ESPN Jettisoning Expensive Talkers….. With broadcasting rights fee soaring thru the roof, ESPN Poobah John Skipper 
(UNC’75) is looking to cut costs. High-priced talk show guys are an easy way to save a few million $$$$$$. Keith Olbermann is the latest to “not be renewed”.
Bill Simmons was ousted last month. Jason Whitlock was demoted. Colin Cowherd is standing on banana peels. Lou Holtz, Mark May….. The gamble Skipper is taking is, IMO, a safe one. Do high-priced provocative talk show hosts “matter” when it comes to all-important markets? In 90% of cases – No, the individual doesn’t “matter”.
I was shocked at the salaries some of these ESPN guys are getting. I figured one or two might be at $1,000,000 with the rest at nice six-figure amounts. Apparently 5-6 of’em are at multi-millions…. and they are the ones being “not renewed”. The market for them after Bristol cannot be too inviting. Most will try to catch on with Sirius or a Chicago/LA/NYC/Dallas-gig.
Taking nothing away from the “talent” required to be a provocative on-air talker….. the woods are full of guys who can do it good enuff to hold a daytime audience composed 97% of beady-eyed, mouth-breathing board monkeys. Every metro-area in America has its Dave Glenns, Adam Golds who can opine vociferously on all things NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA, et al. A guy with a few years under his belt in a mid-major market can gain a national rep on ESPN within a few weeks. …… jump start a faux feud with a few easily pissed-off major college fan bases and let the Twitter threats roll.
The rabid bats who “hate so&so because he dissed my team”…. will quickly learn to hate the new voice just as rabidly and just as absurdly.
The lesson for remaining ESPN on-air talent (Mike&Mike, Stephen A, Skip, et al) to heed is “show-up on time….. be prepared….. don’t get greedy….. don’t piss off any of ESPN’s 40+ VPs or John Skipper”.
Sports Talkers on ESPN are like leggy blonds on FoxNews. There is always an inexhaustible supply of’em lined up around the block. Become either too expensive or a pain in the butt and they “get the hook” ….. “Next”.
FoxSports just cut loose a bunch of their regional people. But NOT Kristin Balboni! These Sports Networks make their $$$$ from ad 
dollars generated by audience for high-interest live events. The “yakkers” are just filler for the 24/7 feed-me-content beast.
The bigger question is how high will the pro leagues go with selling their broadcasting rights. Is there a ceiling to what the networks can/will pay?
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I was right about Holly “Hooters” Sonders at The US Open ….. Holly Sonders “Reassigned” After US Open Fiasco ….
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Wolfpack Now Lead Tar Heels in ……. number of alumni in The NFL with less that ten fingers. NC State now has ONE – CJ Wilson with Tampa Bay. CJ blew off two fingers over the 4th of July. And CJ was not the only NFLer to do so. NYGiants DE Jason Pierre-Paul blew off one finger playing with fireworks…… BUT:
Tar Heels Still Lead Wolfpack in ……. number of Basketball alumni who have “dated” (wink, wink) “a Kardashian”. Khloe who is still sorta married to Lamar Odom is now dating James Hardin – Houston Rocket guy with the beard. In her earlier dating days, Khloe “dated” THE Rashad McCants and more recently Rick Fox. Rick, of course, was once married to Vanessa Williams.
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Florida State had it’s weekly “Thug Footballer Does Something Thuggish” …… yawn, burp….. ssssssssss. ….. Hummus, I wonder if – with FSU and UNC fan bases both “under fire 24/7” for assorted crap…. do UNC and FSU board monkeys feel a kinship…. or hate one another. With fan bases “hate one another” is usually the best bet.
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Speaking of Wolfpack Sports Alumni….. “Russell” is “taking heat” this week. A viral YouTube has him discussing his celibacy vows with current girlfriend – some rapper hottie I’ve never heard of. To no surprise in today’s America, Russell is being “Tebowed” for his “Christian value system”. “Russell” has now reached the level of celebrity that anything he says / does or does not say or does not do “makes headlines”……. Speaking of State QBs and celibacy, I’ll never forget that Philip Rivers married his high school sweetheart his freshman year at State….. BUT their first (of MANY) children was not born until about a year later. I’ve been a PR fan since then.
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Mascot Makes Midgets Mad….. yet another “sign of the times”….. The Little People Of America or some such group is all atwitter about The Fighting Midgets of Freeburg High in Freeburg, Illinois. No word if “The Fighting Midgets” wave a Confederate flag or like Donald Trump or have a Nativity Scene at their school or have “red skins”..
Another bunch o’ squirrels is demanding the demolition of the Jefferson Memorial AND “renaming Washington DC”. Until someone says “STOP…. That’s Enough!” all these foolishness will continue and continue….. but that’s AgentPierce’s problem; not mine.
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No Country For Old Men …… I listened to the book; then watched the movie this week. I knew of the book/movie but had never gotten around to reading/seeing it. Cormac McCarthy’s novel turned into a very very strange Coen Brothers movie….. as most Coen Brothers movies are. From the strange ending, I assume Anton Chigurh is still “out there somewhere”. Brrrrrrr….
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The Latest Brad Thor Thriller – Code Of Conduct is a “good’un”. Brad and his Spec Ops iconoclast hero Scot Harvath are of the late Vince Flynn w/ “Mitch Rapp” genre. If you like either, you will like both….. also Ben Coes w/ “Dewey Andreas”.
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Our Quirky News feature has become a daily staple in many of your lives. If not yours yet….. it should be. Something “quirky” happens daily so we will never run out of “news”. “Albert & Sylvia” holds #1 Most Popular Quirky so far….. but I have a few in the queue that might challenge them.
Also…. up in the Navigation Bar across the top of the Home Page, you will notice BobLee Columns. There you will find a complete list of, DUH! – BobLee Columns with Most Recent at the top. If all those fancy “sliders” are confusing you, just go to BobLee Columns up there at the Top Of The Home Page. It’s a bit slow “loading”. Be patient.
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