ESPN's Bill Simmons, "fresh off a three-week suspension for ripping into" NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, "let loose against the 'Mike & Mike Show' hosts on Thursday, calling them 'garbage' for criticizing comments he made about LeBron James a day earlier," according to Jaime Uribarri of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg had "mocked The Sports Guy for suggesting to fellow ESPN radio host Colin Cowherd that James’ early-season struggles with the Cavaliers resemble the ones Albert Pujols went through" when he joined the Angels in '12. Golic said, "It’s one of the most ridiculous statements I’ve heard four games into a season in my life in any sport. That’s what I’ll say about Bill Simmons. So, you know, he grabbed a headline, which is something I know he loves." Simmons "responded with fury on Twitter, blasting the duo’s 'pathetic' attempt to 'pull an interview out of context.'" Simmons tweeted, "What Mike and Mike did today was absolute garbage. I would say I lost respect for that show, but I never had it. ... For an ESPN Radio show to pull an interview out of context from another ESPN Radio show, then play the moral authority card, is disgusting. ... Have the balls to call me to discuss it on the show. Don't pull it out of context just because you need fodder for a segment. Pathetic" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/7). In N.Y., Zach Braziller notes Simmons "had been relatively quiet since serving the three-week suspension." Simmons has "continued to dig at Goodell in his NFL picks columns since his return two weeks ago, and appears that resentment at his employer still exists" (N.Y. POST, 11/7). MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough asked, “What’s going on here with Bill Simmons?” MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski: “Looks like Washington.” Scarborough: “Bill is a little on edge right now, a little unruly” (“Morning Joe,” MSNBC, 11/7).
TRYING TO CLEAR THE AIR: Golic on Thursday night posted on his Twitter account that he spoke with Simmons and "all is good" between the two (TWITTER.com, 11/6). Golic on Friday morning detailed his conversation with Simmons, saying, “In sports, anyone who does shows plays sound bites, and a lot of times (when) you play a lot of sound bites, you don’t listen to the whole interview. Sometimes it happens where there was more said." Golic: "I said I would be upset if I were you again in that situation. But I disagreed basically with the way he handled it and some of the things he said. I spoke my peace there, he spoke his peace and we moved on” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 11/7).
A SIGN OF WHAT'S TO COME? In Boston, Chad Finn writes, "No matter what Bill Simmons does to antagonize ESPN management, and no matter how inconsistent and contradictory management has been when it comes to punishing personnel for various infractions through the years, I've always figured he would remain at the network long-term." The relationship is "so mutually beneficial that any disagreements should be surmountable." For Simmons to be "frustrated with some of his ESPN colleagues is understandable," and Golic "did overreact to the James comment." But for Simmons to "take it to social media so soon after his most recent suspension suggests that any outlet with the cash and cachet to pursue Simmons when his contract is up would be wise to start making inroads now" (BOSTON GLOBE, 11/8).
