Wilbon’s rage isn’t about the cut, it’s about the camera
He’s not mad about the cut—just the lack of on-camera access.
The story
Michael Wilbon criticized the New York Times for not allowing its writers to appear on his show, calling them 'gutless' after they eliminated their sports department in 2023.
Source: brobible.com
Our reading
Wilbon’s outburst isn’t about the Times’ decision to shut down its sports section—it’s about the fact that they didn’t let their writers appear on his show. He’s not mad about the cut, he’s mad about the exclusion. The Times now covers sports through The Athletic, but Wilbon’s not interested in a digital outlet. He’s got a legacy to uphold, and legacy means being on camera, not just writing about it. He’s not the type to let a new platform steal his spotlight, even if that platform is the one covering the same games. It’s not about the sport, it’s about the spotlight—and the Times, in his eyes, didn’t play ball.
