Raissman: ESPN analyst Steve Phillips faces bleak job prospects

Take me to your supreme talent! (or at least to the OC Modeling page)

Hiring a married man caught with his pants down - twice (in 1998, Phillips took a forced leave of absence from the Mets after being charged with sexual harassment and admitting to a series of affairs) - is riskier than taking a chance on someone coming back from substance abuse.

“This is tough. You have to consider all the women working at the network. Someone with Steve’s issues could be putting the company at risk. Now you’re talking about potential lawsuits and potentially millions of dollars on the line,” the exec said. “Considering what Steve is coming back from, not only would you be putting your company at risk, you would be putting your own job at risk.”

...“If you’re dealing with a supreme talent you take the risk,” the network exec said. “If it’s just an average talent, and you can get the same quality act from someone else you feel secure about, it’s a no-brainer - you don’t take the risk.”

Are Phillips’ broadcast skill-sets at such a level he’s worth taking a chance on? “My initial thought would be no,” one broadcast agent said. “I don’t view Phillips as that type of guy. He’s not transcendent in that respect.”

Lefkowitz, naturally, disagrees.

“If Steve was not such a high-quality talent, I would suggest there could be a problem, but that’s not the case,” Lefkowitz said. “And if someone has the insight and gumption necessary to hire Steve they won’t be disappointed.”