On Friday night’s edition of Countdown With Keith Olbermann, the host, Olbermann, announced he would be ending the program and leaving MSNBC, effective immediately.

Reasons for the sudden split between Olbermann and MSNBC are still sketchy, and speculation is based largely on rumors and anonymous sources. Those with alleged inside knowledge of the situation have stated that Olbermann and MSNBC have been discussing parting ways for some time, largely due to tensions between the two parties.

In November 2010, MSNBC suspended Olbermann for two days after he made donations to the campaigns of three politicians. According to the network at the time, Olbermann’s donations violated MSNBC policy, which prohibits their hosts from giving money to political campaigns. The suspension lasted a mere two days before the popular anchor was allowed to resume his hosting duties. (Unsurprisingly, Olbermann made his donations to Democratic candidates. Although Olbermann has stated before that he does not vote in political campaigns, so the rhetoric of his show won’t be driven by which candidate he’ll vote for, his political leanings are largely liberal.)

Countdown With Keith Olbermann first aired in 2003, and during its eight year run, the show has drawn both admiration and criticism. Olbermann has been often been credited with helping MSNBC achieve its higher ratings, a sentiment that the network heads seem to agree with.

“MSNBC thanks Keith for his integral role in MSNBC’s success and we wish him well in his future endeavors,” read a statement released by the network.

Many of Olbermann’s critics accused him of using hyperbolic speech on his nightly show. One of the Countdown’s most popular segments was entitled “the Worst Person in the World.” Throughout the segment’s run, Olbermann awarded the title to everyone from Fox political commentator Bill O’Reilly – for his hypocrisies and for cautioning others against charitable donations – to Bristol Palin for her abstinence public service announcement.

(After Jon Stewart’s Rally To Restore Sanity in October 2010, Olbermann briefly retired the ‘Worst Person in the World’ segment. When he brought it back to his show months later, it had been renamed ‘The Worst Person in the World (Not Really).’ Most recently, on Jan. 11, 2011, in the wake of the shootings in Tuscon, Arizona, Olbermann announced he would once again rename the segment.)

Others – notably Glenn Beck, who once mocked Olbermann as a “joke” and a “dope” on a segment of his radio show – disliked Olbermann’s wordy, sometimes long-winded style of speaking.

Personally, I rarely watched Olbermann’s show, mostly because I agreed that he sometimes went overboard when dissecting (or trashing, depending on your viewpoint) his ideological opponents. I made a conscious effort not to gets news from him, because, like Beck and O’Reilly, I felt much of the news he reported was one-sided.

But I did, and do, find the man amusing.

In 2008, at the Democratic National Convention, while his fellow MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough hinted that Sen. John McCain might take a lead over President Barack Obama, Olbermann snarked, “Jesus, Joe, get a shovel,” while his mic was still on. (Supposedly, Scarborough was digging himself into hole of fallaciousness.)

Whether or not Olbermann knew his mic was turned on or not, he was more than willing to verbally tussle with a disbelieving Scarborough. The moment is filled with Olbermann’s trademark blustery self-righteousness, but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

I doubt Olbermann will fade quietly into the night. That’s never been his style.

It has yet to be announced whether MSNBC will legally prohibit him from accepting a show deal from another network, but whatever agreement the network and their former anchor come to, one day he’ll be allowed to return to televised social commentary. And when he can, I’m certain he’ll be able to find a deal with someone. On the off chance that he doesn’t return to television, it’s not like he’s hurting for money.

There were two years left on Olbermann’s contract with MSNBC, which he signed in 2008 for $30 million. Even though his show has been canceled, he’ll be paid the remainder of that $30 million over the next two years – an estimated $7 million annually. Not bad for someone who’s out of a job.