Being a huge sports fan I listen to sports talk radio, watch sports discussion shows and I'm an avid reader of my local newspaper's sport section and the USA Today's. I used to enjoy doing all three but lately I been finding it real boring. The reason is the subject matter. I'll give you a few examples.
On a HBO interview, Randy Moss, the most talented wide receiver in the NFL, said he occasionally smoked marijuana and if any kid was watching not to think it was okay just cause he did it. Every sports media outlet ran with it and the sports media personalities were very upset and proceeded to bash Randy Moss on their shows for a week. A week.
Next example. Lance Armstrong was accused yet again by a French newspaper that he used performance enhancing drugs. This time the drug testing facility, who administers the tests and holds all the samples, say Lance's sample from 1999 was found to have the drug EPO in it. Furthermore the company only has the 'B' sample. The other samples somehow got destroyed. The French newspaper hates Lance Armstrong. How dare an ugly American come into France and win their greatest sports event year after year. Again some sports media suggest that Lance come clean because where there is smoke there is fire.
Next example. At the U.S. Open golf championship a few weeks back Tiger Woods left after the final round was cut short because of rain. Tiger had completed his round and was the clubhouse leader. But with 6 golfers still having to complete their final round and 4 of those having leads over him, he decided to fly home Sunday night instead of waiting until Monday to see if he made a playoff. Phil Mickelson ended up winning. Tiger finished tied for fourth. When the sports media found out Tiger left before the tournament early they were in uproar. "How could Tiger leave early" and "We thought Tiger was all about majors" was said over and over and over.
Next example is the whole Terrell Owens situation with the Philadephia Eagles. Any sports fan should know this story considering all the media coverage it has received. Terrell, the Eagles' star receiver, wants a raise and the Eagles refuse to re-negotiate. Simple as that. Terrell shows up for training camp. Terrell refuses to talk to anybody - media, coaches or fellow players. After a confrontation with the head coach, Terrell gets suspended for a week. The media followed Terrell home and tried to interview him as he lifted weights in his driveway. Everyday since it has been a major topic. Will Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb (the Eagles' All-Pro quarterback) be able to co-exist? Will it ruin the Eagles chance for a Super Bowl? What will Terrell do next?
Okay now I ask, is it just me? I get the feeling only the media cares about any of these things. Why do sports coverage continue down this path? I'm not saying it shouldn't be mentioned but every single day? Come on. Are the heads of sports departments suggesting this direction? Is it because most sports departments are no longer run by sports people? Or are sports fans themselves wanting it?
On sports radio you hear fans phoning in on baseball pennant and wild card races and the upcoming pro and college football seasons. I don't hear calls on Rafael Palmeiro lying at those congressional hearings or who Maria Sharapova is dating.
Has everything turned into tabloid news? Is that how we cover sports now? Is there a tabloid mentality everywhere? Are all magazines and papers soon going to look like the National Enquirer, Star, People and US? With all, those periodicals' sales only rising I'm afraid so. The national media has already started to turn that way. Just look at the things they choose to cover. The Runaway Bride is a perfect example. Somebody told me she actually has a book deal AND a movie deal. Why???
Little Whip wrote an excellent article about Fox News' coverage on Natalee Holloway. And it's not going to end. Soon there will be another white women for the media to cover non-stop.
If people want to know about Brad or Jen or Angelina or Tom or Katie, fine but they should keep that style of reporting to strictly entertainment rags. Let's see real news on a national level and please let's see some real sports coverage about sports. I bet I'm not the only one craving it.
Thanks for listening.