Be Careful What You Say on TV, Sports Writers
Uncategorized August 1st. 2007, 3:47pm
We would have used a photo of the Around the Horn cast for this post, but the ladies love tough Tony. At any rate, ATH, that scream-fest masquerading as a sports talk show, has spawned local copycats around the country. As can be expected, amateur hour is not always pretty.
Meet Paul Zeise of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He was partaking in something called Sports Showdown Sunday when he blurted out: “It’s really a sad day in this country when somehow … Michael Vick would have been better off raping a woman if you look at the outcry of what happened. Had he done that, he probably would have been suspended for four games and he’d be back on the field. But because this has become a political issue, all of a sudden the commissioner has lost his stomach for it.”
He wont be returning to the show (obviously) and you wonder if his prose will be welcome back in the PG. Let’s just say Paul’s fortunate we’re not running that rag.
Apologies issued for PG reporter’s remarks (Post-Gazette)
14 Responses to “Be Careful What You Say on TV, Sports Writers”
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August 1st, 2007 at 5:06 PM
I might not have read the quotes right, but why is this guy taking a hit? If it’s because he’s underplaying how wrong dogfighting is, I sort of get it. But, as I read it, he’s saying (correctly I think) that athletes have gotten far less for far worse crimes.
August 1st, 2007 at 5:09 PM
i just wanted to comment on your new comments section…it’s ok…that is all
August 1st, 2007 at 5:31 PM
I think this guy is an idiot and did not express himself very well. Let me get on record as saying rape is a worse crime than animal abuse and dogfighting but both are terrible. However, I think the point Mr. Zeise is making that it seems that these allegations have been given equal or greater coverage/outrage as compared to say Kobe Bryant’s situation a few years back. Was Kobe suspended? I honestly don’t recall that he was. So that is what I get out of it; i.e. it is astounding that someone is facing harsher penalties (just from the sport they are involved in – not getting into legal ramifications here) for dogfighting than someone else did for rape. If that is what he is saying then I agree with him. But basically in PC land (aka MSM) men cannot talk about rape and whites cannot talk about racial issues, at all.
August 1st, 2007 at 5:38 PM
He didn’t express himself well, but he may have been correct. For example, how many of you would know that, say, Damon Jones was accused of rape last year? No one. Sure, he’s not a very good player, but still, it’s interesting just how little punishment is assigned to crimes (alleged and real) against women. Just ask Christian Peters’ victims at Nebraska.
August 1st, 2007 at 5:51 PM
I enjoy checking out this site, but I think the editors are way to PC in general, and especially on this issue. I have been shocked at the level of outrage concerning Michael Vick in comparison to prior athlete misdeeds. Rape/Murder/Vehicular Manslaughter/Shooting a bouncer are all SO much worse than dogfighting.
Kobe Bryant was alleged to have raped a woman. Michael Vick is alleged to have allowed dogfighting at his house. The indictment contains a lot of vomit-inducing details, but that’s how indictments often work. Since when did we all bow down to the federal government and their 90-whatever % conviction rate? The government can charge someone with conspiracy based upon very little contact or presence. Let’s see how it turns out. I want to know exactly what Micahel VIck did before I judge him.
And to keep it balanced, I am similary disgusted when I hear black people defending other black people solely because they share a skin color. We have to move beyond this skin-deep stuff and consider each person as an individual.
That is my plea.
August 1st, 2007 at 6:15 PM
What Zeise should have said is that Michael Vick would have been better of raping a nappy headed ho than dog-fighting. Then everyone would have thought he was just funny.
August 1st, 2007 at 6:27 PM
Remember, uh, Ray Lewis? The guy is a freaking MURDERER and he’s still celebrated. Also, I don’t think so may people showed up to protest at his trial/indictment. Zeise is 100% correct. TBL, I usually love you, but you’re dead wrong here.
August 1st, 2007 at 6:45 PM
From the looks of this photo, Reali didn’t think it was that controversial…
What a moron.
August 1st, 2007 at 7:18 PM
I don’t see what the big deal is, Mr. Zeise is positively correct! There’s been many NFL athletes accused(and convicted) of crimes much worse than this Vick situation.
August 1st, 2007 at 7:32 PM
TBL, your political moralizing is annoying. Stick to making fun of sports players and media members. That is what you are good at. There is absolutely nothing wrong with what Zeise said. He stated an opinion that struck me as quite reasonable: being accused of rape would have lead to a lesser punishment from the NFL for Vick than being accused of killing dogs. If you think about it for half a second, this position actually makes sense: the probability of being guilty of rape given you have been accused of it is much lower than the probability of being guilty of killing dogs given you have been accused of it. As such, someone ACCUSED of rape SHOULD be given more leeway than some ACCUSED of killing dogs (especially when its a federal indictment). That is, he is much more likely to have been falsely accused…. I am not sure Zeise was trying to make this precise argument (in fact, I am sure he wasn’t), but there is nothing inherently offensive about his position. He is allowed to state it, and the fact that he was canned for it is a bit discouraging in my opinion.
August 1st, 2007 at 7:36 PM
You do know, TBL, that what he say, while un-PC, was right, right? I mean, we have numerous examples that show us how our reaction to rape is FAR less than our reaction to this (Kobe didnt even get killed this bad and he’s a much bigger star than Vick)? Or is anything that may actually make what Mike Vick did less than the worse thing in the world or the way he’s being treated the height of hypocrisy make you mad: “Let’s just say Paul’s fortunate we’re not running that rag.”
I didnt know you were a fan of the PC-revolution. I, personally, am glad you are.
August 1st, 2007 at 9:09 PM
i hate tony reali, way to fall into a cakejob you d-bag
August 1st, 2007 at 10:46 PM
There is absolutely nothing wrong with what Zeise said. He stated an opinion that struck me as quite reasonable: being accused of rape would have lead to a lesser punishment from the NFL for Vick than being accused of killing dogs. If you think about it for half a second, this position actually makes sense: the probability of being guilty of rape given you have been accused of it is much lower than the probability of being guilty of killing dogs given you have been accused of it. As such, someone ACCUSED of rape SHOULD be given more leeway than some ACCUSED of killing dogs (especially when its a federal indictment)…. I am not sure Zeise was trying to make this precise argument (in fact, I am sure he wasn’t), but there is nothing inherently offensive about his position. He is allowed to state it, and the fact that he was canned for it is a bit discouraging in my opinion.
August 2nd, 2007 at 5:22 AM
Think Zeise was right on point….People keep asking for the truth and when delivered…….well, they can’t handle!
I love the NFL, but this bowing down to Corporate dollars that seems to have been placed above all may hurt in the long run!!