ESPN’s Bill Simmons Had to Withdraw NBA MVP Vote Over LeBron James Bet
All, Bill Simmons, ESPN, LeBron James, NBA May 3rd. 2012, 4:34pm
Bill Simmons withdrew his NBA MVP vote because he had gambled on the outcome, which was a conflict of interest. Simmons bet that LeBron James would win the MVP and, not surprisingly, he voted for LeBron James.
From ESPN PR via email:
“Bill had never received a ballot before and didn’t find out he had one until two-thirds of the season had passed. By that time he had made multiple MVP bets, two of which he had discussed on podcasts. He ended up withdrawing his MVP vote to avoid the perception of any conflict.”
Simmons placed his bet before he knew he had an MVP vote. Not sure there was sinister intent here, but media privileges come with media codes of conduct. Guessing anyone else would be facing a lot more flack for this.
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75 Responses to “ESPN’s Bill Simmons Had to Withdraw NBA MVP Vote Over LeBron James Bet”
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May 3rd, 2012 at 4:36 PM
Cannot wait for the Simmons/Phillips connection to come out considering how degenerate a gambler and absolute creeper he is.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:37 PM
Can’t wait to read the column on how this mean this years MVP vote comes with footnotes?
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:38 PM
He gamblin’? Motha Fucka was gamblin’? sheeeeeeit.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:38 PM
Caption: You wish you were that big.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:40 PM
!!!
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:40 PM
And one more horrifying link for the day.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:41 PM
Clearly there wasn’t
Doubtful
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:41 PM
Guessing anyone else would be facing a lot more flack for this.
I admit I am a Simmons apologist — but I dont think anyone would. He did the right thing, lets move on.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:42 PM
And one more horrifying link for the day.
That’s horrfying, the one with the deaf kid earlier today was more horrifying. “He’s heating up”. On a related note, if there is a documentary about Neo-Nazi’s on TV — I’m watching it, no questions asked.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:45 PM
When you’re a compulsive gambler and have a chance to slightly swing the MVP vote in your favor, you have to do it.
/unapologetic Simmons fan
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:45 PM
you really think simmons, who is paid millions, is trying to manipulate the mvp vote to win some extra cash?
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:45 PM
Holy hell…Expendables 2 looks like it could be the worst movie ever made. At least Sly is rocking a porn stache.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:46 PM
If Simmons were up to something sinister here he wouldn’t have voted for LeBron, he would have written a bunch of columns and done a bunch of podcasts trying to trump up the credentials of one of his longshot bets. Maybe Tony Parker.
LeBron was the favorite going in, and the easy choice at the end. This is a nonstory.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:46 PM
I’ll be honest, I thought the one where the woman allowed a 49-year-old to have sex with her 5-month child was the worst.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:46 PM
were this legally placed bets?
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:47 PM
Betting on an event over which you control the outcome is kind of a big deal. If this was just some dude writing for a newspaper, there would be a huge stink over it.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:47 PM
Huh? No, they wouldn’t. Oddly, you outlined why they wouldn’t before stating the opposite.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:48 PM
were this legally placed bets?
From listening to his podcasts, it seems like he does most of his prop bets on Sportsbook.
I’ll be honest, I thought the one where the woman allowed a 49-year-old to have sex with her 5-month child was the worst.
I missed that one….uhhhh, link?
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:48 PM
VOMIT
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:49 PM
http://dailycaller.com/2012/05/01/mother-gets-two-life-sentences-for-allowing-man-to-rape-5-month-old-daughter/
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:49 PM
feel free to draw your own conclusions.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:49 PM
Yes but…
So whats the big deal?
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:49 PM
Anyone else would be expected to know they weren’t supposed to vote after betting on it, and that it probably wasn’t a good idea to bet/disclose that you bet in the first place.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:49 PM
I think if he had voted for someone besides LeBron, it would be a big deal. But this is not a big deal.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:50 PM
sighs…… no dude. No, I don’t actually think that. Fucking new commenters.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:50 PM
Betting on an event over which you control the outcome is kind of a big deal. If this was just some dude writing for a newspaper, there would be a huge stink over it.
I still disagree — and see comment 13. Do you think that this whole time Simmons was propping up LeBron in his MVP columns so he could win his bet?
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:50 PM
This whole is, at worst, bad optics.
If he placed that bet with the knowledge that he’d have a vote, then it’s a different story.
But this just looks like bad/weird timing.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:51 PM
The first Expendables was a cinematic abortion. Didn’t even make that much money. How is there a sequel to this? That’s like having a homeless man shit on your face, then asking him to please rub one out before he leaves because he missed a spot.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:52 PM
I’m super pissed at Simmons for denigrating the 1994 Rockets today, but…
this is a non-issue. Hell, he should even be applauded for being pro-active in withdrawing his vote. We know there are other voters that are not as forthcoming with their gambling habits.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:52 PM
feel free to draw your own conclusions.
I realize it’s used in almost every post by someone, but it still makes me laugh every time.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:52 PM
I think your mistake here is that you perceive Simmons as a real journalist or something. It’s clear from his writing that he simply remains a homer fan. A more powerful than normal fan, but a fan nonetheless. He most likely never thought twice about it. Had he bet on Chris Paul and voted for Chris Paul, then we might be talking about a different case. Seems like LeBron is the clear MVP though, unless you are feeling Durant. Just happened to be a lucky coincidence for Simmons that he was correct in his betting and then he got a vote.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:54 PM
@Husker — Yeah that’s way more depressing. It’s actually unbelievable that there are people like that.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:55 PM
Did he say that the 1994 Rockets weren’t real movie stars?
/likes Simmons, but he deserves shit for that movie stars piece
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:55 PM
I still can’t believe ‘they’ gave Simmons an awards ballot. And I bet he can’t, either. He probably never dreamed he’d get a ballot. He’s always been a gambler and never tried to hide it. I’m sure he’s tickled pink he got a ballot and didn’t even consider any type of conflict until somebody else pointed it out. He gets a pass from me.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:55 PM
Excuse me while I go cry in the corner.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:56 PM
relax ballz in the stig, it was a comment on the article…
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:56 PM
What’s the definition of “real journalist?”
Simmons runs a division of ESPN, gets media credentials and participated in a writer’s vote. He gets the privileges of being a media member but he’s not held to the same responsibilities. That’s a double standard.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:56 PM
sorry we haven’t all been commenting long enough here for your approval
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:57 PM
Yes, and that’s the sort of logic that doesn’t fly if you’re anyone in the media except Bill Simmons.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:58 PM
Confirmed: Simmons is the worst gambler outside of Krusty the Clown.
/Who ya like?
//The tenor!
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:58 PM
I bet my hair would look tremendous today and, guess what, it does.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:59 PM
Bill Conlin raped children and got a free pass from the BBWAA I don’t see why sports media people would make a big deal out of gambling.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:59 PM
This is a massive COI and you guys can’t see that I don’t know what to tell you. If he placed the bet first, he should have declined the ballot. If it was the other way around, it’s even worse. This is big deal from an ethics standpoint.
May 3rd, 2012 at 4:59 PM
Well, apology not accepted!!!
Simmons is a columnist, not a journalist.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:00 PM
Simmons placed his bet before he knew he had an MVP vote. Not sure there was sinister intent here, but media privileges come with media codes of conduct. Guessing anyone else would be facing a lot more flack for this.
I think the realy problem here is that we give ballots to “journalists” in the first place.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:00 PM
hey man, you’re the one that brought up newspaper writers, not me. Ballz said much better what I was trying to get at:
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:00 PM
The Washington Generals. I think they’re due.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:01 PM
Why is this a problem though? He’s different, why is that bad?
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:01 PM
Journalism Ethics are different than actual standards of reasonable behavior. I think that’s where the misunderstanding is.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:02 PM
And Rick Reilly. We’re not talking Woodward and Bernstein here.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:04 PM
Journalism Ethics
What about BUSINESS ethics?
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:04 PM
Thought you said Woodford. Mmm, Woodford…
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:06 PM
What about BUSINESS ethics?
First day in you take on the biggest baddest mofo in that place. Nobody going to fuck with you after that.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:06 PM
He made a mistake, realized it, and righted it. It’s over, let’s move on.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:08 PM
People are acting like LeFag wasn’t going to win in a landslide. The media gave him the award before the season started. It was his to lose.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:10 PM
I love Holly Sonders
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:12 PM
I hate to admit it, but I think Duffy is right on this. Simmons always tries to have it both ways, telling everyone he’s just a fan (not a journalist), while accepting all the privelages of a journalist (the big bucks, the access).
I disagree only in that I don’t think it’s a big deal but only because I don’t think he was trying to rig the system. I think he just had a lapse of judgment and acted appropriately once he thought it through (or once it was pointed out to him).
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:14 PM
This. He probably just never connected the two when he cast his vote.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:16 PM
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:19 PM
/smh
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:20 PM
smells like a lot of people blowing Simmons in here…
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:21 PM
I demand a new question!
He’s just spinning the ball on his finger! Just take it!
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:22 PM
He’s as much of a journalist as Wilbon currently is, which is to say not at all. He’s a commentating celeb who probably shouldn’t have a vote to begin with.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:24 PM
Judging from the podcast where he actually filled out the ballot, I’d have to agree. I mean, Tony Parker 1st team All NBA over Kobe? What an ass-hat!
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:27 PM
I have basically no opinion about Simmons, but it seems like whoever decides who gets to vote are the ones who fucked up most here. They shouldn’t have given him a vote, particularly since apparently it was public information that he had placed bets on the winner. If he hadn’t retracted his vote then there would be a problem, but there doesn’t seem to be any harm here.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:31 PM
Careful Dendo, watch where you step ’round here. This is these folks’ livelihood, incessantly commenting on all the breaking news in the all-important world of sports. You’ve been warned!
/team Ballz and his make-believe friends of the world wide web
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:41 PM
I actually don’t comment nearly as much as I used to. Nor as much as most of the other commenters.
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:42 PM
On the contrary, no one else is as famous as he is so we wouldn’t have even heard this much of the story…and it’s not like he’s fighting to keep the vote so that should be that
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:47 PM
Isn’t Dendo the guy that immediately called out Sarah Philips when she commented on here?
May 3rd, 2012 at 5:47 PM
Good thing McIntyre doesn’t have an MVP vote.
May 3rd, 2012 at 6:00 PM
Simmons is a dick.
May 3rd, 2012 at 6:13 PM
So when had a $10 bet that Cousins would be selected after round 3 and started spreading cocaine rumours that was ethical because I am not a journalist.
May 3rd, 2012 at 6:15 PM
“So when had a $10 bet that Cousins would be selected after round 3 and started spreading cocaine rumours that was ethical because I am not a journalist.”
It was ethical because Cousins is a pederast.
May 3rd, 2012 at 7:41 PM
Steve Novak!
May 3rd, 2012 at 9:22 PM
Not sure there was sinister intent here, but media privileges come with media codes of conduct.
Guessing anyone
YES YOU ARE
Sports Guy made a sports bet and you guys sh!t your pants….
The real question is all y’all ready to see RipCity drop 27/6/7 vs PHI tomorrow?