Keith Olbermann Giving Up On Political Commentary?

Fiery liberal angling for a return to sports

Keith Olbermann won't likely have any conservative-blasting "special comments" if he returns to ESPN. But a second turn at the sports network seems unlikely as well.

"At various times over the last year, Olbermann and his representatives have expressed interest in his return to the employer that made him famous: ESPN," reports The New York Times. That would be the very network from which Olbermann left in a huff in 1997. When Olbermann walked out at the end of his contract, an ESPN official was quoted saying Olbermann "didn't burn the bridges here, he napalmed them."

He's made a lot more enemies in the television business since then. Olbermann was a star MSNBC anchor, and in fact help push the cable network sharply to the left. He then went to Current TV, but left last year among bitter recriminations with then-owner Al Gore. Olbermann in fact was in Los Angeles on Friday being deposed for a reported $70 million lawsuit he filed against Current TV, with the trial expected to begin in May, according to The Times.

What's often forgotten about Olbermann is the mark he made early in his career as a pioneering sportscaster in Los Angeles, at KTLA and KCBS. His work there earned him 11 Golden Mike Awards, and he was named best sportscaster by the California Associated Press three times.

Via The New York Times, and Politix analysis.

What would you like to see Keith Olbermann do next?

[MongoAPillager]

perhaps a reality show,nude skin diving in a piranha pool??

[frigginhell]

throw rush in there with him and make it a radio show so i only have to listen to the screams and I'll tune in for it.

[MongoAPillager]

@frigginhell eeehhh i think the added bulk factor might interfere with the base cost of pool and water,plus a couple of bites into rush and the opiates would probably make the piranha's pass out?

[frigginhell]

@MongoAPillager Then Ann Coulter? We have to maintain the cosmic balance somehow.

[marine1]

I guess i would have to ask, how is it that rush & coulter still have a show and this twit is on the outside looking in?

[MongoAPillager]

@marine1 talent and looks???obermann 0 on both

[Vance1]

Keith Olbermann is an absolute Communistic Anti American fool!!

[AntiPorcheria]

Good. One less biased yapper clogging the airwaves. See if he can get Limbaugh and Mahr and Hannity and Maddow to join him.

[Knightkore]

I'm not sure I'd include Hannity on this list. Glenn Beck definitely not. Agree with Limbaugh, Mahr, Maddow, O'Reilly, Matthews and others being on the list.

[AntiPorcheria]

@Knightkore - I like to put all the pin-head commentators on the list for the simple reason that they stop people from reading, researching and thinking for themselves.

To me it's akin to religion. I have no use for preachers, pulpits, politicians, platforms or pundits.

ALL of it is a money making scheme to separate you from your hard earned income.

[Knightkore]

@AntiPorcheria I can see your point.....I like to try and think for myself.....

[Denizen_Kate]

Can we puhleeze add Ann Coulter to the list?

[AntiPorcheria]

@Denizen_Kate - Gotta add Debbie Wasserman-Schultz too. Yeah, I know she's with the DNC but she is the big mouthed, left handed counter to Coulter.

Jesus Murphy just load up the goddamned bus with all the squabbling knob heads and send it over the damned cliff!

I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore!!! Lol!

[Ryuo]

He was a wonderful sports commentator, if not so entertaining as at MSNBC.

I don't know if I ever saw a political commentator with so little grasp of political issues, especially considering that he's pretty smart. Chris Mathews is just as silly, but he has an excuse.

[DerivePI]

How about KO working at a charity for the poor people that his political philosophy helped create. Try handing out food to people that used to be able to afford groceries.

[NTBFW]

He may as well be Obama's press secretary. He has already been doing the job. Obama needs to pay him.

[Ryuo]

What a great idea! He'd be 10x better than that weasel Carney. Olbermann is, I think, Obama's true voice.

[Ryuo]

@Ryuo "Olbermann for Obama's press secretary"

Nope, turns out he's made too many enemies in this country to get *any* job, but I have a plan for him:

1. Get Dennis Rodman to introduce him to Kim Jong-un. Rodman may only know him as a sports guy, may not hate Olbermann.

2. Kim Jong-un probably heard of the Hunger Games, but thinks it is a documentary. Olbermann pitches it as a sport North Korea is the best in the world at.

3. Olbermann can go back to being a sportscaster, in a true socialist worker's paradise, even. He'll owe me a finders fee.

[No_Bama]

Just go away and stay gone, Keith Olberfool. Take a long walk off a short cliff, just go away.

[Realthinker]

He wants a job, any job.

[PNWest]

He's abrasive like Bill Maher. I agree with him on the issues but he's still kind of a pain in the butt.

[jessejaymes]

If the day ever comes that I care what Olbermann or O'Reilly has to say beyond a warning sign that both are lunatic fringe, then just take me out back and shoot me.

[No_Bama]

Please point out even one example that would qualify Bill O'Reilly as part of the "lunatic fringe"? Let me guess, you've never actually watched his program, correct?

[jessejaymes]

@No_Bama Not recently that's for sure. O'reilly is an idiot. Who has a base of greater idiots. Same with Hannity, same with Maddow. It is what it is. Blowhard, low education, low information, Low I.Q. America.

[AlexMIA]

@jessejaymes Go ahead jessy, I'm looking forward to that example too!

[Malitia_Man]

@jessejaymes

I watched about 30 sec's of O'reilly the other day... Every word seemed to be about how be thinks we need more government interference in our lives... So I turned it...

[No_Bama]

@jessejaymes - "Blowhard, low education, low information, Low I.Q. America."

Yes, that's exactly what your generalized, misinformed statement says about you. It says that you know nothing whatso ever about the man or his show. Because if you did, you'd know he's about as fair and balanced conservative commentator out there. I've seen him praise and give Obama credit more times than I'd care to see out of a conservative. If you want compare Olberfool to Hannity, I'll give you that. But to compare the lunatic completely one-sided rantings of Keith Olberfool to the respectful commentary from Bill O'Reilly is completely absurd. You might as well be comparing Glenn Beck to Dan Rather.

[marine1]

Oberman caused his own demise,let him fester in it on his own for the next 30 or 40 years.

[gemstone]

This jerk is the biggest ass clown mouthpiece for the loony libs.
Thinking people ignore and pity this fool.

[Sonny]

I can't see why anyone would "cling to" any particular tv or radio personality...for news or commentary...Makes no sense to me.

[vws]

I think he should find a real job - I understand Wal-Mart is always looking for stockers on the night shift.

[bsking]

I'd like to see him stop peeing in his pants

[BossTweed]

Maddow is far more dangerous that Oberrman and far Butcher.

[Dan_Tien]

He could get a talk show providing paternity tests to indiscriminate women who are trying to get their baby daddies to pay child support.

[Clarke12]

I would like for all talking head shows, both on tv and radio, to be replaced by muzak for an entire week. Elevator tunes for all!!

[Penn1699]

How about he crawl back under his rock?!

[MadAmerican]

Excuse me but isn't a "fiery liberal" an oxymoron, like "jumbo shrimp"?