In all my years reading Bill Simmons (probably 7 or so), I don’t think he’s ever responded, or acknowledged critics (let alone two in the same article). Well, that’s what happened yesterday.
Simmons first responds to Cleveland writer Ron Brown after the journalist put him in the #3 spot of people who have done the most damage to their reps during the Cleveland-Detroit Series. Brown wrote that Simmons called James an “overhyped fraud”, which he never did, and that Simmons then “fawned over James like a 13-year old girl.” Bill easily knocks him down a few pegs with this response….
Sorry, I have to respond to this one. First of all, if Roger can produce anything I’ve ever written that called him LeBron an “overhyped fraud,” I will send him a $200 check to double the salary that the News-Herald is paying him every week. I think he has me confused with Charley Rosen. Second, I love the idea that me “ripping” LeBron gained me national attention … really? From who? Did I happen to be in a coma at the time?
I’m of course with Bill on this one…hasn’t every writer (including those in Cleveland) notes that James loafs through the season, and this HAD to be the Playoffs that he stepped up in? Pretty obvious right???
The thing that strikes me is that Simmons actually took time to respond to a no-name writer in Cleveland. I mean I probably have more credibility than that guy (and that’s not saying much). But even more surprising than that is Simmons’ response to Colin Cowherd after Shrutebag made fun of his Kobe trade scenarios. Here’s the quote…
And if that wasn’t bad enough, Cowherd embarrassed himself by not understanding basic NBA trading principles like “it would be valuable for L.A. to swap Vlad Radmanovic’s contract for Bobby Sura’s expiring contract in a T-Mac/Kobe deal because Sura’s contract expires in 2008, which would buy them some cap space down the road.”
Look, I know the radio business lends itself to hosts lazily skimming other people’s columns and blogs (FYI- AA added the link) … but seriously, Colin, in the words of Mark Jackson, you’re better than that. Your show’s on for three hours a day and you get four giant commercial breaks per hour. That leaves you plenty of time to research your segments so you don’t come off as misinformed. No offense.
DAGGER! That is just a wicked response. It’s nice to know that his “peers” think of him in the same regard that us Bloggers do.
I like this side of you Bill. You’ve got a new 4-year contract, and you’re the Captain of a sinking ship. It’s time to start your “airing of greivances” and I’m all for it. But can you do one thing for me….tell the Page 2 editors to change the name of your section. You don’t write a Blog you write a Column. It reeks of Page 2 trying to be hip when they change the name.
P.S.- I’m going to unfortunately listen to Shrutebag’s show today to see if there’s a response. Hey, us journalists have to do stuff we don’t like sometime(s). I’m doing it so you don’t have to (WOW! AA took Six Silver Bullets for me!!!)
Housecleaning time: Clips, links and e-mail (Page 2: Simmons’ Blog)
ESPN’s Anthony: Spurs over Cavs (The News Herald)
(P.S.- Thanks to Larry Burns for posting this in the comments and alerting me to the feud)
Update: Here’s Cowherd’s response.
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