Lawyers (and ESPN) Good For Something

The tenacity of a lawyer resulted in good when Genarlow Wilson was released from jail last Friday. Genarlow and his attorney BJ Bernstein gambled when Genarlow refused to accept numerous plea offers to reduce his ten year sentence for having consensual sex with another teenager, but the risk paid off. To be sure, Genarlow's strategy was risky. It was only a 4-3 margin of the Georgia Supreme Court that decided that Wilson's punishment was cruel and unusual.

In addition to the dogged pursuit of Genarlow's lawyer, the media should rightfully take credit for Genarlow's release. Media outlets like ESPN brought well deserved national attention to Genarlow's plight.

Georgia was shamed into releasing Genarlow Wilson. Despite the rationalizations of local prosecutors. Despite the politics of the legislature. Despite the narrow margin of the Supreme Court.

Some have complained that the Supreme Court has legislated from the bench in freeing Wilson despite the legislature's express refusal to do so. To some lawyers,"legislating from the bench" is the most cardinal sin of a judge. To others, it's the appropriate effectuation of a checks and balances system that counters nonsensical laws.

Finally, after over two years in prison, legal wrangling and media attention, Genarlow Wilson is free to anticlimatically get on with his life. The media outlets that devoted the feature stories that were instrumental in securing his freedom have blurbed about his release and moved on. Genarlow says he leaves prison a man and that he hopes to go to college to study sociology.

And, ironically, Genarlow has appropriate gratitude for the legal system that prosecuted and vindicated him.

Well, for the most part my incarceration made me a stronger person and a more ambitious person. So I definitely plan on succeeding. Especially with having so many people supporting me and coming to my defense; I don’t want to disappoint them. I feel like failure’s not an option. I also have higher expectations for myself, and I feel like I’ve matured.

For the most part I’m not angry or bitter. I can’t let my frustrations get the best of me. It’s not going to make matters any easier for me. Either way it goes, it’s still going to be hard for me. But now I get to start over. It’s a new beginning, and I’m looking forward to it. I’ve turned all the negative energy into something positive.

Genarlow was a popular high school football player in his former life. He seems not to crave anything but simple interaction now. Raiding the refrigerator whenever he wants. Spending time with his mother and sister. Hopefully, going to class and earning and degree. After all he's been though, here's hoping he can accomplish so much.

The Vick Divide. If You Say So.

ESPN, unifying force that they are, held a town meeting in Atlanta on issues surrounding Michael Vick's treatment by the legal system and the media.

First some notes about the panel:

Terrence Mathis: Former Vick teammate. Clearly playing the role of the friend and Christian. Well received by the crowd.

Neil Boortz: Conservative local radio talk show host. Had enough sense to stay quiet for most of the show, lest his Lexus get keyed in the parking lot.

Terence Moore: AJC Columnist. Booed at introduction. Why? Because he hates the Falcons and everybody in Atlanta knows it. For years, he has seen everything about that team as "half empty."

Selena Roberts: NY Times Columnist. The yankee became a crowd favorite for her intellectual neutrality. And, yes it's weird that a White female from up top resonated the most with the crowd just by being intelligent and balanced in her statements. The other panelists could barely manage so much.

Chuck Smith: Former Falcon. Used to be a midday sports talk host at 790 the Zone. (BTW, the show has sucked ever since he left.) Booed by the crowd several times. Probably because he is much better explaining himself when he has four hours to kill. He did not do well explaining himself in the soundbite format.

The town hall wasn't terrible, but ESPN is playing the race card. The audience was overwhelmingly Black, pro-Vick and many were wearing 7 jersey and "Free Vick" shirts. Atlanta is Black, but it ain't THAT Black. People of all different races and backgrounds and cultures have all different opinions on Vick. ESPN could have worked harder to cull a more representative audience. The Associate Press claimed that ESPN handlers were still rustling people to join the audience while the event was in progress. There was a smattering of White people there, but one group they kept focusing on looked like Kip and his girlfriend Buffy. I swear he had sunglasses on his head and a sweater tied around his shoulders. If they had a Black guy with a shower cap on, it would hae been a perfect set.

ESPN is determined to insist that The Vick divide is based solely on race. That is not true. I have written about that before. And speaking of Wright Thompson, he was an invited guest of the panel. He elaborated on the article he wrote a while back on ESPN. He clarified that people in the south have a "world view" based on history and experience. I much prefer the term "world view" instead of "race card".

So ESPN is playing the world view card.

They would be better off paying attention to one of their SportsNation polls. Race is a factor oftentimes, but it's not 100 percent of the issue all the time. I don't know why that nuance can't be grasped by many entities. One of the polls featured on the show said 22 percent of the people who felt Vick had been treated unfairly felt race was the issue. That's a much more realistic proportion of the reason for the piling on than scapegoating 100% of the people of Atlanta with the world view card.

ESPN hosted the event but failed to directly address ESPN's piling on. That's quite disingenuous of the worldwide leader. I, for one, had to literally stop watching several ESPN programs for a couple of weeks because the coverage on Vick was so excessive and negative. ESPN was relentless. It didn't matter if it was anybody's favorite player, your favorite team or even if it was because I had a certain world view. ESPN couldn't help but pound the story into the ground. Which is exactly why they held a 90 minute town hall program weeks after most of the public was completely exhausted from it. They could barely find people off the street to fill the auditorium. Only a few hundred people constituted the audience in an auditorium in the local convention center.

So, in the end, panelists assembled. Audience members asked questions. One particularly interesting one was about the difference in how Michael Vick and Bill Belichick have been treated. Vick is a face of the league. Belichick and the Patriots are a face of the league. One is in present exile. One is just another asshole who gets to prove his greatness on the field despite his transgressions. I hope Vick gets to be just another asshole who ultimately gets to redeem himself on the field.

But that could just be my world view talking.

On Martyrdom

ESPN Page 2 writer Jemele Hill cautions "Us" not to make Vick a martyr. She claims Vick "alone should be held accountable for his actions."

If only it were that simple.

Every story has a background. Explaining is not excusing. Those obsessed with examining the nuances are not worse than those who are content to bask in the ignorance of political correctness.

Ms. Hill is among many media members who insist on oversimplified good or bad designations... black and white classifications.. the romantic and naive disposition of heroes and villains.

Ms. Hill writes, "Do not applaud him for taking his comeuppance." And why not? Since when is accepting responsibility a bad thing? It should not matter whether Vick is concerned. Living a life of value is the ideal fulfillment of a human life. And despite ESPN's effort to dehumanize Vick, he is still a person.

There is no need to feign that Michael Vick has no good qualities just to bolster condemnation of his misdeeds. Yes, he has done bad things and he will suffer the consequences. We all do that on varying levels. Michael is just an ordinary human being.

It has been reported that if Vick would have gone forward with a trial, other players would have become involved in the proceedings. If Michael plead guilty, even in part, to save his teammates and friends from personal, criminal or professional consequences, isn't that a noble thing? If Michael plead guilty, even in part, to save his co-defendants from the potential predicament of having to be subjected to additional serious charges that they didn't have credibility or resources to defend, that's not admirable? If Michael plead guilty, even in part, to save the NFL - the almighty shield - from taking a beating from ESPN (they have not spared any staff or airtime to not discuss Michael Vick over the past few months), isn't that responsible behavior toward the entity that made him prosperous? Even if he is just a tragic example of what not to do to some prospective successful person, hasn't Vick served a positive purpose? All things considered - and I mean ALL things considered - it's hard to conclude that Vick is completely unworthy of being discussed for his positive qualities.

I'm not sure exactly who Ms. Hill is accusing of heralding Vick as a martyr. Just because some choose to defer to their compassionate tendencies or amend their proclamations about Michael with "he deserves fair treatment", instead of interrupting every mention of his name with "what he did was reprehensible", doesn't mean that their perspective is inferior.

Common Sense, Not Civil Rights

I resent ESPN trying to make Michael Vick a civil rights issue.

It's not that deep.

Wright Thompson of ESPN wrote an article invoking the names of the Kings, the Abernathys, the Youngs and the Aarons in an effort to "explain" why Black people might support Michael Vick. The Leader is only attempting to trivialize and undermine the community that supports Vick; pander to a certain audience that is just not comfortable with their real feelings; and, worst of all, cover-up their own biased and excessive coverage of the charges against Michael Vick. I won't accept that article as a mea culpa for ESPN's senseless assassination of Michael Vick.

Some people just need to admit they have never liked Michael Vick.

The list of complaints is potentially long and legitimate. If it applies to you, repeat after me. "He doesn't play the position the 'right' way." "He's never lived up to the hype." "He doesn't remind me of my traditional quarterback heroes." "Ron Mexico has no class and he has herpes." "Vick became a bad role model for my children when he flipped off a (Saints) fan in the stands." "I hate cornrows and he looks like a punk." "I can't relate to him." "I just don't really like Black people."

Anything. But don't pretend.

Don't pretend like Vick is accused of committing the most heinous crime imaginable. There are far worse things a person could be accused of. And don't pretend like America is full of animal rights activists. This is not a country of vegetarians. Furthermore, this is a country full of Wal-Mart shoppers. As a collective, we will undermine rights, human or otherwise, to save a penny.

And don't pretend like the only explanation for empathy for Michael Vick is because of the civil rights experience and/or its corresponding baggage.

Cause I have never felt sorry for Michael Vick before. Not ever. And me feeling empathy for Michael Vick has nothing to do with civil rights or anybody named Abernathy. It has to do with common sense. And ESPN trying to say otherwise is a pathetic attempt to play the race card against me when they have programmed their channel for the purpose of piling on Vick. They have no excuse. No King, Young or Aaron can absolve them.

The issue is not animal cruelty.

Just for example, Jonathan Babineux remains on the Atlanta Falcons roster and he is accused of bashing a puppy in the head with a hammer to get back at his girlfriend. And I doubt too many people will be throwing away their "Pulp Fiction" DVDs because they can't stand to think of Marsellus' Mastiffs mauling a man to death.

It's not even about morality.

How can Donovan McNabb be criticized for standing by his friend and Arthur Blank not be scrutinized for turning his back on his "friend"?

The issue is not corporate public relations.

The NFL is full of criminals - alleged and actual. And sponsors that have distanced themselves from Vick have stood by people accused of committing far worse crimes than Vick and have even used dog fighting to market their goods.

The issue is not about Vick's certain legal doom.

Any neutral lawyer could read the indictment (remember, we're just at the indictment stage) and hypothesize a defense. Whether just by due diligence, eyewitness attacks, the difficulty of proving a triple pronged conspiracy charge or God forbid - the presumption of innocence.

Right now, the indictment against Vick is what it is. There is no evidence to suggest the indictment is based on anything but a belief that Vick did what the Feds said he did. Maybe his celebrity made him an attractive target. Maybe his race. But the charges are what they are.

It's the court of public opinion where Vick is being railroaded. And it's not companies who have rights to terminate their relationship with Vick merely exercising those rights. It's the knee jerking. It's the piling on. It's the selective use of facts. And despite Wright Thompson's attempts, it's ESPN.

ESPN doesn't employ the personnel to reasonably deal with this story. They employ a few guys who know the x's and o's. They employ a lot of other guys who just yell whatever opinion will get the most attention. And, yes, Wright, damn skippy, I take Vick's predicament personally. I take it personally as a Falcons fan. I take it personally as a Black person. But first and foremost, I take it personally as a rational person willing to wait and see the situation play out on its own. Let's call a spade a spade. There's no need to color the situation.

Ten Days (or So) Until Irvin!

Much of the response to Michael Irvin's Hall of Fame speech has been positive. Some people think it's revived his professional broadcasting prospects. But that thought is ridiculous. Most are just excited to speculate about his prospects. (Content Factory with Dan Patrick?) Michael Irvin has always had a fan base as a television personality. Some TO fans, some Cowboys fans, some who just don't mind a little fun on Sunday morning. The Playmaker that spewed tear snot over the weekend is the same 'ol Playmaker.

Mike surfaced on Dan LeBatard's radio show Monday and Tuesday and promised (PROMISED!) that he would make a decision about his situation in 10 days or so. Since he's left ESPN, Irvin has been very cautious to speak well of the Leader, but also complained that they restricted his schedule and speech too much for his tastes. Irvin has indicated in multiple interviews over the past few months that he wants to participate in a "man talk" format, not just football format. After his speech, it's clear he has motivational/spiritual leanings.

Irvin said when talking with LeBatard that he would make a decision about what he was going to do very soon and that he would definitely be around this season. Good news. Get your popcorn/tissues ready.

Vick Has Supporters Too

Pat Forde of ESPN wrote a column last week about the challenges facing the sports commissioners. Tucked deep in the middle of that article before it was changed updated, he pondered whether Black people would turn their back on the NFL over the treatment of Michael Vick.

I don't know if it will come to all of that. But Arthur Blank..



and Nike...



might want to keep an eye on the situation.

A rally was held in support of Michael Vick in front of the Georgia Dome. About 200 people demonstrated on a Sunday afternoon in off and on rain showers to protest against the rush to judgment against Michael Vick in the court of public opinion. That's significantly more people than the few dozen PETA has managed to assemble each time in front of NFL office, Falcons' training camp and the Richmond courthouse.

The protesters' call to arms are perfectly reasonable. Whatever your opinion on Michael Vick or the charges, it doesn't undermine any position to take the "wait and see" approach. Or at least speculate on both sides of his criminal prospects. The coverage has been so negative, it's as if he has one foot in the jailhouse.

And it's the unfair treatment that makes some people start to feel sorry for Michael Vick. Punishing Mike Vick is fine. He deserves to face the consequences for putting his employers and business partners in a precarious situation. Still, the punishment should suit the crime. At some point, it just comes off as piling on. And at some point, the Black community is going to wonder why.

Every American should bristle at the thought of your livelihood being completely stripped without due process. That's why certain people are suddenly looking at Arthur Blank and Nike sideways. It would be one thing for Blank to punish Vick swiftly and fairly, but the Falcons seem to be embarking on a full scale disassociation with Michael Vick before he's been convicted of anything. This coming from someone who held himself out as a friend to Vick, not just an employer. And Vick's merchandising partners are pulling the same suspect "I don't know that Negro" routine.

Of course, it's important for Vick's economic partners to protect their bottom line. But are PETA activists the extent of the bottom line? What about the season ticket holders? Most of the people protesting were wearing Vick merchandise that they purchased from the companies that suddenly think that Vick is enemy #1. Vick jerseys are still available at full price in Atlanta stores. Is it going to eventually cost these various companies involved more to punish Mike Vick than to just let the situation play itself out? How many season tickets have to be cancelled to offset the suite owners that might want to see Vick gone? Who's going to replace Vick's merchandise volume? A balance needs to be struck between all the interests concerning the Vick situation. So far, that is what is missing in the mind of those protesters.

You can have more than one opinion on this Vick's circumstance.

Vick brought this on himself, but he deserves to be treated fairly.

You can love animals, yet still understand that, fundamentally, they are property. (see Larry Smith who said that fighting dogs is worse than raping a woman)

You can love animals and still know that the condemnation of Vick for allegedly fighting dogs is an act of the highest hypocrisy for the faux animal activists who have suddenly emerged all over TV.

You can think Vick broke the law, yet agree that his punishment shouldn't be never ending.

And you can know someone is not your friend and still get along. The protest might be an indication that is the most optimistic prospects for the relationship between the Black community and Arthur Blank/Nike. For now, it's likely a wait and see situation before there is any drastic retaliation. The same courtesy should be extended to Vick.

Pics from the AJC

Pacman Finds a Friendly Witness

It seems Adam "Pacman" Jones has found a corroborating witness in the Las Vegas melee. Jones has claimed that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. An employee at Minxx Gentlemen's Club is backing him up.

The unnamed employee has contacted Jones' legal team and is prepared to testify that Pacman did not do anything to spark a melee that preceded a triple shooting in February.

"..the witness told police Jones made no threats to a bouncer and that it was the other way around.

'The bodyguard had a baton and told Adam Jones that he was going to break his knees,' [Jones' attorney] Robinson said."

Pacman's attorney, Worrick Robinson, feels confident that the witness will help in exonerating Jones from the felony coercion charges Jones faces in Las Vegas. "He would have no reason to lie. Adam doesn't know this person," Robinson said.

As of the time of this post, this news had not made the home page of ESPN.com. When Jones recently obtained a moving violation for having bad tags, ESPN considered that front page news. I remain hopeful that this slightly more positive devlopment in Jones' life will be reported with the same enthusiasm.

Corrections: ESPY Awards

I will forever be traumatized by the nightmare fuel of Shaq "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Diesel fondling the nether regions of Stuart Scott.



LeBron wore EIGHT outfits, not a mere seven like I previously stated. The overlooked outfit had sequins on it. Yeah...



Also, LeBron James is an affront to dancing.

Jerry Rice did an homage to Crown Royal, but Common pays tribute to Michael Irvin with his crazy tie/neck sash thingie.



Greg Oden's suit fabric was not the same as his shirt fabric. He's a sweetheart, but hopefully he will use that first check to get his grill straight.



Candace Parker is not pictured, but trust me, she looked fine. However, my eagle eye did not spot Shelden Williams. Is Candace available?

Finally, Carmelo Anthony was too fancy for the red carpet with his fancy, fancy cornrows and the fancy, fancy pocket square.

Joe Horn Wants To Win

ESPN is speculating that the NFL, NFLPA and the Atlanta Falcons are leaning toward urging Michael Vick to take a voluntary leave of absence. Remember, ESPN also said Vick wasn't going to be indicted. So, give ESPN reports as much credibility as you want. But there are actually some factual developments today.

One of the concerns about Michael Vick remaining on the active roster is the effect on the team if the Vick situation was to drag out. Presumably, teammates would be forced to answer questions about Michael and generally suffer negative consequences from having to cope with Vick's circumstances.

Well, wide receiver Joe Horn is voicing his support for Vick.

"Mike is saddened about the tension this is going to cause the team. I assured him I support him, the rest of the guys support him and the team supports him. Whether he's guilty or innocent or whether you believe he is, time will tell.

"No one, I don't care if you're wealthy or poor, no one is immune to the trials and tribulations of life. Everyone who's breathing is going to have to deal with issues in their life. Unfortunately, Mike is up at bat right now."

Horn said he understands NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's right to suspend Vick and the team's option to keep Vick away from team activities, but he doesn't think that would be right or in the best interest of anyone involved.

"Not having him around, that will hurt. I think he should be around. The more he's around his teammates playing football might help Michael Vick. I don't think suspending him is going to help him."

"Michael wants to play football. He told me over and over again, 'I know what's going on and I need to be there playing and go through training camp to try and get through this.'"

Joe just signed with Atlanta, presumably with the expectation of winning. I would guess Joey Harrington wasn't part of that expectation. The rumors are that the Falcons have already decided not to pursue Daunte Culpepper. So, if the Falcons are interested in winning this season and for the prospective future, they have no choice but to figure out a way to work through Vick's situation. Joe Horn and me feel this to be true.

Vick Should Remain QB

Just because Michael Vick is a knucklehead, we should all suffer?

I was surprised when Vick was indicted and horrified reading the allegations. But it didn't take me long to decide that I wanted to see Vick on the field this season. Flat out, if Vick is not the quarterback, the season is presumptively tanked. Joey Harrington is not the one.

The NFL is full of manslaughter committing, murder trial having, gun running, marijuana trafficking, drug dealing, drug taking, wife beating, baby mama abusing, bar fight starting, DUI getting, strip club fight starting, pain pill abusing, steroid rage having, cleat stomping assholes. Vick is not the first and he won't be the last NFL player to get into trouble. Michael Vick should not be singled out. If it gets to that, let him pay his debt to society and/or the league and let Ookie back on the field.

There is no way that Vick should be suspended with or without pay before due process takes it course. That would just be an unfair action with total disregard to Vick's presumed innocence. And one idea that has been gaining steam - that Vick should take a leave of absence - should not be considered unless the legal proceedings substantively interfere with Vick's ability to do his job or the situation otherwise becomes untenable. Yeah, they'll be some booing at the games, but it'll settle down. The league has been through this before.

There is no need for Falcons owner Arthur Blank to overreact to the situation. Locally, Vick's current troubles make little difference to the Falcons fans. Vick has long been a divisive presence in Atlanta (for a variety of reasons). So, if you were a Vick detractor, you'll just be a more enthusiastic Vick detractor. If you are a Vick supporter, he needs you more than ever.

Still, the tone of the ESPN coverage on Vick is so somber, it's as if Vick is being held for assassinating the president. The analysts have gone stupid just to paint as dire a picture as possible. This morning, Mike and Mike wondered why Kobe Bryant's endorsers reacted more swiftly against him than Vick's endorsers have. Because Kobe was accused of violently harming a PERSON, not a dog, geniuses. Plus, I assume Nike, maker of leather shoes, could care less about PETA. Also, The NFL Live panel had an entire debate on whether Vick could handle a trial during the season. For some unknown reason, they decided the trial would be occurring in 4 months. Their own analyst, Roger Cossack, said a trial would probably not occur inside a year. Still, they chose a selective "fact" they wanted to run with and ran with it.

Nevertheless, any publicity is good publicity. If Vick stays on the field, the Falcons will be the number one story of the season. If Vick is not on the field, we'll be an afterthought. I bet ALL the networks who have Falcons games this season want Vick on the field. It might not be the kind of publicity Arthur Blank prefers, but it's better than none. The Falcons don't really have any other options.

As a fan, I am not interested in the morality of the players on the field. Judging the relative "goodness" of players is an exercise in futility. I will settle for wins. In that respect, Michael Vick is my best hope.

Fashion Round Up - ESPY Awards

I am naive. I thought the NBA Draft was the fashion holy grail. I was wrong. The ESPYs may be the revelation and hallelujah of sports fashion. There's a lot to get to - both good and bad. I've had to make some difficult choices.

Lebron was the host and he's clearly been spending more time shopping than practicing his jump shot. Here's the showstopper. This ensemble is entitled, "My Lebrogative." Note the tassels and the Hammer pants and the Gumby hairdo. Bask in its glory.



The rehearsal outfit wasn't much better. He could have sprung for a legitimate set of capri pants if that's the direction he wanted to go in.



This is actually a sharp bow tie and pinstripe ensemble. But I'm most pleased to know that Lebron and I are both partial to the Nation of Islam in its sports manifestation.



Ummm... if you say so.



Lebron channels the safari via Gucci.



Lebron does resort.



Pinstriped perfection (James, not Kimmel).



Should Lebron be more concerned about projecting himself as a playoff leader or an orange sherbert push up pop?



1 dude, SEVEN oufits. You decide.

Insisting on staying in the limelight, Jerry Rice auditions for "Hot Ghetto Mess." Yes, he's not happy to see you, he has a Crown Royal bag in his pocket. I'm speechless.



Terrell Owens seems fine at first glance. I wish he would lose the jeans, despite his homage to Nick Young. His hand is gleeful and looks okay for receptions.



Then comes the homage to Dwyane Wade. Terrell sees Flash's lightning bolt and raises him a Dallas Cowboy star. I think I'm going to go freeze my eggs now.



Speaking of Dwyane, he looked sharp this time out. He's flexing the "Nick Young" look as well with the white on black look. His tie is made from the same material as his jacket. But we all know how Charles feels about that hat.



More good news. Reggie Bush is perfection. His fashion game is evolving at a rapid pace. He will be turning on the humans soon.



It makes me sad to see the once perfect Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson withered away as a shell of his former self.



Serena is still waiting for Venus to send her a bra from London, but, otherwise, she looks beautiful.



Amanda Beard flaunts her Playboy body, but check out the #1 Playboy MILF here (NSFW and a little slow loading, but worth it. Maybe the best Playboy layout ever).



Maria Sharapova is a naughty girl. She likes leather and she likes lace.



Awwwwwww. Derek Fisher and his wife, Candace.



Brady Quinn and the girl he brought to the NFL Draft. And, still, she's not that cute and Brady's hair is still greasy.



Can someone track this man's hat size? (Free, Barry!!) Otherwise, Vince Carter looks good.



So does Drew Brees. His wife, Brittany, looks smokin' hot here.



Insert your own joke here. Vince Young and Matt Leinart pose like they're at the club. What song do you think is playing in the background? C'mon, Matt. Pose on one knee. Make it authentic.



Janet Gretzky's no Posh, but she's keeping it age appropriate and classy.



Dwight Freeney geeked up? Yeah, he might be.



Some cutie snowboarders (Sarah Bright, Torah Burke and Jamie Anderson) do the short dress thing.



Greg Oden matches his shirt fabric to his suit fabric.



Although Shaq's jacket is as long as her body, Shaunie O'Neal looks lovely.



Latorsha plays her part next to LaDanian Tomlinson's vest.



Ashley Judd and Dario Franchitti make another lovely couple.



Lisa Leslie and her husband, Michael, look great too.



Mike Tyson needs love too.



Peyton Manning is undeniable with his customary pocket square and championship ring.



Pat Summitt looks matronly.



Atlanta Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall is all vested up and such, but is in LA without his playbook. I'm going to remember this.



I still love soccer, but Abel Xavier arrived at the red carpet on the short bus.



And, finally, Baron Davis channels Joakim Noah with his seersucker ensemble. Yeah. Still not working.

"ESPN Is Filled With Sexual Harrassment"

I guess Dan LeBatard will be testifying for the defense if Harold Reynold's suit against ESPN goes to trial. He has no sympathy for Harold Reynolds and his allegations of wrongful firing from ESPN.

On Dan's radio show in Miami on Friday, LeBatard gave a little speech about Harold and what he thinks of the allegations. Dan said:

"ESPN is filled with sexual harassment. It's actually funny."

"For Harold to be claiming that he was wrongfully fired.. I don't know how he says that with a straight face."

Dan goes on to say that Harold hit on and "creeped out" not one, but two, of Dan's girlfriends. Consequently, Dan is doubtful that Harold is not a sexual harasser. You can listen to the minute long audio here (or here).




For the record, hitting on people and/or creeping them out is not necessarily the equivalent of sexual harassment from a legal perspective.

Dan felt smug enough to criticize Harold right in the middle of a game he was playing with the callers - "Given the accusations of sexual harassment against Woody Paige and Jay Crawford, First Take should've been called _________." And when Dan picks up women at work, they're "girlfriends." That designation presumably expempts LeBatard from being an ordinary sexual harasser, as impressive as it may be that Dan is able to score multiple girlfriends from the same pool of women as Harold when Dan is only in Bristol part time. Not to mention that Dan aired out a married man on the radio. The same Dan that cried that journalistic integrity had died the day pictures of Alex Rodriguez cavorting with a stripper were printed on the cover of the New York Post.

I have to wonder, given that ESPN has invested so much time and money in joint ventures like ESPN the Phone, why the worldwide leader hasn't paired up with a dating service. At this point, it's looking like a natural fit. ESPN and Eharmony.com could do something...Oh, wait...ESPN may not be Eharmony material. They're selective. Maybe Craigslist?

ESPN Thug Love

Adam "Pacman" Jones is a thug transcended. Apparently, no longer a football player, a gifted athlete or an ordinary young man. Just a thug. Easily identified by his mug shot.

That must have been why the producers of SportsCenter thought it was appropriate to use Pacman's photo from his recent booking in Las Vegas as his official chyron photo.

Here is Pacman's booking photo.



The following screen grab shows that ESPN immediately "updated" Jones' official photo.



Here is his official Tennessee Titans team photo for additional reference.



It is beyond reprehensible for ESPN to use Jones' booking photo to identify him generally. Using the booking photo coupled with the Tennessee Titans logo, as if it was Jones' "official" photo, visually insinuates and reinforces that Pacman is a criminal, when in fact his "record" has no convictions. Even the urgency to show Pacman's new hairstyle should not take precedent over ESPN's imperative to deliver responsibly produced news and images to its viewers. ESPN could've easily digitally manipulated a more appropriate photo (like they regularly do to jerseys, helmets and hats when players change teams) if the network wanted to show Jones' current hairstyle.

Impartiality aside, ESPN has nothing but incentive to promote the image of the notorious Pacman Jones. Adam Jones is hardly that interesting as a personality. He doesn't talk much and he is not generally captivating. Still, ESPN does not hesitate to make sure their viewers get to see Jones entering a Las Vegas police station via some extremely uninteresting and poorly shot video of what could be any guy walking into a building. Adam Jones clearly has more encounters with the law than the average guy, but it's hardly as if ESPN is on the trail of a serial killer. There is no reasonable purpose for ESPN's excessive coverage of Adam Jones. He is just the thug of the moment and ESPN is happy to traffic in destructive imagery as it suits them.

But it's not surprising that ESPN is drunk with power. They have made Jones a star. He used to be just another talented and up and coming NFLer. Adam was known before, but Pacman is a household name. ESPN seemingly has no qualms about perpetuating Jones' thug image. No matter whether its coverage generally disservices its viewership or shows a lack of sensitivity toward Jones' safety and livelihood by glamorizing him as a potential target. No qualms at all. 'Pac always claimed there was love for a thug. Pacman is not feeling it.

Schrutebag Can Eat a D*ck

Sorry for the vulgar language. Ya'll know I'm a lady. But I don't take too kindly to people hating on my homies at The Big Lead (like that link will even work, sigh). Even if it is ESPN or their employee, one Colin Cowherd (aka Schrutebag). So sign the petition to get Colin Cowherd fired. Seriously, you know you couldn't stand his whiny schtick anyway. Check out the 411 here, here and here.

Howdy, Sage

Welcome, Sage Steele. You are the first Black woman to anchor SportsCenter since Robin Roberts (Am I right about that? Feel free to correct me in the comments). She comes most recently from the DC area Comcast Sportsnet. She paid some dues in the Tampa Bay area. She started on SportsCenter last week. On the show I caught, she called Digger Phelps "Dick Vitale." Nice. Dickie was not pleased. It was late in the week. I don't know if Sage was nervous or not.

Awful Announcing hit me up a while back and gave me the advance warning on Sage's imminent arrival at ESPN. He's familiar with her from DC Comcast and he claims she's good at her job. I'll withhold judgment because I've only seen her on a few shows. Right now, in true American Idol backhanded compliment fashion, the good news is that she looks really great. She's got Mike Greenberg beat out for prettiest SportsCenter anchor. Hands down. The rest? Only time will tell.

Emmit Smith is No Michael Irvin

I continue to mourn the loss of Michael Irvin from the football television universe. The addition of Emmitt Smith to ESPN's NFL coverage does not console me.

Not only is Emmitt's penchant for satin shirts no match for Irvin's wide tie knots and 232 button suits, Emmitt is BORING. Don't get me wrong. Emmitt is a nice guy, but he seeks not to offend. And reserved opinions don't make for interesting commentary. I've always struggled to stay awake during Monday Night Football. I wonder if I'll make it to kickoff now.

And Emmitt will be judged on his ability to replace Michael Irvin, which we all know he can't. Shockingly, the ESPN commenter function has proved useful, allowing me to provide the perfect synopsis of this personnel change. ".. Mike was the reason it was entertaining! Emmitt is about as exciting as Ball Room dancing! Mike was like having MC Hammer on the show!" Well said, Rice6161. Well said.

Whitlock's Duplicity Coming to the Light

When was All Star Weekend? Like two weeks ago? Jeez. I certainly am tired of Jason Whitlock, but I want to briefly update you. The bloggers have been complaining all along, but some of the mainstream is starting to connect the dots. Your favorite ESPN columnist and mine, Scoop Jackson, has written an article not so subtly slamming Jason Whitlock for making shit up. (who cares if I wrote the same thing two days ago without trashing my best line. Scoop writes, "History verses his story? As usual, we lost." For real, bruh?)

And also, the Columbia Journalism Review slams Whitlock for citing questionable facts. Choice nuggets follow:

His sources here are thin. The only named source in the AOL article never spoke to Whitlock. She complained to a local television station, not about violence but about rudeness. The only other source is an anonymous occupant of the MGM Grand, who Whitlock claims "literally fled the hotel in fear" and moved to the Luxor, which, for the record, is only six-tenths of a mile from the MGM Grand. Whitlock insisted to me that friends, reporters, and tourists who were in Vegas with him can corroborate the culture of fear that permeated the weekend. Asked why those people were not quoted in his article, Whitlock responded, "I'm not big on quoting anybody. I'm a columnist."

When Steve Somers, a WFAN sports talk show host, challenged Whitlock the night the AOL article appeared on the veracity of his statements, asking for proof or sources, Whitlock became enraged, saying that he had been to Las Vegas twenty or thirty times and had never experienced a weekend like this. "How is this different than any other weekend?" Somers asked, looking for some context. "I don't know. I'm not a research analyst on Vegas," Whitlock shouted. "Call someone from Vegas if you want the stats." As the interview came to a close, Whitlock repeated, "I don't need any stats or numbers to know what I experienced."

Nice, Jason.

But, of course, Whitlock is savoring the controversy. Suddenly, he is churning out columns every other day. His latest gem is about rap music and prison culture. It would be fine for Whitlock to discuss rap if he was capable of demonstrating that he knew anything about it. But he's not big on facts. He's a columnist.

Maybe You're Crazy... I Think You're Crazy

ESPN could be crazy, possibly.

Let's revisit some of their recent bonehead moves.

1. Firing Michael Irvin

Was it over money? Word is Bill Parcells is not taking his slot. But there are rumors that Emmit Smith is. (which would be terrible, because Smith is the quintessential nice guy. he never has anything to say about anybody. translation: boring.)

What does this mean for ESPN's Cowboys/Terrell Owens coverage. Sure, they could tone it down a little lot, but Terrell Owens is a time tested ratings generator. If Irvin is gone, who will be their lifeline to T.O.? Are they counting on Dan Le Batard to be Owens' BFF?

Is Sean Salisbury taking Irvin's place?

Where will Irvin end up? Love him or hate him, he draws a crowd. I actually enjoy Irvin as an analyst. He's good for more than just Cowboys slurp. He brings excitement and energy to the desk. I actually think he would fit in at the jovial Fox desk. They don't take themselves too seriously. And if they go to a 5 man desk, they could squeeze in that robot next to the Ford sign. I don't want Shannon to lose his job, but Irvin would be an improvement at CBS. And Irvin and Deion together at NFLN? Shudder.

(And what of my fashion round up? Will the wide knots find a home?)

2. Overdoing it on NASCAR

Me thinks we're in for a long, long NASCAR season... I'm still mad about them taking PTI off. That's like Fox saying, "Let's just snatch American Idol off. Til' Death needs some air time. If we force it on them, they will come."

I don't see the cross marketing synergy on this either. I know NASCAR is an important sport for many, but will NASCAR devotees ever trust ESPN for their NASCAR news (especially since they're just running the same issue into the ground like they do with everything else)? Will the traditional audience that has been desensitized to endless Red Sox-Yankees coverage (yes, it's that time of the year again) and incessant "Steve Nash for his 13th consecutive MVP" coverage find a place in their hearts for NASCAR? Doubtful.

3. ESPN Deportes Interstitials During SportsCenter

What is that about? Again I don't see the synergy. Unless ESPN is going to spring for Spanish lessons, I'm not going to start watching ESPN Deportes - ever. If ESPN wants to spend a few minutes covering soccer, just cover soccer. The Deportes anchors have heavy accents and different styles from the ESPN anchors. It's not working. I know ESPN Deportes is out there. It's just not for me. No offense.

4. Continuing to mess with Cold Pizza

After all this time, the show is finally watchable. It's not good, but it's watchable. And now they want to move locations and risk losing anchors and other advantages they have by broadcasting in NY, just to save a little rent money? Brilliant.

5. Ali Rap

Still don't understand that one.

6. ESPN Insider

I think most outlets have given up on that pay for content concept. Only the Wall Street Journal is making that work. And ESPN.com is no Wall Street Journal. Let it go. Let the talent you have be with the people. Free the talent!

7. Firing Harold Reynolds

Smear him all you want, he was good at his job, dammit.

8. Not tweaking Monday Night Football

Get rid of Tirico, Theismann, Kornheiser and/or celebrity interviews. Do something. It's not good.

....

Okay, okay, I can say something nice. Some of the good things ESPN has done recently are:

1. Firing Michael Irvin
How could his termination be a good and bad thing? Because I get those hours of my life back. I don't have to even deal with NFL Countdown anymore. That show didn't stand a chance head to head against any of the other 12 o'clock pregame shows. And now I don't have to pretend. I'm freeeeeee!

ESPN's talent selection is poor. They go for names, instead of quality. And worst of all, Sean Salisbury's rise to fame has seemed to encourage all of the NFL analysts to start talking louder and crazier just to get attention (Jaws and Hoge, wha' happened?).

The WWL should watch NFLN who has been pretty good about picking random people who ultimately do a good job. Adam Schechter is annoying, but I don't hate any of the NFLN personalities. Sure, I like some more than others, but I can get through a few minutes with any of their talent. ESPN only wishes they were so lucky.

2. Mike and Mike in the Morning

Again, this is not a good show, but kudos to whoever thought of turning their 10 dollar radio show into a tv show with a 20 dollar set. The show passes the minutes in the morning and I'm sure it's profitable for the WWL.


3. Improved SportsCenter Anchor rotation

I never understood ESPN's random rotation of anchors on SportsCenter. (When you don't see Neil Everett for two months, what is he doing? Milking cows? Coaching little league?) But at least a quality rotation is in place now, with the WWL choosing to lean on the ol' regulars.

...

If you have any more bones to pick, feel free to chime in.

I Guess Nobody is Going to Say Anything

What was ESPN's biggest manufacture of the week? The gay athlete issue or NASCAR?

I can't believe ESPN took off, not just bumped, but put on hiatus Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption to put NASCAR Now on for an hour every sinlge day this week. (Okay, I don't care about ATH, but PTI?! And to think I hated the Bob Ryan/Dan Le Batard vacation combo. Don't know what you got 'til it's gone...) ESPN is clearly very serious about this NASCAR thing. They bumped their prime programs, inserted NASCAR heavily into all the highlight shows and flaunted their fancy set, multiple correspondents and weird headset microphone thingies. Indeed, they did their best to make Waltrip's fluid malfunction into a national crisis.

I don't have anything against NASCAR. It's just not my thing (although I'm southern). Although ESPN is so desperate to force feed NASCAR down our throats that they would place a Black guy known for being a basketball player as a NASCAR analyst, I don't want them taking off my favorite shows for over analysis of crew chiefs and crank shafts (Okay, I learned a lot this week.) So now NASCAR has a new issue. I don't hate NASCAR coverage, but I do resent it.

Darrent Williams' Death is More Than Just a Senseless Tragedy

Darrent Williams, former Denver Broncos cornerback, was laid to rest this weekend.

I guess this is my last chance to speak my peace about the circumstances surrounding his death.

I became suspicious early.

Darrent died during the holidays, a slow time for important news stories. And very few news organizations can resist the urge of playing crime blotter. Consequently, his death ended up being top news in many venues. But let me be frank with you. Before last week, I had never heard of Mr. Williams. Please be certain that I'm not trying to diminish the value of his life by disclosing that. But I am more fanatical about the the NFL than most. However, I live in NFC country and I don't otherwise follow the Broncos. As a result, I'm not going to pretend that I can name players on the Broncos except for a few bold face names like Champ Bailey or Jake Plummer. And I doubt that I'm the only one.

I say that to say, except for the timing, Williams' death really shouldn't have gotten that much coverage, especially with the playoffs and coaching changes to obsess about in the NFL. He was far from a household name. However, the coverage continued through the holiday up until now. And there's a reason why.

You may have been fooled into thinking ESPN and the like were just covering a senseless tragedy, but really it was just another thinly disguised opportunity to infer, imply and outright portray Black athletes as cornrow wearing thugs and criminals, living a reckless lifestyle and/or too caught up in the glamorized violence of hip-hop culture. Take your pick.

Examine the headlines.

A neutral headline would read as follows: Darrent Williams, 1982-2007.

A "loaded" headline would read more like: Darrent Williams, Murdered in Drive By.

See the difference? Unfortunately, many headlines were of the latter persuasion. It was like the writers couldn't wait to use the word "drive by" as often as possible. Like they got to dust off one of the great oldies but goodies.

And what about this picture that many media outlets chose to run?




An interesting photo, yes. However, if the angle is senseless tragedy, this is not the type of picture you would put in an obituary. It shows a total lack of respect. If you had any respect for the subject in the first place.

The media has been showing you one thing and telling you another.

It's not so much about the tragedy as it is another convenient opportunity to remind you of the undesirable and dangerous lifestyle that these athletes choose. Senseless tragedy on the surface, but it happened to just another thug athlete... ESPN narrates what a nice guy Darrent was while simultaneously showing you a crime scene complete with yellow tape on Sportscenter and publishing a list of guys who have been shot in the NFL as a sidebar to the article about Williams' death on its website.

See, they're showing you one thing and telling you another.

I'm not fooled because they do this all the time. It's just like when they devote consecutive days of coverage to Stephen Jackson (another non-household name) because he fired a gun at a strip club. Of course, the crime scene and the yellow tape were on blast. E