There are some stories you have to report immediately and then there are others you want to sit back and see how they are reported before you chime in with your opinion. This was one of those stories. We all saw what happened.
Anquan Boldin doing his best Keyshawn Johnson impression on the Cardinals sidelines while his team is trying to mount a game winning drive to get to the Super Bowl. There was Boldin screaming at the top of his lungs at offensive coordinator Todd Haley while Haley is attempting to call a play.
Troy Aikman and Joe Buck didn't seem to take it too seriously. After the game no one seemed to be talking about it.
Then like with most stories like this one of the few people in this industry who always brings to light situations that the bias mainstream sports media will sit on Mike Florio posted a story on Profootballtalk.com.
Specifically speaking from a blog written by Mike Freeman on CBSSportsline.com about Boldin behavior during the confrontation and after the game. Here are some excerpts from that posting by Mr. Freeman:
He tried to ruin the Super Bowl celebration with his childishness.
In the game, Boldin got into a heated argument with offensive coordinator Todd Haley. After the game, instead of celebrating with his team, Boldin abruptly left the field, then abruptly left the locker room. It was awful behavior.
Quarterback Kurt Warner also got into an argument with Haley during the game but you didn't see Warner acting like a petulant child afterwards. He celebrated with his teammates and enjoyed the moment.
I have to say in nearly 20 years of doing this, I've never seen a player more concerned about his arguing with a coach over making a Super Bowl.
Pretty powerful stuff definitely news worthy so:
Instead of writing about this last night I decided to see what the national reaction would be. This morning of course I was not surprised that while many "bloggers" picked up the story notable MJD at Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports the other major sports outlets have buried it.
Peter King mentioned it briefly before going on to talk how T.O. should be released. I am not sure what that had to do with what happened over the weekend (we have an email out to Peter to see why he didn't get more into the Boldin situation that I am sure won't be replied to).
ESPN.com does have a story on what happened but in true ESPN fashion since it isn't Terrell Owens or Chad Johnson not much is made of the situation. They didn't even have a reporter on it, it was reported by the "ESPN NEWS SERVICES".
At that point I could not wait anymore. Here is the problem with these types of situations there is no consistency. I don't care who the player is, you have to be consistent in your reporting. You know and I know if that if that was T.O., if that was Chad Johnson, if that was Steve Smith, if that was a lot of the more boisterous receivers in the league it would have been a front page story.
Before you go into "well those guys have a history Littal that is why they are treated differently" let me remind you who is creating that history.
Once again they tell you who are the bad and good guys are. They told you Marvin Harrison was a good guy for years which is why your are now shocked to hear some of the revelations now coming out about him. The media loves Anquan Boldin and since this contradicts their perception of him the story gets buried.
It is the same reason why Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson are lumped in with convicted felons in the NFL. If you are on the "bad guy" list there is no separation, everyone is the same no matter if you just have a "big mouth" or busting guns in the strip club (or "scrip club" if you are Pacman Jones).
If you are wondering specifically what I think about the Boldin incident. I think it was selfish and classless on his part, but from all the information I have gathered it is just something that happened. Does it mean he is a "jackass" as Mr. Freeman describes him as? For this incident yes, but I would never judge someone on one incident.
Players yelled at coaches all the time on the sidelines of course the only person they ever show you though is Owens, but as you saw in the NFC Championship game even the "Holy" Kurt Warner got a little feisty on the sidelines.
The leaving the field during the celebration is weak and I am sure Boldin knows that and wishes that didn't happened. The Cardinals going to the Super Bowl is equivalent to Hell freezing over, so go celebrate with your teammates and not pout like a five year old.
Boldin is a tough guy and no one has ever question his dedication to the game. To come back so early after having his face smashed like Moe from "The Simpsons" is a testament to that. But it doesn't excuse his childish and selfish behavior. He should be held accountable just as we hold other athletes accountable when they do stupid things.
You shouldn't get a pass just because you are "liked" by the media. He is lucky if he had a nickname like "A.B." they would be doing an "Outside the Lines" special on his actions as we speak.
See was that hard "Bias Mainstream Media"? I addressed the situation from a clear and unbiased angle. Maybe one day you will learn to do the same.
It appears now the story has some legs which I solely contributed to "bloggers" bringing it to light.
I totally agree with you. Boldin's behavior was very inappropriate. I was watching the game. I saw it in real time. It was real ugly.
If the Cardinals had lost, I think his behavior would have been slammed in the media. Sports is about winning. In this situation, victory talked, and bullshit walked.
Peace.
I actually think it is worse he acted like that during a victory. Good job Littal taking a level headed approach to the story
I was going to write about the Boldin incident. The reason why Wes Welker and Boldin get passes and T.O. and Chad Johnson do not is because Wes Welker never did anything such as create elaborate celebrations before the snow angel incident. Boldin does not have a history of not getting alont with teammates or coaches. Thus, when they do something for the first time the media has mentioned it (it was on 1st Take, Colin Cowherd, and Mike and Mike) and move on. Terrell has been on 3 teams and had the same problems on all 3. He blew up at Greg Knapp, Andy Reid and Brad Childress, and has now blamed Jason Garrett for offensive problems. Chad Johnson has a history of setting up props, fighting with coaches at half time. Boldin has never gotten into it with a coach in his pro career. So why would they cover it as if he has? To be fair, he was acting extremely selfish but because he has no history, they let it go. I know its not fair Littal, but when a player has a history of something like T.O., Marbury, Iverson...they will get ripped when the slip up. When Iverson misses practices...the media rips him. If Steve Nash does, they won't treat it the same because his history says that its out of character.
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I am sorry Cornelius I am going to have to side with Littal on this one because he makes a point that you overlook the media creates these reputations. I think the Marvin Harrison was also an excellent point. How do we know that Wes Welker or Steve Nash are these perfect guys? We don't so everyone should be treated equally.
Harry
I understand your point, but life is what it is. If you don't want to be known as a jerk then don't have a problem with people every where you go. Real talk...I have a good friend of mine who within 4 years had 3 different jobs. At each stop he would get into it with a young female staff member and either quit or be fired. The commonality in each incident was my friend. The point is...Every once in a while we someone like Marvin Harrison sneaks by us. But for the most part, jerks get their reputations for being jerks...not because people are picking on them.
I will never ever defend Terrell Owens because his track record says who he is. I won't chonicle it here for the sake of space. Wes Welker has no such track record and neither does Boldin who is known as a great teammate by coaches and teammates. Thats why he will get a pass.
I think it is hypocritical for the media to give Boldin just cause he is "good teammate". He wasn't yesterday
One last thing...If you are an employee who has a habit of being late to work, your penalty for being late is worse for you than a guy who has no such history. They are also less likely to buy any given excuse from you because again, your track record is poor versus a guy who is always on time. This is the way life works. Is it fair? you decide...its just the way life has always worked and always will.
Billy, One last thing...If you are an employee who has a habit of being late to work, your penalty for being late is worse for you than a guy who has no such history. They are also less likely to buy any given excuse from you because again, your track record is poor versus a guy who is always on time. This is the way life works. Is it fair? you decide...its just the way life has always worked and always will.
But if you are consider late to work because another employee said you were late and therefore you boss thinks you are late who fault is that.
A lot of these receivers get a bad rap because of personal bias against there lifestyle. Point blank. Chad Johnson wears good teeth and Marvin Harrison is quiet. Stereotypes and I would think BSO wouldn't deal with that
Theres no bitch-assedness in football!!!
Billy, you are talking about an isolated incident. Marvin Harrison fooled a lot of people. How often does that happen? But Chad Johnson isn't criticized because of his teeth or so called appearance; he is criticized because of his behavior. The over the top celebrations, a physical altercation with your head coach, clowning about a contract before the season started, etc. Oh by the way, Chad Johnson himself admitted that his behavior before the season was wrong.
That has nothing to do with his gold teeth. Those are his choices. T.O. fought with Greg Knapp, called Jeff Garcia gay, said Marriucci (his head coach) was soft because he didn't run up the score, said if the Eagles had Favre they'd be undefeated, did push ups in the drive way with his shirt off, told his coaches to shut up in practice, said Romo and Whitten conspire against him after the year before crying saying that Romo was "his quarterback", overdose of pills, shall I go on?
If Terrell wants to be viewed differently, he needs to change his behavior. I have no sympathy for a guy like T.O. Its not his lifestyle.
He ain't A-Rod or even Kobe; two players that get hate just because someone feels like it.
T.O. earns the disdain he has. Whats funny is Randy Moss no longer is criticized or talked about negatively.
Answer the question as to why...
To me it sounds like you don't like T.O. Because all he has ever done is spoke his mind and a lot of what he said has true. Donovan McNabb for example
to continue the sort of off topic discussion...let's say what t.o. says is true. does that make him less of a jackass? he's a jerk. he has always been a jerk. and he will continue to be a 35(?) year old jerk.
back on topic: i've got my eye on you, A.B. it says a lot when you run off the field and don't celebrate w/ your team mates after winning the game that puts you in the super bowl. shoot, even some the eagles celebrated as if they won. but that's a different story.
I don't see where the media has been biased for two days straight I've heard about Boldin blowing up at the coordinator. Like the guy said above me, he was talked about on Mike and Mike and Cowlin Cowherd, two of the biggest shows on the ESPN Radio Network and Mike and Mike is talking about it again today. Fact is nobody can tell me a time where Boldin started acting crazy with his teammates or coaches, if you have a rep for doing that then you will be vilified as that, you don't want that rep then stop acting like a dumbass.
He didn't leave the field, but like RL alluded to, I wonder why Kurt isn't being lumped into the same category as Boldin for his sideline behavior. I'm going to have to agree with Cornelius because although Boldin may very well be a troublemaker, Boldin will get the benefit of the doubt as long as it doesn't become a repeat issue.
Just to hop in for a minute and not to brag on anything, but I am sure if the blogs like ours and others didn't bring this to light that the media would have buried it
I know for a fact this site is monitored just like a lot of the big blogs are monitored. They are started to take there queue from us
My two cents:
Videotape does matter. Guys like TO and Chad Johnson have histories of not just being jerks, but being caught on camera being jerks. That matters.
As a Skins fan, I remember Gary Clark getting pissed at Joe Gibbs on the sideline all the time. The difference was that Gibbs would say 'ok Gary, we'll get it to you' and keep it moving. No postgame press conferences where he whined about it, and if the media asked him he'd be like 'hey, nothing to see here, move along.' Coaches don't let that ride like Joe used to back in the day.
And yes, the media sucks here. Brett Favre can have an interception fest and the Peter Kings of the world will make excuses for him, i.e. 'Brett threw those five picks because he was desperately trying to make something happen'. We all know the drill; the key is to not let them get away with it.
Whether it's B.O. (aka T. Owens), Boldin--compare him with Fitzgerlad (a class act!), Ocho-Cinco or any of these other pampered and attention-deprived athletes, they all give jocks a bad name. Just last night I thought they should have brought out the Paddy wagon for that thug Harris of Pittsburgn who dons a football uniform. If the shoe fits, wear it. The problem lies with the position that many of these players are in. The most notorious are the wide receivers, followed by linebackers and the occasional hack who plays defensive line or back. That they happen to be Black is unfortunately a reflection of their success and the lack of quality white players in those positions, not to mention the terrible upbringing they'd had.
lpF2SL
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