Bill Simmons is the latest tool that ESPN/ABC has added for Countdown/Postgame show during NBA Finals

gskiman · Jun 10, 2013

There should only be room for Jalen, Magic, and Wilbon at the ESPN table.
Guy obviously never played hoops, and has little NBA IQ.
Just about everything he says on air has little insight to the game at hand.
He should be paying ESPN for letting him open his mouth....

Lucky for him, he can write, so they say, as he gained his fame as the "Boston Sports Guy" with his internet columns.
puff_>>

bigtendominator · Jun 10, 2013

none of these 4 should be on the air

festeringZit · Jun 10, 2013

He is not anywhere near as bad as Doris Burke

doubledeuce22 · Jun 10, 2013

Simmons was great a few years ago.. Voice of common fan etc.. Now he's a smug nba puppet.

vitterd · Jun 10, 2013

festeringZit said:
He is not anywhere near as bad as Doris Burke

Burke knows her shit. Very knowledgable. I assume your only reason for not liking her is that she's a woman commenting on mens baskeball. No other reason because she is well respected in her field for knowing hoops and the nba in particular.

halekulani · Jun 10, 2013

gskiman said:
There should only be room for Jalen, Magic, and Wilbon at the ESPN table.
Guy obviously never played hoops, and has little NBA IQ.
Just about everything he says on air has little insight to the game at hand.
He should be paying ESPN for letting him open his mouth....

Lucky for him, he can write, so they say, as he gained his fame as the "Boston Sports Guy" with his internet columns.
puff_>>

he is the voice of the fans. that's why he's so popular. he's skeptical about traditional basketball theory, and brings up topics a basketball junkie would love (ie. trade scenarios, what ifs drafts/trades, highlighting notorious bad drafts/trades that would have changed the complexion of the team, etc.). jalen/magic/wilbon hardly ever, if ever, do research on draft and trade history.

festeringZit · Jun 10, 2013

vitterd said:
Burke knows her shit. Very knowledgable. I assume your only reason for not liking her is that she's a woman commenting on mens baskeball. No other reason because she is well respected in her field for knowing hoops and the nba in particular.

You assume wrong. I don't deny she knows basketball, I just think she's annoying as hell, far from the minority opinion on this issue.

REDEYE · Jun 10, 2013

Simmons is awful, can't stand listening to him.. put him right up there with Dan Patrick.. I just change the channel

SECplayer · Jun 10, 2013

I actually like Simmons.

I really like his writing too so maybe I'm a little biased. Don't think he became a regular part of the crew until the latter part of the season so maybe he's still learning a bit.

Mr_Mark · Jun 10, 2013

I like Simmons

aceduecetrey · Jun 10, 2013

I have not watched much of the pregame and halftime stuff so I dont know how well he is doing there, but to say Bill Simmons does not know basketball is not at all accurate in my opinion. Read his 700 page book on the subject and then let me know if you have changed your mind or not. Not to mention he has a little degenerate in him and is always talking about bets.

RunLeeRun · Jun 10, 2013

aceduecetrey said:
I have not watched much of the pregame and halftime stuff so I dont know how well he is doing there, but to say Bill Simmons does not know basketball is not at all accurate in my opinion. Read his 700 page book on the subject and then let me know if you have changed your mind or not. Not to mention he has a little degenerate in him and is always talking about bets.

That's what I was just about to say. I mean he runs a NFL picks piece and even one year he tested his picks vs his wife. I would have thought he'd have a stronger following from the forum. I will say that he doesn't look comfortable on TV, but just like writing, that's an art.

Mr_Mark · Jun 10, 2013

dsethi said:
I don't turn these Finals games on until the tip and change the channel at halftime.

LOL I do this also

celticGreen+ · Jun 10, 2013

I like Simmons as a writer for the most part - I don't think he's made for television though. He was so soft-spoken early on this season, and I'm sure someone told him to be louder (and probably more aggressive) - but that style doesn't really suit him well. It's always frustrating when a studio guy tries to take on a role that they're not comfortable with, because it shows.

celticGreen+ · Jun 10, 2013

gskiman said:
There should only be room for Jalen, Magic, and Wilbon at the ESPN table.
Guy obviously never played hoops, and has little NBA IQ.
Just about everything he says on air has little insight to the game at hand.
He should be paying ESPN for letting him open his mouth....

Lucky for him, he can write, so they say, as he gained his fame as the "Boston Sports Guy" with his internet columns.
puff_>>

Grantland is still one of the better sporting blogs, and certainly one of the best sections of espn.com

gskiman · Jun 10, 2013

I agree with just about everything posted in this thread.
Simmons is bad live on air, does not understand the intricacies of the game at hand. However he is a decent writer and that is where his appeal should stay, in his blogs and internet columns.
I miss seeing TNT crew, because the ESPN crew just doesn't mesh like EJ's crew. It was nice during conference finals when each crew had one conference final to themselves.
Doris Burke does know basketball, but her voice is irritating as hell. Perhaps they can run her voice through a computer program and have it broadcast out sounding like Dick Vitale's voice.....haha

Mr_Mark · Jun 10, 2013

I think he does alright on the radio, have not seen how he does on tv yet, but based on whats in here...he must not do too well

doubledeuce22 · Jun 10, 2013

His podcasts are pretty good, especially during football season when they involve gambling/fantasy. Love when he has 'cousin sal' on.

gynecologist · Jun 11, 2013

I like Doris Burke.. I think she's a very good analyst..

Mr_Mark · Jun 11, 2013

doubledeuce22 said:
His podcasts are pretty good, especially during football season when they involve gambling/fantasy. Love when he has 'cousin sal' on.

yea me too