ESPN also proved that the talking head as personality model doesn't make enough money to justify it.
Their most interesting content recently has been generated in that way, though.
The B.S. Report and TMQ were my two favorite things on ESPN, and now the only writers at ESPN.com that I regularly read are the beat writers for the Boston teams (Edes and Reiss mostly), and Matthew Berry (their big fantasy sports personality / talking head). The occasional Jackie Mac article, of course, gets read immediately.
I can do with less of the Skip Bayless / Stephen A. / Tony Kornheiser / Mike Wilbon stuff at ESPN, but that seems to be their bread and butter. More bluster, less substance.