Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

[oakfan162]

IDK about you guys, but his column was always one of my favorite things about SI.
Rick Reilly to Leave Sports Illustrated for ESPN

Rick Reilly, who has written for Sports Illustrated for 22 years and whose “Life of Reilly” column is in the final page of the magazine each week, is leaving to join ESPN.
ESPN would not offer details about what Reilly would do. The company spokesman Mike Soltys and Reilly’s agent, Janet Pawson, said discussions were continuing. “There’s nothing to announce,” Soltys said.
Reilly’s departure comes one day after Sports Illustrated announced a deal with Dan Patrick, the former ESPN “SportsCenter” anchor and radio host. Patrick will write a column for the magazine and have his new radio program simulcast on SI.com.
Reilly’s humorous and sometimes poignant columns have been a high-profile part of the magazine, and he also contributes “Riffs of Reilly” on SI.com, in which he appears in animated form offering funny commentary.
In a letter to the Sports Illustrated staff, Terry McDonell, editor of the Sports Illustrated Group, said Reilly, 49, would leave the magazine “when his contract expires on November 30 to pursue television interests next spring.” In a later interview, McDonell said, “He’s a great talent and I will miss him personally.”
Reilly is the author of novels like “Shanks for Nothing” and “Missing Links” and the nonfiction book “Who’s Your Caddy?” in which he caddied for several golfers as well as Deepak Chopra and Donald Trump.

Takes a little bit of thunder away from the Dan Patrick hire, doesn't it?

[pk500]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

Reilly is a perfect fit for ESPN. He's all about himself, all flash and little substance. Reilly might be good for a chuckle about once a month, but I can count on one hand the number of "Life of Reilly" columns that have really made me think.

I wonder where this leaves Bill Simmons at ESPN.com? Reilly is the most prominent sports humorist in America today -- inexplicable to me -- and he might overshadow the overrated Simmons, big time. Then again, most of Simmons' fan base seems to be 30 and younger and Reilly's seems to be older, so maybe ESPN is trying to cover all of its proverbial bases when it comes to cutesy columnists who write to impress themselves and their buddies in the industry.

Man, I wish Ralph Wiley was still alive and that Frank Deford still was the main feature writer and columnist for SI.

Take care,
PK

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

Hmm. Definitely intriguing. I wouldn't be surprised if he flopped on television though.

Patrick is boring and dry. He used to be hilarious on SC though years ago.

[oakfan162]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

Reilly is a perfect fit for ESPN. He's all about himself, all flash and little substance. Reilly might be good for a chuckle about once a month, but I can count on one hand the number of "Life of Reilly" columns that have really made me think.

I wonder where this leaves Bill Simmons at ESPN.com? Reilly is the most prominent sports humorist in America today -- inexplicable to me -- and he might overshadow the overrated Simmons, big time. Then again, most of Simmons' fan base seems to be 30 and younger and Reilly's seems to be older, so maybe ESPN is trying to cover all of its proverbial bases when it comes to cutesy columnists who write to impress themselves and their buddies in the industry.

Man, I wish Ralph Wiley was still alive and that Frank Deford still wrote for a major American sports weekly, daily or Web site.

Take care,
PK

If you're at all into Podcasts, I'd recommend NPR's Only A Game. They seem to have Frank on at least once a week. Very entertaining.

http://www.onlyagame.org/

[pk500]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

Thanks, Oak. I try to catch Deford on "Morning Edition" on NPR on Wednesdays. Is the podcast just a repeat of that, or is it fresh content?

Thanks again,
PK

[oakfan162]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

Thanks, Oak. I try to catch Deford on "Morning Edition" on NPR on Wednesdays. Is the podcast just a repeat of that, or is it fresh content?

Thanks again,
PK

Ah, I think it might be a rehash. He usually does a three to four minute dialog about contemporary sports issues. But I love the angle he comes at everything from.

But I would still recommend Only A Game. They cover the main sports, but also will do things like have reporters at marathons, or have odd stories about famous athletes, stuff you can't find on ESPN or SI.

[CMH]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

I think SI should be happier having Patrick over Reilly.

While Reilly was a familiar face on SI for years, he didn't really offer anything in terms of sport news. It was more of a diary of thoughts on random issues.

Dan Patrick is one of the best sports reporters in recent memory.

The switch is fitting as each serves better under their new bosses.

SI > ESPN.

[pk500]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

I think SI should be happier having Patrick over Reilly.

While Reilly was a familiar face on SI for years, he didn't really offer anything in terms of sport news. It was more of a diary of thoughts on random issues.

Dan Patrick is one of the best sports reporters in recent memory.

The switch is fitting as each serves better under their new bosses.

SI > ESPN.

Dan Patrick is a sports reporter? Since when? What major news stories has he broken in the last 15 years other than those he read from the TelePrompter on "SportsCenter?"

None. Patrick is a sports personality, a sports interviewer -- not a reporter.

Take care,
PK

[Sandman42]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

Dan Patrick is a sports reporter? Since when? What major news stories has he broken in the last 15 years other than those he read from the TelePrompter on "SportsCenter?"

None. Patrick is a sports personality, a sports interviewer -- not a reporter.

Take care,
PK

Agreed. I have no idea why he is going to SI. What is he going to do there? He isn't a journalist, he's a sports anchor.

[SPTO]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

Does SI even put out TV or Radio content anymore? I know that SI used to be affiliated with CNN but since that failed I don't know what they do other then the print stuff and their site. So what the heck is Patrick going to do?

As for Reilly, he's only marginally better then Simmons IMO. Although both were a LOT better 4+ years ago. I guess Reilly will also have a Page 2 type of collumn on the ESPN site as well.

[TarHeelMan]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

He'll probably do the last page of ESPN's magazine like Patrick used to do before he left.

[CMH]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

Dan Patrick is a sports reporter? Since when? What major news stories has he broken in the last 15 years other than those he read from the TelePrompter on "SportsCenter?"

None. Patrick is a sports personality, a sports interviewer -- not a reporter.

Take care,
PK

I thought a sports reporter reported sports news.

My fault.

I guess writers don't write?

[Cebby]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

I thought a sports reporter reported sports news.

My fault.

I guess writers don't write?

He doesn't report on anything. He reads from a teleprompter.

[pk500]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

He doesn't report on anything. He reads from a teleprompter.

Exactly.

Reporters talk with sources to find news and then either write it or report it on air. Patrick wrote cheesy scripts to accompany highlight packages on "SportsCenter" and then read them from a TelePrompter.

There's a BIG difference.

Take care,
PK

[mgoblue]

Re: Rick Reilly switches from SI to ESPN!

Rick Reilly just blows hot air...for some reason people think he's god when all he does is write dumb cutesy commentaries that any one of us here could write. This doesn't add anyone of legitimacy to ESPN, just adds a big name people know.

I seriously wish I could have his job, it's damn easy and he doesn't even have to do the behind the scenes work that reporters do.