It wasn't that long ago, that Jemele Hill was suspended for comparing the Boston Celtics to "Hitler" and "Nuclear War", and now she's back in the news for controversial remarks. During "First Take" yesterday, Hill encouraged Packers' fans to give Brett Favre the "Duracell Treatment", and ESPN has issued a statement regarding her comments. First the video via Bob's Blitz....

ESPN's Statement:


Obviously, this is another failed attempt at humor, but you have to wonder what was going through Hill's mind at the time. You can encourage fans to boo and bring signs, but never ask them to bring objects to throw at players.

Video - ESPNs Hill to Packer Fans: Throw Duracells at Favre (Bob's Blitz)

First Take has been shuffling co-hosts with Skip Bayless, since Stephen A. Smith's contract wasn't renewed by ESPN, and the process has apparently confused Dana Jacobson greatly. Bayless' "opponent" today was College Basketball analyst, Stephen Bardo, and the fact that another person with the same first name as SAS was on the show, cause Jacobson to slip up a bit....

Obviously it's an honest mistake, and she caught her error, but still hilarious. Maybe they should just stick with the two Stews for awhile until the glow of SAS has disappeared from the show. Too funny.

Skip Bayless isn't someone to shy away from controversy, but for the first time in awhile, the ESPN talking was taking to task for one of his ridiculous comments. ESPN 950's, Mike Missanelli, took umbrage with a recent statement Bayless made about Philly fans, and even caused Skip Bayless to hang up on him. Here is the hilarious audio....

To be honest with you, I've been to every stadium in the NFC East except Dallas, and Philly was actually the tamest of the three. Obviously everyone has their own experiences, but there are really drunk people everywhere. Missanelli is right about the way that the media portrays Philly has gotten old, and he was right to call Bayless out.

Oh and "GOOGLE ME!" is my phrase of the day.

ESPN's Skip Bayless (ESPN 950)

The Starting Five scored an interesting interview today with First Take's Skip Bayless, and among the many in depth topics, Bayless relives his time in Dallas. When writing a book on the team, Skip came out (no pun intended) and challenged Troy Aikman's sexuality, and to this day....he's standing by the allegation. Not only that, but he's now even saying that the ex-Cowboys QB was possibly racist.

I also knew I had to go back and live with them because I had no plans on leaving Dallas. I wish I could have written it even harder than I did because I felt like I tip toed through some of it.

I wish I had sledgehammered it because it was the truth and everyone who knew what was going on inside the locker room told me the book was a terrific job and that I nailed it.

Because I did. It’s exactly what happened. All I heard from people around the country who didn’t read the book was, “You outed Troy Aikman?”

I didn’t. The coach definitely thought he was gay and a lot of his teammates thought he was gay. More than that, they thought he was racist and they thought he was trying to get Barry Switzer.

Love him, or hate him, the guy sure knows what he's doing. I personally think that he's one of the many things wrong with Sports Media these days, but you can't argue his intelligence. Whether or not the claims are true or not, it helped him sell books, and eventually land at ESPN. Be sure to check out the rest of the interview that TSF put together, it's definitely worth a read.

The Skip Bayless Interview (The Starting Five)

Ugh. I can't even believe I'm taking the time to post this, but anytime the words "rap" and "Bayless" are in a clip....I'm required by law to show it. Lil Wayne was on First Take today,

Oh snap! Weezy called him "Earnest"!!! Other than that....I have no comment. Good lord....what a way to end the day. I need a nap.

(You can check out a longer version at Drew Reports if you want to, but I have no idea why you would.)

Everyone knows that Skip Bayless is a sensationalist and goes way over-the-top to portray his hatred of all things Terrell Owens, but this display just made me laugh. At the end of First Take, Dana Jacobson passed along the T.O.-Sam Alipour story and gave Skipper the chance to admit that Owens actually did something good. Bayless instead tried to take the angle that anyone would have helped a man hit by a car and even suggested that T.O. knew that it was a reporter that was hurt and in turned helped him because of it....

Irrational hate is one thing but this level of bias is just unhealthy. Not to mention that it has absolutely zero place in reporting (not that ESPN cares). He's just one person who's employment continues to amaze me.

I normally wouldn't even draw attention to his idiocy but this one just made me laugh so much that I had to share. I personally loved the comparison to someone who was in the woods. That's just too rich Skip....toooo rich.

The ESPYs Are Extremely Dangerous, ESPN Writer Hit By Car (Awful Announcing)

Chalk this up with something I never though I'd say, but thank god for Skip Bayless today. First Take decided to replay and discuss Joe Buck's comments this morning and here is Skipper's rather well thought out and spot on response....

See how easy that was Skip? You're honest, you know the topic, and you showed some passion about a Sport you love. All kidding aside, I couldn't have said it better myself and the line about Bud Selig was spot on. You just can't have the figurehead of your Sport bad mouthing it like this.

Hell has officially frozen over. Oh, and I promise never to mention Bayless, Buck and Cowherd in the same day again.

I've known certain athletes that have had issue with Skip Bayless before (Troy Aikman), but you rarely here about active athletes taking issue with the guy. Well that's not the case anymore as Billy Wagner ripped the Skipper on the Michael Kay Show yesterday. Via The Sports Point....

"Everybody wanted to make this out to be so much more than it was. And it really got carried away. I mean it carried into being called a racist and being traded and fined and somebody naming Delgado. I mean that to me is just irresponsible journalism and if you can't, if you can't do your job with fact than why the hell are you doing it."

When asked specifically who he was referring to and who brought racism into the equation, Wagner responded, "SKIP BAYLESS".

Wagner continued, "When things like that get thrown out there, that doesn't hurt Billy Wagner, that hurts Billy Wagner and his four kids and his wife and his foundation and his charities he does and the people around him, and to me that almost gives me the right to say, 'You know what, I don't have to talk to the media anymore if you're going to mistreat me when I'm there every day.' I don't have to be there every day."

Wagner was referring to the following clip in which Skip alleged him to be racist somehow, and hopefully I'll have the audio soon. I really can't believe this doesn't happen with Skipper more often, but I can't seem to find where he calls him a racist.



Billy Wagner Rips Skip Bayless (The Sports Point)

I think I've come to a level headed approach over the past two years working on this site. Very few things "piss me off" anymore and I do a good job of reminding myself that Sports is in the end just a game and not the end of the World (as much as they my encompass my World). Well this my friends....pisses me off.

Dana Jacobson was doing her daily duties as host of First Take and leading Detroit News' Rob Parker and Skip Bayless through their list of topics when they came to the White Sox blowup doll incident. Watch closely as Dana Jacobson steals the show away from an idiotic point from Rob Parker. Listen closely.....

Let me just write that quote out for all of you again....

"If this was something that degraded somebody racially someway or religiously in some way. Would you view this differently?"

Okay, Rob Parker's understanding of the "you are coming into our home" argument aside (come on)....are you f'ing kidding me Dana Jacobson?!?! This statement is coming from someone who went on a vodka fueled religious tirade to get a laugh out of a crowd at a roast. This also isn't the first time that she's done this either. At the end of last month she questioned Tiger Woods about cursing on the golf course.

How can ESPN continue parading these jokers out there again and again and think that people aren't paying attention? Not all of ESPN is filled with them, in fact most of the employees aren't, but it's the precious few that are making the rest of the network look so bad. Hypocrisy should really be a crime, especially in this case. Good lord.

Dana Jacobson (Of All People) Questions Tiger Woods' Use Of Language (Awful Announcing)

Unfortunately for all of you the name of this website is "Awful" Announcing, and you're going to have to be subjected to the awfullest of the bunch today. Here are two of my favorite subjects arguing about something on First Take this morning. Watch closely as Skip Bayless calls out S.A.S. and they completely get derailed from the original topic.....

Riveting television! I love how First Take advertises these Skip and S.A.S. debates like heavyweight fights on the network. I also love how by the end of the segment they're not even talking about what the topic was to begin with. Both get so confused in calling each other out that they forget their original points.

(The "you don't know anybody" part was also hilarious, but I would never give S.A.S. credit for making me laugh. Well at least without parenthesis.)

Who knew that a great center winning the Player of the Year award in College Basketball would cause such great controversy? Of course I'm talking about no other than UNC's Tyler Hansbrough and his umm, caucasianess.

Everything was going along swimmingly in the tournament and all the number one seeds were advancing with ease like they should. That's when Jay Bilas decided to go overboard in praising one player and the flood gates opened up. So much so that he's emailing reporters from the Baltimore Sun and ESPN employees are calling each other out. Where do I even start? Let's go in chronological order....

1) Last Week: Skip Bayless and Rob Parker dismiss Tyler Hansbrough for his whiteness. Let's Go To The Videotape!

Now there's a few problems with this (not Rob Parker calling Eric Montross, Eric Mondross). Yes it's idiotic, but it's borderline racist. And ESPN's LZ Granderson was there to explain....

Could you imagine what would happen if Hollywood released a comedy about football entitled "Black Men Can't Throw"? Rush Limbaugh would be sitting in the theater chuckling with a box of Ho Hos in his lap as movie execs tried to explain to Jesse Jackson and/or Al Sharpton why he/they should not be offended. Yet men and women of both races who are otherwise intelligent not only embrace the notion inherent to "White Men Can't Jump," but it is spoken about as if it's scientific fact.

This is true in the barbershop.

This is true at the local Y.

Apparently it's true on national television as well.

Just last week I watched a pair of journalists dismiss the pro potential of both Tyler Hansbrough and Kevin Love for no other reason than their skin color.....

......If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, racial reconciliation is a two-way street. You can't say Hansbrough won't make a good NBA player because he's white unless you are prepared to also say Oregon's Dennis Dixon won't make a good NFL quarterback because he's black. For every Larry Bird there is a Doug Williams. For every Big Country there is a Stanley Roberts. You'd think we'd figure that out by now, but apparently not.

It almost seems as if ESPN might be pushing the race angle just to get controversy doesn't it LZ? I mean why else would you bring up race when it has nothing to do with anything right (*ahem* Jemele Hill!)? There is a time and place for race discussions but when you force the issue it just comes across as callous and petty. Yes there is a problem, and yes there are biases towards black athletes, but drawing attention to it in this light only makes it worse.

So with that out of the way let's move onto the completely separate issue of Jay Bilas.

2) Jay Bilas goes gah-gah over Hansbrough and Baltimore reporter calls out Bilas and hints at racism.



Via the Baltimore Sun....

Here's some of what Bilas had to say: "He's not supposed to be able to make those [shots from beyond 15 feet]. ... He's willing the ball into the basket. ... His will exceeds his skill, and his skill is considerable. ... Michael Jordan did not out-compete Tyler Hansbrough -- no way."

The problem is hearing the hosannas for Hansbrough with an ear for what has come before. We're back in familiar territory here. The star white player -- no matter how clearly talented -- has somehow elevated himself through the sweat of his brow. The star black player, meanwhile, is doing amazing things on the court because his talent is carrying him.

Here's the thing. Sure Bilas went over the top when praising Hansbrough EVERY SINGLE play, but there's nothing wrong with an announcer marvelling at a player's ability. It happens all the time regardless of race and I've heard Bilas praise numerous players both black and white. It's just the amount of times he did so and at the oddest times that made it stick out to everyone. Here's what Bilas had to say in response to the above statement....

Please accept this in the spirit it is intended. I respect your opinion and judgment, and I would never contact you to question your likes or dislikes regarding broadcasts, broadcasters or the like.

However, I do take exception to your implication that the comments regarding Tyler Hansbrough were racially motivated. If you recall, I compared Hansbrough favorably to the hardest worker and greatest competitor the game has known, Michael Jordan. If you will recall as well, I have praised Curry all season for being a smart player and one that really knows how to play. I have praised countless others for their work ethics.

Reasonable minds can differ on the matters we normally discuss. However, the implication from your point that was directed toward me is offensive and contrary to clear evidence. Such matters require a higher level of discussion, in my judgment, and I believe your blog item regarding me was incorrect and unfair.

Good for Bilas. Broadcasters will always be biased over certain players and teams because that's who they enjoy, played for, or grew up with. Some are obviously worse then others (*ahem* Mike Patrick), but they're human. The fact that Bilas is praising an individual player at UNC when he went to Duke should speak volumes for his credibility if you ask me.

I don't mind race coming up and/or discussing it, but when media members use it to gain attention (when it clearly doesn't need to be brought up) it really really bothers me. No matter if said media member is black, white, or green.

Jay Bilas Responds (Baltimore Sun)
Who says white men can't jump? (Page 2)

I'm warning you ahead of time to just skip this post entirely or you'll lose your mind like I did when this clip aired last night.

So wait....Brett Favre acted like a kid? I'm confused....you know what, screw it...I give up.

(Please don't ever subject us to this again ESPN. I beg of you.)

Our good friend Dana Jacobson is back on First Take today from the studio while everyone else is on vacation in Arizona. With the weather the way it is in Arizona, she's probably better off in the studio though. Jacobson addressed the roast issue briefly and then went right in to the show....

"I want to once again say how truly sorry I am for my poor choices and bad judgment," Jacobson said. "I've taken responsibility for what I did say and do, and realize it was wrong. ... I have already learned a lot."

I think you can take that as an admission of the quotes that have been floating around the interwebs are spot on and that she's ready to be forgiven. On a different note, Donovan McNabb is taking Skip Bayless to task on the show from Arizona and is actually pretty darn good. I'll see if I can get some good video from that matchup, but I'm ready to move past this Jacobson, so you won't be getting a clip of her 4th apology.

ESPN First Take Host Dana Jacobson Returns (Fanhouse)

I really have to be honest with everyone here. I don't think Cold Pizza, er First Take is all that bad of a show. It seems like they've toned Skip Bayless down some and Marcellus Wiley is actually a very good analyst that should get a lot more airtime.

With that said, this morning's episode is absolutely slaying me. If you haven't watched it yet, or for some odd reason TIVO'd the show you have to watch the whole thing. Here's what to watch for.....

- Dana Jacobsen trying to say "Romo made some game changing mistakes" and saying "Romo made some pretty gay.....game changing mistakes."
- Jay Crawford coming back from break calling himself Dana Jacobsen.
- Dana Jacobsen laughing uncontrollably immediately afterwards.
- Skip Bayless saying that Baseball fans vote better than Football fans for the ASG/Pro Bowl because they look at the big picture when selecting "hitters and pitchers" (Fans don't vote for Pitchers)
- Marcellus Wiley talking about the bill you rack up going to the Pro Bowl when taking "family members out of the Country for the first time."

.....and my personal favorite. Sage Steele saying Sean Taylor's posthumous vote into the Pro Bowl was humorous......

That was an unfortunate choice of words there.

I wonder how many people at ESPN HQ spit their coffee out as this little exchange played out....

Wow. I'm surprised Jay Crawford even tried to speak. It wasn't that long ago that he was named in a little lawsuit. Again, I'm not sure if Sage Steele cares or not about the comments, but I personally wouldn't want to be a woman working at the "Leader".

I know this rates low on the supposed pantheon of harassment, but should there even be a pantheon at all?

I only caught this halfway through, but for some reason I was glued to the television. I really thought that Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith together in a room talking Knicks was the first sign of Armageddon (but alas, I am still here).

If you don't want your ears to bleed I urge you to not watch this....

Did S.A.S. actually say that Isiah has an eye for talent, AND bust on Skip Bayless' shirt at the same time? That's a double threat my friend.

I had this sweet Hooters commercial with Dickie V lined up for this morning, but the video was all funked up. So you most likely will see that tomorrow morning.....and it's brilliant.

In the news department it seems like ESPN is sticking with Cold Pizza. As many of you know CP will be moving to Bristol June 1st, and will be taking on a new name. In addition the show will incorporate Mike and Mike in the morning, and bring in some fresh faces.

[Norby] Williamson "wants [‘Cold Pizza’] to be more news program than fluffy morning show” and said that ESPN will “more closely integrate it with its lead-in,” a simulcast of ESPN Radio’s "Mike & Mike in the Morning." Williamson: "We’ve made it more of a first take (on the news). We want to expand that."

So will those fresh faces finally rid of us Skip Bayless? Ummm....unfortunately no.

"Similar to 'The Sports Reporters,' ESPN will build a rotating team of four or five commentators to go head-to-head with” commentator Skip Bayless.

So if anyone has a new name for the program....I'd love to hear it!

Hold the Cheese (USA Today)