Brad Gregg

Well,
it could be heard all over the blogosphere last week when self-billed
“obscure local social blog” The Lost Ogle uncovered evidence that ESPN
commentator and OKC native Skip Bayless had, at best, exaggerated
certain facts about his high school basketball career. At worst, said
comments could be described as, um, untruths from a windbag.

TLO’s
reportage April 9 sourced scans from the 1969 and 1970 Northwest
Classen High School yearbooks that recorded Bayless — who said he
started for his high school team that lost in the state finals, and that
he got crossways with the coach because he shot too much from the point
guard position — scoring 21 points in 15 games during his senior
campaign.

The post was picked up by sports blogs and even prompted Bayless’ ESPN First Take sparring
partner Jalen Rose to call out Bayless’ modest points-per-game average.
While Bayless did briefly own up to the number, he has yet to publicly
address the issue at length.

“In all honesty, the story fell in our laps,” said TLO
snark-in-chief, Patrick. “We were forwarded the information by a source
in local media who didn’t feel comfortable releasing it. I knew the
story would generate some national interest, but had no clue it would go
viral in the way it did.”

As
for Chicken-Fried News, we’re disinclined to help ol’ Skipper out in
this case, as Thunder superstar Kevin Durant said that Bayless “doesn’t
know a thing about basketball,” to reporters earlier this month.

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