ESPN reaches a new level of ridiculousness April 15
While watching SportsCenter this morning before heading into work, I heard maybe the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard on the show. I realize, considering the “expert” “analysts” they have on every day, this is quite a statement, but read on and see why I’m not being hyperbolic.
Going to commercial break, Robert Flores pitched to an upcoming live interview with Isiah Thomas with the following teaser: “Find out why he wanted the Florida International job and how he’s responding to claims that the job is ‘beneath him’.”
Wait, what? Really? Someone thinks hiring a guy with such a “wonderful” resume — destroying one of the three highest-profile NBA teams as its general manager and coach, getting accused of sexual harassment, and quickly careening the CBA to bankruptcy and death — is too good for a Sun Belt conference job? Too good to lead a team that went 13-20 last season?
Wondering who’s making these “claims,” I went and did quick Google News searches for the following terms:
- “beneath him” “isiah thomas” “florida international”
- “beneath him” “isiah thomas” fiu
- “beneath his” “isiah thomas” “florida international”
- “beneath his” “isiah thomas” fiu
Want to take a quick guess at how many results each search returned?
If you guessed anything other than “Zero,” I think Thomas might have an assistant-coaching job available for you.
I stuck around to see if ESPN would name who had made these “claims,” but of course Chris McKendry’s question was a very vague, “What do you say to those who think that this job at FIU is, say, beneath your resume?” that lacked any sources.
Isiah’s response was that he truly loved the game of basketball and that meant there was no level that was above or below you. I guess I was being ridiculous by waiting for the “They’re as blind to reality as I am, Chris” answer.
Another fun note from the interview: When discussing building up FIU’s program, Thomas said, “I think we play in a conference that’s Division 1.” If he didn’t figure that out before accepting the position, he’s either 1) stupider than I thought, 2) more desperate for a job than I thought or 3) both (my vote’s for 3).
Matthew Barney Gumble Apr 15
To be fair, I think Isiah will bring in a lot of talent to FIU - but this isn’t about Isiah, it’s about ESPN, who are foolish as usual.
Ryan Apr 16
I find it amusing to compare the post-NBA lives of Thomas, Dumars, Laimbeer and Rodman.
Matthew Barney Gumble Apr 16
How much would I love if we turned this into a sports blog? The answer is: a lot. I would love that a lot.
Another thing I would love: The Bad Boys Reality Show. Do it Big Brother style. Dumars has to *despise* all of these guys, right? Laimbeer just feels ashamed, Thomas is completely delusional (we’d need women around for the harassment too). Rodman and Salley are just getting drunk and cracking jokes on Laimbeer and Isiah, Rick Mahorn can’t stop eating… not sure how Vinnie Johnson or Adrian Dantley add to the insanity, but I’m sure they do.
Bobby McObvious Apr 16
Yeah, that’s just really terrible phrasing for what is clearly the guy’s own question. If you want to bump to it, just say “after the break, Isaiah Thomas discusses whether the Florida International Job is beneath him,” and then just ask him straight out instead of disguising it as some shining nugget from the conventional wisdom ether. You’re a friggin’ talk show host for God’s sake, act like it. If FIU gets its panties in a twist about you dissing ‘em, whatever.