Deadspin Hilariously Claims That Bomani Jones' HBO Show 'Game Theory' Failed Because Jones Is Too Smart
I honestly, truly miss Deadspin. Back in the day, I loved that website. It posted hilarious sports stories and had interesting takes on sporting events. Deadspin even broke the Manti Te'o fake girlfriend story. But an "article" posted Wednesday about Bomani Jones' failed HBO show illustrates how the site completely devolved into a left-wing propagandist outlet.
The "article" title credits noted far-left-wing talking head Dan Le Batard. Le Batard, you may recall, was too far left for ESPN. Let that sink in.
But Deadspin apparently believes his words are gospel.
"Dan Le Batard was right — ‘Embrace Debate’ has destroyed sports television," the "article" is titled.
Recent Deadspin article begins with a quote from far-left-wing commentator Dan Le Batard. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)
It's written by someone named Carron J. Phillips. His bio includes the phrase "I like brown liquor & brown women." Apparently, that's not racist. Can you imagine if an OutKick writer had "I like white women" in his bio? My God, the Internet would burn.
But I digress.
The sub-headline of the "article" is "The recent cancellation of Bomani Jones’s ‘Game Theory’ on HBO is the latest example of audiences wanting trash over substance."
That is quite a take. Phillips immediately posits the impetus for his "article" (which I am putting in quotes because calling this puff piece an article would be an insult). He believes that Bomani Jones' HBO show failed because it was TOO GOOD.
I have to give Phillips credit: it's pretty ballsy to put your name on something like that. I have delivered my share of hot takes throughout my career, but claiming that an HBO show failed because it was too good to succeed is a realm in which even I cannot operate.
Perhaps he's angling for a job at ESPN. They love ridiculous hot takes.
Bomani Jones poses at the opening night arrivals for "Neal Brennan's Unacceptable" (Photo by Bruce Glikas/Getty Images)
But let's dive a little more into this wonderful piece of "journalism."
First, Phillips notes the "reported" HBO cancelation of Game Theory. He does not credit the outlet that broke the story (which would be OutKick) and he links to a New York Post article. In that article, the New York Post properly credits OutKick's Bobby Burack for breaking it.
Deadspin does not. But, that's not surprising. Again, that's why I'm calling this an "article" and a piece of "journalism."
We're off to a flying start! Poor journalism etiquette, a grammatical error, a Dan Le Batard quote and an insane claim all in the first 100 words. Sounds like left-wing propaganda to me.
The rest of the article legitimately reads like parody.
"For some odd reason, viewers — and the powers that be — are still entertained by and have stuck to the idea that being loud and wrong, while yelling at the person sitting across from you is what makes 'good TV' in sports," Phillips writes. "Context, nuance, facts, and intelligence are out, garbage hot takes without any middle ground are in — and have been for way too long."
So much to dissect here. No one is more consistently wrong than Bomani Jones. I broke down one of his more egregious factually-incorrect takes following this year's NFL Draft.
The rest of this article could be spent detailing his other horribly incorrect takes, but I need to save room for some of Phillips' terrible takes.
The most hilarious part of that paragraph written by Phillips is this line: "garbage hot takes without any middle ground are in."
You mean like claiming that Bomani Jones is SO GOOD at television that he just had a third failed show canceled? I can't think of a more "garbage hot take" than that.
Yet, Phillips claims to hate "garbage hot takes." Sweet, sweet irony.
Deadspin writer Carron Phillips penned a ridiculous column stating that Bomani Jones' HBO Show, "Game Theory," failed because it was too good. (Photo by Sean Mathis/Getty Images for SXSW)
Let's continue.
"Shows like Outside the Lines, High Noon, E:60, and The Sports Reporters would never survive in this era, which is ridiculous when you realize those programs are needed now more than ever," Phillips continues.
Oh, boy, is this a doozy. He just lumped High Noon in with ESPN's journalistic endeavors. Keep in mind: Erik Rydholm, who basically created all of the "embrace debate" shows, also created High Noon.
And, High Noon followed the same format as First Take, PTI, or any number of shows that Phillips claims to hate.
But he includes High Noon because, of course, Bomani Jones hosted that show. Even though it goes against everything he stands for. That's hypocritical. Sounds like left-wing propaganda to me!
"Instead, we have what (Skip) Bayless keeps doing at FS1, and whatever that network will continue to do with Emmanuel Acho — the perfect example of someone who only comes off as smart to stupid people because smart people know how dumb he truly is," Phillips writes.
"And over at ESPN, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo recently signed a contract extension to keep screaming idiotic takes that somehow always feel racist, while Pat McAfee’s goal is to make sure that 'mass exits' never happen again at ESPN, as he believes that a show that was once a haven for Aaron Rodgers to spew his fake news can save an entire network."
There's too much here to break down line-by-line, so I won't. But Phillips is smart to call Emmanuel Acho dumb before implying that Chris Russo is racist. See, if he calls a black man dumb right before he attacks three white people, then it's OK!
Why doesn't he just write "I have white friends" instead?
Deadspin writer takes aim at Pat McAfee for allowing Aaron Rodgers to spread "misinformation" even though Rodgers got far more right about COVID than many "experts" (Screenshot: Pat McAfee Show)
I'd also love for him to give one example of Aaron Rodgers' "fake news."
Though not in this "article" he does actually try to produce some of this material. Instead, Phillips links to a different "article" -- that he wrote -- from 2021. Want to hear some of the things that Phillips considers to be "fake news" from Aaron Rodgers?
“'What I don’t understand, though, it makes no sense to me to continue to spread this narrative that non-vaccinated players are more dangerous or these super-spreaders, which hasn’t been proven to be true,'” Rodgers spewed. 'I don’t understand this two-class system that exists in our league.'”
"He then went on to say that science 'is changing all the time,' as if he’s ever spent time in a lab outside of any class he might have been required to take at Cal.
“'It doesn’t back it up,' Rodgers continued. 'There’s not many unvaccinated guys left in the league but it’s obviously not a pandemic of the unvaxxed ... It doesn’t make sense to me we’re still punishing non-vaccinated.'"
I mean, you can't make this stuff up. Phillips, in 2023, is criticizing Aaron Rodgers for delivering factually accurate information about COVID-19 from two years ago.
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Again, credit to him for standing by his inaccurate "journalism" but to link back to it proudly is borderline insane behavior. It's one thing to say "I was wrong" but to still be claiming that as a win against "fake news" is nearly unfathomable.
Deadspin writer hates Aaron Rodgers. Wonder why? (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
After quoting Rodgers, Phillips pens this incredible sentence: "For as stupid, dumb, and dangerous as Rodgers’ actions and words are, it doesn’t change the fact that people like him have always existed.
"The exasperation kicks in when people like McAfee allow and amplify this nonsense to be heard in the problematic vein of 'we need to hear both sides,' when most of the time the other side doesn’t have anything of value to say.'"
I totally agree with that last part, Carron.
I apologize for getting off-track from the "article" at hand, but like in a court of law, there are times that it's important to establish the character of someone. For me to accurately rebut Carron Phillips, I must submit some character testimony.
Which is why I am going to include this final statement from Phillips in the 2021 Rodgers article:
"Rodgers returned so that he and McAfee could do the thing that white men have always been allowed to do for centuries – go completely unchecked for their negative views and actions that affect others, while getting upset if anybody dares to hold them accountable, because, to them, they’re beyond reproach and above criticism."
In case you weren't sure, Phillips isn't a huge fan of white people. Again, important background information.
"The reports of HBO canceling Jones’ Game Theory after two seasons mostly due to low ratings was a gut punch to fans who care about things more important than box scores or prefer conversations about sports that aren’t as low-level as the ones that take place in barbershops," Phillips current article says.
Deadspin writer Carron Phillips penned a ridiculous column stating that Bomani Jones' HBO Show, "Game Theory," failed because it was too good. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Netflix )
"It was also an indicator that viewers lie when they say they want something fresh or different. Because if that was the case, they’d tune in."
I find this part fairly humorous, as well. Mostly that last part.
He claims that Bomani Jones' show was "fresh" and "different." No, it wasn't.
It was a far left-wing "sports talk show" that focused on race above all else. That describes nearly everything in sports media right now. Except OutKick, of course.
He then quotes Bomani Jones, Dan Le Batard and Bob Costas who all had glowing things to say about Bomani Jones. Especially Bomani Jones. No one loves Bomani Jones as much as Bomani Jones loves Bomani Jones.
Carron Phillips is certainly giving him a run for his money. But it's still Jones by a hair.
"If you’ve gotten this far into this column, then, thanks for reading," Phillips begins his final descent.
You're welcome, Carron. However, I suspect many people still reading are simply laughing their asses off at this nonsense. I certainly am. But, you're welcome for the page view, nonetheless.
"However, I want to make it clear that this isn’t about Bomani Jones — but what Bomani Jones represents, as his show’s cancellation is an example of what viewers actually want, instead of what they say they want."
Deadspin writer Carron Phillips penned a ridiculous column stating that Bomani Jones' HBO Show, "Game Theory," failed because it was too good. (Photo by Sean Mathis/Getty Images for SXSW)
Yes, viewers are actually starting to reject racist race-baiters who make a living calling other people racist to hide their own racism. This is great news for American society, not bad news. HBO cancelling Bomani Jones proves the tide is turning.
"Sometimes sports can be really serious. Other times they can just be what they are — games. There should be a place for both sides to exist, and talking heads getting on TV just to yell takes at each other that usually lack context, and facts, only serve one side.
"In the media, be it good, or bad news, what tends to dominate is what people tune into/read the most. It’s basic supply and demand. So the next time you’re wondering why the news is so depressing, and why sports shows all suck, it’s because you’ve made it that way," Phillips concludes.
I mostly agree with this, to be perfectly honest. Sports television does suck. But not because people yell at each other, though I could do without that.
No, sports television does suck because it "only serve one side," exactly as Phillips predicates.
The ironic part, though, is that it serves the side he's on.