ESPN's Witch hunt against Baltimore
Investigative journalism is really something ESPN should stay away from. The premise of their Outside the Lines and E:60 series really seem to fall outside of their area of expertise. It is difficult to not notice that the product being presented is so overtly sensationalized and biased that it is practically impossible to consider it a credible source.
The supposed in depth looks into the behind the scenes scandals rarely produce any information that is not already easily available on Deadspin, TMZ, FOX Sports, or even Yahoo! Sports. In fact, I believe it was just a few years ago that ESPN was called to the carpet for claiming they were breaking stories that had already been reported by FOX reporter Jay Glazer. Yet, ESPN is insistent on continuing to drive ratings by sensationalizing stories and cramming them down their viewer’s throats.
The latest target to come under the ESPN faux-news department is the Baltimore Ravens and their handling of the Ray Rice suspension. Now, before I start getting accused of just being a homer defending his team let me do my best to assure you that is not the case. If there was any substantive, credible information to warrant an investigation into the Baltimore Ravens, I would fully support any attempt to hold them accountable. As much as I believe in forgiveness, I first believe in being held accountable for your actions. Therefore, if the Baltimore Ravens did something wrong, by all means I would support an investigation. By the police.
With all of ESPN’s claims that the Baltimore Ravens did wrong, all they have is spin not evidence. Any conversations that Ravens owner Biscotti had with Roger Goodell about being lenient on Rice can just as easily be written to sound like a father figure looking out for a wayward son. Asking for or even pleading for leniency is not a crime nor is it really anything that can be characterized as “wrong”. Any claims to the contrary are purely at the sake of prolonging a story to increase ratings.
ESPN’s further claims of the Ravens interfering or influencing the trial of Rice fall very close to the line of slander and liable. Reading through the report ESPN twists their words to make it sound like Ravens president Dick Cass colluded with Rice attorney Michael Diamondstein to fool the Atlantic City court system into letting Rice walk away without punishment. The reality is far less scandalous.
Diamondstein did what a lawyer is supposed to do, work out the best possible outcome for his client and in many cases that does include providing testimony from friends and employers that support his client and give witness to his character. That is not an underhanded tactic to undermine the system. That is the system. ESPN is not the authority to which the Ravens are held accountable in this matter. Any violation or improper action taken by the Ravens should be investigated by the police.
Anonymous sources and unsubstantiated claims are not enough to support any wrong doing here. The unfortunate truth for ESPN is that such statements only further the counter argument that this is nothing more than a ratings driven witch hunt. In support of that statement I present the evidence of the other domestic violence cases involving NFL players.
Greg Hardy was found guilty of domestic violence and was in the process of appealing the decision before any disciplinary action was taken by the NFL or the Carolina Panthers. What? Beating up your girlfriend and throwing her down on a bed full of loaded weapons does not warrant punishment from the team or Goodell? No video, no outrage.
What about Ben Roethlisberger’s second accusation of rape? The video evidence in that case was viewed by police than erased before it could be submitted into evidence. So, a six game suspension was reduced to a four game ban and Roethlisberger is still playing today. Also, the Rooney family, the owners of the Steelers, initially claimed they were considering releasing “Big Ben” before ultimately giving him a third chance to turn his life around. No lasting outrage. No criticism for the highly respected Rooney family for not holding themselves their own professed higher standard.
The problem with having an investigative branch is that if they are not investigating something they really are not earning their paychecks, are they? This is nothing more than a grab for ratings. An assigned witch hunt to find someone else to blame so the story can continue. It is almost ironic that ESPN acts surprised that Ravens officials would claim that reading a report was not the same as watching it happen, yet only the story with accompanying video is being scrutinized to this level.
Am I saying that you have to agree with the way the Ravens handled the situation? No, absolutely not. Your opinion is valid regardless and we all have the right to disagree with each other. Does disagreeing mean there is a story to be uncovered and skeletons to be revealed? No, it does not. The biggest misconception in this whole story is that the NFL or the Ravens are responsible for enforcing the laws of this country. Sorry Bristol, they are not. It would be nice to have respectable and reputable organizations but just because they fail to meet your selectively enforced standards does not mean they are subject to your harassment.
ESPN does do some things well. I enjoy their college football coverage. The Monday Night Football broadcasts are pretty good. ESPN provides an excellent national platform for local stories from Boston and New York if you happen to be into that sort of thing. Investigative journalism, however, should be left to the more qualified.
