So, a week after missing one because I was sick, I really don’t have an excuse for missing last week’s. I guess I just didn’t have anything in mind, and was experiencing my annual winter lull in football interest. But today marks the official start of the new NFL season, so we’re back at it.
Thought I’d go this week with another former NFL player who’s been in the news–this time, former ESPN NFL Analyst Sean Salisbury. Emphasis on the former, thankfully.
Salisbury was let go this past week by the powers that be in Bristol, after they brought in Cris Carter after HBO cancelled Inside the NFL. Salisbury has tried to make the parting sound mutual, but we’re not buying it.
Salisbury reportedly wanted a seven figure salary from the Worldwide Leader, despite recently calling respected NFL Analyst/Reporter John Clayton ‘Cryptkeeper’ on air, and being suspended in 2006 for showing off pictures of his “Salisbury Steak” to numerous women (thanks to the Deadspin commenters for that nickname).
Salisbury’s statement read in part:
“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.”
This, from the guy who compared having his high school retire his No. 12 football jersey retired to being “…like John Elway, Marcus Allen, Larry Bird or Magic Johnson.”
Yep, that bit on Battlebots, combined with a few years on the network that has become completely irrelevant to sports, and a horrible appearance in The Benchwarmers (a surprisingly funny movie, even with Salisbury) sure do speak for themselves.
Enough bashing of Salisbury–that I’ve spent this much time is a little disturbing. The card above is his 1996 Upper Deck Collector’s Choice Update card, #U141 in the set, booking at a whopping $0.10. I have no idea where or when I got it, but I pulled it out specifically because at some point I figured I’d do a run of Cards of the Week that were of NFL Analysts/Announcers from their playing days. And now, he hopefully won’t make that list.
Hopefully I’ll be back a little more regularly around here in the coming weeks.
And one more little fun jab at Salisbury on the way out–at a Vikings game in my youth, I was sitting in some seats that were amazingly close to the field, but also in front of an ancient season ticket holder who didn’t care for our standing and cheering. At all. Well, at one point, and honestly I don’t remember if Salisbury was playing and actually doing well (unlikely) or if it was the days of calling for him to replace Rich Gannon, but the old lady behind us kept yelling in her raspy voice for “Shane.” So that’s my real lasting memory of the guy–Shane Salisbury, backup Viking QB.
