 | This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Article lacks content from post-2007.(May 2023) |
Mike Freeman is an American sports columnist for USA Today .
| This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Article lacks content from post-2007.(May 2023) |
Mike Freeman is an American sports columnist for USA Today .
Freeman has written for Bleacher Report, The New York Times , Washington Post , Dallas Morning News , Boston Globe , Florida Times-Union and CBSSports.com. He is also the author of five books, including a biography on Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden. His book ESPN: The Uncensored History, which alleged sexual harassment, drug use and gambling, was the first critical study of ESPN. [1] [2]
In January 2004, Freeman resigned before starting a columnist job at The Indianapolis Star after he was discovered lying about his education, specifically falsely claiming a college degree. [3] Tom Jolly, sports editor at The New York Times, said "Mike's career here speaks for itself, he did some great work here". [4] Freeman subsequently said "There are no excuses and I have never made any. Never will either. I’ll get my degree this summer or fall and start my pursuit of an advanced degree the following spring." [5]
Freeman's columns have included accusations of racism and sexism against his colleagues in the New York press. His columns are often seen as far-left and anti-religious. [6] He was unsuccessfully sued for libel by golfer John Daly, with a circuit judge ruling that "Freeman's statements were either true or constitutionally protected opinion". [7] In 2002 Freeman called for a tougher program from the National Football League for monitoring off-the-field violence and drug use. [8] As of 2023 he is a columnist in USA Today. [9]
In addition to his journalism career, he has authored multiple books, such as Jim Brown: The Fierce Life of an American Hero, exploring the life of the NFL legend, and You Negotiate Like a Girl: Reflections on a Career in the NFL, co-written with Amy Trask. [10]
His work often is racially charged and met occasionally with accusations of racism. In 2007 he wrote an article for CBS Sports mocking a potential matchup between West Virginia and Missouri in the College Football National Championship game calling it the "Hicks versus the Heehaws." A petition demanding his firing collected over 3000 responses, another petition was created while he worked at Bleacher Report garnered over 200 responses.