Michael Irvin

[jpehl]

Anyone know why ESPN let him go?
jpehl

[hart attack]

uhhhhhh...aside from the fact that he was a lieing crack-head that couldn't put two coherent sentences together, i can't for the life of me figure out why he would be fired!!

[xbigpappa]

Quit playa hating on Mike Irving Heart Attack............you just a jealous Playa hater who mad cause Iriving got mo $$$ and babes than ur broke azz........LOL

I heard Ivring trying to get into the movies in hollywood

[Monroe Eaford]

Michael Irvin not returning to ESPN

By Barry Horn

The Dallas Morning News

(MCT)

DALLAS - Two weeks after his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Michael Irvin's television career is on hold. The former Cowboys wide receiver has had an amicable parting with ESPN, his employer since 2003.

ESPN has chosen not to pick up the option on his contract, Irvin said Saturday. But he hardly sounded despondent in a telephone interview from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He said he is looking forward to opportunities to expand a motion picture career that kicked off in 2005 with a role in The Longest Yard.

During contract talks, ESPN was not supportive of his burgeoning movie career, Irvin said. There was no hint of any of the improprieties that sometimes have marred his years in Dallas.

"I worked hard at ESPN, and I loved my job and the people there," said Irvin, who lives in Plano, Texas. "But I want to do different things and not be stuck in a box. They had other ideas."

Among the options he might consider is tutoring candidates for NFL studio shows. Irvin said he prepped former Cowboys teammate Emmitt Smith for a recent audition with ESPN.

Smith, basking in the glory of his Dancing with the Stars success on ABC, is a candidate to replace Irvin on ESPN, which like ABC is a member of the Disney family.

Recently retired Cowboys coach Bill Parcells agreed to a deal that will return him to ESPN, but not to replace Irvin. Parcells worked at ESPN before joining the Cowboys in 2003.

Given his history of legal issues as a player and broadcaster, Irvin was quick to respond when asked if similar issues were involved in his split with ESPN. It was those issues that may have forced Irvin, a key player in three Cowboys Super Bowl championships in the 1990s, to wait until his third season of eligibility before he was elected to the Hall of Fame. That was on the eve of Super Bowl XLI. The Indianapolis Colts-Chicago Bears game was his final assignment for ESPN.

"I didn't do anything wrong," Irvin said.

ESPN spokesman Bill Hoffheimer agreed that nothing in Irvin's network past influenced the decision not to pick up the contract option. He stressed that Irvin had not recently violated any network guidelines or violated any morals clauses.

"There was an evaluation of the studio talent lineup, and a decision was made to go in a different direction," Hoffheimer said. "There is nothing here but good feelings about Michael."

Irvin joined ESPN in 2003 as an analyst for its two most popular studio shows, Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday NFL Countdown. It wasn't long before he became the lightning rod for both shows. His loud wardrobe and definitive opinions made him stand out on sets with Chris Berman, Steve Young and Tom Jackson.

Irvin championed Terrell Owens' cause throughout the wide receiver's tumultuous final season with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005. Irvin was suspended for two shows after a late November 2005 misdemeanor drug arrest in Plano.

In 2006, Irvin joked on Dan Patrick's ESPN radio show about Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo's racial heritage. It created a minor controversy, and Irvin later apologized.

Should he want to work in a studio next season, Irvin's options were limited last week. CBS completed its lineup by adding retired Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher. NBC hired retired New York Giants running back Tiki Barber to replace Sterling Sharpe.

Fox, which lost ground to CBS' pregame show last season, may be an option. The expanding NFL Network, where Smith spent a pedestrian 2005 season, could be another for Irvin.

[hart attack]

are you serious pappa?? irvin was nothing more than a side show freak while on ESPN. he wore clown suits (like deion), and he couldnt speak to be understood (like shannon sharpe). the interview at the pro bowl between sharpe and this loser was an all time classic.

irvin was/is a crack-hound. ESPN was wise to cut this thug loose. i can't believe any other major network would even consider having him, unless they are doing a piece on crack-heads that use coke to bribe prostitutes to play with each other in a hotel room (a "play-maker" classic).

and btw, i laugh at your "broke" comment, i am a LONG way from being broke. you just go visit your boi mike at an autograph session somewhere and get him to sign your crack pipe.

[Boone Moone]

You're right about that interview during the Pro Bowl telecast being a classic between Irvin and Sharpe.............Kinda reminded me of the comedy classic movie "Airplane" from the early 80's, when those two guys on the plane were talking "jive" to the stewardess, and you needed subtitles to understand what the fuck they were saying............Very similar indeed.

[hart attack]

uh-oh!!! prepare to be slammed now as a rascisit for that one...

"dont playa hate"

[xbigpappa]

well heart attack, instead of hating on Irving on the BW board, tell him in his face whut ya think of his "skills: LOL

[hart attack]

what skills? alvin harper was a better receiver but he didnt call attention to himself like that crack head did. i'll be sure to tell mikey that next time i see him.

btw, is there any truth to the story that LT and mikey are starting their own wing in the 'hall".

dont you ever forget this- "you can take the thug outta the hood, but you cant take the hood outta the thug"

without emmitt and troy lobbying all their hall voting friends, this sorry excuse of a wannabee gangsta could only get into the hall with a ticket (provided he wasnt already locked up).

andre reed and art monk both deserve entry before this loser. how can they justify putting such a scumbag in ahead of two classy gentlemen like that?

[Rick]

Hey hart attack, how do you really feel about that Hall of Famer Michael Irving??

[xbigpappa]

all the regs that have been comming into this room over the years notice that the ONLY contributions Heart Attack ever OFFER is Negative Bullshit................I aint NEVER seen him dish out WINNERS or run contests

[jpehl]

I knew when I made this post that things could get a little hairy. For me I loved Irvin on ESPN but it wasnt because he was a Cowboy.(Just for the record I hate Troy as an announcer.) I thought that Irvin said alot of things that many of the guys on there would not have said. I watched there NFL show for Irvin and I liked to hear him on ESPN radio. I have thought for the last couple of years that ESPN has steadily declined.I think if it is anyones loss it has to go to ESPN. Do you guys really not think that FOX will not try to pick this guy up for there NFL show or the Best Damn Sports Show, your crazy. I think that everyone here has a few skeletons in there closet, so who are we to judge this man just because his were revealed. Reed and Harper come on man open your eyes. Hart you must be a Buffalo fan. If I remember correctly I didnt ask for anyones opinion on Irvin.
jpehl

[vegasbreaker]

haters

You know there are cowboy haters out there J. To say that alvin harper was a better receiver than Irvin just shows harts depth of knowledge. He was many things : crackhead, punany lovin' whore employer, loud mouth and at times ebonics speaking commentator however, he was also a hall of famer. The hall is not an easy fraternity to break into(the voters are critical) and his numbers don't lie.Alvin Harper was open so much for one reason and one reason only, Irvin and novacek, period end of story.What did harper do after that......thats right not a damn thing ,he faded into retirement without much fanfare. So, for whatever reason espn released him and he will get picked up by another network, just watch.One thing you cant do is say he wasnt one hell of a receiver, the stats dont lie dude.

[Boone Moone]

For the record, and to clear my name as a "hater" or a "racist", I was only looking at the comedic side of this man's announcing skills........I use to do the same thing with Howard Cosell (so did everybody) and a few others much too numerous to mention.........I never downgraded the man for anything he did on the playing field or anywhere in his personal life cause that's his business, not mine or anyone else's...........I don't hate on any professional athletes, unless they have a shitty attitude towards the fans that are responsible for their salaries.

I sometimes shed a little light on some of the subjects discussed around here, but that's my sense of humor working...........And it's usually to be funny, or to make money, that's it !!...............If you don't like it, don't read it.

[woodee12]

I agree...that post on a comment being 'racist' is absurd. I found it comical and not racist one bit. Have to read into it a bit more to know that. And you have to know that Boone always throws in the lighter side of the situation which is great!

And on the Hart Attack thing...I have noticed the negativity all the time but haven't said anything. It always 'God Damn' this or that. Reminds me of the movie 'Grumpy Old Men" where everything also ways has to be looked at in the pessimistic point of view. Running contest or anything like that is irrelevant, but a few insights on games would be better than starting arguments around here.

Mike Irvin, I don't care one bit. He entertians me at times and thats what hes paid to do.