The ESPN Purge

[douggie]

Wow, Andy Katz.

 

[ericd7633]

Dana O'Neil, CL Brown, Eamonn Brennan and now Andy Katz. Great people and writers getting axed.

 

[jontaejones]

Wow. That really sucks. I don't think anybody knows more about college basketball AND he was the only ESPN guy who wasn't totally beer goggles for the ACC.

 

[ericd7633]

Interesting article on how the cuts at ESPN will greatly affect the college basketball coverage:

BOZICH | ESPN.com to College Basketball: Drop Dead

 

[ericd7633]

Interesting tidbit in that article is that ESPN made it's name and built it's rep off of college basketball in the 1980's and now they could care less.

 

[Hitman Hart]

Wow. That really sucks. I don't think anybody knows more about college basketball AND he was the only ESPN guy who wasn't totally beer goggles for the ACC.

When Prosser was at Wake, Andy Katz was definitely totally beer goggles for them.

You could have made the same complaint about the Big East and ESPN until conference realignment.

Its annoying as hell, but it is what it is.

 

[GNG]

Dana O'Neil, CL Brown, Eamonn Brennan and now Andy Katz. Great people and writers getting axed.

Ratings are down at ESPN so they are trying to minimize their losses.

 

[Hitman Hart]

Katz doubled up as both a studio analyst and as a writer. Probably would have been more cost efficient to can Greenberg and keep Katz. Big assumption on my part obviously, since I have no idea what is written into their contracts.

 

[ericd7633]

Ratings are down at ESPN so they are trying to minimize their losses.

I understand fully why they are making cuts. Ratings isn't the biggest reason, but it has hurt with ad revenues. I'm just trying to figure out why they're cutting all these lower paid positions and keeping people like Stephen A Smith? Is it worth 4 mil a year or whatever he's making to bring in 250,000 people on 1st take? My guess would be no, but that's just me. They probably could have kept 20 people and some integrity by doing that, but they chose not too.

 

[ericd7633]

Katz doubled up as both a studio analyst and as a writer. Probably would have been more cost efficient to can Greenberg and keep Katz. Big assumption on my part obviously, since I have no idea what is written into their contracts.

You're probably right though, and I would agree. Greenberg is just another former player/coach talking head who spouts off opinion for relevancy. Honestly, I think ESPN would have been better off by cutting both Greenberg and Jay Will. I know that's probably not a popular opinion, and would hurt Gameday obviously, but those are the two who probably make the most money, and as much as I like the fact that there is a College Gameday for basketball because it's promoting the sport, it just doesn't pull the numbers it does for football, so having high paid guys doing that show just doesn't make sense. And the only other thing they do is halftimes of games and nobody is going to watch because of that. To be the most cost effective, they should have pulled the plug on Gameday, let go of Jay Will and Greenberg, and kept O'Neil and Katz to keep some sort of journalistic integrity at a much cheaper price, and both O'Neil and Katz could be more than comfortable doing tv and radio stuff, because they've done it before.

 

[douggie]

Wow. That really sucks. I don't think anybody knows more about college basketball AND he was the only ESPN guy who wasn't totally beer goggles for the ACC.

Andy Katz has been at ESPN since the late 90's which means he was making some good money. But he was also a great level headed sportswriter. John Skipper(Carolina Grad) should have cut some SEC Football guys/gals to save money instead of college basketball guys. I'm just surprised they let him go. He will get a job at Fox, NBC, ABC, or CBS probably quicker than most.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

But they kept Myron fucking Medcalf?

Lol

 

[ericd7633]

But they kept Myron fucking Medcalf?

Lol

Not only do I not read hit shit, he's an awful interview. He was on one of the ESPN radio shows prior to the tournament and he sounded like a moron.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Not only do I not read hit shit, he's an awful interview. He was on one of the ESPN radio shows prior to the tournament and he sounded like a moron.

And also, while I'm not suggesting Jeff Goodman should have been laid off.

If it's him or Andy I'm keeping Andy everytime. So he must be the cheaper option or something.

 

[Hitman Hart]

And also, while I'm not suggesting Jeff Goodman should have been laid off.

If it's him or Andy I'm keeping Andy everytime. So he must be the cheaper option or something.

LOL, some of Goodman's opinions are hilariously awful. The term "hot take" was probably invented for sports writers like Jeff Goodman. Also, Goodman's obsession with NC State's fan base is beyond unprofessional.

 

[douggie]

 

[The Q]

Dana O'Neil, CL Brown, Eamonn Brennan and now Andy Katz. Great people and writers getting axed.

3 out of 4 of those are true.

O'neil is beyond overrated.

Losing Katz is basically inexcusable.

Him and Jayson Stark are the 2 guys at ESPN who can make a legitimate claim to the best at what they do in the business.

 

[The Q]

WHAT????

How did I miss that.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[ericd7633]

3 out of 4 of those are true.

O'neil is beyond overrated.

Losing Katz is basically inexcusable.

Him and Jayson Stark are the 2 guys at ESPN who can make a legitimate claim to the best at what they do in the business.

I personally liked O'Neil, I think she's very good at what she does. Just a preference, I guess. Katz is a huge loss.

 

[The Q]

I personally liked O'Neil, I think she's very good at what she does. Just a preference, I guess. Katz is a huge loss.

It's probably partially for me cause she always seemed to have an axe to grind with uconn.

But also, quite simply, her shit wasn't nearly as good as the other 3.

Maybe they're just that good and it's all relative to the people surrounding her, but she was clearly the weak link of the group.