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Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on January 7, 2010 12:12 PM ET
Late last night, Florio posted one of the oddest posts in a while on PFT.
In case you missed it, here's the gist: The editor of PhiladelphiaEagles.com, Dave Spadaro, was taped spitting on the Dallas Cowboys star Wednesday. He wasn't caught spitting; he taped it himself.
"There you go, fellas" he said in the video. "Spit on that star. I could do more. You know, Dallas kind of deserves a second one. Nobody looks." (Video is here.)
The video was posted on the team's website, before it caught fire in Dallas. The Eagles took it down, and then Spadaro apologized for it.
"It was not my intention to insult the Cowboys. It was my intention to enjoy the spirit of a great sports rivalry, and I clearly went over the line and acted unprofessionally," he wrote.
We know the whole thing is silly. But no matter what you think of the video, it raises some interesting questions about the role of a team website.
Many teams have hired great former beat writers that essentially cover the organization like they did before, perhaps with better access. Other teams have official blogs and twitter accounts that aren't afraid to poke fun at the organization they work for.
Spadaro is unabashed in his role as a fan. "I admit I get carried away with my love of the Philadelphia Eagles, and if this is a crime, I am clearly guilty," he wrote. "Game days are an incredible experience for me. The will to win is unlike anything I have ever felt."
His apology letter ends, "Go Eagles!"
Spadaro's actions clearly embarrassed his employers. He probably also embarrassed writers for teams around the league that want to be taken seriously or as impartial.
This is a new media world of football coverage and PFT is hardly a bastion of traditional journalism values. We're not going away, and neither are the websites that cover the teams. They have grown exponentially in traffic, revenue, and influence over the last five years.
Ultimately, it's up to you readers to decide where you want to get your information.
So thanks for stopping by.
UPDATE: The Cowboys were asked by Brian Seltzer of ESPN radio in Philadelphia if there would be any official repercussions. A Cowboy official said, "No comment"
Late last night, Florio posted one of the oddest posts in a while on PFT.
In case you missed it, here's the gist: The editor of PhiladelphiaEagles.com, Dave Spadaro, was taped spitting on the Dallas Cowboys star Wednesday. He wasn't caught spitting; he taped it himself.
"There you go, fellas" he said in the video. "Spit on that star. I could do more. You know, Dallas kind of deserves a second one. Nobody looks." (Video is here.)
The video was posted on the team's website, before it caught fire in Dallas. The Eagles took it down, and then Spadaro apologized for it.
"It was not my intention to insult the Cowboys. It was my intention to enjoy the spirit of a great sports rivalry, and I clearly went over the line and acted unprofessionally," he wrote.
We know the whole thing is silly. But no matter what you think of the video, it raises some interesting questions about the role of a team website.
Many teams have hired great former beat writers that essentially cover the organization like they did before, perhaps with better access. Other teams have official blogs and twitter accounts that aren't afraid to poke fun at the organization they work for.
Spadaro is unabashed in his role as a fan. "I admit I get carried away with my love of the Philadelphia Eagles, and if this is a crime, I am clearly guilty," he wrote. "Game days are an incredible experience for me. The will to win is unlike anything I have ever felt."
His apology letter ends, "Go Eagles!"
Spadaro's actions clearly embarrassed his employers. He probably also embarrassed writers for teams around the league that want to be taken seriously or as impartial.
This is a new media world of football coverage and PFT is hardly a bastion of traditional journalism values. We're not going away, and neither are the websites that cover the teams. They have grown exponentially in traffic, revenue, and influence over the last five years.
Ultimately, it's up to you readers to decide where you want to get your information.
So thanks for stopping by.
UPDATE: The Cowboys were asked by Brian Seltzer of ESPN radio in Philadelphia if there would be any official repercussions. A Cowboy official said, "No comment"
