Ben speaks

[alancac98]

Pretty good overall. Glad he owned up to the Broncos game comments, which were really his only poor look.

I didn't see it as a poor look at all.

Brown ran a shitty route. Why not say that?

Roethlisberger has heaped more praise on Brown than anybody on earth ever deserves.

Why can't he mention Brown ran a shitty route and regret he didn't throw the ball to JuJu on the play?

Brown's ego couldn't take the truth?

Totally agree KC. It seems that AB loved all the accolades, but couldn't take any criticism. His route was shitty and it was just another example of Ben trying to force the ball to AB.

[Legacy User]

He aided and abetted the individuals involved.
No different than being charged with murder if you drive the getaway car during a bank robbery that has victims involved

Far as I know, what he did was obstruct justice. He did not facilitate or aid in the act of the stabbing. So I do not think the getaway driver analogy is accurate. Sounds like perception on your part. But, like I said, my memory of it all is hazy, so maybe I'm wrong about it. I can admit that.

[Legacy User]

When you guys complain about the media, are you bemoaning the reporting side or the opinion side?

Part of the blame lies with the blurring of opinion and reporting by media companies, but I think we likely can agree that part of the problem is also the existence of a large group of folks too stupid to make or understand the distinction.

99% of sports “media” is opinion because there ain’t that much to report.

While I believe there is an objective truth AND more importantly that we arrive at a fair approximation of the objective truth, I think everyone's understand is subjective. Thus, I think any report by someone is in part reporting and in part opinion. It might be highly "factual" but even the choice to print the piece is influenced by subjective opinion.

Thus, while I think the media has a role in helping us get to a fair approximation of the objective truth, I would prefer that the media admits it is not objective but a partisan (not necessarily in the political sense). In this way, I can attempt to modulate my perception of their reporting (both in terms of when their facts are really opinions, or what facts they aren't discussing).

I wasn't trying to make a broad epistemic claim. I was only pointing out that news outlets themselves divide their content offering into the categories of reporting and opinion. Pretty much 99% of sports media is all opinion. A lot of the bitching about media I read about comes from dimwits who fail to distinguish between opinion pieces and reporting.

And let's get real: you in particular do not really need the NYT or WSJ to print some disclaimer that by choosing to publish on this rather than that event and to focus on these rather than those details is at root a value judgment. Your critical antenna is already fully raised because of the kind of education you received. Anybody who has read Nozick is already well prepared to read the newspaper.

[alancac98]

Honestly, I couldn't give two rats asses about what the media has to say and how they spin it. For me, I can't wait for all of the drama in the NYJ camp and the Raider's camp to begin. I want AB in total meltdown mode by mid season, and Bell having a truly historic shitty season with drama added to prove that all of the bullshit they are now throwing Ben's way was undeserved - that these two asses are just pure dickheads!!! But, would all though ass-hats that are negatively commenting on Ben apologize - hell no! They can all go fuck themselves.

I don't give any of them consideration or the time of day. They are a bunch of has-beens who never played with Ben or anyone else for that matter. They are being paid to comment on things they know jack shit about, so they aren't worth anything.

[stillthere]

https://www.mic.com/articles/23665/did-ray-lewis-kill-someone-the-definitive-account-of-the-case-that-s-confused-football-fans-for-over-a-decade

Did Ray Lewis Kill Someone? The Definitive Account of the Case That's Confused Football Fans for Over a Decade

By Lenny DeFranco
Jan 20 2013

The Friday before this year’s Super Bowl will mark the 13th anniversary of the death of Richard Lollar and Jacinth Baker, the two victims of murders committed in the presence of NFL all-star defensive player Ray Lewis. This is Lewis' final season in professional football (his team, the Baltimore Ravens, plays in a playoff game on Sunday). As one of the most recognizable defensive fixtures in NFL history rides into the sunset, there will be a lot of retrospective talk about this notorious blemish on his otherwise gleaming career.

If the court of public opinion seems split on how to interpret Ray Lewis, take that as the first sign that something is not quite right with this story. We accept with distressing ease the notion that a football player could buy his way out of a murder conviction. Much of the confusion surrounding Lewis’s freedom stems from ignorance about his case.

On the night of January 31, 2000, Ray Lewis left an Atlanta nightclub with a group of people. In that group were Joseph Sweeting, 24, and Reginald Oakley, 31. While the group walked over to the limousine that Lewis had rented for the night, those two men became involved in an altercation with another group that had been in the nightclub and had just left; among them were Richard Lollar and Jacinth Baker. Lewis stated in court that he did not want to participate in the fight, and pulled his guys to the car. The situation’s temporary truce was then broken, according to his testimony, when the other group passed the limo on the sidewalk and re-ignited the confrontation.

Oakley jumped out of Lewis’s car, and was promptly hit in the head with a champagne bottle. "All hell broke loose at that point,” said Lewis. From his vantage in the car, he could look out and see "a frantic fight. They was really going at it." But according to him and another witness, Lewis himself was not a participant in the fight. One witness from the opposing group said he saw Lewis throw a punch, but later recanted that. The Lewis group corralled into his limo and it pealed away.

Later that day, Atlanta police came and questioned Lewis about the two deaths. He had already told the people in his car to “just keep your mouth shut and don't say nothing.” Sure enough, he lied to the cops. That very day, he was arrested on first degree murder charges, later released on $1 million bail.

Four months later, the murder trial was already two weeks old. It was being prosecuted by Fulton County, GA District Attorney Paul Howard with comic ineptitude, including two Brady violations handed down by the judge. Yet, Ray Lewis made the move to turn witness against his two friends in exchange for the obstruction of justice plea. In effect, he decided to accept a misdemeanor for lying to the cops that he wasn’t there — the crime he did commit — and be let off the hook for two murders he didn’t. According to some, the prosecution’s case was so shoddy to that point that had Lewis not offered testimony (which was as valuable to his friends’ defense as it was to the prosecution because his version of the story corroborated their claims of self-defense) the case may have been thrown out by the judge.

Eventually, both Oakley and Sweeting were acquitted of all charges, though Sweeting did later release a rap song saying that he should have stabbed Ray Lewis, too. (I wish I had a link for that.) To this day, no one has been convicted for the murders of Lollar and Baker.

There are other twists that complicate the story I’ve portrayed, such as the missing suit that Lewis was wearing that night (never found) and the settlement that he reached with the victims’ families years later. But I can safely say that based on what I’ve read, I do not think Ray Lewis killed or even indirectly caused the death of anyone.

The ignorant narrative that I used to believe, that Ray Lewis killed two guys and got his friends to take the fall for it, is certainly incorrect. First of all, there was no fall. Both men were acquitted when the careering D.A., reminiscent of the Duke lacrosse prosecutor, failed to secure a single murder conviction on two deaths. Second, even when Lewis turned state’s witness, his testimony “helped portray the victims as aggressors,” in the words of the other two’s lawyer, thus helping them. Most importantly, for Ray Lewis to have killed either of the men would have required such a vastly different sequence of events than those reported by both the victims’ group and his own that they would all have to be on the take. It’s a very silly thought to construct a scenario where that is possible, and it’s a sillier thought to regard a football player as that far above the law.

Lewis’s vicious on-field persona and his silence on the issue since then have contributed to the assumption that he is guilty. He did lie to the police about being there, but that is quite different from being responsible for two deaths. Unfortunately, that distinction is often ignored by idiotic columnists looking to trash something. In light of what I now know, it’s a wonder that articles like this are allowed past an editor.

NPR takes a good look at the role of the case in his legacy here. Ultimately, it should be allowed to fade in the past. Ray Lewis is a great football player, and we should no longer look at that as a mere counterweight to something for which he was not responsible.

lots of links to articles and sources in the web link.

[Stillerz Bar]

You’re delusional if you believe that’s the reason AB orchestrated his exit from Pittsburgh.

I don't know Jobus.

I am perfectly willing to believe that AB is such a giant pussy / ego maniac combo, that Ben "disrespecting him" and not "giving AB his due propers" really did send him over the rails.

Naah...it was $$$, and JuJu getting more love. All the bullshit was just a smokescreen.

If the Denver comment was such a big deal, it would have come to a head much earlier. I do think it pissed of AB but he moved on to the next game.

I believe that what set him over the edge was a series of events within a few short days - in short, immediately following ABs big game against the Saints, his teammates disrespect him (at least in his mind) by voting JuJu team MVP. He believed he had been carrying the team but he was not voted MVP.... once that happened all of the other things that bothered him at any point in the past came bubbling up; the DEN comments, other things Ben did & said, the fact that he was no longer the highest paid WR.... all of these things started swirling around in his head an he went off the rails.

[Quixotic]

I continue to believe that AB was more seriously and more permanently injured by the Burflict hit than we knew. I can’t think of another player being in the concussion protocol for as long as he was, especially (and I know this theoretically doesn’t matter) during the playoffs. And his personality change (at least in public) got worse after that. Dude ain’t right. Like beyond rational. And I don’t think that was always the case.

[Ice]

It's been the pretty well documented case for a while.

[COR-TEN]

I continue to believe that AB was more seriously and more permanently injured by the Burflict hit than we knew. I can’t think of another player being in the concussion protocol for as long as he was, especially (and I know this theoretically doesn’t matter) during the playoffs. And his personality change (at least in public) got worse after that. Dude ain’t right. Like beyond rational. And I don’t think that was always the case.

If what you say is true, then the irony of him on the same team with burfucked is delicious.

[Kodiak]

I continue to believe that AB was more seriously and more permanently injured by the Burflict hit than we knew. I can’t think of another player being in the concussion protocol for as long as he was, especially (and I know this theoretically doesn’t matter) during the playoffs. And his personality change (at least in public) got worse after that. Dude ain’t right. Like beyond rational. And I don’t think that was always the case.

A number of players have said it started when AB got his first big contract. Other entitlements pre-date the Burfict hit.

I think it's as simple as he and the team were able to tolerate and keep it under wraps while AB was "the guy". But here comes 30 and JuJu and AB has the NFL version of a mid-life nervous breakdown. It's a paranoia that any praise of JuJu is actually veiled criticism of AB.

Some people seem to need to find excuses for AB's behavior. That behavior is hardly unprecedented for a professional athlete, much less an NFL WR (TO, Ochocinco, Moss). AB was just progressing through the stages of asshole, finally reaching the stage where no praise/spotlight was enough.

[Donnie Brasco]

I continue to believe that AB was more seriously and more permanently injured by the Burflict hit than we knew. I can’t think of another player being in the concussion protocol for as long as he was, especially (and I know this theoretically doesn’t matter) during the playoffs. And his personality change (at least in public) got worse after that. Dude ain’t right. Like beyond rational. And I don’t think that was always the case.

AB was basically neglected as a child.
Realized for a period of time that he needed to toe the line and work his ass off so he didn't end up like the people he grew up with.
Then when he got paid and wasn't dependent on anyone else (his employer) he reverted back to old habits.

Psychologists say you "always go back home unless you find sufficient ways to cope with your past trauma".

Well maybe that hit did some neurological damage and undid all the hard work he put in to cope.

[R_S]

This is why the media sucks.
The media take on this really boggles the mind...

Conflict = Cash. It doesn't matter where the conflict is. Currently, the conflict is focused in one area. Tomorrow, it will be elsewhere. Follow the money.

It's why I laugh when people complain about the media. If you are 100% on board with deregulated capitalism, then STFU. This is what you want.

Anyone who says follow the money...

If it comes down to conflict, why can’t they spin it as AB acts like a rude dickhead to contrite reasonable QB who doesn’t almost kill toddlers.

That’s conflict and is actually a reasonable take.

If nobody else wants to say it. I will. White men are persona non grata in media. When in doubt. If you bash AB and tske Bens side you run the risk of being a racist or Uncle Tom. With Bens history, this one is a no brainer for the talking heads.

[Kodiak]

If nobody else wants to say it. I will. White men are persona non grata in media....

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady called to say you can shove that bullshit up your ass.

[K_C_]

If nobody else wants to say it. I will. White men are persona non grata in media. When in doubt. If you bash AB and tske Bens side you run the risk of being a racist or Uncle Tom. With Bens history, this one is a no brainer for the talking heads.

White men are so persecuted.

[Ice]

If nobody else wants to say it. I will. White men are persona non grata in media. When in doubt. If you bash AB and tske Bens side you run the risk of being a racist or Uncle Tom. With Bens history, this one is a no brainer for the talking heads.

White men are so persecuted.

How long till preseason game one, again?

[Gonzo]

The more you read the more you realize this is and was always about money. And it almost always is. You saw in that article bens extension and guaranteed money. This is RBs and WRs trying to amplify their importance to a team to gain a bigger piece of the pie and the steeelers being a team that doesn’t hand out guaranteed money so easily - except to a QB;)
Brown wanted more money/especially guaranteed, a dominant role on the team and out of a contract that he thought didn’t represent his current value and/or did long term cash flow harm. He is a type of person with a similar agent he believes that all is fair in getting what he wants. If that means poisoning the well with your Qb, front office and coach ... so be it.

I do not doubt he was annoyed by bens comments after broncos game - as Ben likely was annoyed by his constant braying for balls to be forced his way. But that is all just fuel for the fire and not the fire

And for the record - gormans article with his immature and meaningless in between comments was embarrassing

[R_S]

If nobody else wants to say it. I will. White men are persona non grata in media....

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady called to say you can shove that bullshit up your ass.

That makes no sense. There was never a similar situation between Brady, Manning and a black superstar teammate. Apples to Oranges. The closest comparison is some folks trying to bring Manning down over mooning a female college trainer.

Do I really have to do an annoying google search to find the tweets from politicians and mainstream celebs about bringing down the white patriarchy etc?

Just find me a better explanation for all the support AB continues to get from the media over Ben after all his bullshit unhinged comments. Add in the domestic abuse investigation, the balcony furniture lawsuit....
..vs Ben calling him out literally one time in the media.

Someone give me a better explanation of Shannon Sharpe slamming Ben and AB getting a pass ? Give me a theory.

[R_S]

If nobody else wants to say it. I will. White men are persona non grata in media. When in doubt. If you bash AB and tske Bens side you run the risk of being a racist or Uncle Tom. With Bens history, this one is a no brainer for the talking heads.

White men are so persecuted.

Many in the political left dont want Bernie Sanders as the nominee because he's old and white. Same with Biden. Explain.


PS: Youre taking a comment about possible bias and contorting it into persecution. Calm the fuck down.

[Legacy User]

If nobody else wants to say it. I will. White men are persona non grata in media....

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady called to say you can shove that bullshit up your ass.

That makes no sense. There was never a similar situation between Brady, Manning and a black superstar teammate. Apples to Oranges. The closest comparison is some folks trying to bring Manning down over mooning a female college trainer.

Do I really have to do an annoying google search to find the tweets from politicians and mainstream celebs about bringing down the white patriarchy etc?

Just find me a better explanation for all the support AB continues to get from the media over Ben after all his bullshit unhinged comments. Add in the domestic abuse investigation, the balcony furniture lawsuit....
..vs Ben calling him out literally one time in the media.

Someone give me a better explanation of Shannon Sharpe slamming Ben and AB getting a pass ? Give me a theory.

Without taking a stance, I would only point out that criticizing (mistakenly or not) structures for oppressing others is not the same thing as saying that white males are not acceptable by virtue of their being white and male.

It is possible that Shannon Sharpe just thinks Ben is kind of a douche bag. Sharpe also said there was no way in hell he would accept AB as a teammate. So Sharpe did not simply give AB a pass.

[zeke5123]

If nobody else wants to say it. I will. White men are persona non grata in media....

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady called to say you can shove that bullshit up your ass.[/quote]

That makes no sense. There was never a similar situation between Brady, Manning and a black superstar teammate. Apples to Oranges. The closest comparison is some folks trying to bring Manning down over mooning a female college trainer.

Do I really have to do an annoying google search to find the tweets from politicians and mainstream celebs about bringing down the white patriarchy etc?

Just find me a better explanation for all the support AB continues to get from the media over Ben after all his bullshit unhinged comments. Add in the domestic abuse investigation, the balcony furniture lawsuit....
..vs Ben calling him out literally one time in the media.

Someone give me a better explanation of Shannon Sharpe slamming Ben and AB getting a pass ? Give me a theory.[/quote]

Without taking a stance, I would only point out that criticizing (mistakenly or not) structures for oppressing others is not the same thing as saying that white males are not acceptable by virtue of their being white and male.

It is possible that Shannon Sharpe just thinks Ben is kind of a douche bag. Sharpe also said there was no way in hell he would accept AB as a teammate. So Sharpe did not simply give AB a pass.[/quote]

I would say that using white male's as a stand-in for a structure has the problem that people may sometimes forget white male is a stand-in for the alleged structure they are crticizing. It is also demanding a lot of the listen to hear white men are evil, but then say they don't actually mean white men, just structures.

Stated differently, how you phrase things matters.

[K_C_]

If nobody else wants to say it. I will. White men are persona non grata in media. When in doubt. If you bash AB and tske Bens side you run the risk of being a racist or Uncle Tom. With Bens history, this one is a no brainer for the talking heads.

White men are so persecuted.

Many in the political left dont want Bernie Sanders as the nominee because he's old and white. Same with Biden. Explain.


PS: Youre taking a comment about possible bias and contorting it into persecution. Calm the fuck down.

[COR-TEN]

If nobody else wants to say it. I will. White men are persona non grata in media. When in doubt. If you bash AB and tske Bens side you run the risk of being a racist or Uncle Tom. With Bens history, this one is a no brainer for the talking heads.

White men are so persecuted.

Many in the political left dont want Bernie Sanders as the nominee because he's old and white. Same with Biden. Explain.


PS: Youre taking a comment about possible bias and contorting it into persecution. Calm the fuck down.

First of all, set the context. Sanders and Biden are old, and that's mostly what the left has a problem with. Biden is establishment on top of that - even though he's leading by double digits. The white angle has to do with the fact that government has been dominated by white males since the founding of the nation. The demographics have changed, and so asking for representatiion that more accurately represent the populace is in order. It's exactly what the right is fighting against, and insuring white males are running government. A few token females or people of color (see HUD) means nothing. Just look at policy and messaging : "There are good people on both sides." Not quite.

Further, you most certainly are turning this into persecution, since you've subtly suggested reverse racism is a thing almost worse than racism against blacks. Completely ignoring context, demographic numbers, and history. You, along with a few others, seem to think the left is at war with the white patriarchy. And they are in a sense, because it abuses authority, skirts the law, and does everything it can to remain the dominant force, ignoring demographics. So in effect, it's the conservative right that's engaging in identity politics. The left just stands up for and protects the disenfranchised. They just so happen to be a majority people of color and immigrants, so therefore the right labels them as engaging in identity politics. And here you brought up color. So who is engaging in identity politics again? Using the phrase "tried to take down manning" speaks volumes. And it wasn't just mooning some one. But notice how you minimized the accusations, and come to BR's defense when a black talking head doesn't like him.

Lit has it right. But I'll repeat. There is already controversy surrounding BR. Jumping on the moving train is a way to increase revenue. If BR didn't have 2 allegations of rape against him and labeled a dick to waitresses, I'm guessing the media wouldn't go after him like they do. Therefore : Conflict = Cash. And by the way, I pilfered that phrase from breitbart comment section where they were espousing the ability to extract money from conflict. There's a book related to that concept. Not exactly the same, but close enough for hand grenades.

The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, by Naomi Klein. Just in case you're interested :

https://www.amazon.com/Shock-Doctrine-R ... way&sr=8-1

[zeke5123]

First, Shock Doctrine is a laughably inaccurate book. No one should read it.

Second, the truth is this has nothing to do with black-white and everything to do with the media having disliked Ben since he entered the league.

[Lynch]

[FC]

Roethlisberger, as the franchise quarterback, speaks to the media at large one day each week, although he does make time for individual interviews.

My 2 cents

Ben doesn't like the media
Ben doesn't trust the media
Ben really doesn't hide his feelings on either thing
Without the sports talk show Ben's access to the media is the bare minimum...Keeping them at arm length is such an understatement

Sports media is dying a slow death...The media I and many people grew up with is dying or dead.

Ben isn't flashy on the social media.
Ben no longer likes the night life
He is plain vanilla...To the point of now being boring off the field
He is dismissive to the point of being disrespectful to most media...He hates them and he knows they hate him...Its just the way it is

I yearn for the days of

Recaps from OTA's
Discussion of what the fuck is going on with position battles
The health and well being of players...Injury recovery. Players who came into camp in shape physically and mentally

What I get is

Antonio Brown's clothing choice
The Steelers on social media
Pirates pierogies sexist
Horror themed visors

[COR-TEN]

I figured you'd say that. I'd expect nothing less, zeke. But here, look at this :

International Bestseller
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism is a #1 international bestseller, appearing on the New York Times bestseller list, as well as bestseller lists in the United Kingdom (debuting at #1 on the Sunday Times Business list), Ireland, France (debuting at #1 on non-fiction l’Express list), Canada (debuting at #1 on Globe and Mail non-fiction list), Denmark and the United States, as well as appearing on bestseller lists in Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden simultaneously on hardcover publication.

* A New York Times and International Bestseller

* The Shock Doctrine is being translated into 25 languages.

Awards
* Warwick Prize for Writing -- Shortlist. Winner to be announced on February 24, 2009.

* Los Angeles Times Book Prize -- Finalist

* National Business Book Award of Canada -- Finalist

* New York Public Library Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism -- Finalist

* Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Awards for Author of the Year and Non-Fiction Book of the Year -- Finalists

* Inaugural 2009 Warwick Prize for Writing -- Longlist

Best Book of the Year
* A New York Times Critics' Pick of 2007

* A San Francisco Chronicle Notable Book of the Year

* An Amazon Top 10 Editors’ Pick ‘Current Events’ Book of the Year

* An Amazon Top 10 Editors’ Pick ‘Business Narrative’ of the Year

* A Barnes & Noble Top 10 ‘Politics & Current Affairs’ Book of the Year

* A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

* A Quill & Quire Best Book of the Year

* A Sueddeutsche Zeitung Best Nonfiction Book of the Year

* One of The Village Voice's 20 Best Books of the Year

* One of The Kansas City Star’s Top 100 Books of the Year

* A St. Louis Post-Dispatch Best Book of the Year

* Co-Winner of Alternet's Best Progressive Books of 2007 Contest

* A One of the Dayton Daily News’ Favorite Nonfiction Books of the Year

* A PopMatters Best Book of 2007

* An E! Online Best Pick for 2007

* An Observer Favorite Book of the Year

* Metro London's Best Non-Fiction Book of the Year

* The Scotsman's Pick of the Year

* A Sunday Herald Best Book of the Year

* An Irish Examiner Best Book of the Year

* One of The Chicago Sun-Times Favorite Books of the Year

* A Sacramento News & Review Top 10 Book of the Year

* One of The Seattle Times’ Favorite Books of the Year

* One of The Age's Favorite Books of the Year

* A Eugene Weekly Winter Reading Selection

More Accolades
* A National Book Critics Circle Best Reads Selection (February 2008) and December 2007 Best Recommended List Selection

*A Crooks & Liars Book of the Month

http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrin ... highlights

But hey. Some guy on the internet knows better.

[COR-TEN]

I yearn for the days of

Recaps from OTA's
Discussion of what the fuck is going on with position battles
The health and well being of players...Injury recovery. Players who came into camp in shape physically and mentally

What I get is

Antonio Brown's clothing choice
The Steelers on social media
Pirates pierogies sexist
Horror themed visors

What's your hypothesis as to why that has happened? It's all about emotion for the masses. Click bait for the casual fan. Position battles only matter to die hards. Injuries are only interesting when someone breaks a leg on the field or in practice, but run out and get your horror themed visor in time for halloween.

[Legacy User]

I yearn for the days of

Recaps from OTA's
Discussion of what the fuck is going on with position battles
The health and well being of players...Injury recovery. Players who came into camp in shape physically and mentally

What I get is

Antonio Brown's clothing choice
The Steelers on social media
Pirates pierogies sexist
Horror themed visors

This was my point earlier. Sports media is now 99.9% opinion content. Reporting content to the extent it exists is used a minimum subtext for opinion-giving.

I come HERE for opinion.

Is there an actual kerfuffle about the Pirates Pierogies being sexist?! Please let there be...

[Legacy User]

I yearn for the days of

Recaps from OTA's
Discussion of what the fuck is going on with position battles
The health and well being of players...Injury recovery. Players who came into camp in shape physically and mentally

What I get is

Antonio Brown's clothing choice
The Steelers on social media
Pirates pierogies sexist
Horror themed visors

What's your hypothesis as to why that has happened? It's all about emotion for the masses. Click bait for the casual fan. Position battles only matter to die hards. Injuries are only interesting when someone breaks a leg on the field or in practice, but run out and get your horror themed visor in time for halloween.

The prognosis is pretty simple, IMO: the internet convinced everyone that all information should be free and immediate. So, in order to attract eyeballs to attract advertiser dollars, news had to transition fully (split infinitives are barbaric) to newsertainment.

Not going to lie, though. I like watching Shannon Sharpe have seizures. I just like the dude.

[FC]

https://triblive.com/sports/first-call-antonio-brown-makes-raiders-debut-pirates-pierogies-sexist/

The design of the Pirates’ racing pierogies is sexist.

At least that’s what one Pittsburgh publication suggests.

The City Paper posted a story pointing out that the female pierogies — Jalapeno Hannah and Pizza Penny — ”both have lipstick, mascara, earrings, and a purse.”

“It feels like they gave the pierogies purses and jewelry because it’s how unprepared they imagine women to be to take on any sport,” author Hannah Lynn wrote. “It feels like Hannah and Penny are a small byproduct of how women aren’t taken seriously in athletics.”

The female hot dog in Cleveland also has a purse and make up.

The “racing Anchormen” in San Diego don’t include Vanessa Corningstone.

There are no female characters at all in the Milwaukee racing sausage promotion.

And the racing presidents in Washington don’t have any women represented eith … uh. Well.

Should the popular vote count?

The point is we have made great progress in terms of gender equality in America. We’ve become “woke.” But we may not be ready to push through the mascot plush-ceiling just yet.