That’s a bit ugly.
Didn’t love the never ending Mt Rushmore’s?hope they do get back to them next summer because the show starts to drag during the dog days after the NBA/NHL playoffs.
The actor Michael Rapaport has sued the macho blog Barstool Sports for firing him, refusing to pay $575,000 for a podcast and satellite radio show — and then selling t-shirts that showed him with herpes.
“Michael Rapaport is a loser. There is nothing worse than somebody who claims to be the king of trash talk and then cries when people respond in kind,” Portnoy said in a statement. “Unfortunately as much I’d love to take credit for ruining his career he did it to himself by being an unhinged lunatic. We wish him nothing but the best as he fades into oblivion.”
I hear you. I wish he connected AJ somehow, but yea they are friends and it is extremely disappointing. My take from the article was the link to The Daily Beast article, which basically says that women sportswriters can't write anything critical of Barstool or they will be harassed/abused and doxxed. Even the victims refuse to publicly come forward for fear of retribution. When you look at the body of work of Barstool (I guess I will say Portnoy individually, as he is the main offender) it is amazing he is still in charge.I like Will Leitch a lot. I think that he's intelligent, self-effacing, funny and doesn't take things way too seriously. Through his works, it's helped me realize stuff about myself. I liked this piece a lot, mostly because I'm not a fan of Barstool or their culture.
Having said that, I'm not sure how Leitch can write an article like this and still be pals with AJ Daulerio. Daulerio is ten times the creep that Portnoy is and far more destructive. I get that Leitch and Daulerio are friends and there's a certain honor about sticking by your friends through everything. But Daulerio seems like a real dirtbag. I think that it's more correct to make the connection from Daulerio to Portnoy than Leitch to Portnoy. As Leitch argues, his Deadspin was more literate than Barstool. The only time he noticed the throng of proto-Stoolies is when the pieces skidded off course. Daulerio, even more than Portnoy, steered into that skid.
It seems to me that a big part of Leitch's thesis: Deadspin begat Barstool is missing a big link.
Yeah - that’s pretty much why I unposted. The thought crossed my mind, although I’d compare it more to arguing about Deflategate between Pats/non-Pats fans. No one’s minds are changing.I'm not sure what it says about America in 2018 that I could come straight to this thread from the Kavanaugh/SCOTUS thread in V&N and hardly tell the difference, but it certainly says something.
Yeah, Daulerio is the worst. Not enough bad things can happen to him. But IMHO Portnoy is nearly as bad and is utterly vile in his own right. I realize others may feel differently, but his Gamergating all criticism is repulsive to me.I like Will Leitch a lot. I think that he's intelligent, self-effacing, funny and doesn't take things way too seriously. Through his works, it's helped me realize stuff about myself. I liked this piece a lot, mostly because I'm not a fan of Barstool or their culture.
Having said that, I'm not sure how Leitch can write an article like this and still be pals with AJ Daulerio. Daulerio is ten times the creep that Portnoy is and far more destructive. I get that Leitch and Daulerio are friends and there's a certain honor about sticking by your friends through everything. But Daulerio seems like a real dirtbag. I think that it's more correct to make the connection from Daulerio to Portnoy than Leitch to Portnoy. As Leitch argues, his Deadspin was more literate than Barstool. The only time he noticed the throng of proto-Stoolies is when the pieces skidded off course. Daulerio, even more than Portnoy, steered into that skid.
It seems to me that a big part of Leitch's thesis: Deadspin begat Barstool is missing a big link.
Portnoy is a horrible man child and person. I think it's safe to say most people agree with that. Where people seem to differ is whether or not you can consume their content (eg PMT) at all without becoming complicit in his dumb behavior. Similar to others in this thread, I'm not willing to go that far- especially in a media landscape where all these personalities and companies have skeletons. Portnoy isn't actually the boss even if he is the face of the company for his minions. Barstool has some of the best female personalities in sports despite their reputation - Kayce Smith is awesome, for example. Overall I guess my point is that I don't consider it a black and white situation.Could someone explain to me the pro-Portnoy POV in all of this? In reading this thread, it doesn’t even seem like the Barstool defenders are sticking up for him.
Whereas the other Barstool employees seem almost ashamed of the “small percentage” of Stoolies who go out of their way to harasse and demean people, Portnoy relishes those types and has weaponized them. He really seems to enjoy ruining the social media presence of anyone who dares go against Barstool and comes across as a truly vile human being.
And this whole campaign of digging up old tweets to try and excuse current behavior is ridiculous. As SJH pointed out in the comments of Petchesky’s article, theres a gigantic difference between a 12 year old post from a 22 year old who has grown since then and recognizes it was awful vs a 41 year old man who continually acts like that and thinks it’s completely fine
I don’t think the overall situation is black and white but I think one point of it is. The people who help our Portnoy by digging through crates of old tweets (Kmarko, Smitty) are completely in the wrong and look just as bad as him.Portnoy is a horrible man child and person. I think it's safe to say most people agree with that. Where people seem to differ is whether or not you can consume their content (eg PMT) at all without becoming complicit in his dumb behavior. Similar to others in this thread, I'm not willing to go that far- especially in a media landscape where all these personalities and companies have skeletons. Portnoy isn't actually the boss even if he is the face of the company for his minions. Barstool has some of the best female personalities in sports despite their reputation - Kayce Smith is awesome, for example. Overall I guess my point is that I don't consider it a black and white situation.
I think this is all spot on.I don’t think the overall situation is black and white but I think one point of it is. The people who help our Portnoy by digging through crates of old tweets (Kmarko, Smitty) are completely in the wrong and look just as bad as him.
I also don’t think it’s too much to ask that the other Barstool employees unequivocally state that how he uses his platform and that some of the shit he has done recently (thinking specifically of Laura Wagner and sticking his army on her....I actually don’t think he meant to dox Bob Saietta) is wrong and fucked up. Instead they’ve kind of half stepped around it saying “I don’t agree with everything Dave does”
It sucks because I think that most of the Barstool employees are generally good people and not like Portnoy. However, mostly because Portnoy feels the need to bring it up all of the time and stake claim on Barstool as a whole, Barstool will forever be mostly associated with Portnoy
Not sure, but he is in every way the face and soul of the company. He IS Barstool in the public perception. And no matter how talented the rest of the staff is, the entire site and corporate umbrella is essentially him.How much equity (%) does he have left in the company?
I’ve never read barstool and can’t stand portnoy from the things I’ve read about him. He most likely deserves every piece of criticism that comes his way.And this whole campaign of digging up old tweets to try and excuse current behavior is ridiculous. As SJH pointed out in the comments of Petchesky’s article, theres a gigantic difference between a 12 year old post from a 22 year old who has grown since then and recognizes it was awful vs a 41 year old man who continually acts like that and thinks it’s completely fine
Not sure, but he is in every way the face and soul of the company. He IS Barstool in the public perception. And no matter how talented the rest of the staff is, the entire site and corporate umbrella is essentially him.
I have zero doubt that should PFT and Big Cat break from Barstool to do PMT through another outlet, they'd be extremely successful. I don't see why either one of those guys needs Portnoy at all. If Vice Media was able to dump the co-founder who turned out to be a white supremacist and yet still thrive, Barstool could certainly dump Portnoy. The question remains whether they want to, or if in fact the site's ethos is essentially Portnoy's personal brand of swaggering misogyny and douchebaggery.
The things he's done to Laura Wagner turn my stomach.
What’s your moniker mean?How is any of what your describing different than your experience on certain members only parts of this board, or others that you’ve participated in? I’m willing to allow that you’ve matured like other people, but Portnoy’s unwillingness to change makes him vile now. Eh.
Edit: Deadspin is hot garbage. Has been for a while.
I know there are lots of Magary fans here and I like Drew in small doses (over the last few years, I feel like he has fallen into a Simmons-like pattern, which is very ironic, of going to the same references etc.) but at this juncture, PFT is the most clever satirist working in sports media. Then he goes and posts this - a thoughtful and honest take on what Barstool and its fans can do better - and it just underscores how great he is at using his platform.And right on cue - PFT with an unsurprisingly awesome article about all of this, including calling out a lot to Barstool behavior. Best outline of it all I’ve seen, I agree with everything he wrote. I encourage everyone to read it if they’re interested in this at all. It’s likely not what you expect, either.
linky goodness
I mean, this is it right here. Portnoy is doubling down on his actions.How is any of what your describing different than your experience on certain members only parts of this board, or others that you’ve participated in? I’m willing to allow that you’ve matured like other people, but Portnoy’s unwillingness to change makes him vile now. Eh.
Edit: Deadspin is hot garbage. Has been for a while.
It’s good for his business and it’s nothing for people to go to their fainting couches over. Laura Wagner is trying to get traffic to Deadspin through a concerted effort to target Barstool because of its popularity. She is not owed a line in the sand that allows no more than a proportional response. Poor Laura Wagner? Really?I mean, this is it right here. Portnoy is doubling down on his actions.
So you're okay with what Portnoy did to Wagner because it ultimately drove clicks to Deadspin?It’s good for his business and it’s nothing for people to go to their fainting couches over. Laura Wagner is trying to get traffic to Deadspin through a concerted effort to target Barstool because of its popularity. She is not owed a line in the sand that allows no more than a proportional response. Poor Laura Wagner? Really?
It really doesn't matter why.So you're okay with what Portnoy did to Wagnerbecause it ultimately drove clicks to Deadspin?
We're going to disagree about what Portnoy did to Wagner.
I’m not going to pretend that I’m bothered by it for two reasons:So you're okay with what Portnoy did to Wagner because it ultimately drove clicks to Deadspin?
Putting aside any other considerations:1. When the tiger attacked Roy in Vegas, it didn’t go crazy - it went tiger. She’s a smart adult. She knows her subject and given those two things she has to be prepared for how he may react.
Outrage profiteer? Is that what they call middle-aged juvenile misogynist asshole bullies these days? I need an arboretum to keep track of all these new-fangled figleafs.I don’t know, toughen up a bit and stop playing stupid?
And for the commentariat, maybe stop pretending that she’s not in on it? You’re picking one outrage profiteer over another.
It really doesn't matter why.
You'd save a lot more time by just saying, "It's the victim's fault."I’m not going to pretend that I’m bothered by it for two reasons:
1. When the tiger attacked Roy in Vegas, it didn’t go crazy - it went tiger. She’s a smart adult. She knows her subject and given those two things she has to be prepared for how he may react. I view that as a necessary requirement for taking on the job.
2. The entire thing was a predictable paint by numbers exercise on both sides to generate heat.
It’s like making Glen Ordway’s home phone number the password to a member’s only webpage. More caustic, but the intent’s the same.
Speaking of predictable... Good job. Good effort.You'd save a lot more time by just saying, "It's the victim's fault."
I think Barstool is definitely more your kind of place. It's not gonna fly here.
For sure.Barstool appeals to teenaged Brett Kavanaugh-types.