I just read the news that former ESPN sports reporter and NFL analyst John Clayton died today. He was 67.
I loved Clayton’s work. In a sports broadcasting circus ring of screamers, carnies, and clowns, Clayton was “old school.” He got the story and then told it straight. I considered him one of the top 5 analysts in the game. Everything he reported was worth listening to.
When ESPN made major staffing cuts a few years ago, they let Clayton go. He was getting up in years and he had a face for radio, and since *appearance* is all that matters on television nowadays. ESPN axed the scholarly stuff Clayton delivered, then kept the fluffers, screamers, and clowns. They fired Clayton. Now, he’s gone.
I didn’t know much about Clayton. I never met him. But he’s what sports reporting should be, and unfortunately, no longer is.
Typically, an old sports reporter isn’t going to make headlines or draw lots of attention. Nonetheless, I’m pausing for a moment to remember, to appreciate, and to thank John Clayton because he was one of the very best.
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Here’s a really fun segment Clayton did, which is a 30-second ESPN promo. Worth watching HERE: