JEFF PEARLMAN

JEFF PEARLMAN

Skip Bayless is leaving ESPN

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In case you missed this, ESPN announced that Skip Bayless will soon be leaving the network. My guess is he’ll wind up yelling at Jason Whitlock or someone else on Fox Sports. But, really, that’s just an educated presumption.

In case you couldn’t guess that one, I hate what Skip Bayless brings to media. Long ago he was the guy who outed Troy Aikman for being gay—even though he’s not gay. Then, after a long career as a look-at-me columnist, Skip joined ESPN and made irrational screaming an art form. I suspect Skip believes about 17 percent of things he says, which puts him in Donald Trump-Ted Cruz-Bill Clinton company.

But wait. I digress. Instead of ripping Skip, I want to compliment Skip. For all the flaws, for all the nonsense, Skip Bayless has managed to do something that’s, truly, pretty impressive. Namely, in a disposable medium that dumps personalities as quickly as they arrived. he’s survived. People his age don’t last on TV. They just don’t. Someone cheaper, younger, hipper eternally waits around the corner.

Somehow, though, Skip remains, as relevant and popular as ever.

So, no, I don’t like his routine. But I admire the longevity.