It's rare for the week's biggest story in the sports industry to involve the news source itself, but that was the case last week when ESPN announced that it would be cutting ties with around 100 employees ranging from on-air talent to beat writers.
It's no secret that social media such as Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter dominate society and ESPN recognizes that, citing their layoffs as a way to begin their shift. Last week, ESPN President John Skipper told reporters "Our content strategy still needs to go further, faster, and as always must be efficient and nimble."
Now don't get me wrong while ESPN is in no danger of going bankrupt, their finances are no-where near where they need to be. They overpaid for TV rights, and have rubbed people the wrong way with some of their on-air talent.
Which brings me to my next point.
ESPN did not just layoff 100 employees last week, they laid off several employees who had a decade or more of tenure at ESPN. Many of whom are well respected in the sport journalism world.
Look at NFL reporter Ed Werder, Werder had been a correspondent for 17 years. I grew up seeing Ed Werder on television every Sunday morning, I enjoyed his inside pieces.
I don't think you can find a better baseball reporter than Jayson Stark outside of maybe Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci. For years, Stark was my favorite baseball personality at ESPN, his well-rounded knowledge and passion for the game became something that I grew jealous of and have attempted to emulate. I loved his Tuesday Trivia on "Mike and Mike" and enjoyed reading just about story or column he wrote.
How about college basketball writer Andy Katz? Katz had been with ESPN since 2000, and was one of the best in the business.
There were several more who were laid off by ESPN. Many of them which I enjoyed, but to me It's not about who they laid off that speaks to the direction of ESPN, its who they didn't.
Stephen A. Smith is still there, Jamele Hill is too, so is Max Kellerman and Michael Smith. Nothing against these guys, but they are far-cry away from the traditional reporters.
(ESPN laid off baseball reporter Jayson Stark after 17 years with the company)
Don't get me wrong ESPN is not the only network who employs these type of journalists. Many personalities from ESPN's rival FOX that include former ESPN talents Colin Cowherd and Skip Bayless are guilty of the same absurd journalism. I give Cowherd a little bit of a pass because at least he's right a majority of the time.
But look at Skip Bayless' twitter or listen to him on his show "Undisputed", and you'll understand what I'm saying. How can a guy be so critical of once in-a generation type athletes like Aaron Rodgers and Lebron James, yet cherish the ground that guys like Tim Tebow and Tony Romo walk on and it be acceptable?
Former and current ESPN personalities are not the only ones who do this. As I'm typing this out Fox Sports on-air talent Clay Travis finds himself in hot water with social media followers over remarks he made about former UCLA Linebacker Takkarist McKinley bringing a picture of his deceased grandmother on stage with him after he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons.
Travis has received multiple replies on Twitter from imbeciles telling him to "kill himself" as well as many other remarks that could be viewed as threats.
I've read what Travis said, and while I don't think what he was said was meant to be offensive and was probably all in good fun. Chances are Travis probably knew that what he said would some ruffle some feathers. Which is why he did it.
Same reason ESPN flaunts Lavar Ball out on a stage to argue with Stephen A. Smith about stupid stuff.
Same reason Skip Bayless attacks Lebron James on Twitter or the same reason Colin Cowherd does what he does.
Because we pay attention.
American society is fascinated with dysfunction and insanity. It's the same reason the Jerry Springer Show lasted as long as it did. It's also part of the reason that this past Presidential election cycle was as crazy as it was.
If we ignored the Skip Baylesses and Clay Travises of the world, they might in time go away, and maybe it wouldn't make want young sportscasters to want to be like them.
If you truly don't like this type of sports media, then ignore Stephen A. Smith screaming at poor Max Kellerman, shut the television off when Skip Bayless comes on, unfollow them on Twitter.
Educate yourself by reading more stories by guys like Tom Verducci, Peter King, Jeff Passan and Wright Thompson just to name a few. Listen to respected journalists like Buster Olney.
Buy your local Omaha World Herald or Kansas City Star and read the works of guys like Tom Shatel, Sam McKeowon, Rustin Dodd and Sam Mellinger.
Now, I'm by no means saying that journalists should never be critical of an athlete or team, that is part of their job, but not the most important job. Their most important job is to inform the public and give them the story. Not to be a piece of the story.
This is the only way to keep "true" sports journalism alive. If people truly can't stand listening to guys like Cowherd, Stephen A. or Skip, then drown them out, because if you don't, even if you want to. Those guys will just continue on, and when they leave, they will be replaced by personalities that will be clones of them.
Keep this up and someday there might not be anymore personalities like Jayson Stark, Ed Werder, or Andy Katz
It might just a bunch of bafoons blabbing about whatever wild-haired thought or opinion they get in their head.
Is that what we really want?
As a young- sportscaster, I would say no.
And you shouldn't want that either
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