Deadspin linked to a story from Portfolio Magazine which hilariously recounts a writer’s interview with ESPN’s Len Pasquarelli regarding ageism. The author wanted to talk to the elder statesman at ESPN about a column he penned about Joe Gibbs being too old to Coach in the NFL, and the ESPN reporter gladly agreed.

Just kidding, he lectured the writer about Journalism bringing his own writing and age into question…..

But it wasn’t until after I told him I’m a blogger that things really started to go downhill.

At that point, Pasquarelli demanded to know how long I’ve been working as a journalist. Eight years, I told him. He said our conversation was off the record, and asked, “Do you know what ‘off the record’ means?” Trying to avoid being baited by his condescension, I repeated that I was sorry for not stating at the very beginning of my call that I wanted to interview him. “I asked you a question,” he interrupted. “Do you or don’t you know what ‘off the record’ means?”

That’s when I said I didn’t think there was any point in continuing our conversation. He said if that was how I felt, that was fine with him. Then he proceeded to lecture me for a while longer on how he feels that reporters ought to identify themselves honestly, but obviously I don’t share his opinion about that, etc.

In conclusion, I would have to say that, at age 57 (or possibly 53; Nexis lists two different birth dates), Len Pasquarelli is, sadly, too old to be covering sports.

And people complain about Beano Cook being too old, sheesh. I think I echo Will Leitch’s sentiment that you should never mention the word “blog” to someone who works at ESPN and furthermore anyone over 50 for that matter (my dad still calls it a Blogue for some reason).

Is Len Pasquarelli Too Old To Cover Sports? (Portfolio)
Len Pasquarelli Has Some Words For Anyone Else Who Dares “Report” (Deadspin)