I promised myself I wouldn’t write about this. There is too much controversy in the NFL right now and I told myself I would stay away. Yet here I am writing this blog post. I never imagined a day where the National Football League would deliver more controversy than the war on terror. It has become so bad that the league would receive good press by naming Henry Earl (the world’s most arrested man – over 1500 arrests in four decades) a general manager. The National Football League has earned the rights to the biggest sports scandal in history. Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and the 1919 Chicago White Sox can all rest easy (although the Sox have been “resting” for some time now). By now you have heard the storylines: Ray Rice knocks out wife, Adrian Peterson beats sons, did Wes Welker pop molly; the list goes on and on. Athletes within the NFL are being arrested for domestic violence, child abuse and drug or alcohol charges. According to a USA Today report, 2014 has seen 40 arrests involving NFL athletes. Sadly, this isn’t the biggest issue in the league. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is under a microscope for the punishments (or lack of) he has handed down to those 40 athletes. He has lacked consistency when suspending various athletes following their legal issues. Goodell released a statement on Friday proclaiming he and the National Football League have been “doing wrong” in the handling of the legal matters. Mere hours later, ESPN’s Outside the Lines released an investigative report that the NFL and the Baltimore Ravens were aware of the specifics within the Ray Rice case, leading to a “purposeful misdirection” of the events that led to Rice’s arrest. Goodell has promised to implement several new personal conduct policies within the league. Is it too little too late? Of course it is. But there was no denying something needed to be done. But a change is also necessary by the fans. Despite the video release of Rice punching his then-fiance Janay in an elevator, football fans still arrived at games in the signature number 27 jerseys. Many fans, even women, actually defended the recently suspended Rice. “We shouldn’t be involved in their personal life,” LaTonya Jones told USA Today. “It had nothing to do with his job. He should not have lost his job,” said Robin Manahan in the same article. Fans sharing these opinions are stepping over a very interesting line. A professional athlete should not lose his job despite being arrested on domestic violence charges, but if a doctor were to be arrested on the same charge he should carry on practicing? How many women would line up at the clinic to visit a medical professional that had been seen knocking his wife unconscious in a video released nationally? I’m going to assume the list is short. I pray for our society that it is. The Ravens have since offered fans a jersey exchange, allowing them to trade their Ray Rice jerseys for a different player on the team. Good publicity move Baltimore. Too little, too late. Pictures have been released of Adrian Peterson’s son showing cuts, bruises and welts. The former MVP has insisted he was disciplining his 4-year-old and stated “never do I go overboard” in a text to the child’s mother. Images of the child would suggest otherwise. But much like Baltimore fans, a handful of Vikings faithful could still be spotted with number 28 jerseys over the weekend. “We don’t want him out (of the NFL). He was only disciplining his child, that’s fine,” one fan told Boston.com. “Is there new evidence that has come out or is it just a publicity stunt to get the district attorney’s name in the news?” asked another fan at the Vikings vs. Patriots game. Added another: “everyone has made mistakes. He admitted to his mistake and he’ll get through it.” Sigh. My hope in humanity is dissolving quicker than the alcohol in these delusional fans stomachs. I’m all for the “innocent until proven guilty” argument. But how embarrassed will those fans feel if they are currently supporting a soon-to-be convicted child abuser? Imagine if fans completely boycotted the league, even if it were only for one week. What if no one attended games across the country? What impact would it have if there were not a single television turned to an NFL game on Sunday? That would send a message to the NFL that we won’t support a league unwilling to take a stand against violence and abuse. It would show that playing professional sports is a privilege that should be left to athletes who can abide by the law. It isn’t realistic and therefore is not even worth considering. But it is worth noting fans can also incorporate change. Roger Goodell and the National Football League must decide how to move forward with a tarnished league. But we can make sure the league has an honorable following. That is, if it becomes worthy enough to follow again. Please take a moment to learn about domestic violence, child abuse and drug/alcohol addiction. These problems affect more than the athletes we idolize on television.
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“You guys make around $100,000.” It was a statement met with immediate laughter. Around four years ago, a caller spoke those very words to a co-worker of mine, Katie Stukey, in the KRTV newsroom. The man on the phone was disappointed with coverage and believed his opinion should be correct because Katie and I each made “around $100,000” per year. Katie and I responded to the remark with laughter because we did not, I assure you, make $100,000. Combined. I’m not positive the two of our salaries totaled half of that amount. But people have assumptions when it comes to the reporters they watch on TV every night. Being a reporter is an incredible occupation. No two days are the same. Throughout the week you meet dozens of new people and have the honor of telling their unique stories. Sports reporters gain free access to games, press conferences and practices. Some of the best seats in the house are available on a nightly basis. You meet “celebrities” that others can only dream of. Working as a reporter is an unbelievable career. But it doesn’t always provide the glamour that many are led to believe. I have to share a story from earlier in the week that I’m not quite ready to laugh at. You know, the kind of story that while it’s happening you are upset and angry but know down the road you will look back and chuckle. It’s one of those. The kind that happens in a reporter’s life more often than one may think. Monday night I had the privilege of going to Glendale, AZ to University of Phoenix Stadium. The Arizona Cardinals were hosting the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football in the finale of week one. I had felt ill for about three days, but figured I could keep it at bay for the chance to cover an NFL game. Unfortunately, that was mistake number one. During the game I received one of the more intense headaches I can recall suffering. Pair that with my body not being able to determine if it were hot or cold and the aching pains in my back and neck and I was far from enjoying the experience. Obviously suffering under these symptoms was the fault of no one but myself. But the story did not end there. Fast-forward to an incredible finish that saw Arizona win the game and it was time to make the approximately two-hour drive back to Tucson. My co-worker, Scott, and I left University of Phoenix Stadium and headed for the parking lot. A heavy rain immediately greeted us outdoors. As we ran to our news station vehicle and unlocked the doors we were met by the sound of the car alarm emitting from under the hood. A quick press of the alarm button on the car’s key fob would typically solve the problem, but ours was clearly not working. The car would also not start, making no attempt to turn over when the key was in the ignition. It was clear the vehicle would not start while the alarm was engaged, but we had no way of fixing the issue. Hours passed as we stood in the pouring rain (intensifying my illness) trying to jump-start the vehicle, disengage the alarm and even attempt to put brand new batteries in the car’s key fob. It was clear nothing was going to work and someone would need to make the drive from Tucson to pick us up and return back home. Nearly five hours passed with Scott and I standing in the rain, listening to the alarm and trying to get our vehicle running. Around 4am a co-worker appeared and we were on our soaking-wet way to Tucson and our own beds. The sun rose before I walked in my front door. Again, somewhere down the road this will be a moment I look back and laugh at. But with the frustrations recent in my mind, laughing is far from my to-do list. This is only one personal memory of how the life of a reporter can turn unglamorous. Many journalists have their own stories of long hours, technological mishaps or miscommunications. Some are much more serious with reports of stalkers, death-threats, and even restraining orders. Please do not mistake the intent of this blog post as seeking pity or even respect. I ask that you give that respect to those in the military, medical and law enforcement fields. Workers in those occupations have unglamorous moments much more often than I. The reason for this post is to express that even a career that portrays an image of fame, money and glamour can consist of the exact opposite. Meanwhile, I will continue to enjoy being a reporter. I will appreciate the access to sporting events and the athletes that participate in them. I will remain thankful to be part of an occupation that allows me to do what I am passionate about. At least until the TV station car with the alarm going off in the pouring rain, will no longer start. Maybe I’m getting closer to the “look back and laugh” stage after all. It wasn't all that long ago, but I barely remember what life as a sports fan was like before March 21, 2006. Internet gurus know this as the official creation date of Twitter, the online social networking service used by 274 million people across the world. What Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Biz Stone and Noah Glass likely didn't imagine on that day eight years ago, is how their creation would impact the life of a sports fan. If you are a member of Twitter, odds are you "follow" at least one account associated with sports. It may be your favorite sports team, a beat writer for a particular program, or even the local TV station or newspaper that offers updates on sporting events. Media members are now required to have Twitter accounts. Most are also expected to be fluent in Facebook, Google+, YouTube and so on. The reasons are justifiable. Multiple studies have shown that roughly half of all Twitter users receive some form of news on their "timeline" throughout the day. According to a 2012 GMR study, "people are 10 times more likely to check the internet for breaking sports news than they are to turn to sports radio." The study went on to say more people used Twitter and Facebook than news websites. That was two years ago. In today's world a person can easily access many varieties of news. Breaking news updates are readily available. Injury reports from athletic teams are posted near-daily. Sports scores can fill a timeline on busy weekends. But how much is too much? Journalists are constantly updating their Twitter (or Facebook) pages and sports reporters may be the busiest in the business. Thumbs across the country are flying across iPhone screens on Friday nights during high school football season. Saturdays and Sundays can be nearly as filling. A person will find many styles of social media reporting when it comes to live sporting events. There appears to be no right or wrong way to update live action sports. Some journalists, particularly the beat reporters, will provide a play-by-play experience of the game. Others offer scoring updates only. Some choose to keep friends and followers in the loop after each quarter or half. Again, there is arguably no correct way for tweeters to keep their followers entertained. But how much is too much? Play-by-play updates are extremely helpful if a fan is not at the game or away from their television or radio. I know a large number of sports fans that like to stay in the know of rival sports teams by way of scoring updates. Facebook users in particular seem to prefer less content clogging their feed. I follow a handful of Twitter users that provide the play-by-play variety of games. Here in Tucson, Daniel Berk and Jason Scheer do a great job with the Arizona Wildcats, offering insight and the occasional humor. Greg Rachac and Colter Nuanez still keep me interested in the Montana Grizzlies and Montana State Bobcats. Personally, I prefer to receive updates after "big plays" during games - scoring during football, dunks in basketball and so on. As a sports reporter, I usually find myself on the sideline and don't need a play-by-play take of a game. But I can see where other users would find such a thing beneficial. It is up to each social media user to decide who to follow on Twitter or which Facebook page to like. I consistently keep my followers entertained with updates I imagine I would like to know about. But remember, thumbs only fly across the screen so fast. -Richie |
AuthorRichie is a small-town boy chasing big-city dreams. When he's not involved with sports, he's spending time with his wife, Fallon; their yorkie, Tinker; and their Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rosie. Archives
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