This has bothered me for quite some time. Maybe because I just wish sports were sports but more so because I just don't think it's any of my business. In a new world of Facebook, Twitter, up to the minute sports tickers, news tickers, scrolling news, and non-stop blogging we are bombarded with information from every direction. Every minute of every day we are getting up to the second updates on situations across the world. It's no different in sports.
This would all be great if it meant we are getting pumped box scores only but the recent years have shown more and more of a growing trend to cover "news" outside the baseball diamond, football stadium and arena. Now, the off field miscues, mistakes and downright stupidity are covered with more passion than the 9th inning walkoff from the night prior.
Case in point: Mark Grace. Grace was an All-Star first basemen for the Cubs for many, many years in the 80's and 90's. Then he came to the Diamondbacks and was a star for them. Gold Glover, .300+ hitter. Great overall player and very outgoing personality. He's retired now of course and the color commentator for the Diamondbacks games every night. Over Memorial Day weekend this year he was making a wide right turn, weaved a little and he was pulled over by the Scottsdale Police Department. He was cited for a DUI and yesterday it hit the news channels, sports websites and news tickers. It's all over the news.
So the question is: Why is this any of our business? He's not a politician who has an ethics clause in his job description like Representative Weiner. He's not a teacher who can lose their license for being convicted of a DUI. He's a former professional baseball player who is now the announcer for the Diamondbacks. I'm not convinced that this should be public knowledge as it has no bearing on how I feel he is going to commentate a game.
Another example: Andy Reid's son was a drug addict. Not our business. Lenny Dykstra, former stud for the World Champion Phillies 18 YEARS AGO, was arrested this week. Espn.com didn't hesitate to cover that one. Jim Leyritz killed a guy while drunk driving in Florida. Still...not our business.
Imagine this happening in any other business or your own life. You get a DUI and within an hour it's all over the internet?? How is it affecting your performance on the field? It's not so it shouldn't be brought up in the news. The media is stretching for coverage because the overall media conglomerate cares only about ratings and not journalism. Drama creates ratings. If you don't believe me maybe you should check out the ratings of the 200+ reality TV shows that dominate the channels.
I can understand Plaxico Burress shooting himself in the leg as that clearly, obviously is affecting his job. He's then kicked out of football and in prison. That is a big story. Kobe raped a girl (would it have been as big a story if he raped a black girl? ...I wonder.) Pretty big story because had that happened in any other major corporation that would be major news as well, (see IMF former President allegedly raping housekeeper in The Pierre hotel NYC last month). Former NFL star OJ Simpson murdering two people? Pretty big news.
But professional coaches sons getting DUI's? Why drag that kid through the mud? Some of them are not even in sports, just their dads coach college teams and they print and "report" on minor criminal acts their family members allegedly commit. If you are out of professional sports I don't see the need to ever print another word about that person unless you are promoting the person's charity event. I don't care what Mike Gallego is doing right now.
If he's not playing baseball I don't care what is going on in his life.
Why? Because it's none of my business.
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I couldn’t agree with you more. My memories of my childhood hero (A-Rod) have been forever tarnished by the muckraking of the media. How could I possibly respect a man who cheats on every spouse that he has ever had, or a man who cheated on the very game that is built on tradition and integrity. But I would never had been aware of this nor would I have cared if it wasn’t for the media. Literally had 20/20 interviews, Dateline, MSNBC and of course ESPN, constantly updating us on the great steroid scandal. It was as big a deal as the Clinton scandal in terms of media attention. Only Clinton was our President, and A-Rod is an athlete. Granted he is the highest paid and arguably the best, so I guess he is held to a higher standard. But I couldn’t say that I would not be doing the same thing if i had limitless money at my disposal. Sure i want to hear updates on A-Rod like his current AVG. or speculations on whether he will get 30/100 this year! But not updating me to the point where I know who he is currently dating (Kate Moss, had to Google it,)or Madonna... We get it he is an attractive million heir!!
ReplyDeleteDudes, Jer, right on.
ReplyDeleteRemember Eight Men Out? The movie about Shoeless Joe Jackson and the Black Sox scandal?
Say it isn't so Joe was such a famous line.
Disappointed fans finding out their hero's screw up.
I HATED finding out about the real lives of Babe Ruth and Mickie Mantle.
I still don't want to know.
LET ME HAVE MY HEROS-UN-tarnished.
I don't want to know.
Don't tell me anything negative about Pujols.
I really thought the Mick was the best man alive when I was 8. I really believed that Chuck Yeager was a hero. Not a boozer.
But reality is much harsher than fantasy.
I like sports for a diversion, not the normal depressing stuff of politics; which by the way has WAY more jerks than sports.
Call me Peter Pan.
Totally agree Jer Bear...what's worse is NCAA drama. All I've seen the last two weeks is Ohio State getting screwed cause some players got free tattoos and then talk about if Terrell Pryor will play football in Canada. Totally ridiculous. One thing I did learn when reading about Mickey Mantel is that yes, he was a womanizing alcoholic. And maybe that crushed my dads expectations, but the major difference with the Mickey story was that his off the field actions were revealed until years after he retired. Back before the 70's, their was a code with reporters who wouldn't tell stories that would hurt the athletes. Tim Kurkjian wrote an article about journalism in the old days where he would meet players in a bar when their hammering whiskey while kissing on a young girl while their wife is upstairs. It was known by the players and the writers that those things were kept secret. Something changed and now reporters are out to ruin players. It's unfortunate but that's the way it is.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more. Couldn't care less if they can't keep their personal lives in order. Just keep smashing the ball Arod!
ReplyDeleteAgain i'm coming in late on this. but i saw this on ABC news the day it happened. He had no proof of insurance either or his drivers license. But that's ok. He's rich and famous so he probably won't get a fine or serve jail time as the law requires us regular folk to do.
ReplyDeleteYes it shouldn't matter to me. But it should matter to every citizen that there is no "equality" under law for some of these celebs and athletes that get away with small crimes while we get reamed. That's what the outrage should really be about. report on how they are not serving full jail time like the rest of us. What makes them "better"?
other than that... yeah. i really don't want to hear about it. the "news" these days is just a giant TMZ gossip tv show.
ReplyDeletegood point Cesar. case in point: Oj Simpson. Show me the money!!
ReplyDelete