Jeff Fisher Says ESPN Manufactured Michael Sam Shower Story

Jeff Fisher was not happy about Josina Anderson’s shower report on Michael Sam, and blasted the reporter and ESPN in an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

"“I’m extremely disappointed in her piece. I think it’s unethical, I think it’s very, very unprofessional. Not only the piece itself, the content. The manner in which she did it.”"

Fisher did say he was contacted by ESPN’s ~~John Skipper~~ John Wildhack [Ed. STL PD just made the correction on their website], the head of production and programming for ESPN and appreciated the apology, which was issued today. He still had some pretty strong words for how the story came about, which apparently involved Anderson talking to players away from the Rams facilities.

"“Obviously she came in, in all likelihood to see if there was gonna be a roster move at the 75 cutdown as it relates to Mike Sam. That didn’t happen. But she needed to do something, and it’s my understanding that she manufactured this story. “She was out of line because she went and contacted several players on their personal time. Misled them with questions and then put this piece together.”"

It isn’t uncommon for reporters to text players or call them; what Fisher is claiming is that Anderson used questionable tactics to get at a story. Surely the ESPN Ombudsman is on the case.