Shooting from the Lip/Monday edition

Looking back at a weekend of televised sports ...

Biggest local story
In a twisted sort of way, the Dan Sileo controversy might have been the best thing that could have happened to bay area sports-talk radio.

If you missed it, Sileo went on his WDAE-AM 620 morning show Thursday and said he had a friend who claimed the Bucs’ owners were in financial trouble because of dealings with imprisoned Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff and were desperate to sell the team. The Glazers responded by saying it wasn't true. WDAE suspended Sileo and ran a retraction of the story on its Web site, saying the story was "factually incorrect.''

Perhaps this will be a cautionary tale for sports-talk radio hosts, reminding them that their words are not spoken in a vacuum. People are listening, and if you make claims as facts, you better be right.
This isn't meant to wag a holier-than-thou finger at talk radio. All media outlets need to be held to the same journalistic standards. But if radio hosts are going to assume the role of news-breaker, as Sileo did, then the news must be accurate.

Here's the problem: Hosts often feel the need to be outrageous with their opinions and often speak without a filter. Their opinions often dictate the success of their show, and many hosts carry it too far, thinking the more uncensored their words, the better the show is. They push the envelope to make a name for themselves. They want the guy in the diner or barbershop to say, "Hey, did you hear what so-and-so said today on his show?''

It's not a case of speaking first and dealing with the consequences later. It's speaking first and not even considering the consequences. That's what happened last week. There's a difference between saying, "I think the Glazers are cheap, and I wonder about their finances'' and what Sileo claimed.

Perhaps now all talk-show hosts in town will think about Sileo the next time they're about to open their mouths and say something controversial or that they claim is fact. And if more people are thinking before speaking, that's good, isn't it?

Biggest decision
Dan Sileo remains suspended indefinitely while Clear Channel Communications, which owns WDAE, figures out its next step. Complicating this case is that WDAE is the flagship station of the Bucs. You wonder how much that will play into the decision about whether Sileo keeps his job. If WDAE is afraid of losing the Bucs contract, it might feel the need to fire Sileo. And it was interesting just how quickly WDAE distanced itself from Sileo, suspending him and retracting the story just hours after Sileo was on the air.

Best feature
ESPN's Outside the Lines had a chilling piece Sunday on Raiders coach Tom Cable. A former wife and a former girlfriend said Cable was physically abusive to them. Raiders assistant coach Randy Hanson had accused Cable of breaking his jaw during an altercation in August, but the Napa County (Calif.) district attorney said he would not pursue charges, saying the facts didn't merit them. Another one of Cable's former wives said she was never a victim of violence by Cable. After the report, Cable admitted once slapping his ex-wife but denied hitting his former girlfriend. Give OTL credit for tracking down these women and getting them on the air. The report again shows that OTL remains the gold standard of sports investigative journalism.

Most disappointing interview
All last week, Fox drummed up excitement for Terry Bradshaw's interview with Brett Favre on Fox NFL Sunday. The interview turned out to be a whole lot of sizzle and no steak. There were no revelations and no tough questions, and more frustrating than anything, viewers heard more from Bradshaw, who too often interrupted Favre, than they did from Favre. It could've been one of the most interesting interviews of the year — Fox advertised it as so — but Bradshaw dropped the ball.

Worst graphic
Do we really need a graphics box taking up space to tell World Series viewers where the Series stands? For example, Saturday night it read, "Series tied 1-1.'' On Sunday, it read, "NY leads 2-1''’ Put the graphic up along with the score coming in and out of commercial break, but we don't need something else crowding the screen during the game.

Most disappointing pregame
Fox's game coverage of the World Series is outstanding, but am I the only one disappointed by the yawn-inducing pregame show? This is the World Series, for crying out loud. But the pregame show doesn't have a special feel. Host Chris Rose seems more interested in cracking lame playful jokes at the expense of the analysts. Eric Karros gives some decent analysis, and Mark Grace and Ozzie Guillen have had a few moments, but it's mostly scratch-the-surface, obvious stuff. There's little depth, no must-see features, and at times it has the feel that they're just winging it.

Saturday night's Game 3 broadcast turned into a fiasco because of a long rain delay that it seemed Fox wasn't prepared for. The panel bumbled its way through shallow chatter, and there were a couple of interviews about the weather, but then Fox ran out of content and was reduced to showing a replay of the ninth inning of Game 2. When that didn't fill the time, Fox put on an episode of The Cleveland Show.

Are you kidding? Fox had two full days before the Series started knowing the Yankees were going to play the Phillies. It knew for nearly a week that the Phillies were going to be in the World Series. And it can't put together enough content to fill time during a rain delay?

Best idea
Not everyone is a fan of Don Cherry's "Coaches Corner'' during the first intermission of Hockey Night in Canada, but whether you like the acerbic analyst or not, you can't help but respect his occasional feature when he shows a photo of a Canadian solider killed in Afghanistan as he emotionally speaks about them. Watching it this past Saturday, I wondered why we don't see American sports broadcasts do more to honor the troops.

Then, Fox announced Sunday that next week, the Fox NFL Sunday pregame show will have a two-hour special live from an undisclosed military installation in Afghanistan.

"Our men and women in the military put themselves in harm's way to protect everything we hold dear, and none more so than those who are stationed in the Middle East,'' said FOX Sports Chairman David Hill. "It is our privilege and honor to take Fox NFL Sunday to them in November, right before Veteran's Day. Amidst the fun and football, it's our hope to showcase the dedication of these men and women who have to defend against a lot more than the Wild Cat.''

This is a tremendous gesture by Fox. Way to go.

Strongest comment
On ESPN's Sports Reporters on Sunday, Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan took a sledgehammer to the Cardinals and manager Tony LaRussa for hiring Mark McGwire as hitting coach. With McGwire's murky past regarding steroids and his infamous "I'm not here to talk about the past'' testimony to Congress, Ryan is shocked that he would be welcomed back by the Cardinals and commissioner Bud Selig, who said he was "delighted'' by McGwire's return to baseball.

"It's sad to see this great manager in denial,'' Ryan said, "but it's worse to have the commissioner say, 'Everything is okay with this guy.' It's not okay. Mark McGwire has no business being in a Major League Baseball uniform.''

Three things that popped into my head
1. No disrespect to the Gators, but Florida's easy victory over Georgia said more about Georgia than it did about the Gators.
2. How do you think Indians fans feel watching the World Series and seeing former Indians CC Sabathia pitching for the Yankees and Cliff Lee pitching for the Phillies while they’re licking their wounds from a 97-loss season?
3. Funniest quote of the weekend goes to ESPN's John Saunders, talking about Cavs center Shaquille O’Neal, right: "If fans or manage­ment are expecting 20 (points) and 10 (rebounds), they better count on getting change.''

Comments

[War is not Sport]

What does the military have to do with sports? Why should sports broadcasts honor the troops? In truth, the military does not protect everything I hold dear, other than perhaps cheap petrol for my vehicle. The best way to support our troops would be to bring them back home.

[Julie]

If Mcgwire has no business being in mlb than all the rest of the cheaters need to go also, including the couple about to win the World Series. I bet you could not field 6 teams of clean players.

[rriddler]

No mention regarding how your employeer, The SPTimes, was quick to run the lies being told by Dan Sileo.

He is just a stupid jock, but the SPTimes is supposed to be an actual journalistic enterprise.

[Proud former Navy sailor]

I had no intention of commenting but when I saw the first post, I had no choice. The military protects EVERYTHING that you hold dear. We could be speaking German right now if not for the military. You may not agree with our leaders (past or present), but the military deserves respect. If you have ever traveled to other countries and see what turmoil they are in then you would be thankful that we have the strongest military in the world. It in fact gives you the right to post such a ridiculous post.

[Adam]

Dan Sileo played football? He looks like he should be installing cable!

Personally, I don't believe Sileo did it. How did he have time to talk between all the commercials, traffic reports, sports attacks, and Gator minutes that plague his morning show? How much does he actually get to talk in a radio hour? 10, 12 minutes tops?

[Josh]

Go back to Europe "war is not a sport" if "petrol" is all you think the US service men are good for then take the slow boat back. You have no CLUE!!

[GatorSphere]

rridler, you took the words right off of my keyboard. The St. Tampasburg Times and WTSP-TV ran with the Sileo story as if it were gospel. Hiding behind Sileo and letting him take the blame and fall is cowardess but I have come to expect that from the Times. It's like using the word "alleged". Just have the stones to say who is alleging what and the problem is cleared up.

Tom, maybe, just maybe the Gators had something to do with how bad Georgia looked. I don't know, maybe it was the talent on the field, the coaching, a combination of both.

It seems to me all your Two Cents column is is fodder for the local talk show hacks to fill their time on the air. Perhaps you should join one of the many shows because you clearly don't have the skills to write a good column for a newspaper. My God do I miss Hubert Mizell. Now THERE was a man who could express an opinion based on fact and have it make sense, all the while being a gentleman.

[Bucfan5058]

'War is not a sport', you are an ignorant coward. It seems you are making these coments out of spite. Perhaps you're associating our military personel with the jocks that beat you up in high school. Or maybe you just resent them for their bravery and their willingness to go into harms way. A cold and timid soul such as yourself could never hope to walk a mile in their shoes. You're a pathetic excuse for a man and human being. You are a prime example of the pussification of America!

[intellegent sports fan]

Loss of that "jug head" Sileo is no loss at all to the local area. Just tries to inflame and antigonize to boost his ratings instead of being thoughtful. Clearly never does his homework in preparation of his show. What kind of mature man uses the term "chicks" in reference to woman ten times a day? Despite enjoying local Tampa bay area sports....his show usually makes me change channels on the radio in the morning.

[John]

I agree with the intelligent sports fan..Sileo was awful to begin with. No class, no knowledge. Lets talk about who should be replacing him. If 620 was smart, they would go after Tom Krazniky who got let go from 1010

[joe hillman]

>>>Lets talk about who should be replacing him. <<<

Justin Pawlowski.

[Ray]

Tom Krazniky. Are you kidding? He was a one month fill in who used to do updates until 1010 could find another time buy show. He was possibly the worst part or full time show of all time. Wait , 1010 now has the Flip and Bill midday show. Now that is the new worst show of all time. If WDAE was smart they'd hire the afternoon guy from 1040. Marc Bendnarzyk would be the correct answer. They would be adding a guy better than anything they have and take away the only other sports talk talent in our area. losing Sileo could end up being addition by subtraction.

[Phil R.]

I stopped listening to Sileo years ago and I'm a University of Miami fan. I think that says a lot. Marc B. is by far the best radio host in the Bay area. I hope he stays at his current station ESPN 1040 because they have the least commercials of the all the sportstalk stations.

[Tri Gator]

Marc Bendnarzyk is a moron and the absolute worst sports radio host ever. just becuase he agrees with every one of his callers doesn't make him any good. At least Sileo doesn't live in the past...that's all Marc B talks about

Derek Sharp and Justin Pawlowski would do just fine in the morning at 620.

[Marc's mother]

Gee "Ray"! Considering you're the only person on earth that would give a ringing endorsement for Marc Bendnarzyk, you'd think you were related to him. OR perhaps Marc himself disguising as another name!? Not that Marc would ever do something like that...

[Cory]

Oh happy day! For YEARS we, the bay area have had to deal with this Northeastern biases, and hear him shoot his mouth off and talk about his time with the Bucs, all 6 games of it. The guy was a dime a dozen. He did nothing but make the New Yorkers, Bostonians, and Philadelphians feel more at home. I hope we NEVER hear from Dan Sileo again. He can go do a public access show called "I love Miami and the Yankees." I hope I never hear that guys terrible take on anything to do with Tampa Bay sports ever again!

[Jerry]

Fox's Sunday night broadcast of the Series was brutal in the early innings because Joe Buck (I'm sure he was directed to do so--at least I hope he was)started going into NFL scores and conversation RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREKIN' INNING, DURING PLAY! Why can't they just stay in the moment, forget their gratuitous self-promotions of shows and other stuff and get deeper into the game.

[The Truth]

Sileo is an idiot. Has been one for a long time. Gets paid for spewing nonsensical, incomprehensible garbage. Talks first and thinks, well, never. Among his many buffoonish qualities is his penchant for going after the white athlete, AS A RACE, especially in basketball, while keeping his nose buried up the backside of the black or Hispanic athlete (e.g. hilariously mocking white second string college basketball players coming onto the court; "the black and Hispanic all star baseball team would kill the white all star baseball team!"; just to name a few). I stoped listening to that clown a LONG time ago. As for broadcasters in general, what's up with "dialing up." If I hear that one more screen, or one more blitz, or one more long pass, has been "dialed up," I think I'll go Elvis on the t.v. Hey, Jesse Palmer, ESPN crews, and Monday Night Football announcers, here's an idea: dial up a thesaurus! Dial that up.

[The MLB's A Joke]

If McGwire is back in baseball, how is Pete Rose not in the Hall of Fame? I mean, the whole gambling thing is "the past," right? So, a dude can be banned for life for gambling, but basically lying to the UNITED STATES CONGRESS is no biggie? Un-frigging-believable. He arrogantly thumbed his nose at America, Congress, MLB, sportsmanship, and fair play, and HE CHEATED, and HE LIED ABOUT CHEATING, and MBL is "delighted" to have him back?

[brendan o leary]

I have one word the for the Ozzie Guillen experiment on the Fox Network, a Diseaster!!!!

This guy is terrible

[Greg]

That is the most smug picture of anyone I have ever seen. Did someone think it was a good picture of Sileo? He looks absolutely ridiculous!