Shocking news! Bill simmons doesn't like us!

[gethlives]

Looks like Duke has made an enemy of Bill Simmons aka ESPN's Sports Guy. https://twitter.com/#!/sportsguy33/s...63431347789824

Could be interesting.

[David]

Bill Simmons just tweeted the following:

"Duke wouldn't credential Grantland for Saturday's UNC-Duke game. I already hated Duke but was diplomatic about it... no more. IT IS ON!"

http://twitter.com/#!/SportsGuy33

Interesting that they wouldn't credential Grantland for the game. I thought Shane Ryan wrote a great article on the first UNC game in Chapel Hill earlier this season.

[Duvall]

Bill Simmons

...

Could be interesting.

That seems unlikely.

[MCFinARL]

That seems unlikely.

Touche!

[MCFinARL]

Bill Simmons just tweeted the following:

"Duke wouldn't credential Grantland for Saturday's UNC-Duke game. I already hated Duke but was diplomatic about it... no more. IT IS ON!"

http://twitter.com/#!/SportsGuy33

Interesting that they wouldn't credential Grantland for the game. I thought Shane Ryan wrote a great article on the first UNC game in Chapel Hill earlier this season.

Well, they have more seats at Chapel Hill, and Duke-UNC tickets in Cameron are a VERY popular commodity--could it be as simple as that?

[hurleyfor3]

He doesn't deserve to attend a Duke/unc game in Cameron. Maybe the athletic department is choosing to reserve press passes to people who actually try to behave like journalists. Kudos to them.

[superdave]

I would be interested in who they actually denied a pass to. Was it Shane Ryan or Simmons? Also if you write for Grantland, shouldnt you just say Grantland/Espn? Or since Espn is covering the game, let the Grantland guy carry some equipment in and look useful.

[loran16]

I would be interested in who they actually denied a pass to. Was it Shane Ryan or Simmons? Also if you write for Grantland, shouldnt you just say Grantland/Espn? Or since Espn is covering the game, let the Grantland guy carry some equipment in and look useful.

Given his tweet, my guess is him or some other Grantland writer than Ryan. I'd think Ryan would joke about it on twitter.

[Duvall]

I would be interested in who they actually denied a pass to. Was it Shane Ryan or Simmons? Also if you write for Grantland, shouldnt you just say Grantland/Espn? Or since Espn is covering the game, let the Grantland guy carry some equipment in and look useful.

Here's the thing - the game's already getting saturation coverage from the rightsholder, including ESPN.com writers. How many ESPN-paid bloggers is Duke supposed to credential, anyway?

[mkline09]

I find it funny that Simmons would even suggest thta he hsa ever been diplomatic about his disliking Duke. It is painfully obvious from every time I have ever seen him dicuss or talk about Duke that he doesn't like them.

That said the up in arms ravings of Duke fans condeming him is exactly what he wants.

[weezie]

So, what, is he going to cry about it?

Waaaah!!! Big baby...

[Starter]

My guess would be they applied this week or something, and they simply don't have room on press row. I don't like Simmons very much, but I'd think if they had the room, they'd credential him. Worse stuff has probably been written on Duke than what Grantland has run, and I doubt they blackball people because of it. (If so, I'd think Gregg Doyel would have been long gone)

[killerleft]

I guess being Richard Simmons' son isn't a door-opener anymore?

[Genedoc]

Seth Davis with the appropriate response, also via Twitter:

"@sportsguy33 I'm sure that scares them Bill! How many ESPN staffers are being credentialed?"

That also probably explains why Duke rejected. "Hey, look, we're already credentialing XX ESPN folks, do we really need more?"

[OldPhiKap]

At the risk of sounding foolish -- who the hell is Bill Simmons, and why should I care?

Not joking, just never heard of the guy or the group that didn't get credentialled.

Maybe I'm just too 3G in a 4G world, though.

[Kedsy]

I find it funny that Simmons would even suggest thta he hsa ever been diplomatic about his disliking Duke.

I agree. If he really thinks he's been hiding his hate for Duke, that's one of the funnier things I've heard in awhile.

[davekay1971]

Bill Simmons has worn his position as a non-traditionalist-journalist (or non-journalist-blogger) on his sleeve with pride. The majority of his career, and success, has been his entertaining writing style, writing from the point of view of an average fan. Now he's not getting the perks of being a mainstream journalist and he's upset about it? He should cover the game the same way he usually covers sporting events - from his living room, hanging out with his dad, blogging in real time.

Let ESPN's stable of non-journalists-posing-as-journalists (rather than their resident non-journalist-who-openly-admits-to-being-a-non-journalist) cover the game at Cameron.

[slower]

who the hell is Bill Simmons, and why should I care?

That is the correct response.

[Atlanta Duke]

Bill Simmons has worn his position as a non-traditionalist-journalist (or non-journalist-blogger) on his sleeve with pride. The majority of his career, and success, has been his entertaining writing style, writing from the point of view of an average fan. Now he's not getting the perks of being a mainstream journalist and he's upset about it?

Bingo

Because he grew up in Boston, Simmons is a pro sports fan who made his name writing his Sports Guy columns when the Red Sox and Patriots werre riding high.

If it was Simmons who wanted the credential he is on record that college games are worthy of his attention only insofar as they provide a preview of future pros - if attending the Duke-Carolina game at Cameron is on his bucket list Simmons can afford a scalped ticket. If it was someone else at Grantland, the World Wide Leader in sports already has numerous credentials for Saturday night without passing out another one to a vanity project created to keep Simmons at ESPN.

Simmons threatening to trash Duke, for which he is on record as having contempt, is not exactly the equivalent of him turning on Tom Brady and the Patriots.

[Chicago 1995]

Bill Simmons just tweeted the following:

"Duke wouldn't credential Grantland for Saturday's UNC-Duke game. I already hated Duke but was diplomatic about it... no more. IT IS ON!"

http://twitter.com/#!/SportsGuy33

Interesting that they wouldn't credential Grantland for the game. I thought Shane Ryan wrote a great article on the first UNC game in Chapel Hill earlier this season.

Despite the fact that there's probably a good reason for this, picking a fight with Simmons doesn't make much sense to me. He's widely read, even if the majority of this board looks down his or her nose at Simmons, and there's no reason to have someone that widely read, and whether or not you like it influential, putting a bullseye on your back. It's a PR risk that it doesn't make much sense to take.