THE next part of THE scandal at THE Ohio State
Another lingering point about the signs at THE rally for THE coach at THE Ohio State is this "ESPN = Fake News" angle.
Man, that avenue is so busy it's tired. And not unlike false claims of any other social issues, the false claims of such matters devalue the real issues that may be present in biased news coverage.
Follow along.
We have been in countless - seriously thousands, if not tens of thousands - new meetings where topics, coverage and placement have been discussed. Never once have I heard or observed my bosses make "fake news" decisions or show overt bias because of political leanings.
Most of those have been in newspapers. Some have been in advance for the radio show.
But to deny the marketing angles and business plans that have been embraced by several of the cable news networks is folly.
CNN and Fox are playing to their constituencies as much as the Ds and the Rs.
It's also folly to deny that Clay Travis and several other folks have made a lot of hay by bashing ESPN for what they claim to be overt liberal leanings. (The strongest arguments against ESPN in this avenue are the examples of discipline handed down to folks for PR mistakes, be them stupid or political airings.)
But c'mon, ESPN = Fake News in terms of anything Urban Meyer, who they hired and coddled during his hiatus between Florida and THE OSU, is ludicrous. ESPN = Fake News in terms of anything related to THE OSU, one of the below programs in the network's second-best money making broadcast plan and the loved alma mater of the face of the network's coverage Kirk Herbstreit, is just as dumb.
And finally, ESPN was the last outlet who reported this story and the guy who has done all the heavy lifting on it - Brett McMurphy - was laid off from Bristol within the last year.
So here we are again. Someone does something that, if true, could cost them a job and have negative implications for a monster entity.
The solution for far too many: Blame the media.
Not in a million years saying TV media is innocent. But c'mon.
The Atlanta Braves' Ender Inciarte, center, is congratulated by manager Brian Snitker and hitting coach Kevin Seitzer after slugging a two-run home run during the seventh inning of Sunday's 5-4 win against the Mets in New York.Braves discussion
Atlanta split a day-night doubleheader Tuesday with the Nationals. It was rather August-baseball-tastic in most regards.
That said, there were a couple of talking points that we think should be covered.
First, the Nationals, when healthy, look like the best hitting team in the East. When Daniel Murphy is hitting sixth in your order, you may have the best lineup this side of Chicago in the NL. Will it be enough for Washington to overcome a disastrous stretch from early June to the All-Star break?
Second, the Braves, through 110 games are 1.5 games behind the Phillies in the East (Washington is 6 back of Philly). Atlanta also holds a half-game lead over Arizona right now for the second wildcard spot. This will be an interesting push.
Third, and this likely should have been No. 1, Sean Newcomb looks the part of bona fide ace that the Braves have coveted since Timmy Hudson's prime with the club. Ace status and jersey number, though, is about the only comparisons.
Hudson was movement and placement. Pitches down in the zone that were darting left, right and down even more. Everything looked the same and his range from 85-91 was consistently confusing and confusingly consistent.
Newcomb, though is a big strong left-handed power pitcher of the classic build. He has mid-90s heater - and the stamina and competitiveness to through in that mid-90s range well into the late innings - and a low-to-mid 70s traditional 10-to-4 hook. Sure he still battles wildness - he averages about 0.5 walkers per inning - but in someways for a power pitcher, that's OK too. ("I want you to throw the next one at the mascot. Just throw it at the bull, all right. Trust me.")
Here's the next-level stuff about Newcomb's ace-ness, and yes, we made that last word up.
After a listless 8-2 loss in the first game Tuesday that consumed a few arms in the bullpen, the Braves faced Max Scherzer, arguably the pitcher with the best stuff in the NL. Another loss puts the Braves 2.5 back of the Phillies and only 1.5 games ahead of the third-place Nationals.
And Newcomb grabs the ball and delivers six innings with six Ks and allowed only one earned run. He did not get the win - the Braves rallied in the ninth, long after Newcomb was in the showers - but how about this stat: When handing the ball to Newcomb after a loss, the Braves are now 9-1. THat's the most important part of being an ace - derailing losing streaks - and Newcomb has done it this year against some of the best.
Side story: One part of the Braves organization who has made a few headlines over the last few days is Joe Simpson, the Braves color analyst. You remember his "Get off my porch" rant about the Dodgers "disrespecting" the game because they had the nerve to wear shorts to BP and Chase Utley had his socks rolled down. Well, Simpson found the spotlight again Tuesday by commenting on Nationals phenom Juan Soto, who at 19 may be the best teenage hitter in MLB history.
Simpson suggested Soto is not exactly 19 - "If he's 19, he has certainly got his man growth. He is big and strong." - and the backlash has been lasting. After a confrontation between Simpson and Nationals manager Mike Rizzo between games, Simpson used the phrase "a bonafide 19" in the nightcap when Soto hit a homer.
To be fair to ol' Joe/Abe Simpson, there was a time when a lot of supremely talented Latin American players would lie about their age to cash in on the dream to play in the big leagues. (Why say you're 17 when you are 20? Well, a 21-year-old throwing 88 is destined to be a really good slow-pitch softball player pretty soon. A 17-year-old with those tools get scouts drooling.)
Not exactly sure who that's offensive too, but then again, when Simpson starts dealing one-liners, well, who knows. And here's the crazy thing for the first 25 years of his Braves broadcast career - yes he started with Atlanta in 1992 - he was milquetoast. Now he's trying to be a cross between Uncle Milty and Andy Rooney.
All about perceptions
OK, we're in for this discussion.
What makes athletes likable?
And we're being serious - or at least as serious as we like to be around these parts.
Take example a), a superstar at his position, potentially one of the three best ever, who rubs people the wrong way because of his perceived selfishness and attitude conflicts with teammates but never gets into anything close to real trouble off the field. Now compared to example b) another superstar at his position, potentially one of the three best ever, who was considered a model teammate and leader but was involved, at least in part, in a double homicide.
That one is easy, but if you polled NFL football fans of the last two decades, Ray Lewis (example b) has a much higher public approval rating than Terrell Owens (example a).
Now, let's try this curious case. Example a) a legit superstar - one of the game's all-timers honestly - who was believed to take PEDs but forever denied it despite allegations and the clear case of extreme success well into his late 30s and into his 40s as well as body changes who was crusty to the media throughout his career. Now example b) a rather large fellow, who has strong stats throughout his career but was found guilty of PED use and everyone still loves him and his case for Cooperstown will be an interesting one to follow.
Example a) of course is Barry Bonds. Example b) is David Ortiz.
Which brings us to the curious case of Bartolo Colon, a renaissance pitcher who has lasted longer than love-sick teenager's gaze and reinvented himself more than a aging cabaret dancer on South Beach. He's thrown more pitches than a drunk frat boy at a mid-week mixer. he's logged more innings than the San Diego Chicken and Looie the Lookout combined. He's more K's than the Kardashians and, well, you get the full blown simile exchange.
Colon is 45 years old. (Of course, if Joe Simpson was writing this he'd have the phrase, "If he is 45 after all" in there somewhere.)
He now has 246 pitching wins, a stat that gives him the most of any Latin American pitcher and ranks 52nd all-time. Of the 51 guys in front of him only 10 are not in the Hall and two of those - Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte - are part of the PED generation. (Or should that be the PED regeneration?)
He's got a monstrous head and embraces the nickname "Big Sexy" and after hitting his only MLB homer a couple years ago, took almost the entire month of June to round the bases.
He's extremely likable because he's embraced who he is, what he looks like, the blessings of being a pro athlete who has earned more than nine figures in his long career, and smiles a ton.
He also has a past that is checkered with indiscretions that would make Clemens and Barry Bonds look like alter boys.
Colon allegedly had double life and a secret family in which he had two kids. He was suspended for PEDs for 50 games in 2012, something that never happened to Bonds or Clemens, mind you.
So what makes athletes likable? Discuss.
This and that
- There are a lot of great sportswriters in this BID-ness. And when it comes to local folks facing tough times and sports stars trying to lift them up, well, there is no one putting fingers to key anywhere I would trade for TFP ace sports columnist Mark Wiedmer. Here's Weeds' latest on the kid from Soddy-Daisy who lost his parents in a tragic domestic violence situation and how the Titans rolled out the multi-hue blue carpet for 7-year-old Nolan Hendricks. If you read that - and we overwhelmingly suggest you do - and the hairs on your arm do not head north, well, check your pulse friends.
- News of the big Christmas NBA schedule is starting to circulate. To no one's surprise, LeBron is prominently involved as his Lakers will face the Warriors. The other two highlight match-ups are Boston and Philadelphia and OKC and Houston. In truth that feels a little predictable. Why not go Boston-L.A. (or even L.A. going back for its one visit to Cleveland). Also, we'd like to see Toronto host San Antonio in the meeting of the teams in the biggest trade of the offseason.
- Hamilton County starts school today. That is all. For now. (Man, the 5-at-10 compound sent off a fifth-grader and a second-grader where did the years go.)
- These are the kinds of fall camp stories that make us love college football even more. That's TFP UTC beat ace Mean Gene Henley sharing the story of UTC's Joseph Stovall, who because of an injury was one of the team's videographers last year, and now is competing for a spot in the Mocs backfield rotation. Good times, and well-done Mean Gene.
- Aaron Rodgers is calling out his young wide outs. Hmmmm, looks to me like someone realizes he is well into his 30s, has only one Super Bowl - same number as Dilfer, Brad Johnson and Joe Flacco - and realizes GOAT conversations start with at least two. Thoughts?
Today's questions
Which way Wednesday. Shall we?
(First, side note: We will be checking in much later today. We are giving a eulogy in Smyrna, Ga., this afternoon so it'll be dinner before we swing back around these parts, but feel free to sound off.)
Bartolo Colon, Hall of Famer or no? (He now has 246 career wins, more than any Latin American pitcher. And think of the fun trying to guess which hat that dude would have on his bust. Maybe just a cap and a '?' huh?)
As for today, August 8, or 8/8, well on this day 30 years ago, the Cubs flipped on the lights at Wrigley for the first time. (The 8/8/88 game was eventually rained out and the first night game was 8/9/88.)
Man, a lot has happened on this day. The U.S. adopted the silver dollar and the decimal money system on this day in 1786. Nixon announced his resignation on this day in 1974. The first David Cup competition happened on this day in 1900. Fittingly Roger Federer is 37 today.
Also of note, Dustin Hoffman is 81.
Today, ESPN the Ocho is a reality. We're in. It is 8/8 after all.
What are the strangest sports that has hooked you in and the next thing you know you have spent 20 minutes watching the light saber tournament in the league of dorks? Among the events was a replay of the 2006 Krystal eat off right in Chatta-Vegas. Water-soaked square burgers for everyone.
Also while we are here, we believe Pepper and Cotton doing the broadcast and the airing of the Dodgeball final in the Dodgeball movie for ESPN the Ocho is one of the best side-story, scene-stealers in modern movie history.
In fact, if there was a Rushmore of that category - best tangent movie storylines and characters that could make for their own show or movie - who else makes it?
We'll start with the Midas Touch barber shop guys from Coming to America and we think following Pepper and Cotton for the coverage of another monster event - say the National Cornhole Championships - would be highly entertaining, too.