blogger trap

I've fallen into it, but I just read something that I can't ignore. ESPN is one of the major player's in sports media (if not the major) and recently has done a few things to tarnish its own reputation. Last night, on ESPN, they had a love in with Drew Rosenhaus. I caught a clip from espn.com, but Eric McErlain watched the whole thing and has a better take.

Today is a different day, and under a different light I read this courtesy of ESPN Page 2's Dan Shanoff in his Daily Quickie:

T.O.-nanism": Fans who gratify themselves over their team's signing of a player who, just days before, was one of the most loathed opponents in franchise history.

It must be a banner day for personal-injury lawyers in Dallas, what with all the whiplash cases from fans who used to hate T.O. now lined up begging for him to preen on the Cowboys' midfield star.

"But he's our jerk" is the simple explanation, and it has become one of the most basic laws of sports fandom. Here are a couple other recent examples:

Kings fans: Ron Artest
Mets fans: Carlos Delgado
Eagles fans: Terrell Owens

The corollary? "Damonizing": Fans who flip-flop on players who as recently as last season were heroes, until they jumped ship to another team. Let the boos rain.

Meanwhile, T.O. is coming out with a tell-all book in July sure to dis his ex-Eagles teammates. Who had 48 hours as the over/under of the point when Bill Parcells regrets signing him. Enjoy that mini-camp, Coach!

(Do the optimistic/naive 46 percent of fans who voted in SN that they think T.O. and Tuna can peacefully coexist want to change their vote?)

So. Carlos Delgado is a jerk? I fired off a quick letter in response.
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I used to read your daily quickie very frequently. However, by lumping Carlos Delgado as a "jerk" alongside Ron Artest and Terrell Owens, I am ashamed for you. This is a tragic piece of journalism, considering one of your peers on page 2 wrote an article on the rights of an individual to quietly protest (emphasis on the quiet part, it took someone going "hey, what's he doing? Look at this guy over here, hey everybody, look at this guy over here" for people to notice), and then we have you calling him a "jerk" for doing so. If he has done anything else to warrant that label from you, it is beyond me. From where I stand Carlos Delgado is one of the finest individuals in sports today (if you had any idea what he does for Puerto Rico you would be ashamed of yourself). America should be proud to have Carlos Delgado as one of its citizens.

God Bless Carlos Delgado.
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Just so you know, Carlos Delgado chooses to stand along side his teammates during the seventh inning break for God Bless America, because he was quietly protesting, and he realized that his choice had become not quiet and instead had become a distraction to the team.

I leave you with this thought; Dan Shanoff is a.....

Parochialism n : the quality or state of being parochial; especially : selfish pettiness or narrowness (as of interests, opinions, or views)