Post Vs. WEEI Draws Twitter Suspension For ESPN's Simmons

Bill Simmons

ESPN.COM "SPORTS GUY" columnist/podcast host and bestselling author BILL SIMMONS has been suspended for two weeks from using TWITTER for anything but book tour updates after he used the service to rip ENTERCOM Sports WEEI-A/BOSTON afternoon host GLENN ORDWAY and his "THE BIG SHOW" for taking shots at him on the air. On OCTOBER 26th, SIMMONS tweeted that "WEEI's 'THE BIG SHOW' was apparently ripping me today. Good to get feedback from two washed-up athletes and a 60-yr-old fat guy with no neck."

ESPN.COM Editor-in-Chief ROB KING wrote on his blog late FRIDAY, "We have internal guidelines designed to inform how we discuss the topic of sports media. These guidelines are important us, because they help maintain the credibility with which ESPN operates. No one knows the guidelines better than BILL SIMMONS, and he customarily works within these standards. He also understands, as does everyone else at ESPN, that we regard these guidelines as being equally important when participating in social media.

"While it's unfortunate -- and sometimes painful -- that not everyone outside of ESPN chooses to play by such rules, we choose to hold ourselves to higher standards. Regardless of the provocation, BILL's communication regarding WEEI fell short of those standards. So we’ve taken appropriate measures."

WEEI is an affiliate of ESPN RADIO under a recent deal with the network. SIMMONS is touring in support of "THE BOOK OF BASKETBALL," which presently sits atop the NEW YORK TIMES' bestseller list.

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