Miscellaneous articles pertaining to recent issues in sports and sports media.
Jon Pyle, True/Slant.com, “Rick Pitino and Abortion Politics“
This morning on Mike & Mike, like thousands of sports talk shows across the country, they discussed how Pitino?s actions would [affect] his program, specifically recruiting. They essentially argued whether Pitino?s scandal or a coach photographed drinking and partying with coeds like Larry Eustachy would be worse for their respective programs. Mike Greenberg, supporting Pitino, was overwhelmed by the other two guests. But he made an adjustment that got to the true heart of people?s shock, he asked them to consider the situation ?if there were no abortion?. Mike Golic and Eric [Kuselias] immediately changed their views and agreed that without the abortion, Pitino?s scandal wasn?t nearly as bad. … The message being sent by Mike & Mike and the majority of sports radio hosts and columnists is that we can accept infidelity but abortion unquestionably makes Pitino?s situation more scandalous. …
[N]early every news outlet carrying this story has highlighted the abortion as the seedy underbelly of the story. Do the majority of Americans actually oppose abortion or are sports fans more conservative? Does this controversy just frame it in the wrong context? Does anyone even realize that the subtext of the coverage of Pitino?s affair may reinforce anti-abortion sentiment or perhaps even create it?
Jason Clinkscales, A Sports Scribe, “Vick“
Coming up in the Bronx in the eighties and up until the mid-nineties, there was a fairly-known dogfighting and cockfighting ring in my old neighborhood. Never saw PETA or the Humane Society or anyone representing the interest of the animals involved. Never saw law enforcement come around to bust this thing up. There were, however, plenty of people who walked around the blocks with pit bulls, Rottweilers and other breeds that were used for fighting. So when Vick said that ?it?s part of our culture? statement was an excuse to justify his actions, the reality is that these groups are so far removed from where the actions take place that the statement has validity.
Maybe PETA didn?t feel like coming around the projects, but the shotgun approach that its executive board takes DOES NOT WORK in an era where people have become desensitized to their tactics. Waiting for some fashion show to disrupt or hoping that some celebrity wants to pose nude for a magazine ad to make a statement has done little to actually educate people on the seriousness of animal cruelty.
So, instead of protesting and boycotting the Eagles, why don?t you get down to the grassroots level and go to the communities to educate people on the perils.
Talking Point Free Sports, “The Vick Signing & ProFootballTalk.com?s One-Hour Journey Into Manufactured News“
In an article posted in Profootballtalk.com (the site was recently acquired by NBC), PFT quickly gained the inside scoop over the hoopla surrounding the Vick signing and the feelings of his new teammate and longtime Eagles quarterback, Donovan McNabb.
Titled “Source: [Donovan] McNabb isn’t happy with Vick acquisition,” the most well known football blog on the internet cited the always reliable “anonymous source.” …
The article continues to go on, reviving a three-year old rumor about McNabb?s alleged jealousy of journeyman quarterback Jeff Garcia taking the helm of the Eagles as they went to the playoffs with an injured McNabb on the sidelines. Playing a poor man?s Dr. Phil, the author continued to detail the mental state of Donovan McNabb who was obviously affected by Michael Vick?s presence. …
As Andy Reid took the podium in the post game press conference, informing the media that McNabb played a major part signing, PFT obviously saw the fa?ade of their ?inside scoop? beginning to crack. Forced to add another update, PFT stated that Andy Reid?s confirmation about McNabb?s involvement somehow proved their point. But as McNabb took to the podium and became his own spokesman, it would completely expose PFT as a purveyor of manufactured news and force them to come up with a Plan B to sustain their ever weakening story.
Talking Point Free Sports article found via The Big Lead.
