ESPN has another in-house disagreement on its hands.
We’ve seen ESPN personalities clash before — Bill Simmons feuded with “Mike and Mike” co-hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic — and we’re seeing it again now that Michelle Beadle and Adam Schefter are on different sides of the fence regarding free-agent defensive end Greg Hardy, who allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend, Nicole Holder, in 2014, resulting in a four-game suspension by the NFL last season.
Schefter sat down for a 1-on-1 interview with Hardy this week, after which the NFL insider said he felt like Hardy was “a changed kind of guy.” ESPN’s coverage and Schefter’s assessment of Hardy didn’t sit well with some, including Beadle, especially since the former Carolina Panthers/Dallas Cowboys D-lineman denied any wrongdoing and hardly seemed remorseful in his weird chat.
“I feel dirty in that this guy has no job right now, and for some reason, we’ve decided as a network that we’re going to give him the stage for his redemption tour as he basically goes out and tries to find some employment,” Beadle said Tuesday on ESPN’s “SportsNation.” “I don’t understand why we’re doing that.
“If he wants to figure out a way to get his message out there — which by the way, he hasn’t said he did anything wrong, so how a man is supposed to convince anybody he’s changed and yet not admit to actually doing anything, I have no idea. But why we’re giving him the forum to go out there and tell anybody that, is where I’m a little bit confused.”
Admittedly, Beadle didn’t go all in against her colleague or ESPN, despite articulately expressing her opinion opposing the network’s coverage. She’s clearly among those scratching her head, though.
Don’t be surprised if this ordeal isn’t over. Hardy tends to end up in the news, one way or another, if you haven’t noticed.
