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Simmons Continues Seeking Outlet For Columns, Still Taking Shots At ESPN

Bill Simmons yesterday indicated that he "still doesn't know where his column will land," though he did make it known his new HBO TV show "will launch in the spring," according to Emily Jane Fox of VANITY FAIR. Simmons, speaking at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit in S.F., also indicated that he is working on a separate HBO Sports show that will be "available via the company's standalone streaming service, HBO Now." He said, "I still have to figure out where I'm going to write, and how much I'm going to write. The last couple years, I was trying to do too many things. I was able to do them, but when I finally left [ESPN], it took a couple of months to recover from them." Fox noted Simmons yesterday "renewed his criticism" of ESPN, claiming he "'absolutely' believes ESPN avoided overtly criticizing" the NFL. He said, "The way ESPN has covered the NFL for the last year has been really shaky." Referencing coverage of the Ray Rice situation last fall, Simmons said, "You didn't really see it on ESPN. You saw it everywhere else. You start to say, 'Wait a minute, this is their biggest partner. Are they holding back a little?'" Meanwhile, Simmons admitted that Grantland "was not profitable" for ESPN. He said, "It was probably like right around even. This is probably going to sound like sour grapes, but so much of it has to do with the priorities around how you sell stuff, and we were a boutique site" (VANITYFAIR.com, 10/7).

NOT SITTING BACK AND TAKING IT: ESPN on-air talent Bob Ley and John Buccigross hit back at Simmons via Twitter last night over their former colleague’s claim about the net's coverage of the NFL and Goodell. Ley tweeted. “Yes, @BillSimmons entitled to his own opinions, but not his own set of facts. See months of OTL, Don Van Natta reporting.” About 15 minutes later, Buccigross chimed in: “Nothing more pathetic to me than ex ESPNers that chirp. I’ll never do that. They’ve given a scrub like me and people I love a great life." Simmons responded to Ley, “Not disputing OTL’s excellent reporting on Rice and Goodell and you know that. Even had DVN on an all-Goodell pod. ... But ESPN’s one-sided/flawed coverage on DeflateGate was embarrassing. Jenkins/McCann/Wetzel on Goodell vs non-OTL ESPN? C’mon" (John Ourand, Staff Writer).

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