ESPN president: Enough with the Tebow coverage

ESPN president John Skipper told producers what NFL fans have been aware of since week one — there's too much coverage of Tim Tebow on the cable network.

"I said, 'Guys, we didn't handle this very well." Going to training camp wasn't a problem.  We just stayed on it relentlessly and too long," Skipper told Sports Business Journal.

ESPN sent hordes of anchors and cameras to the New York Jets training camp this past summer and the blather of Tebowmania on the cable giant hasn't subsided even though the backup quarterback has never been a factor on the field this season.

Skipper said he was bothered when former ESPN college basketball analyst and radio show host Doug Gottlieb went on the "Dan Patrick Show" and said he was "told specifically, 'You can't talk enough Tebow.'"

"The quote that I hated was from Doug Gottlieb," Skipper told SBJ last week.  "I didn't love that.  I want people to think about what works for the next 10 minutes might not be the best thing for us for three years.  That one hit home with me."

Skipper said the network just got tired of hearing panels talk about about Tebow even after it was apparent he would not be taking a lot of snaps during the season.

"The question is trying to take a long-term perspective and saying, 'Guys, let's not get excited about one story and hyping it.'"

Let's see if that other Skipper (Bayless) gets the memo.