Bill Simmons vs ESPN.com ?

by Steve

Not sure if I am late to the party or not, but as most other avid Bill Simmons readers, I have noticed there aren't very many columns shooting out lately. He has been taken off the front page, of which he was most prominently displayed before any other writer and right under the headlines. Here is a quick back and forth between him and Deadspin that opens some light on the subject.

"Yes, I still work for ESPN. No, I'm not writing for ESPN.com as much — my choice, not theirs. That's just the way it will be from now on, unfortunately. I'd have more to say, but I'd end up being profane and I don't want to offend Buzz Bissinger. I still love writing my column and only re-signed last year because I really did believe that we had hashed out all the behind the scenes bullshit and come to some sort of agreement on creative lines, media criticism rules, the promotion of the column and everything else on ESPN.com. Within a few months, all of those things changed and certain promises were not kept. It's as simple as that."

WHAM! So he would be funnier if his asshole editors didn't kill all of his jokes. If you are a fan of 'the sports guy' then you also have to realize he is funnier than he is putting on. He is never aloud to swear and does seem to be censored or self censoring himself a lot of the time. It is very unfortunate that this is going down especially since he is signed with ESPN until 2010. Yikes.

If you don't follow the Buzz bissinger comment, watch this hilarious video here.

ESPN should go fuck themselves. It is the internet, are little kids who have never seen swear words really reading Simmons' columns? Are they really listening to the BS Report? The corporate whores that they are certainly don't want bad press or one of their most prominent writers bashing players and people in the media now do they. And of course that is what this is all about, creative control, being able to say what ever he wants to say (within reason, racism and shit like that obviously) but I feel the noose is pretty tight on much of what BS would like to write.

Even Bill him self is saying this on his new blog "

This particular one was written right as I was starting to find a groove and my column was starting to resemble what it's like now, only if nobody was killing five of the best jokes or making me re-write them so they weren't as funny"

Maybe, this is actually a good thing that he is writing less for the website and has started up his own blog again. He will have free range and can do whatever he wants there. Now I doubt that is actually true, considering he has an actual contract with ESPN, but either way, this will be interesting as it plays out.

Oh yea, Rick I sold out to ESPN Reilly is starting to write for them soon too.