“Know-it-all” sports analyst

 

"Know-it-all" sports analyst

Have you noticed that sports reporters never really report anything about sports anymore? Whether it is on television, radio, or newspaper, reporters never really report newsworthy items. Everyone in today’s media culture is a "talking head" and usually becomes a self-proclaimed expert.

More and more former athletes are taking over in the broadcast booths because of their playing experience. The same is happening with radio announcers, sports channel analysts, etc. While athletes do have profound playing experience, what they forget is that their job is to help the viewer watch the game. We don’t want constant talk-talk-talk while watching a game.

The media is worse because all that is offered is opinions. They don’t report news; they report rumors and anything said by an unnamed source. Sports media is no different. ESPN has basically become a male’s version of Days of Our Lives only the stars are created by stories that are just "beat to death" by the analysts.

In the spirit of the self-proclaimed "know-it-all" sports analyst, I thought I would take a shot at knowing absolutely everything. Here is my attempt….

First topic: Michael Vick – the former star NFL quarterback busted for his part in a dog-fighting scheme. I don’t care how long he was in prison or anything about his bankruptcy settlement. He was just given a conditional reinstatement to the NFL. I think he paid his debt to society and now he deserves another chance. It is that simple. I don’t care who he signs with or what he eats tomorrow. You can find that info on the NFL network.

Second topic: Steroids in baseball. Because I am now in the role of "expert who knows everything," this is really an easy thing to fix…EASY! If a player tests positive for steroids, he is kicked out of the game and his statistics are permanently erased. No Hall of Fame for Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, and everyone else who cheated the fans. None of their records should ever be seen again and the Hall of Fame should discard their names. Problem solved.

While we are on the topic of baseball, let our third topic be Pete Rose. You know the guy: 4,256 hits over 24 seasons, 17 All-Star games, three batting titles, etc. He has been banned from baseball for gambling. While I agree that betting on sports is wrong (unless it is an NCAA men’s basketball tournament pool), the proof has shown that he bet on his own team. He wasn’t fixing games. I say reinstate Rose. How can Pete Rose not be a part of baseball while Alex Rodriguez admits to steroids and continues to be a star for the Yankees?

Fourth topic: Brett Favre. All of the "talking heads" like to call out Favre as needing attention. Guess what? If the analysts on ESPN didn’t cover every off-season pass that he has thrown or every little rumor that someone whispers, Favre wouldn’t be getting the attention. You think he lives in Mississippi for attention? The media created the hype, not Favre. In case you didn’t know, I think he should come back for another year and win a Super Bowl with Minnesota after he beats the Packers into submission.

Fifth topic: Get the losers (receivers) out of the NFL limelight. Let’s quit celebrating Plaxico Burress (New York Giants receiver who shot himself), Terrell Owens (Buffalo Bills receiver who can’t quit talking), and Chad Johnson (Cincinnati Bengals receiver), I mean Chad Ochocinco (that’s right, he changed his last name). Better yet, don’t let your kid grow up to be an NFL wide receiver. If he does, he will have a 50% chance of becoming a complete idiot by age 30.

Last topic: Don’t become a self-proclaimed "know-it-all" sports analyst. Instead, celebrate the good things about sports. Watch the Minnesota Twins and enjoy watching a young group of hard working players. Even when they lose, enjoy the fact that they play the game the right way. Cheer for Tim Tebow at Florida who is a fantastic role model for kids. You can’t find a better person in college football.

Better yet….attend some high school sporting events and cheer for the local kids who are playing the game because they love it. Celebrate their dedication and hard work. Compliment one of them downtown and let them know you enjoy their play. Let’s celebrate the good things about sports and minimize our time glorifying the bad.