# Wish I knew the real story of why Chris Berman was being forced to take a lesser role at ESPN **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 5, 2017, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081 "2017-02-05T18:40:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![4kad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/7cd45c/32.png) [@4kad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/4kad)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081/1 "2017-02-05T18:40:38Z")
One of the faces of the Network for 37 years and now won’t be hosting NFL Countdown anymore and is only 63 years old. So now they are giving him a tribute when he will be doing other things for the network? Also it has never been said what other role he will take with the network. None of this makes sense at all. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081/2 "2017-02-05T19:14:06Z")
it’s pretty common in TV to get forced out for a younger guy. ESPN is having ratings trouble so that’s the likely reason for the change. ---
**Author:** ![4kad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/7cd45c/32.png) [@4kad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/4kad)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081/3 "2017-02-05T19:19:00Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > it’s pretty common in TV to get forced out for a younger guy. ESPN is having ratings trouble so that’s the likely reason for the change. But not if he is a ESPN Legend and put the station on the map ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081/4 "2017-02-05T19:22:18Z")
a lot of “legends” have been forced to retire or fired. A recent sports example is Bobby Bowden from Florida State. These days it’s all about the bucks. ---
**Author:** ![4kad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/7cd45c/32.png) [@4kad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/4kad)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081/5 "2017-02-05T19:27:43Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > a lot of “legends” have been forced to retire or fired. A recent sports example is Bobby Bowden from Florida State. These days it’s all about the bucks. True I just thought 62 was still kind of young for him to be leaving ---
**Author:** ![Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enter_the_Flagon)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081/6 "2017-02-05T20:53:03Z")
According to a number of radio broadcasters in the DC media, Berman has a reputation for being very difficult to work with. So it may be a case of the Steven Seagal effect of a guy running out of powerful allies. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2017, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081/7 "2017-02-05T23:16:10Z")
I’m amazed people actually watch all those shows where people sit around and blather on about sports. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081/8 "2017-02-06T01:35:33Z")
People were laughing AT back back back back and HE COULD GO ALL THE WAY, rather than laughing with him. ---
**Author:** ![NoSleepTillDeath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a87d85/32.png) [@NoSleepTillDeath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoSleepTillDeath)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081/9 "2017-02-06T01:49:09Z")
Chris Berman has been pretty terrible for over a decade now. His status with ESPN has kept him around slot than he deserved to be. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081/10 "2017-02-06T04:53:33Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > a lot of “legends” have been forced to retire or fired. A recent sports example is Bobby Bowden from Florida State. These days it’s all about the bucks. Off the top of my head for famous baseball announcers connected with teams Red Barber resigned from the Dodgers over money in 1953. Signed with Yankees and was let go after 1966 Mel Allen: fired from Yankees in 1964. Worked some for them years later Bob Prince: fired by Pirates after 1974. Came back a decade later but died shortly after Harry Caray: fired by Cardinals in 1969 after fooling around with a much younger member of the Busch family (owners). Ernie Harrell: fired by Tigers in 1990, came back in 1993. ESPN has been losing lots of viewers lately. When in doubt, suits will fire/demote people lower on the totem pole. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081/11 "2017-02-06T14:26:21Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > Harry Caray: fired by Cardinals in 1969 after fooling around with a much younger member of the Busch family (owners). Really? I knew there was a reason I liked the guy. ---
**Author:** ![4kad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/7cd45c/32.png) [@4kad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/4kad)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081/12 "2017-02-06T16:11:22Z")
I think that sexual harassment situation that Espn settled for berman played a part in all of this. They settled the case in 2015 ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2017, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wish-i-knew-the-real-story-of-why-chris-berman-was-being-forced-to-take-a-lesser-role-at-espn/779081/13 "2017-02-06T17:34:27Z")
> [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](#): > > According to a number of radio broadcasters in the DC media, Berman has a reputation for being very difficult to work with. So it may be a case of the Steven Seagal effect of a guy running out of powerful allies. > [@4kad](#): > > I think that sexual harassment situation that Espn settled for berman played a part in all of this. They settled the case in 2015 It’s a pretty open secret that Chris Berman is, in real life, a grade A asshole. But ESPN put up with him all this time. I think his new role is a combination of factors, but probably most significant is that Disney has been slashing costs at ESPN. They’ve been letting talent go for a while. By the way, has anyone at ESPN addressed the reports that Mike Greenberg is leaving Mike and Mike to do something else? If true, what a terrible idea. Mike and Mike has got to be one of the best things going for ESPN, as far as ratings and making revenue.