Since parting ways with Grantland founder Bill Simmons earlier this month, ESPN has kept its sports and pop culture website going strong without an official new leader.

The site has now tabbed a great candidate to temporarily – and perhaps permanently – fill the void, naming Chris Connelly as Grantland's new interim Editor-in-Chief. It's a solid choice, considering Connelly is an MTV News alum who has interviewed a "who's who" list of A-list musicians and actors, in addition to having tenured stints with ESPN and ABC News. If there's anybody who has bridged the gap between sports and pop culture over the years, it's Connelly. No... he quite simply is the bridge.

"We are thrilled to have a journalist of Chris' caliber join us on an interim basis as we go forward and build on the smart, fun, adventurous, creative, unexpected and vital spirit of Grantland," said ESPN executive vice president, global strategy and original content Marie Donoghue in a statement, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

"Chris has been an award-winning journalist and storyteller in sports, music and pop culture for over three decades, and as a longtime contributor at Grantland, he appreciates the incredible team we have assembled."

Connelly seems equally excited about his new position.

"Bill Simmons had the vision to create Grantland, and his leadership, ideas, and inspiration made it singularly great," said the veteran personality in a press release statement. "I'm looking forward to helping the writers, editors, and producers on this amazingly talented staff create more of the outstanding work for which they've rightly become known." 

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