Loading ...Change the Channel
Once again the focus of the sports world has shifted from the playing field to the broadcast booth. The flap from Johnny Miller’s comments about Rocco Mediate during the U.S. Open looked like it was going to die down when Don Imus opened his mouth again and spoke up.
With Miller, I’ve read and re-read his statement and can’t seem to find the offensive part. I asked my wife, who is of Italian heritage, and she is baffled by it as well. The only way to find a connection between the poor attempt at humor and a slur against a segment of society seems to be to make one up.
As for Imus, when Warner Wolf was discussing Adam “Don’t Call Me Pacman” Jones and his multiple arrests since joining the NFL, Imus asked, “What color is he?” When told Jones is African-American, Imus responded by saying, “Well, there you go. Now we know.” Imus tried to clarify his comments in a release by saying, “I meant that he was being picked on because he’s black.”
In the Imus case, I wish he would just stop talking about sports. He has a sports anchor there to report for him, and so doesn’t need to say anything. Of course, he’s trying to add his political slant and humor to every situation, and keeps getting burned.
I’m not sure I believe his explanation, but instead of getting offended, I just change the channel. That’s my right, and what we can all do. Unfortunately, that’s not the path those looking for political or financial gain are interested in taking. And once again we’re focused in the wrong direction in sports.
THERE IT IS!
Hi Jake .. first time reader on this blog ..
gotta say I enjoy your show/column a lot more than your bartending skills !!
anyhoo.. just a quick comment on the Miller quotest – and being an Italian American – I was shocked when I heard them .. no, not offended but thought “what an idiot comment.” only to say it again after his “he should be cleaning pools with a name like that.?”
But then I read the statement from an Italian defamation group that put it this way: If these comments were directed at an afro-american Miller would have been fired .. would you agree on that? your point on just changing the channel is true except NBC was the only one broadcasting what has to be one of the more exciting golf (“exciting” and “golf” in the same sentence?) tournaments in years I had no choice..
Yes, this is all overblown but seemed a little hypocritical to me