Oh, Sports Guy - you slay me!

July 13th, 2006 | Posted by PostmanE

Now hold on. Before you think I’m being sarcastic here, let me assure you. I am not. I actually really, really like the Sports Guy, despite a brief slump, I guess you would call it, earlier this year. Otherwise, he’s been brilliant for just about as long as I’ve read him.

Something funky is indeed going on over at his place of employment, however. Not only did he not know about that little gambling blog thing ESPN is starting up, he seems to be carving out his outsider status over there even more, with a greater ability to diss colleagues. Don’t believe me? Check out these two zingers from his chat yesterday:

Chris Berman (Bristol, Conn): You’re with me, Sports Guy.Bill Simmons: (Trying to fight off 100,000 bolts of electric current …)

Ken (Tarzana, CA): Your’re subbing for Kornheiser on PTI. Who do you want sitting next to you? Stuart Scott or Skip Bayless?

Bill Simmons: (2:04 PM ET ) How drunk am I allowed to be before I go on the air?

The first one, with the slick Berman reference, is kinda funny, but so many people know that little story it’s past its point. The second one is much funnier, if only because I can imagine both Stu and Skip hearing about the little jab and flipping out on one of the Page 2 editors or the Buzzmaster. Hilarious. The really interesting thing is that these little remarks are even making it past whatever chat moderator is working with Simmons. Maybe he doesn’t have a moderator? Even better.

Throw in Bill’s ongoing feud with Screamin’ A Smith, and you’ve got an ESPN writer who not only realizes his ability, but who capitalizes on the knowledge that a lot of the people he works for - and works with - are five-compartment toolboxes.