Owens News Conference

Heh.

 

I'm amazed that more people aren't pointing out the fact that ESPN orchestrated this whole sorry exchange. ESPN's Michael Irvin made the initial Favre comment, ESPN had him repeat it on a different show, and then ESPN had T.O. on to discuss his take on Irvin's statement. Obviously it's still T.O.'s fault for being stupid and running his mouth, but it's equally obvious that ESPN set this up to happen exactly the way that it did, which suits them fine because it means more viewership. From SI's involvement in the Michelle Wie incident to this, along with other examples of the media orchestrating news events, I'm incredibly worried about the integrity of journalism in this country.

 

If I remember correctly, Michael Irvin's co-hosts implied that a little collusion between Michael and TO may have been involved when Michael first made his statements.

I thought at the time that Michael was setting things up for T.O. and was waiting for the other shoe (or cleat") to drop. ESPN certainly played a role in this debacle.

 

Thank you. ESPN has had their hand in a number of debacles recently (like the last 5 years). I remember them bringing down Harrick in GA (not hard) but it made me realize how much power they wield being the only sports voice.

 

I guess I thought that went without saying. It's the media's JOB to trick people into showing their ass. It's poetic justice for a guy like TO. He makes no bones about being all about himself ("I love me some me!"). Well, here we have a very good reason NOT to be that way. He couldn't even team up with his own agent to execute an intelligent strategy with the media, let alone his teammates to win games.

 

ESPN gave him a platform, but TO has been an idiot for years. Mcnabb ain't the first QB he threw under the bus.

I honestly can;t imagine him getting paid anywhere near what the Eagles contracted was already going to pay him.

 

DJ_Tet:
Agreed. For another example, the Fisher DeBerry thing really freaked me out, as SI and ESPN had him scrambling to apologize before any honest to God black people even said that they found his comments inappropriate. They made a factual and complimentary statement into a news-event that will sadly be remembered long after DeBerry's accomplishments are forgotten.

 

Even Ralph Nadar has a comment on the TO situation
----------------------------------------------------
November 10, 2005

Jeffrey Lurie
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Philadelphia Eagles

Paul Tagliabue
Commissioner
National Football League

Dear Messrs. Lurie and Tagliabue,

I am writing to urge you to rescind the misguided suspension and planned inactive designation of Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens.
If the Eagles management declines to remedy its mistake, Commissioner Tagliabue, you should intervene to overturn the team's decision, which dishonors this country's traditional respect for free speech and cheats fans of an opportunity to see arguably the best receiver in football.
Let him play.

There is no question that Terrell Owens' comments have been boorish and unwarranted. However, the comments were just that -- comments.

It should be the policy of the Eagles and the National Football League, as well as other sports teams and leagues, that players not be punished merely for what they say.

There is a great tradition in this country of respecting free speech, and the Eagles and NFL should express those values in handling even churlish speech. This is not a matter of law: U.S. constitutional speech protections and most state speech protections do not extend into the workplace; and the NFL collective bargaining agreement affords teams the right to suspend players for "conduct detrimental" to their team, a provision that has been interpreted to cover speech and other expressive conduct. No, it is not a matter of law, but of principle. And the principle should be: employees are not penalized for speaking out, even if what they have to say strikes management as ill-informed or offensive.

That the Eagles' proposed punishment for Owens -- a four-game suspension followed by an inactive designation for the rest of the season -- is so harsh, and so far in excess of punishments applied to other players who have engaged not in ill-considered speech, but criminal conduct or serious wrongdoing, points to how injudicious the Eagles' approach is.

There is, as well, a consumer issue at stake here. Fans have purchased tickets for Eagles' games, in Philadelphia and elsewhere, on the assumption that they will see one of the game's most exciting receivers, so long as he is healthy enough to play. The Eagles' action denies them this opportunity.

If the Eagles do not want Terrell Owens on their team, then they should release him. Instead, the Eagles propose not just to suspend him for the term permitted by the collective bargaining agreement, but to make him inactive for the duration of the season. This vengeful approach keeps him as an effective hostage -- kept away from the fans who would like to see him play.

I look forward to your response, and would be pleased to discuss these matters with you further.

Sincerely,

Ralph Nader
Founder, League of Fans

 

Wtf? And to think that I supported Nader in 2000.

 

League of Fans?

Hey, when is he going to do something worthwhile for us, like write a letter demanding ABC put an end to "I like it, I love it"?