Since joining Twitter early last year, now-former Countdown host Keith Olbermann has become one of the platform’s most loquacious users, tweeting more frequently than a meth-tweaked canary. All of that came to an abrupt end in the hour before his Friday announcement that he, and his show, were leaving MSNBC. 
 
 Saturday night, though, Olbermann-watchers saw the first sign of post-Countdown life from his Twitter feed: an update to his profile which read “WATCHTHISSPACE MLB.com Baseball Nerd blog returns 2/14.” 
 
 At this point, very little should be read into this, but that won’t stop people from trying. The New York Daily News speculates that maybe the update signifies a return to sports for the former Sportscenter co-anchor: 
 
 Since his sudden split with MSNBC, Keith Olbermann could be going back to his roots – at least on Twitter. “W A T C H T H I S S P A C E MLB.Com Baseball Nerd blog returns 2/14,” he wrote on his biography line– the only update he’s written on his usually prolific account since Friday evening. 
 
 They go on to note that a return to ESPN is unlikely, for a variety of reasons that Sportsgrid details here. 
 
 The problem here is that promoting the Baseball Nerd blog is nothing new to Olbermann’s Twitter feed, and so “Watch this space” isn’t necessarily related to it. If Olbermann does remain silent until February 14, though, you can bet that will be the most widely-read edition to date. 
 
 In any case, those watching Olbermann’s feed for dirty laundry, or laundry of any kind, regarding his departure from MSNBC are likely in for a big disappointment. As much as it’s probably killing the normally-outspoken Olbermann, news accounts from respected journalists generally concur that the terms of his exit include some kind of gag order. 
 
 Much more likely is the prospect that Olbermann will share, in fairly short order, some level of detail about his future plans. Ironically, his departure has elevated his Twitter feed to near-Sarah Palin status, anticipation-wise. The parallel has been noted by some conservatives on Twitter, who wondered if Olbermann could continue to slam Palin for resigning the Alaska Governorship, which caused Olbermann to dub Palin the “former Half-Governor.” (This says more about their attitudes about the gravity of elected office than anything else.) 
 
 In that vein, it would be a satirical masterstroke if Olbermann emerged from Twitter exile to tweet about “Death Panels,” as they relate to cuts to transplant funding in Arizona. 
 
 Either way, Olbermann has to be aware that his status as a Palin-level Twitter celebrity has a short shelf-life, and if he wants to use the platform to promote his next move, sooner is better than later. 
 
 Update: On Sunday, perhaps in response to the Daily News’ speculation, the message on Olbermann’s Twitter profile was tweaked to more clearly separate the messages. It now reads “W A T C H__________T H I S__________S P A C E (Also: MLB.Com Baseball Nerd blog returns 2/14)” ||||| cable news news Keith Olbermann Has Reportedly Been Negotiating His Exit for a While 
 
 After Keith Olbermann suddenly announced his departure last night, some speculated that the impending NBC-Comcast merger played a role. NBC executives quickly denied any Comcast involvement in the decision. But how did it all really go down? Details are trickling in, and early anonymous sources say Olbermann was not flat-out fired. However, most outlets are also reporting that Olbermann and network brass have long been butting heads. 
 
 According to TMZ, the exit was partially about money: "Olbermann's agent went to NBC complaining that Keith was underpaid," the site reports. "NBC execs told Olbermann's agent they would not cough up more money. Network execs were well aware that Comcast wanted Keith gone because he was 'a loose cannon that could not be controlled.' It became clear to both sides that Olbermann's days were numbered and they began negotiating an exit, completed just before airtime Friday night." Under the deal, Olbermann is allegedly barred from appearing on television for a certain period of time, but he will reappear soon with "a presence on the Internet," where all fugitives of the television end up. 
 
 Deadline reports a similar story: "This was all Keith's choice. He has said several times over the years said that he wants out of his contract." The site says he began negotiating his out a few months ago, but, "because of all the false threats in the past, it was impossible for the network to know if he was really going to sign the final document." Even his own staff learned he was quitting when they heard him say it on TV. 
 
 And the New York Times concurs that NBC and Olbermann have been in negotiations to end Olbermann's run for weeks. The Times notes: "Mr. Olbermann had butted heads with his superiors long before the Comcast deal, including Phil Griffin, the top MSNBC executive ... and NBC’s management had been close to firing Mr. Olbermann before." One executive said Comcast "dreaded the prospect" of being blamed if Olbermann were to quit soon after the takeover. 
 
 Only the New York Post reported that Olberamnn was "unceremoniously dumped," but the paper also repeatedly refers to him as "a garrulous gasbag." So. ||||| Image Credit: Olbermann: Amy Sussman/Getty Images; Sorkin: Valer Now that Keith Olbermann is leaving MSNBC, could he be setting his sights on Hollywood and Aaron Sorkin’s next TV project? The Golden Globe-winning scribe behind The Social Network has long had a pilot script in the works about a cable news show, and Olbermann could be tapped to contribute rants, says a source familiar with the project. 
 
 Sorkin spent time on Olbermann’s set while penning the behind-the-scenes script (think Sports Night meets Countdown), something he did while juggling The Social Network and working on an early draft of the upcoming film Moneyball (starring Brad Pitt). Sorkin recently told BBC News that he also shadowed Chris Matthews and Fox News and that he’s working with HBO on the project. (Unfortunately, the pay cabler is not confirming anything.) 
 
 Any network giving serious consideration to Sorkin’s next series may want to wait until Tuesday’s Oscar nominations to make a bigger publicity splash since it seems all but guaranteed that Hollywood’s premier scribe will snag a screenplay nod for The Social Network. Sorkin already won a Golden Globe for writing the movie, which was also recognized as the year’s best drama flick by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. In addition, Sorkin scored a BATFTA nomination. 
 
 Should the behind-the-scenes script become a series, it’s practically a given that Sorkin would call upon his trusted allies to help carry out his vision. Besides Olbermann’s potential contribution, Emmy-winning scribes like Kevin Falls (Franklin & Bash) and Eli Attie (House M.D.) — both of whom worked on The West Wing – could help Sorkin run the show, while Thomas Schlamme would be a natural to direct. And what do you say, Sorkin; how about Bradley Whitford as Olbermann’s doppelganger? Stay tuned.
– Details of Keith Olbermann’s abrupt exit from MSNBC—as well as what’s in store for him now—are trickling out. The latest: Olbermann’s exit package was “well in excess” of $7 million, sources tell TMZ. The deal includes a clause that benches Olbermann for a while—at least when it comes to television—but sources claim he’ll only have to sit out for four-and-a-half months or less. The New York Times has a different estimate, citing executives involved in the deal: Olbermann must stay off TV for six to nine months, and can’t talk about his departure, although he can work on the Internet or in radio. His exit comes after years of behind-the-scenes conflict at MSNBC, the Times reports, noting that Jeff Zucker was one step away from firing him during his campaign contributions brouhaha in November. The usually prolific Olbermann has tweeted only once since his departure, and the message—apparently since removed—read “WATCHTHISSPACE MLB.com Baseball Nerd blog returns 2/14.” Of course, that sparked all sorts of speculation that Olbermann may return to his sports roots. But Olbermann has often promoted his Baseball Nerd blog, Mediaite notes, so the message could mean … nothing. Next up for Olbermann: Writing for TV with Aaron Sorkin? A source tells Entertainment Weekly Sorkin has a pilot script about a cable news show in the works—he even shadowed Olbermann while writing it—and he might tap Olbermann to contribute rants. Click for more on what may have been behind Olbermann’s departure.