Keith Olbermann out at ESPN...again

[Mackeyser]

Freak all of that.

Compartmentization is a HUGE part of why we never solve any problems in our society, anymore.

All I'm seeing are folks being tribal and when did that ever bring us together as a people or help us solve anything?

If you look for hate, you'll find hate.

If you look for love, you'll find love.

Doesn't mean both don't exist, but at some point we have to flip the script on this dialogue we have because it's so caustic that we're losing our ability to have real communication with one another.

I have plenty to say about why the Costas, Olbermann and Dallas sportscaster Dale Hansen commentaries aren't just tangential to sport, but critical to sport, but maybe I'll make a separate post about that.
And it's not important that everyone agree, but that we understand the need and place for the critique and it's not stuffed in a corner to be ignored.

And agree or disagree about the content of a human being's message, I as a Christian was taught to love my fellow human beings as Christ loved me...didn't see any caveats for "unless some guy says stuff I don't agree with. Then freak him."

I'm pretty sure there's a way to come to that same place of mutual dignity and respect from every religion and atheism from a moral place.

 

[Alan]

RamDino wondering:
Is nothing sacred?

There's this:

 

[Stranger]

Freak all of that.

Compartmentization is a HUGE part of why we never solve any problems in our society, anymore.

All I'm seeing are folks being tribal and when did that ever bring us together as a people or help us solve anything?

If you look for hate, you'll find hate.

If you look for love, you'll find love.

Doesn't mean both don't exist, but at some point we have to flip the script on this dialogue we have because it's so caustic that we're losing our ability to have real communication with one another.

I have plenty to say about why the Costas, Olbermann and Dallas sportscaster Dale Hansen commentaries aren't just tangential to sport, but critical to sport, but maybe I'll make a separate post about that.
And it's not important that everyone agree, but that we understand the need and place for the critique and it's not stuffed in a corner to be ignored.

And agree or disagree about the content of a human being's message, I as a Christian was taught to love my fellow human beings as Christ loved me...didn't see any caveats for "unless some guy says stuff I don't agree with. Then freak him."

I'm pretty sure there's a way to come to that same place of mutual dignity and respect from every religion and atheism from a moral place.

But this is not just about some individual's opinion. This is about a global organization with extremely rich controllers using a front man to present a speech carefully crafted by PR firms, deep market research, and extremely experienced and gifted writers.

 

[Mackeyser]

Olbermann the front man for the rich elite? We can take that to PM, but I can't figure that at all since he rails against their collective interests all the time.

I'm sure I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time...or second... If you ask the wife, she's got the ledger book with a running total...LOL

 

[Stranger]

Olbermann the front man for the rich elite?

Being on national TV is a pretty good indicator

 

[Zaphod]

Bob Costas used his position as a sports commentator to push his own political agenda, if it even was his own. And in a way, Olbermann did the same thing. And who cares about Goodell? He's a puppet for the NFL just like DeMaurice Smith is for the NFLPA, and why don't they get bashed?

Oh, I get it, it's just more hip to stick it to the man ... unless the man is the president or executive director of a players union? Heck, the man could even be a quarterback making 22 million a year, could it not? I get it, there are a lot of assholes in the NFL, and I likely wouldn't befriend many people in the league on a personal level, but I'd rather not hear someone go on about Goodell 24-7 like he's the devil, when he really just serves the whims of the richest and most influential owners.

But beating up on the commissioner is like hearing a commentator fellate over quarterbacks throughout the game. Sure, it annoys me, but I expect it. What Costas did goes beyond that. He used his position to express his (or someone else's ... it did sound well written and rehearsed) one sided view on a political matter to a national audience.

I admit that it bothers me more in that his stated view differs vastly from my own

But I maintain my hatred for Olbermann more just because of his smug douche attitude.

 

[LesBaker]

Being on national TV is a pretty good indicator

LULZ

you're so out of touch I don't even know where to start.

What's next Olbermann has been a "sleeper cell" media guy???

 

[Dieter the Brock]

ESPN please stop trying to make Linda Cohn look like she's sexy - she is in no way sexually attractive no matter how much makeup and hair extensions you give her, no matter how many pageant classes she attends

Wasn't it okay that she was just a broadcaster? Why did you have to brainwash her into her thinking she's hot?

Unwatchable

BEFORE

AFTER

 

[Selassie I]

ESPN please stop trying to make Linda Cohn look like she's sexy - she is in no way sexually attractive no matter how much makeup and hair extensions you give her, no matter how many pageant classes she attends

Wasn't it okay that she was just a broadcaster? Why did you have to brainwash her into her thinking she's hot?

Unwatchable

BEFORE
View attachment 7765

AFTER
View attachment 7767

Ahhhhhhhhhh&hhhh

My eyes are on FIRE !

 

[Mackeyser]

Hey! I met her at the Western Show (it's the West Coast media convention where studios and content providers get together and buy and sell shows. Sounds like a Rodeo, but it's basically a Cable convention) and she was at the ESPN truck with Sugar Shane Mosely and she was very nice.

Plus, she's one of the few sports journos of either gender who actually knows sports and knows what she's doing. Frankly, after The Big Show with Olbermann and Dan Patrick, the best ESPN was with Linda Cohn and Stuart Scott.

I'm totally not surprised they kept trying to glam her up, but having met her, even briefly, I sure didn't get that she was that way.

Jmho.

 

[Prime Time]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/keith-olbermann-espn-part-ways-807458


Keith Olbermann, ESPN to Part Ways Once Again

Keith Olbermann
Wesley Mann
by Marisa Guthrie

The departure follows a point of contention over delivering "commentary" on his ESPN2 program.

The television personality, who rejoined the sports network in August 2013, won't be renewing his deal to anchor his ESPN2 program, a source confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. His deal is complete at the end of July and he is expected to appear on the network until the conclusion of that deal.

Sources say that ESPN management made Olbermann an offer to take his show to the network's headquarters in Bristol or to the Los Angeles facility but was rebuffed. This was a cost-saving measure, with Olbermann's show produced out of the network's Times Square studio.

Not having that show being produced in Times Square will save the network roughly $40 million, say sources.

Olbermann's impending departure follows a THR report on July 1 detailing the anchor's "commentary" in his segments as a point of contention in his contract negotiation with the network.

"Keith is a tremendous talent who has consistently done timely, entertaining and thought-provoking work since returning to ESPN," the network said in a statement. "While the show’s content was distinctive and extremely high quality, we ultimately made a business decision to move in another direction. We wish Keith nothing but the best and trust that his skill and ability will lead him to another promising endeavor.”

More to come.

 

[Merlin]

I actually stopped loading ESPN web page after their design change, and my opinion of the information provided has not been a good one on top of that for some time. Insider is a waste of money, and they continually put more and more stuff on it to try to sell it but it still sucks.

Only programming of theirs I like and watch is Baseball Tonight and NFL games... Baseball Tonight is just outstanding and their NFL coverage is good I have to admit. But that's it, what with the FOX NFL pregame being my preference during football season and Fox Sports West for the Kings and Angels.

So yeah. ESPN can suck it.

 

[Moostache]

Mixing sports with politics and social commentary is never a good idea. Whenever Olbermann, Florio, or Peter King veer off in those areas I tend to stop watching or reading. Just report and comment on sports and leave it at that without using your platform to influence societal changes. People watch sports to get away from that.

I disagree 100%. Sports is integral in all of American life.
It is entertainment, but at the same time it reflects our social realities and yes, it CAN and SHOULD be used as a vehicle to advance changes in social norms.

Jesse Owens - 1936 Olympics - Berlin

John Carlos and Tommy Smith - 1968 Olympics Mexico City

2014 Brooklyn Nets - In support of Eric Garner

And of course, this from the Rams last year:

Athletes do not provide any tangible contribution to the economy beyond their ability to make people want to see them. People who cover sports for a living have a similar issue - they contribute nothing substantive or real to the economy, they help people form and sometimes change opinions about things. The essence of freedom is the ability to speak one's mind without interference from the power structure that may not like what they have to say. Now, once the GOVERNMENT starts banning speech we are all well and truly fucked, because then the right to free speech is gone. But advocating for people to "toe the company line" or "keep politics out of sports" is an insidious step onto the slippery slope that ends with government regulation of what is allowed to be said and what is punishable by imprisonment or worse.

Exercise your own freedom by CHOOSING not to watch, listen, read or click...fine by me...everyone MUST have that right.
But advocate for people to not do or say something because you might find it personally offensive or unnecessary? NO. That is a bridge too far.

 

[LesBaker]

ESPN please stop trying to make Linda Cohn look like she's sexy - she is in no way sexually attractive no matter how much makeup and hair extensions you give her, no matter how many pageant classes she attends

Wasn't it okay that she was just a broadcaster? Why did you have to brainwash her into her thinking she's hot?

Unwatchable

BEFORE
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AFTER
View attachment 7767

I'd hit it.

 

[FRO]

ESPN and Olbermann suck.

 

[LesBaker]

Meh, The Hollywood Reporter isn't exactly boasting great access to anyone in the NFL. This is all supposition, there are no facts, and nobody else was reporting this. I know guys like to beat up on the NFL office and Goodell but there is no smoke or fire here that I can see.

 

[LACHAMP46]

I started really watching sports news because of Olbermann & DP....It was different...Stu Scott locked me in on ESPN, and I'm sure a bunch of journalism majors came from viewing this new style of delivery.....Can't blame him if his platform is so large that people wanna hear what he thinks about Goodell....

 

[kurtfaulk]

Stu Scott locked me in on ESPN,

was that because you spent the whole time working out where he was actually looking at any particular time?

.

 

[12intheBox]

People have opinions - even on subjects that are considered "taboo".

The sports industry is full of people. Players, coaches, reporters - all people. You can't get sports without opinions but you can choose to tolerate even the dumb opinions of others.

 

[MrMotes]

I doubt this applies to Olberman but history often treats these outspoken controversial figures pretty well. Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell come to mind.