Tom Brennan's ESPN Bubble Has Burst

Leave it to an ex-College Basketball coach to equate "being on the bubble" to "getting fired from ESPN. Former Vermont Coach and ESPN Analyst, Tom Brennan has been let go by ESPN after three years, and with one year left on his contract. Via the Burlington Free Press....

Brennan said he had one year left on a three-year contract, but the sports network indicated it was not going to pick up his option. The Bristol, Conn., based network has been trimming staff and costs and Brennan said he believed he might get released.

"They are not renewing me. I kind of knew that I might not continue. I knew I was on the bubble," Brennan said Monday.

Brennan said ESPN was a great run, which began in 2005 when he signed a two-year contract. He later signed a three-year pact.

"I had four years. It was a long time. Every time I went there I pinched myself. Just to be part of that, they are so professional. It was wonderful."

ESPN announced earlier this year that it would lay-off about 100 Connecticut-based employees and leave about 200 vacant jobs unfilled, according to news reports. Some new jobs will be created as the sports giant moved into new areas. The network also implemented wage freezes. ESPN is a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Co. and has about 5,500 people worldwide, including about 3,400 in Connecticut.

That's a shame, because I actually enjoyed Brennan from time to time. He and Gottlieb, would have some epic debates about bubble teams, and it's rather ironic that he would use that term to describe his contract at ESPN. I suspect he'll go back into coaching, given the lack of College Basketball outlets, but someone should take a flier on him.

ESPN, Brennan part ways (Burlington Free Press)