Dan Le Batard Co-Host, 'Stugotz,' Says Le Batard 'Sold Out,' Goes On Extremely On-Point Rant About State Of ESPN, Sports Journalism

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Sports journalism is dying. In today's day and age, it's more about creating controversial "hot takes" to draw viewers and make money than reporting stories from an unbiased perspective. Or, in more recent cases, "reporters" are acting like conduits for franchises or players with whom they have relationships. Dan Le Batard called out former ESPN colleague Adrian Wojnarowski for the latter.

Le Batard's co-host, Jon Weiner -- a.k.a. 'Stugotz' -- called out Le Batard for the former.

Dan Le Batard's co-host -- Stugotz -- says Le Batard and all sports journalists at ESPN

Dan Le Batard's co-host, Stugotz, says Le Batard and all sports journalists at ESPN "sold out" to make money. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)

"Journalism, as we know it ... has changed," Stugotz begins, as transcribed by Awful Announcing.

"You all sold out. Every, single one of you, okay? Stephen A. Smith jumped inside the circus tent. I don’t blame him. Why’d he do it? Because he had to do it. Because the game has changed.

"You jumped inside the circus tent. You did ... And so you have ditched journalism a long, long time ago because why? Survival of the fittest, Dan. You have to change with the times.

"Everyone is selling out to make a buck! Just give it up, y’all want to be journalists! You’re not journalists anymore! None of you! Not a one of you! Sorry!"

Dan Le Batard's co-host, Stugotz, says Le Batard and all sports journalists at ESPN "sold out" to make money

Stugotz makes a lot of good points. Yes, most of the people in sports media -- particularly at ESPN -- sold out their integrity to make money.

I agree as well that most had no choice. This is America. People have to make money. The changing industry forced a pivot for most of them.

The biggest problem comes when those same people pretend that they didn't. People like Dan Le Batard act as though they're righteous. They profess to fight for the "disenfranchised" or whatever.

But really, they made their decisions to further their careers. To increase the amount in their bank accounts.

Given the same choice, I'd do it too.

But I promise to never pretend I did it for some noble cause.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.