Come to Think of It...ESPN are Hypocrites!

Bill Simmons, who writes for what is called Page 2 on ESPN.com, allegedly has a beef with the parent company that he writes for. And with good reason.

For the Eastern Seaboard Programming Network, as it is known for its relentless pursuit of all sports east coast, are a bunch of hypocrites. Simmons wanted to interview presidential candidate Barack Obama to get his thoughts on sports, but the Grand Poobahs in Bristol, CT told him thanks, but no thanks.

The explanation to Simmons was that ESPN does not get involved in politics. They are all sports, all the time.

Which is fine, except it is simply not true.

Who followed the Roger Clemens congressional hearings practically 24x7? ESPN.

Who followed Barry Bonds through every inch of his congressional and Grand Jury missteps?  Yep, that would be ESPN. Again. 

And don't tell me they did it for the sports angle because much of what was discussed had nothing to do with sports. Yet ESPN saw fit to publish it as sports news.

Look, folks, Barack Obama, like him or hate him, is hot. He's news. And I'm sure he has opinions on sports just like every other red blooded American male. And if you wanted to give equal time, let's see what the others think too.

But apparently ESPN doesn't want to know, so they won't let Simmons find out.

And that kind of hypocritical policymaking is a shame. A damn shame, really.

For his part, it has been suggested that Simmons is pushing back by cutting down on his writing in apparent protest of the decision.

Good for him. But for the rest of us writers and even casual sports fans, it is that lack of journalistic consistency that makes us shake our heads in disgust.

But what are we to do? ESPN practically has a monopoly on sports, whether on TV, radio, online or in print. Heck, there are more ESPN channels on TV than there is juicy plump fruit in your bowl of Raisin Bran. There are more references to ESPN in writing than there are idiots in Congress that think Clemens is a hero.

So, we live with it, even if we don't have to like it. Mind you, everyone who is familiar with ESPN.com knows that Page 2 focuses on the outer edges of sports news. Yet Obama, Hillary and McCain are off limits.

Fostered with this new sense of journalistic integrity, I went off to check out what kinds of sports news Page 2 was serving up instead of the dreaded politics. Would it be a heartwarming story of Eight Belles' tragic death? Or perhaps a funny take on the latest SpyGate episode? Not quite.

It was an expose on who Tony Romo's next girlfriend ought to be now that he's apparently done with Jessica Simpson. Now that's some hard-hitting sports journalism for you. Good thing they didn't soften it up with some irrelevant politician's thoughts on sports. Even though that politician may be our next President.

As recent history has shown, ESPN has its policies and it sticks with them at all times. Come to think of it, except when it doesn't want to. In that case, they simply make up new ones. That's life at the Worldwide Leader in Hypocritical Sports.