ESPN is at it again. The behemoth of sports journalism (lol) entertainment has suspended its highly talented yet highly controversial analyst Bill Simmons for three weeks for calling NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell a liar.

On Monday, via Simmons' podcast ‘The B.S. Report', he called Goodell a liar and challenged his bosses at ESPN to reprimand him for his statement, well they did, but undeservedly so.

Simmons is an analyst for ESPN and editor-in-chief of popular sports website Grantland.com. Fans have taken to Twitter with the popular hashtag #FreeSimmons calling for a cease & desist of his suspension.

Some people are trying to make the connection between the NFL and its relationship with ESPN being the cause of Simmons' suspension. Others are saying it's simply because he blatantly called out his bosses after claiming Goodell to be a liar. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

The NFL, according to Richard Sandomir of the New York Times, pays ESPN $15 billion to air Monday Night Football. That's. A. Lot. Of. Money. Of course, ESPN would love to keep that money flowing in, and of course saying anything bad about the commish, could possibly derail that. It also isn't a good idea to play do or die with an entity as large as ESPN.

The thing is whether it's to keep relationships in tact or lay down the law, ESPN is crippling its analysts by taking away their ability to do what they pay them for, give their opinion. It's just like when ESPN suspended Stephen A. Smith for his comments, which were more controversial yet received a lighter suspension.

The shot-callers have a huge brand that they don't want tarnished by the opinions of their own analysts and at times those analysts can go a step too far, I get that. Still, that's their personality, it's what they were hired for.

Simmons called Goodell a liar, that's his opinion, it was on his podcast. In fact, I wouldn't have known he said anything about Goodell had he not been suspended, because like most of you I don't subscribe to his podcast. But the man is entitled to his opinion.

Free Simmons.