OT - ESPN Layoffs | Page 3 | The Boneyard

OT - ESPN Layoffs

LStudfellow said:
I should have separated my two reasons better for you Andre.

With that having been said, I have never thought she was a good reporter, or interesting or knowledgeable enough to keep my attention... and that was how I felt well before I was paying attention to her consistent bias against us, I did not think she was a good reporter. Do a quick search on past threads on this and the football forums... there are multiple threads that call Dana out for her biased articles - not isolated to one by any means. And I am by far not the first person to point it out.

Here are multiple examples of stories she wrote and a tweet just a few weeks ago. that show her blatant lack of thoroughness or understanding on a story involving us. She decides what her opinion is and her investigation ends... even if she shows an obvious ignorance of the entire situation:

1. Reaction to her biased story (conveniently leaving out the retroactive part of the ban, as so many others who lined up against us but left out key aspects of the case because it weakened her argurment) denegrating us during our appeal of our APR ban - Dana O'Neil read Pat Forde's column and thought to herself 'I can do worse than that'

2. This thread relates to her over-the-top belittling of our move of the football program to FBS and subsequent participation in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl. I'm sorry, but a legitimately good reporter does not say snarky, immature things like "Then there's UConn. The Huskies built a football stadium on the side of I-84, won enough games to get to the Fiesta Bowl in 2010 and then attracted approximately 11 people to Arizona for the game." What's Dana O'Neil's problem?

3. Her Twitter comparison of this year's National Championship game and ours from 6 years ago. I realize our game against Butler was very ragged (particularly in the first half) but she picks that championship game out? There are more than a few others to choose from, but she randomly picks our game.


This was just a quick, initial search... I can come up with more if you like.
Expand ...


Was she wrong? I mean, if I wasn't a UConn fan, I'd turn that game off. One of the least watchable basketball games I've ever endured.
 
LStudfellow said:
I should have separated my two reasons better for you Andre.

With that having been said, I have never thought she was a good reporter, or interesting or knowledgeable enough to keep my attention... and that was how I felt well before I was paying attention to her consistent bias against us, I did not think she was a good reporter. Do a quick search on past threads on this and the football forums... there are multiple threads that call Dana out for her biased articles - not isolated to one by any means. And I am by far not the first person to point it out.

Here are multiple examples of stories she wrote and a tweet just a few weeks ago. that show her blatant lack of thoroughness or understanding on a story involving us. She decides what her opinion is and her investigation ends... even if she shows an obvious ignorance of the entire situation:

1. Reaction to her biased story (conveniently leaving out the retroactive part of the ban, as so many others who lined up against us but left out key aspects of the case because it weakened her argurment) denegrating us during our appeal of our APR ban - Dana O'Neil read Pat Forde's column and thought to herself 'I can do worse than that'

2. This thread relates to her over-the-top belittling of our move of the football program to FBS and subsequent participation in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl. I'm sorry, but a legitimately good reporter does not say snarky, immature things like "Then there's UConn. The Huskies built a football stadium on the side of I-84, won enough games to get to the Fiesta Bowl in 2010 and then attracted approximately 11 people to Arizona for the game." What's Dana O'Neil's problem?

3. Her Twitter comparison of this year's National Championship game and ours from 6 years ago. I realize our game against Butler was very ragged (particularly in the first half) but she picks that championship game out? There are more than a few others to choose from, but she randomly picks our game.


This was just a quick, initial search... I can come up with more if you like.
Expand ...

That UConn,Butler NCG is widely considered one of the worst. Awesome for us, but a far reach to think she's purposely taking a shot at us.
 
Dove said:
There used to be a game show where contestants competed for a job at ESPN. The show ended with Stump the Stump or something.

Did any winner become somebody?
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The first winner, Mike Hall, I believe is now the Host for Big Ten Live Show as well as lot of pre and post games for College Basketball amongst some other things.

He's actually pretty good too.
 
Trent Dilfer out, he's actually very good but does take a lot of his thoughts away from Steve Young.
 
UConnStats said:
First Take has to be one of my least favorite shows I've ever seen. To each their own, though. It definitely gets views.
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Silly show, to fabricate opinions just so people can watch an argument is one of the most embarrassing shows shown on television.

For the people who don't realize that this is going on, WAKE UP.
 
.-.
EBonz30 said:
Trent Dilfer out, he's actually very good but does take a lot of his thoughts away from Steve Young.
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Young needs to be out after that Bloomberg expose.

aceboon said:
Damn, just seen that Ethan Sherwood Strauss got the axe, he's done a very good job reporting on the Warriors the past few years during their rise.
Expand ...

This surprised me even though he is a no name. I just hadn't considered the possibility. Very good at his job. ESPN has had good NBA coverage recently.
 
HawkHusky said:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love Len. Randomly met him at a bar in Manhattan about 10 years ago. Had a casual conversation for well over an hour. Great commentator....even greater person. :(
Expand ...
Good guy, but a legitimately terrible color commentator.

from a January game this year:

Matrim55 said:
Purvis finally shoots an open 3-pointer -- his first of the night -- and that idiot Elmore says "Purvis is settling right now, he has the ability to get into the lane, get high percentage shots and get to the line. But that 3-pointer looks so good to him right now so he takes too many of them."

Kill me.
Expand ...
 
Last edited:
LStudfellow said:
I should have separated my two reasons better for you Andre.

With that having been said, I have never thought she was a good reporter, or interesting or knowledgeable enough to keep my attention... and that was how I felt well before I was paying attention to her consistent bias against us, I did not think she was a good reporter. Do a quick search on past threads on this and the football forums... there are multiple threads that call Dana out for her biased articles - not isolated to one by any means. And I am by far not the first person to point it out.

Here are multiple examples of stories she wrote and a tweet just a few weeks ago. that show her blatant lack of thoroughness or understanding on a story involving us. She decides what her opinion is and her investigation ends... even if she shows an obvious ignorance of the entire situation:

1. Reaction to her biased story (conveniently leaving out the retroactive part of the ban, as so many others who lined up against us but left out key aspects of the case because it weakened her argurment) denegrating us during our appeal of our APR ban - Dana O'Neil read Pat Forde's column and thought to herself 'I can do worse than that'

2. This thread relates to her over-the-top belittling of our move of the football program to FBS and subsequent participation in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl. I'm sorry, but a legitimately good reporter does not say snarky, immature things like "Then there's UConn. The Huskies built a football stadium on the side of I-84, won enough games to get to the Fiesta Bowl in 2010 and then attracted approximately 11 people to Arizona for the game." What's Dana O'Neil's problem?

3. Her Twitter comparison of this year's National Championship game and ours from 6 years ago. I realize our game against Butler was very ragged (particularly in the first half) but she picks that championship game out? There are more than a few others to choose from, but she randomly picks our game.


This was just a quick, initial search... I can come up with more if you like.
Expand ...

Dude like everyone in America compared this years title game to UConn - Butler.
 
walker11 said:
Russillo is literally the only person I like on ESPN. Kanell sucked but I do feel bad for him.
Expand ...

This was a huge lie now that I think about it. I really hope that's a Zach Lowe is spared even though I know he will put out great content wherever he is. All the hacks bias my view but there are many very talented writers there.
 
walker11 said:
Young needs to be out after that Bloomberg expose.



This surprised me even though he is a no name. I just hadn't considered the possibility. Very good at his job. ESPN has had good NBA coverage recently.
Expand ...

I'm seeing several more NBA team specific writers also out like Daryl Watkins w/ the Rockets and Justin Verrier w/ the Pelicans(I think he's a UConn grad as well), sucks because most of ESPN guys covering one team do a pretty good job.
 
.-.
aceboon said:
I'm seeing several more NBA team specific writers also out like Daryl Watkins w/ the Rockets and Justin Verrier w/ the Pelicans(I think he's a UConn grad as well), sucks because most of ESPN guys covering one team do a pretty good job.
Expand ...

Shocked if Tim McMahon doesn't get canned as well. I also think he is a hack even though probably a good guy.

Chris Herring is another one that would hurt a lot.
 
After all these firings, I'm wondering how much of a raise they payed the his and hers hosts for their move to sportscenter?

There are so many terrible former player analysts, surprised not to see many of them let go.
 
Matrim55 said:
Good guy, but a legitimately terrible color commentator.

from a January game this year:
Expand ...

See when I heard Elmore got the axe he was one I was actually affected by, and then I realized that often times this year during games he called I found myself shouting "NO you moron, that's clearly not a good foul call" or something along those lines at the TV while Elmore went on and on about something he was wrong about.

Maybe those wrong takes finally caught up with him, I'd also imagine he comes with a hefty price tag having been there for so long. I'm assuming he frequently called our games because he had to be one of the older guys and traveling in state to a UConn home game is something he would do.
 
They could have televised this like a bizzaro draft where the talent sweats it out or like the bachelor for a rose, since all these ESPN people love the bachelor.

Most of these people will be better off without ESPN and get back to real writing and reporting. Those guys have all the fun vol 2 coming soon.
 
.-.
Kind of ironic that the company that touts itself internally as a technology company is going to get gelded by that very same technology.

Iger just got extended until 2019 and I'm betting on top of his agenda is "fixing" ESPN and that is likely to mean doing something with the leadership at ESPN. Talk about hot seats - John Skipper - welcome to the sauna.
 
JSM1970 said:
Jemelle Hill, Sarah Spain and Kate Fagan should be canned, brutal
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No idea how they stay but actual talents like Jayson Stark and Len Elmore and a few others who were quite good get let go.

How cheap most those 3 be to last when their talent level isn't on the same planet as many of those axed today?
 
There's just so many other ways to absorb content and view highlights these days. ESPN pivoted and became more "trendy" and "gossipy" but ultimately victims of cord cutting, leagues taking control of its own content, technology, and disney owners.
 
Fishy said:
O'Neil never impressed me.

ESPN is falling off a cliff. They're losing six-figure subscriptions a month and ratings are tumbling.

Which is, of course, perfect timing for UConn. The conference realignment money fire hose is now off and the American will walk into a buzz saw the next time the contract is negotiated.
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It is unfortunate for the American, but if UConn can get back some of it's media rights, they will see improved revenues. I continue to believe that if UConn was able to negotiate it's own media deal, revenues would be substantially higher than they are today, even being in the AAC.

ESPN's distribution business model is falling off a cliff, not consumers' interest in live sports. ESPN can't continue to increase price and their subscriber base is falling so they have to cut costs. The dilemma for ESPN is if they lose attractive content, their value proposition will diminish. ESPN is in a financial bind which will allow competitors and new entrants to grab attractive media rights from ESPN. Who thought we would see NFL games on Twitter and Amazon? Prices will go up for attractive rights and go down for unattractive rights.
 
I really hate to see anyone lose their job - my heart goes out to those who did
BUT ESPN has turned into a real crap show - they get all those tax cuts and perks that the idiot Malloy gave them and they crap on UConn more than any other program in the country
A part of me wants them to fail but then that would mean more lost jobs - not a good thing
 
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So ESPN went the way of being of the culture notice how no one who was of the culture was laid off. The culture is two things; be a bold personality in the major sports. As a minority millennial I have no idea how older people who are white watch ESPN, I can appreciate not everyone cares what Lil Wayne has to say about football.
 
If ESPN were smart they'd get rid of every single football and basketball sideline reporter. They'd save a ton of money and, in fact, I'm not sure anyone would notice or care. Then again, maybe the coaches walking to the locker rooms at halftime might miss the idiotic, insipid questions and, I have to admit, the first thousand times that I heard one of them say, "We need to cut down on the mistakes and take better care of the ball", it was mildly interesting. But that was years ago.
 
This sounds good for CT...

 
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