ESPN.com editor-in-chief Rob King had this to say about the suspension:

We have internal guidelines designed to inform how we discuss the topic of sports media. These guidelines are important us, because they help maintain the credibility with which ESPN operates.

No one knows the guidelines better than Bill Simmons, and he customarily works within these standards. He also understands, as does everyone else at ESPN, that we regard these guidelines as being equally important when participating in social media.

While it’s unfortunate — and sometimes painful — that not everyone outside of ESPN chooses to play by such rules, we choose to hold ourselves to higher standards. Regardless of the provocation, Bill’s communication regarding WEEI fell short of those standards. So we’ve taken appropriate measures.

OMG. No tweeting for two weeks for calling out some fat scumbags in Boston.. Is Simmons still allowed to use Facebook and text message? I hope he at least gets to keep his Xbox and go to the big dance this weekend.

The Tubes nearly exploded-

The Deadspin Backlash [SB Nation]

AJ Daulerio Is An Asshole [MGoBlog]

Deadspin Embarrasses Itself With ESPN Posts [The Sporting Blog]

Phillies Return to World Series, Robots Taking Over Press Box & What ESPN Axe is Daulerio Grinding at Deadspin? [On The DL]

- but not everybody was putting Deadspin down or sticking up for ESPN.

DEADSPIN IS DOING THE LORD’S WORK [With Leather]

The outrage seems to go in one of two directions. They’re pissed because they feel A.J. and Deadspin crossed a line by delving into the personal lives of ESPN employees, or because those posts will make all sports bloggers look bad. I agree to an extent with the first take but not at all with the second.

I caught Daulerio on IM Thursday to get his thoughts on the kick in the balls he gave to ESPN.

HG: IMO… i thought you guys were trying to pull them in
not quite a publicity stunt
but definitely an act designed to raise awareness

Daulerio: I guess you could see it that way, sure. Did I lash out a little bit and create a spectacle? Yeah. Do I think there’s a larger issue here that’s being overlooked in the arbitrary nature of their policy? I think that’s in play as well.

HG: What was your intent, Nick’s (Denton) too if any?

Daulerio: Cause chaos, make news, create talking points. But that’s not Nick’s. In fact, I think he gets a little spooked by how I handle things sometimes. Probably not, though.

HG: What talking points were you hoping to create? You expect a lawsuit?

Daulerio: I think there are media ethics issues here — what’s the give-and-take between PR rep and reporter/writer/blogger and what happens when they steer you off a story due to some technicality even though there’s a long-standing history of transparency between the two parties. And how flimsy this whole “code of conduct” policy at ESPN actually is.
And, no, I don’t expect a lawsuit. I never expect a lawsuit.

ESPN issued a statement late Thursday:

A.J. says he lashed out, I call it overreacting. Posting the info only because ESPN dogged him on a story makes AJ and Deadspin seem petty. I’m not saying everybody would’ve been on board- because some people just don’t like to hear about guys cheating on their wives, women sleeping their way to the top, and the traveling crews flying in road beef- but more people would’ve been receptive to the posts if they had been rolled out normally instead of vindictively.

As far as making all sports bloggers look bad.. In the same way The Enquirer makes all print media look bad. It doesn’t. What we write and how we handle topics on our sites is what makes us look good or bad. I’m not hinging my credibility on the rest of the blogosphere. If somebody lumps all sports blogs together because of the actions of one sports blog, they’re an idiot. Why would I be mad at Plaschke over something Simers wrote? And if you think this is the worst thing Deadspin has done to damage the image of sports bloggers, you must not remember Waxing Off..

BetEd sign up bonus

Last year I got loose in the ESPN the Magazine ESPY Style Studios and got to interview some of the nominees. Here are some of the people I’ll have a shot at talking to if I go back this year.

BEST MALE ATHLETE
Kobe Bryant, NBA
LeBron James, NBA
Jimmie Johnson, Auto Racing
Michael Phelps, Swimming

BEST FEMALE ATHLETE
Natalie Coughlin, Swimming
Nastia Liukin, Gymnastics
Maya Moore, NCAA Basketball
Candace Parker, WNBA
Serena Williams, Tennis

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, Olympic Beach Volleyball

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE
Shawn Johnson, Olympic Gymnastics
Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

BEST RECORD BREAKING PERFORMANCE
Usain Bolt, Olympic Sprinter
Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers
Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimmer

BEST UPSET
Mine That Bird wins the Kentucky Derby
Oregon State stuns then #1 USC
Tampa Bay Rays win the American League Championship Series
US Soccer shocks Spain in the Confederations Cup semifinals

BEST GAME
Federer vs. Nadal in the 2008 Wimbledon Final
Steelers vs. Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII
Syracuse vs. Connecticut in the Big East Tournament Quarterfinals

BEST MOMENT
Florida’s Tim Tebow’s speech
Helio Castroneves wins the Indy 500
US swim team wins thrilling finish in Olympic relay

BEST PLAY
Ovechkin vs. Rangers
Pacquiao KO’s Hatton
Roethlisberger to Holmes Super Bowl Winning TD
Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree makes game-winning catch vs. Texas

BEST TEAM
Connecticut Women’s Basketball
Los Angeles Lakers
North Carolina Men’s Basketball
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Steelers

Your 2009 ESPY Award Nominees Have Been Announced [Awful Announcing]

The Dallas Cowboys have parted ways with trouble-magnet Adam “Pacman” Jones after an ESPN report on Jones’ involvement in an Atlanta shooting. The allegations stem from a shooting outside of a strip club in 2007, and police say the case remains open even though they’re not investigating the incident anymore.

Jones spoke to the Dallas News’ Cowboys blog about being cut, and the chance of him filing a lawsuit against ESPN.

First Pacman reacted to being released:

Are you surprised?: “Surprised. Yeah, I was surprised. All I can do is keep working hard, keep my nose clean and hope for the best.”

Who told you?: “I got a phone call, just like you. I’m alright, I’m still here in Dallas. I will workout with Prime [Deion Sanders] and go from there.”

Did the fight you got into that caused you to get suspended for six games have anything to do with this?: “I don’t know. I got suspended for a couple of weeks, but I don’t want to talk about it.”

You sound like you’re taking this pretty good?: “If I beat myself up, who will take care of me. Football means a lot to me, but it’s not everything. It’s not like I’m taking it pretty good, I love me some me. I love Dallas. I want to stay here in Dallas.”

Did the fight mess you up?: Did you feel like you let people down? “Nothing to say about all of that. I will keep my head up. I love Dallas and still here in my house [in Prosper, Texas].”

Do you think you will get another shot with another team?: “We’ll see.”

After getting over the surprise of being dropped by the ‘Boys Pacman went into legal mode.

“It will be a lawsuit in a week against ESPN,” Jones said. “That’s stupid. It’s so stupid I have no more comments.”

I don’t know if the story is true or not. The dudes that got shot at in Atlanta might be trying to build on Pacman’s rep for talking to gunmen before shootings, or maybe they caught something through the grapevine. Either way, Pacman Jones has put in his last quarters for the NFL.

You can peep the whole show here, but I’ll tell you up front it doesn’t get much better. If you’ve seen First and Ten before you know Skip usually tries to make the person on the other side of the table look like a jackass. Bayless was either afraid of Weezy F. or in love with him (The Carter 3 is Wayne’s Purple Rain?!?!?!) because he was nothing like the Skip we’re used too.. And Lil Wayne must have been off those alprazolama again because he wasn’t the Wayne I expected either.

Video Courtesy of Sportaphile

ESPN loves rappers. Nelly and LL Cool J have battled Skip Bayless on First and Ten and now Snoop’s on ATH. It can’t be long until we see Kid-n-Play hosting Sportscenter.

Notre Dame sophomore tight end Will Yeatman and freshman center Mike Golic Jr. were two of the 41 people arrested at a South Bend, Indiana home early Sunday on misdemeanor alcohol charges. Yeatman and Golic partied with members of the Notre Dame soccer and lacrosse teams, probably in an attempt to drink away the Irish’s loss to Michigan St.

From FoxSports.com:

Police made the arrests after Notre Dame returned to South Bend following a 23-7 loss Saturday at Michigan State. St. Joseph County Police spokesman Sgt. Bill Redman said police were targeting businesses that reportedly had sold to minors when they received a report about the party.

Those arrested were taken to the St. Joseph County Jail. Neither Yeatman nor Golic, whose father, Mike Golic, co-hosts “Mike & Mike in the Morning” remained in the jail Sunday evening.

Damn.. Somebody’s snitching on the Irish. This could mean big trouble for Will Yeatman. He was arrested in January for driving drunk on a campus sidewalk, but was cut some leniency contingent upon Yeatman staying out of trouble for a year. He made it eight months. I hope he receives credit for getting close. As for Golic Jr., you would think his father would have schooled him on staying out of trouble. I’m interested to see how “Mike and Mike in the Morning” cover this story.

A controversy involved Alex Rodriguez and for the first time he didn’t do anything wrong. Doesn’t matter though. Yankees fans will still say it was a meaningless home run, and New Yorkers will continue to hate A-Rod.

Erin Andrews is the most popular female sideline reporter in the history of sports due to her great looks and the number of horny men with an internet connection. The affect she has on guys is incredible. Coaches grab her and athletes get flustered, but it hasn’t inflated her ego.

While Erin Andrews is the undisputed Queen of sideline reporters/sports broadcasters that doesn’t make her the number one pick in the black community. Pam Oliver is the most discussed black female reporter at my barbershop, and Danyelle Sargent was incredible before she met her demise. I’ll leave it up to you though, who is the black equivalent of Erin Andrews?

Pam Oliver- Pam is a staple of the NFL on Fox. She was instantly moved to legendary status when the infamous “Pam in dem jeans” photo surfaced on the ‘net.

Lisa Salters- At 5′2″ Lisa Salters holds the distinction of being the shortest woman to ever play for the Penn State women’s basketball team. Size doesn’t matter.

Stephanie Ready- Probably the most interesting woman in the group. Stephanie is the first woman to coach in a men’s professional league, has worked the sidelines for the Charlotte Bobcats and TNT, and will sell you a house on the side.

Sage Steele- I don’t catch to much of ESPN First Take but I haven’t been seeing Sage Steele lately? Norby, don’t make me come up there.

Reischea Canidate- Reischea is the sleeper in the group. She’s sexy as hell but her talent is being wasted on ESPNNews. More people would be jockin her if she had a higher profile.


Danyelle Sargent- A personal favorite here at YBB. We miss her presence on ESPNNews. How long does a sista have to pay for one SMALL mistake?