Bill Simmons poked fun at ESPN's Adam Schefter's emotional send-off of Adrian Wojnarowski this week.
Schefter waxed poetic on “NBA Today” on Wednesday about Wojnarowski's decision to give up his job as ESPN's NBA insider and $20 million to spend more time with his family.
“He wanted his life back. He didn't want to work on the holidays. He didn't want to be further away from family gatherings,” Schefter said of his coworker's departure.
“He didn't want to have to do what we had to do in the past, where he'd have to hold his phone up against the shower door to check his messages or take his phone to the urinal and have to hold it in one hand and relieve himself in the other. That's our life. And it dominated our life, so he chose not to live it like that anymore.
“You can't just do your job. You have to live your job, and he can't live his job. He wants to live his life, work for his school and give back to young athletes.”
Simmons couldn't resist, mocking Schefter's impassioned speech just minutes into “The Bill Simmons Podcast” after Thursday night's Patriots-Jets game.
“You can't overreact after a Thursday night game,” Simmons said. “You can't overreact after Adrian Wojnarowski, like you can't overreact after Adam Schefter. 'He wanted his life back. He didn't want to work on the weekend. He had to be away for a family function. He didn't want to hold his phone up against the shower door so he could see the texts when he got in the shower. Or take his phone to the urinal and hold it in one hand while using the other. That's our life!'
“This is what Adam Schefter said on TV. Was Adrian Wojnarowski the emergency physician during the COVID pandemic? I didn't really get it. Like, 'Oh my gosh, I got a text from the GM of Charlotte. I've got to hang on.' What happened yesterday? What was that?”
Wojnarowski, 55, announced earlier this week that he was leaving sports journalism to become general manager of men's basketball at St. Bonaventure University.
“While this job has changed my life, I have decided to retire from ESPN and the news industry,” Wojnarowski said in a post on X. “I understand the responsibility my role requires and I no longer want to make that investment. I do not have an infinite amount of time, and I would like to spend it on things that are more personally meaningful to me.”
