Update: 5:04 PM ET
On Wednesday, Bill Simmons appeared on ESPN Radio's The Herd, where he likened LeBron James' slow start in Cleveland to Albert Pujols' start in Anaheim.
On Thursday's episode of Mike & Mike, host Mike Golic called it "one of the most ridiculous statements [he's] heard four games into a season in [his] life in any sport."
He continued:
"That's what I'll say about Bill Simmons. So, you know, he grabbed a headline, which is something I know he loves — and that's one of the most ridiculous lines I've ever heard in any sport in my life. Four games into a season. I don't even … that's ridiculous."
What Mike and Mike did today was absolute garbage. I would say I lost respect for that show, but I never had it. http://t.co/LRd8YzFfO8
For an ESPN Radio show to pull an interview out of context from another ESPN Radio show, then play the moral authority card, is disgusting.
Have the balls to call me to discuss it on the show. Don't pull it out of context just because you need fodder for a segment. Pathetic.
He closed with a link to ESPN's ombudsman blog, which said it's time for both the network and Simmons to "evolve" when it comes to journalism.
The ombudsman specifically referenced a controversial piece about NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell:
I think it's time everyone involved -- Simmons, ESPN and the audience -- evolves. Simmons can start by using his resources, smarts and connections to find some smoking video bearing the commissioner's fingerprints.
[...]
As for ESPN, it needs to be clearer about which rules of journalism it is going to enforce and why they need to be enforced equally in print and on pod, on Grantland and "SportsCenter" and "GameDay" and perhaps even on "partner projects." ESPN needs to be more transparent about the role of journalism in its business model, the purpose behind it and how committed it is to supporting it.
But hey - I'm just a guy who can't evolve, right? http://t.co/XJ0GWbc5gJ
Simmons recently wrapped a three-week unpaid suspension for criticizing Goodell and tempting ESPN executives to punish him. They did, swiftly, and thus, Simmons knows exactly what he's wading into with this criticism.
Thursday afternoon, Golic announced he and Simmons had sorted things out:
Spoke to Bill, all is good. I will discuss on show