espn Coverage, the Dallas Cowboys, and My Boy ed werder...

[Scranton Tiger]

I'm from Syracuse and watched McNabb from day one he came to Syracuse and a part of me is still a McNabb fan. That being said, I think Jackson and the media tend to stick up for McNabb after the Rush Limbaugh incident.

If you remember, Jackson only got upset about it about a week afterit was pointed out the idiocy of Limbaugh's statement. Furthermore, Limbaugh's statement (I'll just say I'm not a fan of Rush just to show where I'm coming from) was actually ripping into the media, not making a 'racist comment.'

That's the point right there. Limbaugh (I am a fan) wasn't taking shots at McNabb because he's a black QB, but rather at the media in general and Philly media in particular who refused to critisize his poor play at the time. It is important to put the words and time in context here. When Rush made his comments, McNabb had just played probably the three or four worst games of his career. He absolutely sucked to start that season. People forget that when talking about this topic. Rush's point was that the media wanted McNabb to succeed because if he sucked, they would have to say so. If the media said he was terrible, the ambulance chasers like Jackson, Sharpton and the liberals would be all over them trying to make it a race issue just like they always do. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that everyone at ESPN new EXACTLY what Rush meant but because the guys on NFL countdown never wanted him there, they used this to boot him out. Even when they new it was dishonest. The fact that, as you mentioned, nothing was made of the comment for a week further proves that. Then that absolute fiasco/joke of an opening they had to next week's show. I agree with you whole heartly on one thing. That company has absolutely no shame. That's the only time I have ever been ashamed of Michael Irvin. Disappointed in him many times, but that's the only time I was ashamed he was a Cowboy. Considering how ESPN treated him in the end, I wonder if he has any regrets now.

As for Tom Jackson's personal love for McNabb, it wasn't just the Limbaugh issue. Look how personally (seemed like it to me anyway) he took the McNabb vs TO thing. Look how he responded to McNabb's benching last year. See how much he seemed to revel in the fact Philly (ie McNabb) beat Dallas (ie TO) in Owens' first trip back there. I could go on but the list is too long. JMO

BTW, since I live in the middle of ACC country I can tell you Dickey V is a homer for the whole conference, not just Duke. Even though he's a homer, I really like him. "Dipsy doo dunkaroo baby!"

 

[tyke1doe]

You hold the media to that standard. That's how you change that.

Sometimes in life certain establishments have to hold themselves to a standard that the public may not particularly want.

Basically by your logic ESPN should report anything, regardless if it is completely untrue and who it hurts or not because that is what the public craves and we should then blame the public.

I'm sure there's a good part of the country that would love to see public executions of those writers who criticize the country. Doesn't mean that we should allow that to happen and then blame the public because it's what they want.

That doesn't make something like ESPN giving the customer what they want, that makes ESPN a sellout.


YAKUZA

That's not my logic. I'm merely acknowledging the dynamic and asking what you would do to change it.

I, personally, don't watch ESPN as much now that I have NFL Network. That's how you impact the media, aside from writing editorials and complaints.

I just find too many people using these forums to complain, and I wonder if they take as much energy to pen a letter and send it to ESPN or stop watching ESPN.

I doubt it.

 

[tyke1doe]

I'm not sure what I could do to satisfy you. When I have anonymous sources who have a very good reason to protect themselves, we cannot possibly believe that other reporters do not have all that much respect for Mr. Blue Suit and also questioned his reporting of the Owens incident. Yet when Mr. Blue Suit uses a source that's perfectly okay.

I thought Keith Davis was dead, yet he signed with the Raiders and was recently cut?

When reporting a rumor, which Mr. Blue Suit was reporting in the Owens saga you need more than one anonymous source. Mr. Blue Suit had one, according to his very own words, and that's not sufficient except if you are in the land of Bristol apparently.

What you seem to not understand is that the goal of a source is to not just get information or their thoughts. But to get accurate information. It's alarming to me that you seem to neglect that and so do most of the DFW media and most of the journalists/writers/etc. at BSPN.

For instance, there's no doubt in my mind if Greg Ellis would not have gone on the radio and instead would have been quoted as anonymous source and started talking about how Ware 'hid from the coaches' so Ellis could get playing time, a local DFW reporter, Mr. Blue Suit and any of the BSPN hacks would have ran with the story instead of fact checking and going to other sources to see if Ellis was full of BS. And going to Ware and asking for his side of the story almost never would have happened.

Fact checking, getting multiple sources, and asking for both sides of the story are part of the procedures of professional journalism. As long as the media neglects that, I'll call them on that. Mr. Blue Suit has a record of skipping those procedures with this team and that's why I take it with a grain of salt.

Calvin Watkins is another fantastic example of this. Back when they had the 'airplane was constantly late' story Watkins stated he had multiple sources confirming this. The 'respectable' Watkins was later made out to be a fool by the airport who stated that his report was basically ridiculously false. Has to make me wonder if he really had multiple sources if he was so flat out wrong.

I don't quite understand the bolded part.

Second, I know about the use of anonymous sources. I have used them too and agree with you in general about their application and when you should and shouldn't use them.

Third, my point with respect to your initial post to which I commented was your statement that Ed Werder is not "highly respected." He is highly respected among journalists. Hence, I asked which reporters don't consider him "highly respected." Of course, you're not going to divulge your sources. So be it. But since they're anonymous, I'm not necessarily convinced of their testimony.

Be that as it may, I'm not here to defend ESPN. The network can defend itself. But I do believe Werder is highly respected and still is, despite what many Cowboys fans think.

 

[tyke1doe]

I'm from Syracuse and watched McNabb from day one he came to Syracuse and a part of me is still a McNabb fan. That being said, I think Jackson and the media tend to stick up for McNabb after the Rush Limbaugh incident.

If you remember, Jackson only got upset about it about a week after it was pointed out the idiocy of Limbaugh's statement. Furthermore, Limbaugh's statement (I'll just say I'm not a fan of Rush just to show where I'm coming from) was actually ripping into the media, not making a 'racist comment.' Jackson sat their like a dolt while Limbaugh made his non-sensical rant, ONE freaking writer in the nation was smart enough to say 'wait, did you hear what Rush said?' and then immediately it turned into a race issue and Jackson became all of the sudden upset because he was thought of as an 'Uncle Tom' (and that bafoon Berman was all of the sudden upset by the comments as well when they never bothered them the first time around).

Strangely enough, the media and in particular ESPN now go out of their way to protect McNabb at all costs something that I believe Limbaugh erroneously ranted about the first time around. So unfortunately, they actually proved Limbaugh's point.


YAKUZA

I agree with that point. However, just introducing the race angle was bound to make the issue explosive, especially with Rush Limbaugh in the mix.

 

[Hostile]

That's not my logic. I'm merely acknowledging the dynamic and asking what you would do to change it.

I, personally, don't watch ESPN as much now that I have NFL Network. That's how you impact the media, aside from writing editorials and complaints.

I just find too many people using these forums to complain, and I wonder if they take as much energy to pen a letter and send it to ESPN or stop watching ESPN.

I doubt it.

With all due respect, who the hell cares if they complain? Does it make one iota of difference in your life that some here are sick of ESPN and choose to voice that opinion here?

If so, explain to me how?

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I've gotten to the point right now where I almost never watch BSPN outside of actual games. I did watch the draft on BSPN, but that's because I don't have the NFL Network.

But, it's perfectly within our right to complain about BSPN and other media on this forum because in part, that's what this forum and other forums are about.

Of course, they could make it easier by not doing such a shoddy and often unprofessional job of journalism. Believe me, there's people at BSPN and even local DFW guys that I have a great deal of respect for their work. Unfortunately there are too many others that help bring the credibility level of the sports media down.




YAKUZA