John Gonzalez vs. Howard Eskin

[PhillyPhreak54]

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/john_gonzalez/20090927_Gonzo___Eskin_stars_in_latest_Eagles_drama.html

Gonzo: Eskin stars in latest Eagles drama

By John Gonzalez

Inquirer Columnist

The drama never stops at the NovaCare Complex. It's one weird scene after another over there.

The other day, a group of reporters were packed in tight around Michael Vick's locker. One TV camera guy got up on a chair to get a better shot of Vick, then lost his balance and fell, prompting more than a few snickers from the gallery.

That was the headliner at the Eagles Improv this week, but it wasn't nearly as ridiculous and cringe-worthy as the warm-up act. Earlier, WIP's Howard Eskin started screaming at me. The hollering started outside the locker room, then continued inside. The players and media were treated to quite a performance.

It wasn't the first time Eskin had blown up at me, though it was the first time he'd called my boss to complain. We've had at least three phone conversations since I've known Eskin, two of which have ended with his hanging up in mid-sentence. (I tried to reach him for this column, but he never got back to me.)

Maybe he's frustrated. It's been tough for Howard lately. His ratings dipped, forcing him to look up at ESPN's Mike Missanelli (Eskin's longtime antagonist and former radio partner.) Then his ego took another blow when he was saddled with a cohost. The last part is sort of amusing. For months, Howard denied he was getting a partner, even though people at the station kept telling me it was inevitable because of his declining ratings.

According to station sources, Hugh Douglas and Brian Mitchell were approached about joining Eskin. From what I was told, both turned down the offer because they weren't sure they'd be able to tolerate Eskin's sometimes-abrasive personality. I wonder how long Ike Reese will put up with it.

Anyway, Eskin popped off in front of a lot of people the other day. He was ranting about how I work for "a bankrupt newspaper" and how I'm a jerk (he used a more graphic term). Hey, when he's right, he's right. He nailed me on the newspaper thing, and my friends would totally agree with the jerk assessment (though talk about an ironic, pot/kettle moment).

Eskin was apparently upset that I called him a "hirsute curmudgeon" in a recent column, which still seems factually correct. He even criticized the language I employed, saying that 90 percent of the population wouldn't know what that means. Don't take it personally, dear reader. I have a much higher opinion of your vocabulary.

Next time I tease him, I'll be sure to use smaller words - like mouthwash and mint.  His latest tantrum would have been funny, except he was standing too close, and little bits of spit kept flying out of his mouth and landing on me.

But, like I said, Eskin is under a lot of pressure, so I won't hold his tirade against him. Even though he won't admit it, I think he's sweating things right now. After the station paired him with Reese, I ran into Eskin at a Phillies game and asked what it was like to have a cohost again. I wasn't trying to needle him (for once); I was honestly curious.

Clutching his delusions like a ratty security blanket, Howard told me he doesn't think of it that way. He swore it's still his show, and added that's why he always says "I'm Howard Eskin, with Ike Reese."

Good luck with that, Ike. And remember: Don't stand too close.

[SunMo]

haha, ouch. 

[MDS]

this is below the inqy but they are so desperate for attention theyll let this go

[PhillyGirl]

above or below..I don't care. I loved it. Gonzalez has a fan for life.

[Sgt PSN]

this is something that should have been posted on twitter, not in a farging newspaper.   journalism is officially dead. 

[MDS]

its been dead for a while.

airing stupid bitch media fights in sunday football previews is a definite low. not that hes wrong....

[Sgt PSN]

nah, he's absolutely right.  eskin's a farging joke and an a-hole of epic proportions.  but the newpaper is supposed to report, oh i dunno....news.  not a bunch of he said/she said highschool lunch room drama bullshtein.  i hope they both get shot in the dick. 

farg both of them and farg the editor that actually allowed that to go to print. 

[PhillyGirl]

His column is a blog type column, not some serious journalism or anything.

[Sgt PSN]

blogging = fail. 

[The BIGSTUD]

You'd do it if it made you money though. Not saying it makes Gonzalez any money, but it does for Florio.

[MDS]

gonzos column is a little different but to write about a bitch media feud involving himself for 600 words is silly

it takes up 100? fine. go for it. but the majority of the article? no sir.

[smeags]

blogging = fail. 

commenting about blogging on a MB = epic fail

[Sgt PSN]

blogging = fail. 

commenting about blogging on a MB = epic fail

i'm going to blog about how this hurt my feelings. 

[ice grillin you]

lol at gonzos column being "different"...its absolutely no different than what someone like mike lupica was doing in shooting from the lip 20 years ago and a million people have done since

the ironic thing about gonzo is that he isnt a bad writer when hes being serious...but when he tries to be funny (which is almost all the time) and drops one quip after another thru his whole piece he basically becomes reese

[reese125]

please homie, you got the sense of humor of a fork and think MDS is the funniest person alive. no need to continue this argument.