For verification type this link on youtube MICHAEL WILBON BLASTS STEPHEN A. SMITH IN INTERVIEW via BOBBY BURACK’S OUTKICK PODCAST. This interview confirms what his late colleague and friend, John Feistein said, “Michael Wilbon is the biggest ass kisser in sports media.”

I am convinced that Michael Wilbon never cared whether Jayson Whitlock made public his complaints on his behalf regarding his thoughts on Stephen A. Smith and his bosses at ESPN. Whitlock was summarizing Wilbon’s interview with Bobby Burack on his OUTKICK PODCAST.

Regardless, it is an interview full of holes and B. S. from Michael Wilbon and this blog will help clear the record on ‘The Real Michael Wilbon’. Wilbon, thanks for the opportunity.

THE FRAUDS OF ESPN: STEPHEN A. SMITH & MIKE WILBON

Michael, I have known you, up close and personal from your first days at the Washington Post in 1978 but since your 15 minutes of fame, you are now talking out of both sides of your mouth when it suits you.

I ran into your father-in-law Ben Watkins at the Langston Golf Course in NE DC one weekend in 1995. I knew him from hanging out at the in-crowd Faces’ Restaurant on Georgia Avenue NW in DC.

He proudly told me you had married his daughter, Sheryl, and I said, “Good luck” and kept it moving. That was not nice, and I liked Ben, but you had turned into a piece of do-do. Your word has meant absolutely nothing.

You seem to have forgotten I knew you when you were just an intern at the Washington Post in the late 70s. You arrived when Catherine Graham and her son Donald decided to take my radio tag INSIDE SPORTS to New York City and make it their very own. That was an unforgivable moment for me!

Your PTI partner, Tony Corhisner was a part of the writing crew on the midnight train to New York City to publish, INSIDE SPORTS MAGAZINE.

You were hired in 1980 out of Northwestern University. I was introduced to you by the czar of the sports department, George Solomon. You followed his lead, and became a regular on INSIDE SPORTS.

In 1980, I was named Washingtonian of the Year, for what ever that was worth!  I did not get stuck on stupid, and kept moving.  What goes around comes around!

I became, “The Spook Who Sat By The Door” when I visited the Washington Post. First, I knew the owner, Donald Graham. We met when he was a DC rookie cop on the streets, and I was working as a Roving Leader (Youth Gang Task Force) for the now DC Department of Recreation & Parks.

We would sit and eat 10 cents hamburgers at the Little Tavern on H Street NE, and we talk about our being native Washingtonians and our work on the streets of DC. He was an officer and a gentleman.

I had no idea he was the son of Catherine Graham owner of the Washington Post until he was gone from the neighborhood. I was told his mother had demanded, he turn in his gun and badge for a suit and tie.

Columnist Bill Raspberry (Pulitzer Prize), Petey Greene (Emmy Award), and I use to hangout together for lunch at Faces’ Restaurant for the great fish on Fridays.

The Mayor of U Street, John Snipes, Petey Greene, and Bill Raspberry participate in a Community Day at the Kids In Trouble Hillcrest Children’s Center Saturday Program in NW DC.

I would visit the Washington Post newsroom as a guest of Raspberry. I would work my way around to the sports department on the same floor. There I would meet writers, Byron Rosen, Donald Huff, Tom Callahan, Dave Dupree, the legendary, Shirley Povich and sports editor, George Solomon.

One day, I encountered Donald Graham getting off the elevator on the 5th floor. I was talking to Raspberry as we waited for the elevator. He surprised me, when he greeted me with “Hello Harold Bell, what are you doing here”? I introduced him to Raspberry whom he already knew.

He gave me his business card and told me to call him the next time I was in the building. Raspberry, seem to be in shock that I knew Donald. He asked me where did I know him from, I told him we use to double date. I never revealed to anyone at the newspaper how Donald and I met.

I called him several weeks later inquiring about a job at the paper for one of my young men. He hired him at the front entrance as a greeter for signed in visitors.

I worked my way into the confidence of George Solomon and became a freelanced writer in the sports department. George helped me to write my first column, “Racism and the Boston Celtics”. The column helped give Inside Sports big exposure in the DMV.

Sports writer Donald Huff, would later write a lionizing column titled, “Bell Gets His Ratings Off The Streets”.

In 1989 the paper highlighted the shortcomings and lack of black sports broadcasters as anchors on local television. I was the leading voice for the story titled, “Local Anchors: A Shutout”.

In 2004 Editorial Columnist, Coby King, allowed me to write a column on the Editorial Page spotlighting my community involvement, ‘Close To Home’ titled, “Breaking The Faith-Betrayed by our Preachers & Politicians” (Glen Ivey & Granger Browning).

When the Washington Post established their first ever television sports talk show on Comcast Television, George Solomon would have me act as a host when he could not be there for showtime.

Donald Graham/George Solomon, deserve a thank you for their support for putting a spotlight on my trailblazing, but difficult media journey. The support, never erased the memory of the Midnight Train to New York City in 1976.

Wilbon, it was George Solomon who asked me to introduce you to the high school coaches in the city. I became your mentor. I kept you out of harm’s way.

There were several high school coaches who were making bogus claims of making children first. They were just going through the motions and taking the money and running.

When you became a columnist, I let you hang out with my NFL and NBA friends that included Roy Jefferson and Sam Jones. I remember one evening, we were the guest on the Kojo Nnamdi TV Show on the Howard University campus (FRAUD). We were sitting in the Green Room waiting to go on the show.

You pulled me out of the room and confessed with tears in your eyes (aka Sugar Ray), you were having problems with sports editor George Solomon. You claimed, George was looking over your shoulder and changing your stories.

You were under the impression that being a columnist you were free to write your own columns without interference from Solomon-it was welcome to ‘George’s World’.

I suggested, “How would you like to try being a columnist at the Afro-American or Chicago Defender newspapers”? You were easily intimidated, but you got my drift, and thankfully made the adjustment!

Unaware, you gave me the opportunity for my first national television exposure. You were invited to be a guest panelist on the Geraldo Rivera television show.

When I got your telephone call, you were talking so fast, you sounded scare. I thought someone was chasing you.

The next thing out of your mouth was, “Harold can you be on a television show for me tonight. Geraldo Rivera is doing a show on boxing promoter Don King, and you know him better than I do”. The topic, “Only in America: The Life and Crimes of Don King”! That was enough to scare you.

I said, “No problem”, what television station and what time? You said, ‘Channel 9, the show airs at 7:00 pm”. You gave me the contact person and the rest was my national television sports debut.

It was three against one, the host, Geraldo Rivera, boxing historian, Bert Sugar, and author Jack Newfield of “Only in America: The Life and Crimes of Don King”.

I still have the video in my archives, it was one of my finest hours on national television with the one exception, in a dumb effort to support ‘A so-called brother’. I defended King’s right to steal from his fighters!!

You, left the Washington Post in 2010 after 30 years and became one of the biggest frauds in sports media, running a close second to Tony Corhisner. He was lucky, Donald Graham had his back-no talent.

You wrote two books on NBA legend Charles Barkley. Your first book was titled, “I may Be Wrong, But I Doubt It”.

I remember, I was going in the Washington Post building one evening, and you were leaving. I was late for a meeting with columnist, the late Bill Raspberry, you stopped me in my tracks.

You had a copy of your first book, and you could not wait to show it to me. I congratulated you, and you promised to get me a copy, and leave it with George Solomon. I watched you skip down the street. It was like you just had your first child. I was happy for you.

I never received the book. It was your first lie, and you have been lying to me ever since. You are second only to James Brown.

Your, esteem Washington Post colleague and close friend, the late John Feinstein said,  “Michael Wilbon is the biggest ass kisser in sports media”.  I really don’t think that is all your fault.

It has a lot to do with the egos you surround yourself with. For example, the egos of Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and Stephen A. Smith are different from the egos of Muhammad Ali, Red Auerbach, Jim Brown, Dick Gregory and Richard Nixon. I was not required to kiss their ring or ass when I entered their space.

Dave McKenna of the City Paper wrote a column in 2000 titled, ‘Black History Mouth’, This is One DC Sports Legend That Will Not Kiss Your Ass”! He learned the hard way. I would jump over 100 Michael Wilbons to get to ONE Dave McKenna. Wilbon, has no integrity!

MY FRIENDS TO THE END-FOUR OF THE BIGGEST EGOS KNOWN TO MAN!

Whitlock claims that you are mad with your partner in crime, Stephen A. Smith. The problem, he is making 100 million annually, only because he was able to kiss more asses and rings than you-am I missing something?

Stephen A is now the face of the ESPN the WORLD WIDE LEADER in sports, and you want to know if that makes you “Chop Liver”?   No, it makes you a Player-Hater, a common trait among media personalities in America.

No Michael, you are not Chop Liver, but you, and your no-talented partner, Tony Corhisner, the host of Pardon The Interruption are COPYCATS with the rest of the sports talk media in America and beyond. 

You are using my INSIDE SPORTS radio talk show format, that your former bosses at the Washington Post kidnapped in the late 70s. I was in the studio interviewing, Byron Rosen, Dave Dupree, Tom Callahan, David Aldridge, Leonard Shapiro, and sports editor George Solomon. We were talking sports and politics. The INSIDE SPORTS format was one of a kind in the 70s, it was unheard of.

Corhisner was a part of a group of thieves/writers that Catherine and son Donald Graham boarded a midnight train to New York City in 1976 to publish, INSIDE SPORTS MAGAZINE. 

Washington Post INSIDE SPORTS MAGAZINE Flipped & Flopped in NY City

Washington Post owner Donald Graham’s conscious was not his guild when he and his mother decided to hijack my INSIDE SPORTS tag to New York City. After the fact he sends me a check and asked for ANONYMITY!

The INSIDE SPORTS MAGAZINE failed, because Cornheiser and the rest of the Washington Post merry men, had no clue how to transfer my successful talk show into print media.

In the meantime, after losing several million dollars, Catherine Graham, ordered everyone back to DC.  She stayed in New York long enough to COPYRIGHT my tag “INSIDE SPORTS”, now owned by NEWSWEEK (Washington Post).  

Bill Rasmussen and his son, watched the Washington Post charade from the sidelines in Connecticut. They came up with the bright idea of taking the INSIDE SPORTS talk format and making it a television talk format.  ESPN was found in 1979. The program hit the ground running and never looked back.

ESPN copied my format, but could never duplicate it. I was the first sports talk show host with a format that dared to talk sports and politics. ESPN tried but could not stand the heat coming from the Capitol Hill politicians. The political topics threaten their bottom-line, the ESPN boss said, “No Mas”.

In March 2018, the Washington Post published a Page One story in the sports section with the new President James Pitra of ESPN asking, “Can ESPN Just Stick To Sports.” Stephen A thought there was Freedom of Speech in the work place, he left the building looking for a Podcast.

In 1995, James Brown before NFL/FOX, he teamed up with retired television morning news anchor Byrant Gumble and they discovered “REAL SPORTS/INSIDE SPORTS”. This was much like when Christopher Columbus discovering America. The Native Americans already occupied the land.

Thanks to James Brown, Byrant Gumble, REAL SPORTS won 33 Emmys and a Life Time Achievement Award for sports journalism using the INSIDE SPORTS format-another big fraud and liar!

Sports journalism and the internet are overrun with frauds and liars. The Shirley Povichs, Wendell Smiths, Byron Rosens, and the Sam Laceys are no longer among us. Dave Aldridge is exceptional!

Wilbon and I enjoy a laugh during a tribute to ‘The One Arm Bandit’ Gary Mays at Bens Chili Bowl

It is often said, curiosity killed the cat, meet Harold Bell. Thanks to my cell phone where “BIG BROTHER” has a pipeline to our every conversation, I asked Sirius several important questions regarding Wilbon.

One of those questions, “Did Wilbon ever write a book on Michael Jordan”? Sirius could never give me a straight answer. I revisited Wilbon’s friend and colleague John Fiestien saying, Wilbon was one of the biggest ass kisser’s in sports media. I thought for sure Wilbon had kissed MJ’s ass for a book deal!

I lost Wilbon’s cell number years ago, I could no longer call him directly. It has long been said, “Harold Bell is too confrontational”. I found it better than talking behind the person’s back!

I badgered Sirius enough, she contacted Wilbon, and posed the MJ question. It was about an hour later, I noticed a text on my phone asking, “Who is this, and no I did not”. Lord behold, it was Michael Wilbon.

You would have thought I had just won the Pulitzer Prize. I could not believe, ‘Mr. Wonderful’ had responded to my inquiry!

I have never been fishing, but evidently, I had used the right bait to get you to bite. My next text to you read, “Did you give the go ahead for Jayson Whitlock to call out Stephen A, Smith and ESPN on your behalf”? In Whitlock’s summary you claimed PTI’s impact is responsible for the success of ESPN’s affiliates and their talk shows aired on the network”. If you said those words in the OUTKICK interview, you are delusional.

“You, for one are aware that you and Corhisner copied the talk format of your mentor, Harold Bell and Inside Sports.

During your tenure at the Washington Post you were a regular on INSIDE SPORTS and my media roundtable with George Solomon, Bill Rhoden (NY Times), Larry Fitzgerald Sr. (Minnesota Spokesman), Kevin Blackistone (Dallas Morning News) and Ron Sutton (WHUR Radio). They were all contributors in the 1970s.

There were discussions regarding sports and politics. Your successful reign at the newspaper was due to your association with a man you once called your mentor, Harold Bell. You leaned on me for advice.” If this is a lie you can reach me at 240-304-1000. I never expected you to call-too much heat.

Your response to my text, “I don’t talk to Whitlock, haven’t in many years and I don’t get involved in back and forth b. s. over who said what when the shit may not be accurate anyway…and that’s that…”

In response to your “I don’t get involved in back and forth b. s. over who said what when the shit may not be accurate anyway…and that’s that…”

You never responded to my contribution to your career success. You are pretending that you and Tony Corhisner created the format that is use by every radio and television sports talk show in America and beyond, the format was created by HAROLD BELL and INSIDE SPORTS in Washington, DC in 1972.

When James Brown was quoted saying, “Harold has always been a voice for people who did not have a voice. He has always called it as he saw it. He has been an inspiration and motivation for me and a lot of other black broadcasters”. Michael Wilbon, even though James was talking out of both sides of his mouth, he was talking about you and the rest of the frauds in sports media.

Dr. Harry Edwards got it right when he said,

Harold,

CONGRATULATIONS!  Your archives are valuable and should be given the broadest exposure. Have you thought about offering discs of your programs to the new Smithsonian Institution NATL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE (NMAAHC). A wing of the NMAAHC WILL BE DEDICATED TO THE STRUGGLE IN SPORTS AND WILL BE TITLED “LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD”,  Your work was a major force over the years in leveling the playing field, especially, in terms of the struggle to define and project “our truth”.

I will send you a contact involved in putting the NMAAHC together.

Great job over the years,  great timing in reprising that legacy now.

The best wishes of me and my family to your wife-she is in our thoughts and prayers.

Dr. Harry Edwards

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 30, 2014 at 3:05 PM

Wilbon, you have become such a pathetic liar, you are beginning to believe your own lies. You can run but you cannot hide.

Wilbon, your son will be 18 years old next year, and he will read this blog one day or one of his friends will confront him and asked, “Why did Harold Bell write all these bad things about your father”? I would love to be a fly on the wall when you have to respond to him–I am sure, it be another lie!