PFT: Kiper, McShay don't seem to like each other...

[WoodysGirl]

KIPER, MCSHAY EXCHANGE PLEASANTRIES

Posted by Mike Florio on February 26, 2009, 11:07 a.m.

It looks like Tod McShay and Mel Kiper have become the new Sean Salisbury and John Clayton at ESPN.

The only difference we’re detecting, however, is that while most (not all, but most) of the Salisbury-Clayton shtick was contrived, McShay and Kiper don’t seem to like each other.

At one point during an argument regarding whether quarterback Matt Stafford should be the first overall pick to the Lions, things turned a little nasty.

Not a lot. But a little.

“That’s the most asinine argument you could ever have,” McShay said to Kiper at one point.

They went one for a while — and a while — until host Josh Elliott eventually intervened.

Here’s the reality, in our view. Kiper knows that ESPN is grooming McShay to be the next Kiper. But ESPN doesn’t want to cast Kiper into the wilderness until he has been made sufficiently irrelevant after several years of a decreased profile. That way, Kiper won’t land somewhere else and make ESPN look bad for dumping him.

It’s sort of fascinating to us. Even though McShay refrained from calling Kiper the “Cryptkeeper.”

[dcfanatic]

Florio is a year late on this one.

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by WoodysGirl

Here’s the reality, in our view. Kiper knows that ESPN is grooming McShay to be the next Kiper. But ESPN doesn’t want to cast Kiper into the wilderness until he has been made sufficiently irrelevant after several years of a decreased profile. That way, Kiper won’t land somewhere else and make ESPN look bad for dumping him.

Kiper is an icon. The only issue is that once ESPN moves on, where would he go? The NFL Network has Mayock, who I think is far superior to McShay.

[Chocolate Lab]

Not that I've paid much attention, because I almost never watch ESPN anymore, but McShay seems to me to be wrong a lot of the time. I guess they think he looks good on TV, but it seems like he's had a lot of misses.

[Alexander]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Lab

Not that I've paid much attention, because I almost never watch ESPN anymore, but McShay seems to me to be wrong a lot of the time. I guess they think he looks good on TV, but it seems like he's had a lot of misses.

He's not even really wrong. McShay just--is.

One thing about Kiper is that he has opinions and he sticks to them, regardless if they are popular or not. He's not afraid to call out a bad pick, like he did the Trev Alberts choice.

I can't recall one opinion McShay has ever stuck his neck out over. He seems very cautious and tends to play right in with consensus.

That's one reason why I don't bother with McShay. There isn't even much interesting about his analyses.

[Chief]

Mel seems to have really mellowed out in recent years.

I'd like to see him get fired up again, and put the kid in his place.

[ThreeSportStar80]

Kiper sucks but McShay isn't much better...

[TheCount]

I like Kiper, he's a character. Why would they want to replace him with McShay?

[Vintage]

Originally Posted by Chief

Mel seems to have really mellowed out in recent years.

I'd like to see him get fired up again, and put the kid in his place.

That's what the article is talking about.

Kiper went after McShay hard during that segment.

[slotshot]

Mayock (and Goose) own both of them.

[theogt]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Lab

Not that I've paid much attention, because I almost never watch ESPN anymore, but McShay seems to me to be wrong a lot of the time. I guess they think he looks good on TV, but it seems like he's had a lot of misses.

McShay's an idiot.

[stasheroo]

Originally Posted by Chocolate Lab

Not that I've paid much attention, because I almost never watch ESPN anymore, but McShay seems to me to be wrong a lot of the time. I guess they think he looks good on TV, but it seems like he's had a lot of misses.

McShay seems to go out of his way to argue with Kiper, apparently in an effort to promote himself and undermine Mel.

And I don't blame Kiper if he put him in his place.

If ESPN is looking to replace Kiper with McShay, I think they'll be taking a step backwards.

[theogt]

Originally Posted by stasheroo

McShay seems to go out of his way to argue with Kiper, apparently in an effort to promote himself and undermine Mel.

And I don't blame Kiper if he put him in his place.

If ESPN is looking to replace Kiper with McShay, I think they'll be taking a step backwards.

I don't think they want to replace him. They want them to argue about the draft for 3 months out of the year.

[Bob Sacamano]

I have no idea who McShay is

[stasheroo]

Originally Posted by theogt

I don't think they want to replace him. They want them to argue about the draft for 3 months out of the year.

You're probably right.

They probably feel their arguing would drum up more interest than one guy simply expressing his viewpoint alone.

After all, they are the National Enquirer of Sports.