Bill Simmons and Pablo Torre are at odds, igniting a public spat over the media coverage surrounding Jordon Hudson's relationship with NFL coach Bill Belichick.
The tension began when Simmons, founder of The Ringer, criticized Torre's extensive reporting on the romance between Hudson, 23, and Belichick, 73. On May 27, during an episode of his podcast "The Rewatchables," Simmons expressed his disbelief at the media frenzy surrounding the story. “I’ve never seen anybody dine on a stupider story for a week and a half while pretending you’re a journalist,” he remarked, questioning the validity of Torre's approach.
Simmons continued his critique, stating, “Belichick’s dating a girl. ‘Oh, let me do nine shows about it.’ Settle the f*** down.” His comments reflect a growing frustration with what he perceives as sensationalism in sports journalism.
Torre's investigation into the couple began with a podcast released on May 9, which delved into their relationship's origins and raised concerns about Hudson's age. Notably, it reported that Hudson had allegedly been banned from athletic facilities at the University of North Carolina, where Belichick is the head football coach. However, Carolina Athletics quickly denied this claim in a statement.
In a subsequent podcast on May 23, Torre discussed the now-infamous shirtless Ring camera footage of Belichick from 2023, revealing it was filmed at a Massachusetts Airbnb shared by the couple. The source of the footage remains unidentified.
Simmons' discontent appeared to focus on Torre's media appearances promoting his podcast, including spots on "The Dan Patrick Show" and "Pardon My Take." “You don’t need to do a media tour about a f***ing podcast,” Simmons asserted, further emphasizing his disdain for the coverage.
On June 2, Torre responded to Simmons' remarks via social media. “Dear @BillSimmons: Since you have such a strong public opinion about my work… I happen to have a few questions for you, specifically,” he tweeted. “Unless you’re afraid of @pablofindsout and someone just ‘pretending to be a journalist,’ of course. Thanks, Pablo.”
The situation escalated on June 3 when former ESPN host Dan Le Batard announced that Torre would be appearing on Simmons' podcast. “Pablo Torre will be appearing on Bill Simmons’ podcast,” Le Batard stated during his show, although neither party has confirmed this appearance publicly.
Following the release of his initial podcast, Torre received feedback from Hudson herself. The beauty queen took to social media to express her thoughts, sharing messages like “Good lord Pablo needs a hobby” and criticizing what she described as “baseless speculation.” She suggested that the narrative surrounding her relationship with Belichick was being manipulated by those opposed to him.
This ongoing feud highlights the complexities of modern sports journalism and the fine line between reporting and sensationalism in an era where personal relationships often become fodder for public discourse.
