Magic Johnson OUT at ESPN

Kwame Coltrane

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Magic Johnson OUT at ESPN Nba Countdown, Doris Burke IN

ESPN has announced that the legendary Magic Johnson will no longer be a part of the company’s NBA coverage. Here’s a statement from John Wildhack, ESPN’s Executive Vice President of Production:

Earvin “Magic” Johnson informed us today that he’ll no longer be part of our NBA coverage due to his other commitments. We appreciate Magic’s contributions and wish him well in his future endeavors. We are in the process of determining our NBA commentator roles for the upcoming season.

And here’s what Magic himself had to say:

I love ESPN. Unfortunately, due to the nature of my schedule and other commitments, I don’t feel confident that I can continue to devote the time needed to thrive in my role. I will always feel a strong connection to the ESPN family and I enjoyed working with them very much. I’d like to thank John Skipper, John Wildhack, Mark Gross, Kim Belton, Amina Hussein, Mark Summer, Adam Hertzog, Bob Rauscher, Stuart Scott, Mike Wilbon, Jon Barry, Jalen Rose, Bill Simmons, Chris Broussard and the many others at ESPN for the wonderful opportunity to talk about the game I love. They are the best in the busines

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2013/10/magic-johnson-leaving-espn-nba/

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edit: Doris Burke hired for Wednesdays

Burke will join NBA Countdown on Wednesdays during the season, ESPN confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. Sports Illustrated reported Burke's new role first. She recently signed a multiyear contract extension with the network and will debut in the studio on Nov. 13.

This week, ESPN announced that Doug Collins will replace Michael Wilbon on NBA Countdown alongside Bill Simmons and Jalen Rose. Simmons replaced Jon Barry before last season.

Adding Burke is a change for the show, which previously avoided using a traditional studio host. Wilbon and Simmons, both writers rather than former players or coaches, held analyst roles rather than the host role Burke likely will take.

Johnson also thanked a slew of ESPN workers in his statement.

"I will always feel a strong connection to the ESPN family and I enjoyed working with them very much," Johnson said. "I'd like to thank John Skipper, John Wildhack, Mark Gross, Kim Belton, Amina Hussein, Mark Summer, Adam Hertzog, Bob Rauscher, Stuart Scott, Mike Wilbon, Jon Barry, Jalen Rose, Bill Simmons, Chris Broussard and the many others at ESPN for the wonderful opportunity to talk about the game I love. They are the best in the business."
 
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the money he makes there pales in comparison to his other business ventures...probably figures that he loses money with all of the prep work and time that goes into being on TV.


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His team at the front door of the world series

He got better shit to do

espn commentator money ain't that important
 
Somebody tell Jordan to shut the fuck up about basketball and look at Magic on how to handle BUSINESS
 
Doris Burke IN (partially)

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Doris Burke informally carries the title of Ms. Basketball at ESPN because of her many NBA and college basketball assignments. Now, the well-respected sports broadcaster has landed another basketball gig and it might be her most high profile yet: She's joining NBA Countdown as a studio analyst.

SI.com has learned that Burke will appear on the ESPN NBA pregame show on Wednesdays during the regular season. That makes Burke the first woman to serve as a regularly-appearing analyst for a national NBA studio show. (Her ESPN colleague Hannah Storm hosted NBC's NBA pregame show from 1997-2002.)

Burke will make her NBA Countdown debut on Nov. 13. Her new assignment, which she said will likely total 11 Wednesdays, is timed with her signing a multiyear contract extension with ESPN.

"When I am a sideline reporter, I ask good questions," Burke said. "I hope that doesn't sound egotistical, but I think I can ask good questions to elicit good responses. That's something I'm interested in on this show, asking Magic [Johnson], Jalen [Rose] and Avery [Johnson] smart questions to facilitate good discussions. If I feel strongly about something, I think I can also act appropriately by responding to things they say or presenting a different opinion if I have one."
 
magic know the lakers gonna suck ass this year and didnt want to deal with wilbon and barry asking him whats wrong with your lakers.
 
He probably got tired of being forced to say Jordan is the greatest basketball player ever. He looked so uncomfortable doing it.
 
some real low life shit right here.


but what can you expect from a hoe ass cop

You bout the most greasiest wave wearing bitch nigga on this board fuck off faggit

People say anything from behind a keyboard Smh.... Was this Shit necessary

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Actually it wasn't but its water under the bridge now

That nigga don't got aids smh
 
Dude sucked and was prob the most flip floppin mofo on that panel of him wilbon and that other cac who's name I forgot

Nah. That Crakka is the worst of the bunch. Muthafucka has no clue what he's talking about. I think they hired him away from a fuckin Dairy Queen or some shit. He's by far the worst!! :smh:


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Sometimes he was intolerable to listen to but the man knew the game! Wilbon I can live without! Too bad TNT scooped up Grant Hill he woulda been perfect!
 
Deadspin has another theory:

Sources: Magic Johnson Left ESPN Because Of Bill Simmons


Magic Johnson Is Leaving ESPN
ESPN announced today that Magic Johnson is leaving NBA Countdown and the network. Johnson, per ESPN, is leaving "due to his other… Read…
So, why did Magic make his sudden announcement that he's leaving ESPN, less than three weeks before the NBA season begins? An announcement so sudden that the newest addition to NBA Countdown, Doris Burke, appeared to have had no idea it was going down?

ESPN sources tell us that Johnson's departure was the result of an old-fashioned power war, with one very clear winner: Bill Simmons. "It's Simmons's show now," said one source.

Magic apparently was not at all happy when ESPN told his buddy Michael Wilbon that his role on NBA Countdown would be diminished. He was "booted," according to one source. Another ESPN insider also said that Magic was "privately seething over the Wilbon thing and in general did not like that Simmons held all the power and influence." Magic didn't necessarily need the power, our sources explained; he just didn't feel like kowtowing to Simmons when he's, well, Magic Johnson.

"The bottom line is they turned that show over to Simmons," said our source. "That's why Doug Collins got hired and why Wilbon was out."

And that's a very large part of why Johnson decided to bolt the show at the 11th hour. ESPN announced the news this afternoon and said that Johnson informed the network of his decision today. Johnson said in a statement he was leaving "due to the nature of my schedule and other commitments, I don't feel confident that I can continue to devote the time needed to thrive in my role."

Now, the show belongs entirely to Simmons. He's losing star power with Magic Johnson's departure, but he's not necessarily losing a key component of a studio show that had a much-improved but still uneven 2012-2013 season. ESPN said it's still "determining our NBA commentator roles for the upcoming season." Simmons will be able to get a proper host in for the show. He'll be able to shape it however he wants.

Such is his power now at ESPN. "The shadow president," a source called him.

http://deadspin.com/sources-magic-j...source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow
 
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