Two big media stories today, and both involving ESPN. First, SportsCenter got pranked called last night with someone claiming to be Brian Westbrook. This actually happened at a TV station where Nick worked, so we talk about how this can get through on the air and what kind of planning it takes to pull off a prank like this. You’re a douchebag for thinking it’s funny to prank call live TV and send it in to Howard Stern for 30 seconds of “fame” but you’re a dedicated douchebag. Here’s the video and whatnot.
Inside the Press Box:
We talk about the Kornheiser suspension. Yes, it’s a story I said a few times was not a story, but now that word came out that ESPN suspended him for two weeks, it’s a story. ESPN made this a story by completely overreacting to something that was posted on the blogosphere. Well played, World Wide Leader.
We also talk about this back and forth between AJ Daulerio of Deadspin and Jason Whitlock. Whitlock seems pissed that Deadspin isn’t giving credit to The Big Lead for this story, instead pushing the angle that the real story is Gary Braun’s dig on Chris Berman — that Tony facilitated — and THAT’S why Tony was suspended. Daulerio trusts his sources, but Whitlock thinks it’s bunk, and AJ is only going with that angle to rumor monger in an effort to steal the thunder from TBL to Deadspin.
Whether you believe the Berman rumor or not, what TBL did is NOT REPORTING. Someone listened to the radio. That’s it. Someone listened to the radio and wrote down what Tony said and posted it on a blog. What is a good thing to post on a blog? Certainly. It got a ton of traffic and spread throughout the internet. But it’s not news and it’s not reporting. The fact that ESPN suspended Kornheiser wasn’t broken by them — he wasn’t on PTI, said on Friday “I’ll go to my room now” and explained it on his radio show on Tuesday morning. Again, LISTENING TO THE RADIO IS NOT REPORTING. It’s smart blogging, but let’s back off on who “owned” this story.
Nick and I discuss the victory by Team USA over the Canadians in what had to be the most intense first-round matchup I can remember. That was the greatest All-Star game I’ve ever seen (and yes, I understand that the likes of Ovechckin, Malkin, et al were not involved). Can a game like that restore my interest in the NHL? It sure can’t hurt.
There’s a lot more we discuss about the game, including all the references by NBC people to the Miracle on Ice this week — including last night — but the lasting image I have is Martin Brodeur failing. And that makes me smile. Nick points out that the combination of the United States beating Crosby and Brodeur in the same game is maybe the best scenario ever.
We also take a look at the Olympic bracket to realize just how tough Canada has it now. By my view of it, they’ll have to beat Germany and then face Russia AND Sweden just to get to the Gold Medal Game. Yeesh.
Hosers.
