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Breaking News: Sean Salisbury Out At ESPN
 For those of you that had Sean Salisbury in the "Who will be fired because of Cris Carter's hiring" pool.....give yourself a hand. The former NFL QB has released a statement and so has the "Leader"....

Sean Salisbury: “I want to thank ESPN for 12 great years of talking football on TV and the radio. I have grown as much as I can at ESPN and decided to expand my horizons. I have created a brand and it’s time to expand into other opportunities in TV, radio, Internet, publishing, movies and public speaking, among others. My resume speaks for itself as a football analyst, and I believe I can talk all sports with the best of them.”

ESPN’s statement: “Sean Salisbury has made many contributions to our efforts for the past 12 years. We thank him and wish him all the best.”

Twelve years is a damn long time, and it definitely doesn't seem that long in regards to Salisbury. There is no official word on who's decision this was, but the Star Tribune is reporting that ESPN decided not to renew his contract. I personally couldn't stand him as an analyst and I knew few who could. Hopefully this mean that ESPN is switching up their style over substance positioning as of late. Jaws is obviously better than Theismann and Carter is definitely an improvement over Salisbury.

I fully expect Sean Salisbury to be on a Best Damn Sports type show in no time. Oh and please leave your ESPN Mobile Phone at the door on your way out for evidence.

Former Viking leaves ESPN (Star Tribune)

(Thanks to ML for the tip, via ESPN PR)
Posted by Awful Announcing- at 6:19 PM

Labels: Breaking News, ESPN Fires, NFL Live, Sean Salisbury, Talking Heads


I'm glad he got canned. I don't like him. "Punch him in the mouth."

Feb 26, 2008, 6:30:00 PM

Enjoy the ice fishing back in MN. Jughead.

bustoff said...
Feb 26, 2008, 7:16:00 PM

Now John Clayton will have nothing to live for.

And he has more time to take pictures of erm....himself.


I just can't see what the Salisbury Brand releases. Vodka? Beanie weenies?

twoeightnine said...

Yea the "hit him in the mouth" finally drove me over the edge as a Patriots fan watching sportscenter the next day, I think he said that phrase about 3489785 times in a minute. Now all they need to do is bring back the playmaker Michael Irvin

Feb 26, 2008, 7:26:00 PM

Good riddance. Makes for one less blowhard on ESPN. In other words, it's a start.

Big Al said...
Feb 26, 2008, 7:28:00 PM

Don't let the door hit you on the way out you moron!

Feb 26, 2008, 7:42:00 PM

Tell me this isn't a dream....

Feb 26, 2008, 7:49:00 PM

Now, who'll say "I confess, you did it" on ESPN/ESPNews? Merrill Hoge (who got booted off the 'ESPNews Fantasy Insider' show for Erik Kuselias)?

Feb 26, 2008, 8:07:00 PM

Lil' Sean will still make appearances on NFL Live though, right?

Feb 26, 2008, 8:12:00 PM

+1 to AA for the "Leader" poke in the story:

The leader is good,
The leader is great,
We surrender our will,
As of this date.

Na na na na na na na na, Batman, I mean, Leader! I love the leader!

Another lima bean that looks like the leader! I'll put it beside the others!

...And many others. What a great episode.

Carter better?

He was regularly made to look like a lunkhead by Dan Marino ferchrissakes.

The world doesn't need another marblemouthed TV football analyst. Wonder how hard he'll try to be energetic and a true ESPN believer, his brain isn't made for thinking on his feet.

Feb 26, 2008, 8:18:00 PM

At least this is a first step in having "analysts" that actually stepped onto the field and did something relevant.

Don't go blowing up my phone plan, Sally.

P.S. New name for the Cris Carter/John Clayton four downs segment:

Coffee and Cream

Feb 26, 2008, 8:35:00 PM

Salisbury: "ESPN canned my ass, and now, I'll fade into oblivion like Dan Patrick."

ESPN's take: "We were really tired of this fucking moron, but had to wait until his contract was up. Good riddance to the tool."

Feb 26, 2008, 9:11:00 PM

One half of my plan to revive BattleBots is complete! Now to get a backhoe so I can dig up Bil Dwyer...

Feb 26, 2008, 9:30:00 PM

You can put it on the board...


Feb 26, 2008, 10:02:00 PM

In unrelated ESPN news, it's halftime and no duet with Vince Gill & Jimmy Dykes (unless I missed it). Side note on Vince Gill on his performance before the game: Contrary to the pic AA posted of him earlier, Vince must've won the case of Snickers bars that Rome is giving away for the 'Huge Email of the Day' because he's put on some (30?) lbs.

Feb 26, 2008, 10:07:00 PM

Somewhere, John Clayton is grinning and whispering "I won. I finally won."

Feb 26, 2008, 10:12:00 PM

Clayton's next, he's been going around showing pictures of his Ham radio to women staffers at ESPN.

Feb 26, 2008, 10:44:00 PM

@ RJBO - the "duet" was there. Dykes wasn't half bad.

In other news: Hallelujah! Salisbury is gone from ESPN. I'm glad to hear that Sean thinks he's created a "brand". If by "brand" he means becoming the human template for arrogant, know-nothing blowhard, then CONGRATULATIONS, Sean, you have a "brand".

Feb 26, 2008, 10:46:00 PM

Ugh...I guess I'm the only one that actually would prefers Salisbury to Carter?

Carter is terrible, man. Terrible

Hercules Rockefeller said...
Feb 26, 2008, 10:54:00 PM

Speaking of "tewabul" err, I mean "terrible" - could Stephen A. be the next to go?!?!

Feb 26, 2008, 11:03:00 PM

Thanks, mal. I saw the duet earlier. Eh. I think people prefer Carter instead of Salisbury only because they haven't seen Cris Carter day in, day out, SportsCenter in, Sportcenter out like they have with Sean. Who here thought Keyshawn would be a serviceable analyst? He's so good he wants to go play for a 1-15 team. Stephen A. has nothing to fall back on if ESPN cans him; I think the higher ups actually like his shtick.

Feb 26, 2008, 11:38:00 PM

But but .. now who will give Clayton his wedgies ??

Clutch Is Everything said...
Feb 26, 2008, 11:45:00 PM


Clayton still has the Fabulous Sports Babe on his speed dial. She gives him anything he wants.

(Is that just an urban legend: That Clayton actually banged the Fabulous Sports Blob in the mid '90s? If so...)

Feb 26, 2008, 11:49:00 PM

@The Unreliable Narrator -- Or you could call it Hall of Fame and Not Yet...

@Hercules Rockefeller -- You are not alone...I actually enjoyed Sean Salisbury...I always found him to be mildly entertaining, rather informative, and never mystifyingly inscrutable like Emmitt Smith and Shannon Sharpe...I am careful not to over-saturate myself with the Leader's products, so I may not be fully aware of his over-exposure...

@RJBO -- Stephen A must pull some serious ratings to still be around...His radio show is virtually unlistenable...His entire existence seems to be based on attitude...Something just occurred to me...You can call him the black Dickie V...All yell, no tell...

White Hammer said...
Feb 27, 2008, 3:59:00 AM

This is proof that prayers are answered. This tool could not get out of his own way on the field. I could never figure out why his face was on my TV. Good riddance loser.

Feb 27, 2008, 7:50:00 AM

It's painfully obvious that ESPN hates white people.

Feb 27, 2008, 10:32:00 AM

Over the last 2 weeks, I have kept catching Salisbury on ESPN Radio making the most inane arguments and being belligerent when anyone disagreed with him. Just a couple of days ago, he wanted to throw with Henry Waxman for sending the Justice Dept after McNamee like he is going to with Clemens. It sounded like Salisbury was a member of the Clemens family. Dan Burton thought Sean needed to tone down the hero worship.

Bouj said...
Feb 27, 2008, 10:47:00 AM

espn must have gotten a low mark on the young black male ratings demographic as now a white guy is replaced by a black guy making double salary.

Feb 29, 2008, 9:51:00 AM

The guy is an a-hole. We couldn't stand him on his short lived radio show in Chicago and he can kiss my behind.

Feb 29, 2008, 4:58:00 PM

Thank God!! Thank God that bad ass is off the airwaves at ESPN! The next pompous, righteous, big mout blowhole from ESPN that needs to go is Mark May!! Because he is just the black version of Sean Salisbury anyway!! ESPN...one down...one more to go! Launch Mark May NOW to save us all!

Apr 11, 2008, 3:14:00 PM

"it definitely doesn't seem that long in regards to Salisbury"

Should be "in regard to".

Do you also have problems with to; too; two?


Jun 2, 2008, 1:46:00 AM

i must say that i am surprised to not hear one nice comment about sean. i also must say that i met him in a bar (in one of the most upsacle places to live in the country nonetheless) and i was so impressed. i said to my wife "let me go say hi and see what kind of asshole this guy is" and he totally blew me away. unbelievably nice and HUMBLE. all you haters should have had the experience that i had..... great guy!

Oct 28, 2008, 11:31:00 PM

I liked the guy and hate that they got rid of him. I thought he was better than many of the other analysts. They should have fired Hodge. That guy really is bad. At least Salisbury was entertaining. I am surprised at all the bad responses to be honest.

Nov 25, 2008, 6:25:00 PM
