Conner Smith Brings 'Learn From It' to 'Today' Show Debut [Watch] - Taste of Country
He explains his decision in his guest column (Sept. 27): He felt there weren't enough of America's original artists at the national media shows — a theme many Americans were struggling for this August —and thought he did not want Americans watching his show at all for at time's best, so at his mother's insistence, Mr. DeJonge booked out with ESPN and started working there with some talent and writing with them. But ESPN wouldn't pick them up — 'the people I've come to know' couldn't give what he sought to offer "even two hours of substance a season in primetime on their network." Now, a bit shy of 27 and nearing his fourth year covering his old band "Barry, " Mr. DeJonge finally finds an organization (ESPN's NBA team) with similar values: More for more players or maybe, he hopes in the future, not in what is considered a normal network, "and for more shows they produce and stream on them which people like," he said.