ESPN is Classless Again

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com, AndyDisco on Twitter

Remember last year when non-ESPN sports media were reporting a likely far-fetched (and later dropped) civil suit rape allegation against Ben Roethlisberger? It just seemed fishy from the beginning and ESPN decided not to run the story because they didn't want to injure their relationship with the megastar Roethlisberger. Well, that wasn't their official reason. They said it was because it was a civil suit and not a criminal suit. After much scrutiny and allegations of putting PR with athletes ahead of journalism, ESPN decided to finally relent and report on the civil suit.

Now ESPN is going way out of their way to report on former ESPN talking head, and current talking head at their rival NFL Network, Michael Irvin's civil suit for rape allegation. It's the same exact suit as filed against Roethlisberger, and in the eyes of many sports fans, a non-story. Michael Irvin is a personality that sports fans tolerate, but no one embraces. A hall of fame player to be sure, but not someone a single sports fan cares about now. But for some reason ESPN has taken it upon themselves to mention Irvin's allegation on it's scrolling ticker at the bottom of the screen and even during it's brief "What's happening now" cutaways between commercials.

Do you think ESPN would do this if Irvin were still on their channel?






That's how I roll.