Arrr, ESPN be givin' Jeff Van Gundy the ol' heave-ho at a most unseemly hour, says his matey Stan!
2024-05-25
Arrr! After 17 moons sailin' with ESPN, Jeff Van Gundy be walkin' the plank! His scallywag brother Stan be sayin' the network be treatin' him like a landlubber. Aye, the winds be changin' for the van Gundy brothers!
Jeff Van Gundy, a former NBA coach turned ESPN color commentator, was unexpectedly laid off by the network before the start of this NBA season. His brother, Stan Van Gundy, who is also a head coach turned analyst, expressed his outrage at how ESPN treated Jeff, claiming they "s--t on him" after 17 years of service. Stan criticized the timing of Jeff's dismissal, stating it conveniently came after all the top coaching and front office positions had been filled. The move left Jeff without a job in a market that had already closed off most opportunities.Colleagues like play-by-play announcer Mike Breen were shocked and saddened by the abrupt end to the partnership between Van Gundy and fellow analyst Mark Jackson. Breen described the duo as dream partners and lamented the premature breakup of their successful team. Despite the changes, ESPN's main NBA broadcast team now features Breen, Doris Burke, and J.J. Redick. The shift in personnel came after Doc Rivers unexpectedly left his broadcasting role to become the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.Overall, Jeff Van Gundy's departure from ESPN was met with surprise and disappointment from those within the industry, highlighting the unpredictability of the sports media landscape.