Bruce Feldman leaves ESPN for CBS Sports; takes a couple of parting shots

[Salt City Sooner]

'Wait a minute, you are bringing up my credibility and my future with the company and you guys still put Craig James on the air?'"

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/richard_deitsch/09/01/brucefeldman.cbs/index.html#ixzz1WjDXDMs0

Excellent audio interview in the Dan Patrick Show link as well.

[BillyBall]

He was the only CFB columnist on ESPN that I thought had anything worthwhile to say.

[SoonerNomad]

I've been waiting for this to happen. While I don't share the hatred for helicopter Dad, Craig James, it does strain credibility to have him be an expert on Big 12 football and to continue to cover Texas Tech and schools they play.

[SoonerNomad]

I routinely read si.com as my first choice on college football. I was shocked to see today they have new columnist, the noted rabble rouser Paul Finebaum. Not only will he be willing to say almost anything he writes much better than I would have thought after listening to his radio show.

Here's his initial column on si.com. NCAA President Mark Emmert is his first target.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/paul_finebaum/09/01/mark.emmert/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_wr_a3

[Mississippi Sooner]

I routinely read si.com as my first choice on college football. I was shocked to see today they have new columnist, the noted rabble rouser Paul Finebaum. Not only will he be willing to say almost anything he writes much better than I would have thought after listening to his radio show.

Here's his initial column on si.com. NCAA President Mark Emmert is his first target.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/paul_finebaum/09/01/mark.emmert/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_wr_a3

That's a good first column. And I must admit that Finebaum has grown on me. At first, I was put off by the endless self-promotion and circus-like atmosphere of his radio show, but I eventually came to realize that he has a real talent for riding herd over those fanatical SEC fans that comprise most of his show's call ins. The guy is pretty sharp, and he's not afraid to call it like he sees it.

[badger]

The Worldwide Leader in Sports doesn't just tick of whorn whaters, I guess :D

[JudInKC]

Last fall, Feldman was saying in his chats his new book would be out by the holidays. I looked and looked for it and never saw it. He also said he couldn't say what it was about so some of this explains (a.) why he couldn't talk about it and (b.) why it was delayed so much.

[JudInKC]

Finebaum is a great writer. I used to live in Alabama and read his articles all the time. I like him.

[budbarrybob]

I should care?

[Bourbon St Sooner]

It sounds like ESPN just gave Mike Leach a willing witness with a lot of inside information for his defamation suit.

[Sabanball]

Listening to Feldman right now on Finebaum. He is REALLY unloading on ESPN.....having been there for 17 yrs, he obviously knows where all the bodies are buried in Bristol. To say this is an ugly divorce is putting it NICELY.

[badger]

I've heard in the past that ESPN tells all of its employees how replaceable they are.

The fact that their interview sessions with guests are referred to as a "car wash" process also makes that place sound very impersonal, hehe.

People probably go to ESPN for the prestige then GTFO if they can to CBS, Fox, etc.

[Sabanball]

I've heard in the past that ESPN tells all of its employees how replaceable they are.

The fact that their interview sessions with guests are referred to as a "car wash" process also makes that place sound very impersonal, hehe.

People probably go to ESPN for the prestige then GTFO if they can to CBS, Fox, etc.

I would agree. Other than actual games, Game Day, or occasionally Outside the Lines with Bob Ley(one of the old guard still there and one of the few that has some integrity), I don't watch any of ESPN's programming. They play favorites and have an agenda. Bruce said as much today and he was smart to get out....

[Mississippi Sooner]

I'm still waiting for that much anticipated cat fight between Michelle Beadle and Erin Andrews.

[8timechamps]

While I tend to believe Feldman, there are always two sides to every story and the truth is usually somewhere in between. ESPN is a necessary evil. I hate just about everything about ESPN, however, I love sports and they do offer a lot of coverage. I really wish someone would commit to a full time cable sports network to rival ESPN. I know Fox has all of their regional networks, but I wish someone would give me a better option all the time.

In the end, it just sounds like ESPN is ****ty to everyone except the high paid on-air personalities....and many of those guys suck.

Thanks for the link!

[CBUS_SOONER]

ESPN is a big problem. They have very little cred

[VA Sooner]

ESPN losing credibility fast. They should have unloaded Craig James quickly.

[soonervegas]

ESPN is going to become to sports what MTV is to music.

[OU Adonis]

There needs to be serious competition to ESPN.

[bluedogok]

ESPN losing credibility fast. They should have unloaded Craig James quickly.
They lost credibility when Mickey Mouse bought them, after that they became the ENTERTAINMENT and sports PROGRAMMING NETWORK.



ESPN is going to become to sports what MTV is to music.
The corporate behemoth that is Viacom ruined MTV, VH1, CMT and all their variants and the corporate behemoth Disney has ruined the ESPN franchise.

[Soonerfan88]

There needs to be serious competition to ESPN.

I am hopeful that Comcast will do it. They took the first step by renaming Versus to the NBC Sports Network as of Jan 1, 2012. CBS is also in the game since buying CSTV. Adding Bruce Feldman just makes them better.

[BigTip]

I'm still waiting for that much anticipated cat fight between Michelle Beadle and Erin Andrews.
http://floppingout.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Erin-Andrews-vs-Michelle-Beadle-.jpg

[Sabanball]

I am hopeful that Comcast will do it. They took the first step by renaming Versus to the NBC Sports Network as of Jan 1, 2012. CBS is also in the game since buying CSTV. Adding Bruce Feldman just makes them better.

Agreed. CBS Sports.com, I think, is going to become a major player in cable coverage of sports. Keep in mind that Tim Brando is going to be on there with them this year too(in addition to being the studio host of CBS Sports on saturday).