspin.com%26xs%3D1%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fdeadspin.com%252Fhugh-douglas-fired-by-espn-1123480681%26xguid%3Da0fb9ab51cc86e93d9754e5bb2dfb26b%26xcreo%3D0%26sref%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fdeadspin.com%252F%26pref%3D&xguid=a0fb9ab51cc86e93d9754e5bb2dfb26b&xcreo=0&sref=http%3A%2F%2Fdeadspin.com%2F&pref=

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odessasteps

odessasteps

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Just in time to hire Whitlock.
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sabremike

sabremike

Posted
Posted

 

...AND LET THE CABLE SPORTS WAR BEGIN!!!

 

ESPN president John Skipper has capped a whirlwind month by snatching Fox Sports’ top digital talent and longtime ESPN nemesis Jason Whitlock, just days before the launch of Fox Sports 1, sources exclusively tell The Big Lead.

.

http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2013/08/14/jason-whitlock-has-left-fox-sports-to-return-to-espn/

 

I think this thread needs a renaming.

 

SHOTS FIRED!

 

FS1 takes the US Open from NBC.

 

ESPN takes a terrible sports writer from Fox.

 

That would be the equivalent of WWF getting Y2J away from WCW, and WCW responds to that by taking Public Enemy from ECW.

 

Public Enemy in ECW were fucking awesome, don't dare compare them to a hack like Jason Whitlock!

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muhammedboehm

muhammedboehm

Posted
Posted

...AND LET THE CABLE SPORTS WAR BEGIN!!!

ESPN president John Skipper has capped a whirlwind month by snatching Fox Sports’ top digital talent and longtime ESPN nemesis Jason Whitlock, just days before the launch of Fox Sports 1, sources exclusively tell The Big Lead.

.

http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2013/08/14/jason-whitlock-has-left-fox-sports-to-return-to-espn/

I think this thread needs a renaming.

SHOTS FIRED!

FS1 takes the US Open from NBC.

ESPN takes a terrible sports writer from Fox.

That would be the equivalent of WWF getting Y2J away from WCW, and WCW responds to that by taking Public Enemy from ECW.

Public Enemy in ECW were fucking awesome, don't dare compare them to a hack like Jason Whitlock!
Did they do missle drop kicks?
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Guest The Magnificent 7

Guest The Magnificent 7

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Yeah I don't get the Whitlock hate.  I often disagree with his views on certain subjects, but he is not PC, isn't afraid to poke fun at himself, and has some interesting things to say. 

 

He also hates Mike Lupica more than you or I, and that's saying something. 

 

The enemy of your enemy is your friend here.  I will pay cash money to have him back on the Sports Reporters with Lupica sitting there. 

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Josh Mann

Josh Mann

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Here's every Whitlock column you've ever read: "[The facts] weren't the reason for [event/scandal/loss/] as much as [speculation that is no way concrete evidence of anything, preferably things that involve race/socioeconomics]. Chiefs suck. Omar Little."

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muhammedboehm

muhammedboehm

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Here's every Whitlock column you've ever read: "[The facts] weren't the reason for [event/scandal/loss/] as much as [speculation that is no way concrete evidence of anything, preferably things that involve race/socioeconomics]. Chiefs suck. Omar Little."

Don't forget that any team would be better at QB if they just have Jeff Geoerge a shot
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Reggie20x6

Reggie20x6

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FS1 is poor!

 

Without leverage, Fox was faced with a choice: cave or go dark (in half the country, anyway).  They chose to cave.  After reportedly asking for $0.80 per subscriber each month, they took $0.23.  Yes, Fox can renegotiate when contracts end and yes there is value in avoiding a piecemeal launch, but that's a lot of effin' money.  Add it up for 90 million subscribers and that's about $50,000,000 down the tubes each month.  To put it another way: from the time of the Fox Sports launch date to the time of the first live UFC show on Fox Sports 2 (on October 26), Fox will lose more in opportunity cost than WCW lost in its entire existence.

 

Fox could have gotten more than $0.23.  NBCSN, which has executives giving interviews about how they're not even trying to compete at the top level of sports channels, gets $0.31 per subscriber each month.  If Fox would've waited until the satellite and cable providers started feeling the threat of missing college football games in two weeks, they would have almost certainly drawn more than twenty-three cents.  But they didn't.

 

 

http://www.f4wonline.com/more/more-top-stories/118-daily-updates/32677-ben-miller-on-fs-1-launch

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supremebve

supremebve

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FS1 is poor!

 

 

 

Without leverage, Fox was faced with a choice: cave or go dark (in half the country, anyway).  They chose to cave.  After reportedly asking for $0.80 per subscriber each month, they took $0.23.  Yes, Fox can renegotiate when contracts end and yes there is value in avoiding a piecemeal launch, but that's a lot of effin' money.  Add it up for 90 million subscribers and that's about $50,000,000 down the tubes each month.  To put it another way: from the time of the Fox Sports launch date to the time of the first live UFC show on Fox Sports 2 (on October 26), Fox will lose more in opportunity cost than WCW lost in its entire existence.

 

Fox could have gotten more than $0.23.  NBCSN, which has executives giving interviews about how they're not even trying to compete at the top level of sports channels, gets $0.31 per subscriber each month.  If Fox would've waited until the satellite and cable providers started feeling the threat of missing college football games in two weeks, they would have almost certainly drawn more than twenty-three cents.  But they didn't.

 

 

http://www.f4wonline.com/more/more-top-stories/118-daily-updates/32677-ben-miller-on-fs-1-launch

This is why ESPN is #1 and is going to stay #1.  ESPN has the highest subscription fee by more than 50% and they also have Disney money backing them.  They can afford any rights they want, and they have they wrote in the clause of being able to match any offer into their contracts with the NBA(and i wouldn't be surprised if they did this with all of the leagues, because why would the leagues not want the richest network able to pay them.) so they have the market on lockdown.  Why would any sports league pick another network if ESPN wants them?  They will get the most viewers, and the most coverage because ESPN has shown time and time again that they will suck up to any and all of their partners. 

 

Here is a list of the subscription fees that basic cable companies get per subscriber from 2012: 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/141097593.html

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Elsalvajeloco

Elsalvajeloco

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FS1 is poor!

 

 

 

Without leverage, Fox was faced with a choice: cave or go dark (in half the country, anyway).  They chose to cave.  After reportedly asking for $0.80 per subscriber each month, they took $0.23.  Yes, Fox can renegotiate when contracts end and yes there is value in avoiding a piecemeal launch, but that's a lot of effin' money.  Add it up for 90 million subscribers and that's about $50,000,000 down the tubes each month.  To put it another way: from the time of the Fox Sports launch date to the time of the first live UFC show on Fox Sports 2 (on October 26), Fox will lose more in opportunity cost than WCW lost in its entire existence.

 

Fox could have gotten more than $0.23.  NBCSN, which has executives giving interviews about how they're not even trying to compete at the top level of sports channels, gets $0.31 per subscriber each month.  If Fox would've waited until the satellite and cable providers started feeling the threat of missing college football games in two weeks, they would have almost certainly drawn more than twenty-three cents.  But they didn't.

 

 

http://www.f4wonline.com/more/more-top-stories/118-daily-updates/32677-ben-miller-on-fs-1-launch

I agree with Ben Miller on all but the high-end co-main event part. Dana promised the biggest TV card ever, but it's not even in top ten as far their television cards go. Two of the four participants in the main and co-main are coming off brutal highlight reel or one-sided losses. I doubt many people are going to go out of their way to track down FS1 for two virtually irrelevant fights. 

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