CHARLES Barkley’s DUI arrest this week is the latest in a series of testimonials to media that relentlessly and mindlessly pander rather than risk accusations of being un-cool, or even – run for your life! – racist, or a bigot of some sort.
Logically, a fellow with a long, considerable (or worse) drinking problem, a profound gambling habit and a proclivity for shoot-first/think-later highly public speaking, would, at the least, be temporarily disqualified, pending treatment, from serving multiple networks (HBO, TNT, CNN) as a scold of American society.
Yet, Barkley’s lofty status as socio-political critic is sustained. Even his most illogical conclusions – he absurdly decried the lengthening of Augusta National as a “blatantly racist” act to hurt Tiger Woods, when Woods would benefit – are presented as fresh, refreshing and credible views and news.
And there’s nothing he can do or say to prevent his starring roles in commercials. He stirs things up, makes us laugh! But “edgy,” in his case, is a polite substitute for reckless.
Barkley warned us. Years ago, as he helped Nike turn sneakers into illogically overpriced urban status symbols – the kind poor kids would kill and die for – Barkley was chosen to present Nike’s pathetic defense. “I am not a role model,” he soberly declared in that commercial.
Wednesday, the day of Barkley’s 1:30 a.m. arrest in Scottsdale, Ariz., the PGA Tour, after years of indulging John Daly’s excessive drinking, gambling and say/do-anything behavior – the kind for which the media celebrated him and sponsors awarded him – suspended him.
Few TV figures have hollered for help louder and longer than Barkley. But enablers and panderers – and they’re pretty much the same – aren’t known for their guts.
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ESPN, in ’09, remains a sports network mostly designed for genuine sports fans to laugh at.
Tuesday, an ESPN graphic noted that Rutgers’ bowl win gave RU its “longest win streak since 2006.”
Next, Tuesday, the Oklahoma St.-Oregon Holiday Bowl telecast was wrecked by Chris Fowler, Craig James and Jesse Palmer who, over 3:45, did not allow two consecutive seconds of quiet. The Geneva Convention would outlaw the use of the tape as a form of torture.
On Wednesday’s “SportsCenter,” anchor Robert Flores said the Bucks’ win, Tuesday, was “just their second win in their last seven trips to San Antonio.” Just? The Bucks have had one winning season (barely) in their last seven; the Spurs never worse than 56-26. Two Buck wins is good.
During Wednesday’s Armed Forces Bowl, analyst David Norrie, after one of 600 promos for the Rose Bowl (on ABC/ESPN), won ESPN Employee of the Month when he tried to sell this Rose Bowl as the equal to Florida-Oklahoma, the BCS Championship Game (not on ABC or ESPN – until 2011).
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Changes at 1050-ESPN radio in the next two weeks include Michael Kay’s show expanded an hour, 2-7 p.m., updater Don La Greca elevated to a prominent role within Kay’s show, and Michelle Beadle, who will continue on YES’s Yanks and Nets pre and posts, replacing La Greca on updates.
“The Rose Bowl, presented by Citi,” is sorta like, “The Middle Ages, brought to you by The Plague.”… Hey, where was Bernie Madoff when the Jets and Giants decided to sell PSLs?
There’s never a side worth backing in cable disputes. If Time-Warner is to drop a bunch of Viacom networks because renewals are too expensive, then T-W should cut monthly customer fees, even temporarily, to reflect its savings on the previous cost of dropped programming. Fat chance.
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Jiggs McDonald, returned from being holed up in a Bangkok hotel during an insurgency that closed airports, filled in for Howie Rose on MSG+ Wednesday for Panthers-Isles.
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Monday, a four-week period ended in which four Michigan St. WRs, all recent NFLers, should inspire reflection on taxpayer-funded schools that provide athletic scholarships – and what states and taxpayers get, long term, in return.
Andre Rison, who played (and often starred) for seven teams, was arrested, again, this time charged with a drunken 2 a.m. hotel hassle. Mark Ingram, ex-Giant, is a fugitive, failing to report, Dec. 5, to serve 92 months for bank fraud.
Charles Rogers – dropped by the Lions in 2006 after failing a drug test, in October ordered to repay the club $8.5 million – was jailed in Michigan on a charge of assaulting a woman and a probation violation. Plaxico Burress we know about.