Last week, after Bud Selig’s $18 million salary became public knowledge, many laughed, some folks may have gotten angry, and a few people responded with shock. ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt (one-time TBL interviewee!) fell into that latter group, and decided to take a few swipes at Bud on his radio show (listen here). Van Pelt didn’t say anything overly offensive – we still don’t fully grasp the “pimp” metaphor, but whatever – and ESPN benched him for an indefinite period of time. 

The timing of the suspension was odd: ESPN is still coming to grips with MLB Network, which one day may emerge as a threat to the WWL, and perhaps it wanted to send a message to the rest of its opinionaters that bashing a business partner isn’t acceptable.

Does this mean David Stern is in the clear, but Gary Bettman is fair game?