ESPN has suspended Bill Simmons for 3 weeks after his profanity-laced rant on Goodell

[polamalubeast]

ESPN Statement on Bill Simmons
“Every employee must be accountable to ESPN and those engaged in our editorial operations must also operate within ESPN’s journalistic standards. We have worked hard to ensure that our recent NFL coverage has met that criteria. Bill Simmons did not meet those obligations in a recent podcast, and as a result we have suspended him for three weeks.”


http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2014/09/espn-statement-on-bill-simmons/


Simmons went on his podcast, The B.S. Report, earlier in the week and called Goodell "a liar." He took issue for the way in which the league has handled the Ray Rice affair, via For the Win's Nick Schwartz:

Goodell, if he didn’t know what was on that tape, he’s a liar. I’m just saying it. He is lying. If you put him up on a lie detector test, that guy would fail. For all these people to pretend they didn’t know is such [expletive] [expletive]. It really is, it’s such [expletive] [expletive]. For him to go into that press conference and pretend otherwise—I was so insulted.

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http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2210190-espn-suspends-bill-simmons-for-comments-made-about-roger-goodell?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national

[fansince'76]

He's lucky he didn't get fired. When Goodell says "jump," Disney Channel II says "how high?"

[Psycho Ward 86]

why? give that man a raise

[Godfather]

So criticizing Goofdell is worse than beating your fiancee? One gets three weeks, the other only gets two (at least until the video becomes public.)

[salamander]

I applaud Mr. Simmons.

[zulater]

I can see it from both sides. From ESPN's perspective, the NFL is a business partner as it pertains to MNF as well as several other of their shows. And you don't piss off your business partners if you want to remain in business with them.

Remember the E for entertainment comes before the N for news, so you know the priority is on providing an entertaining product above being a hard core news source.

Also if you're going to call Goodell a liar as strongly as Simmons did, it can't be based on supposition, even when such a thought is supported by as much common sense as it is to believe the league knew more than it did earlier than it claims.

[Devilsdancefloor]

why? give that man a raise
QFT

[silver & black]

I have to agree with Zu on this one.

[venom]

He says what everyone is thinking of - good for him. I am now a Bill Simmons fan !

[SteelerFanInStl]

It's not so much what he said as the way that he said it. Calling out your employer is also never a good idea.

[steelreserve]

If ESPN ran the local news channel, they'd suspend the weatherman every time he said it's raining.

The truth is a bitch; being butthurt about it doesn't change it.

[zulater]

He says what everyone is thinking of - good for him. I am now a Bill Simmons fan !

I have no problem with what Simmons said. But if he was truly a man of conviction he would tell ESPN to shove it and give his resignation. Chances are there are jobs out there if he quit.

[smokin3000gt]

How dare he speak his mind!

[The Patriot]

I can see it from both sides. From ESPN's perspective, the NFL is a business partner as it pertains to MNF as well as several other of their shows. And you don't piss off your business partners if you want to remain in business with them.

Remember the E for entertainment comes before the N for news, so you know the priority is on providing an entertaining product above being a hard core news source.

Also if you're going to call Goodell a liar as strongly as Simmons did, it can't be based on supposition, even when such a thought is supported by as much common sense as it is to believe the league knew more than it did earlier than it claims.

Why not? They're paid to speculate and voice controversial opinions. They can grill players like Roger Clemens when they're on the hotseat, but when it's the NFL commissioner everyone is supposed to step back and withhold judgment? That's probably the right thing to do, but it's a complete double standard when sportscasters spew controvery about players and coaches all day long.

You're absolutely right though. ESPN is afraid to bite the hand that feeds them.

[zulater]

If Simmons demanded ESPN rescind his suspension or fire him I would stand up and applaud him. But he wont, because just like his masters money is his primary motivator. So in a sense if Simmons remains in their employ is he any better than them? It's not as if he'd have trouble finding future employment.

[Butch]

If Simmons demanded ESPN rescind his suspension or fire him I would stand up and applaud him. But he wont, because just like his masters money is his primary motivator. So in a sense if Simmons remains in their employ is he any better than them? It's not as if he'd have trouble finding future employment.

I have more respect for him than I do Budwiser and the others who are postering but won't pull their Sponsership. Simmons is a very small fish compared to the big corporations who could force the NFL to listen. Problem is nobody is willing to challenge the goose who lays the golden egg and the NFL knows it.

[steelreserve]

I have more respect for him than I do Budwiser and the others who are postering but won't pull their Sponsership. Simmons is a very small fish compared to the big corporations who could force the NFL to listen. Problem is nobody is willing to challenge the goose who lays the golden egg and the NFL knows it.

Well, yeah. Companies are in business for one reason: to make money. Budweiser doesn't care what the NFL does, as long as it's not going to stop people from buying their beer. Issue a statement expressing concern so people know none of this is YOUR fault, and beyond that, a company is not really interested in whether the commissioner gets fired or not. It's a shame, because this is one time when the fans' interests and sponsors' interests and the players' interests and the league's interests all line up perfectly for just one moment, but the owners will never pull the trigger because of the "increased revenue" thing. That's also a shame, because revenue probably would have increased even more had things just been running on autopilot this whole time. At least Goodell's tenure has finally proven that a sports league doesn't actually NEED a commissioner.