Bill Simmons Is a Bum

Business Insider - A week after ESPN president John Skipper announced his decision to not renew Bill Simmons' contract, two primary theories have emerged for why ESPN is letting its most talked-about writer go.

1. Simmons' projects didn't generate enough ad revenue to justify his $5 million salary.

2. The relationship between Simmons and ESPN had been on the rocks for a while, and the last straw was Simmons going on the "Dan Patrick Show" — which isn't an ESPN property — and ripping NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a day before Skipper announced he was out.

Both theories were floated by ESPN biographer James Andrew Miller in Vanity Fair on Wednesday, and they've popped up in pretty much every post about why Simmons is out at ESPN.

The Big Lead's Jason McIntyre reported ESPN would have had to give Simmons "$6+ million" per year in a new deal, which wasn't worth it considering the modest popularity of his two prestigious ventures, Grantland and 30 for 30.

"Simmons is the most powerful member in sports media, an innovator with the most popular podcast in sports, a vanity website, the 'original blogger' who carved out a niche as the Boston Sports Guy and smoothly transitioned to being a creator of the Emmy-award winning 30 for 30 series, but … were any of those ventures generating significant revenue?" he asked.

Bill Simmons grew up in the Motherland (Greater Boston Area). Is a witty writer. He also used to be really good at what he did but he is simply a bum now. He has such a inflated sense of self worth it drives me nuts. The guy was actually more likable and valuable before he started doing any TV. He is that bad on TV mostly because his voice makes you want to punt baby rabbits.

The Guy claims that he is Boston to the core but hasn't lived in Beantown in over a decade. He has lost his fastball which was his prime mailbag days of a tortured and pessimistic sports fan. Now he is just a whiny nerd that thinks he runs the world. Simmons claims he wants to work for an organization that is not corporate while also demanding more than 5 million per year. That last sentence is the definition of an oxymoron. 

I give big time credit to ESPN for cutting his ass. Bill will learn soon learn that ESPN will be just fine without him along with the other majority of pseudo celebrities that have left the network for "greener" pastures.

Hey Bill - If you're so good at what you do you should go independent and start your own site. You would be able to negotiate all ad space and figure out quickly that you're not worth half as much as what ESPN was paying you.

Have fun writing for the next corporate gig that will pay you an inflated salary or a fake independent like deadspin. You suck and you should own up to your true soft personality. LA probably is your best fit after all.

P.S.  30 for 30 Originals are fabulous. Nothing propriety though and ESPN will keep churning likewise material moving forward. 

SoftServeSports Official 30 for 30 Power Rankings…

1. 2 Escobars 2. Once Brothers 3. Unguarded 4. The U 5. 4 days in oct (Homer)

P.P.S. The Two Escobars could be one of the best documentaries ever made. Little known fact is that it was directed and produced by former Ticket Service Reps of the Hometown San Diego Padres. The Zimbalist brothers absolutely hit a grand slam with that documentary. So at least something productive has been generated from a Padres employee this century. Boom Roasted.

P.P.P.S. Can't give Padres props without throwing some shade at them. Not my style.