By Jeff Moss
DetroitSportsRag@GMail.com
November 15, 2015

Unlike many in traditional media, we here at the DSR do not have an issue with presenting both sides of a story. In fact, equal time is why the damn site exists in the first place.

As you most likely have already read, I published an article on October 21st regarding West Michigan radio personality Bill Simonson. 

In that piece I spent a lot of time building a case that Simonson is a bully who has spent his career pushing people around in the name of professional advancement.

There were two instances over the last three decades where the legal system entered into Simonson’s life. One was back in the 90s when he was arrested at a bar for assault and battery and disorderly conduct.

We posted the arrest report on the site, but Mr. Simonson contacted me and wanted to clarify that he was never convicted of these offenses. I don’t believe that we did anything other than report the actual arrest but we are more than happy to clarify.

In fact, here is Simonson’s complete batshit crazy rebuttal to the article:

The DSR’s legal team has reviewed our actions regarding the publishing of the PPO and have advised me that we did nothing illegal. I have removed Melissa Simonson’s address from the site as that is a reasonable request. 

(BTW — No, I have not heard from Melissa’s attorney regarding the article. Or from anyone’s attorney regarding the article.)

Furthermore, my legal staff has advised me that there is nothing illegal about publishing either Simonson’s ex’s name or his children’s names. Especially since he has mentioned them ad nauseum on his radio program and on his MLive blog. 

Regarding his claim that he can’t sue me until my alleged defamation costs him advertisers, a first-year law student would know that is bullshit because his harmed reputation would be a legally cognizable damage.

If I either libeled him on this website or slandered him on a Podcast he would already have sued for defamation. The reason he hasn’t, according to my attorneys? THERE HAS BEEN NO DEFAMATION!!!

Where is Simonson’s attorney’s written appeal for a formal retraction?

Regarding Simonson’s claim that the PPO was terminated, the below is a document Simonson sent to a DSR intermediary regarding that issue:

Please note that this document WAS NOT provided to the DSR by Kent County officials even though we requested all rulings regarding the matter of Simonson vs. Simonson.

In fact, after a source tipped us off, we were stonewalled by Kent County when attempting to obtain both the full record of the divorce proceedings and PPO.

Regarding the other nonsense in Simonson’s Facebook messages to me, I will address some specific points ….

• Just because the PPO was dismissed doesn’t mean Simonson’s ex-wife’s allegations are untrue. In fact, we have independent confirmation from a third party that some of the accusations were indeed legitimate. The last thing Melissa Simonson would want is for Bill to lose his radio gig, considering that between spousal and child support he was ordered to pay $6,200.00 per month according to court records.
• All of your advertisers knew about your checkered past? Yeah, right. I am sure that when your ad salespeople contacted Holt Hair Restoration, they provided a dossier of all your shitty behavior over the years. In fact, we have been in touch with one business that told us they had no clue about your past “demons.”
• I have talked to several people in West Michigan radio who are privy to your radio ratings and they ALL informed me that you regularly got your ass kicked by Sean Baligian. The same Sean Baligian who was beating you from his basement in Northville and who just left for a radio station on Death Row in Detroit. One person who has worked with you in the past even stated that the numbers we posted weren’t even as bad as your more recent reality.
• Yes, I am sure this is bringing you and your advertisers closer together because there is nothing a business likes more than unnecessary controversy. If you went through the entire history of mankind, Bill Simonson would rate in the top ten of insecure humans. Ever. Although I am sure that this has brought you closer to that right-wing, tea-bagging lunatic Johnny Brann. Of that, I have no doubt.
• Finally, when will you get it through your THICK head, Tackleberry, that I don’t want your advice? I do not want to be the protege of a dude with HORRID sports takes, AWFUL ratings and ATROCIOUS interpersonal skills. Please stop with your passive aggressive Jedi Mind tricks. They won’t work on me. I think you’re a third-trimester abortion that Johnny Brann wants to have banned.

Do you want to know the funniest part of all of this? Do you think anything I wrote stopped this bully from trying to throw his weight around?

Nope. Instead, after Lansing State Journal writer Eric Lacy ReTweeted my October takedown of Simonson, Bill called Lacy’s boss to report him!!!! You can’t make this shit up.

Simonson’s station lost the radio rights to the Tigers, Lions and Red Wings in the last couple of months. Meanwhile, Cumulus radio is taking on more water than the Edmund Fitzgerald.

When will this pox on humanity known as Bill Simonson finally stop polluting the West Michigan airwaves?