Let’s not forget, Kobe Bryant lost his huge deal with Gnutella chocolate spread. My consumption of Gnutella jumped from -5.2 grams per week to 0 grams per week after they dropped him.

As soon as Pujols decks a traveling secretary and openly tanks ballgames he’ll get his publicity.

The dude just hasn’t been caught yet. Why is he the only one still putting up steroid-era numbers when power and average are down across the board? When they raised the mound in the 60’s to, let’s say, 1993, who hit with this kind of power and kept an average in the mid-.300’s? 13th round draft pick. He was hardly setting anyone on fire with his perceived natural talent before he made it to the bigs. Greatest hitter of this generation comes out of nowhere or does McGwire give him a few tips on hitting dingers in 2001?

“Sports Journalist” is sort of a broad term. Does that include only sports writers? …or does it also include broadcasters, etc?

I agree with your main premise. The ESPN’s, etc. are, in my mind, are no better than tabloid reporters. I haven’t watched SportsCenter in probably 6 years. I think it’s a joke.

We all know their content is pathetic. However, in their defense – and I think most of us would agree on this – what are you supposed to report on when you’re “Live” 24 hours a day? We all wish we had a “Uncle Walter” type figure in this day and age when it comes to sports reporting but even “The Most Trusted Man in America” only reported to us for an hour a day.

I think all these guys in today’s generation are mostly sleezeballs…BUT…their jobs are much tougher.

That said, here’s a list of guys that I really like…

Sports Writer (Only 1):

Jason Whitlock — this dude I think is really insightful and though provoking.

Broadcasters/Commentators:

Dick Enberg
Al Michaels
Jim Nantz
…and of course…
Marty and Thom

Guys, I’m 60. I have seen a lot of news and sports coverage. IMO there are some real problems in sports “news”. But first of all this talk about Walter Cronkite being the most trusted man in America is really a creation of the media itself. Yea he has grandfathers eyes and a soothing voice but it is my opinion that he is responsible to a great extent for the death of as many as 15,000 soldiers fighting in Vietnam thru his biased and greatly incorrect characterization of their roles. I served 3 tours and he should sit right beside Jane Fonda as a shame and a sham. As far as I am concerned both of them breathed air that could have been of greater use in the lungs of a rabid skunk. I was there, I saw it. I know.

As to real point of the post, I would agree Enbeerg, Michaels, Nantz are strong. Marty and Thom are also very good. The worst, by far, is Jim Rome. He is pompous and arrogant, which I don’t really mind, if you have something to be arrogant and pompous about. Every time I see him I want to reach thru the screen and bitch slap him.

I guess you had to be there to understand the world in the 60’s so I will not try as it would be a fools errand. Vietnam vets and Korean War vets as well were very under appreciated. I am an old white guy and I will tell you now that the finest and most undervalued group of people I know of are young black men, most of whom went straight to the jungle and fought for their country only to come home to not only veteran hatred but racial hatred as well.

I was a college educated man and I did ok. Got a good job, started a business and came thru it all, not really wealthy, most would consider me upper middle class. These young black men didn’t have a chance. When I see the conditions they came back to it shames me as a white man. These young men, boys really, stood up and did a first class job and came back not as first or even second class citizens but even lower. That any of them came thru at all is a credit to them. I accept your appreciation on their behalf. I will just say this. If everyone experienced the reality of war there would never be another one. But almost all of us who did experience it would do it again if necessary. It is the responsibility of everyone to make sure that the culture and country they fight to protect is one worth dying for. To see all of the lives lost and suffering wasted for a cause which doesn’t stand up for the values fought for is the real problem. Our government does not care about us. They only care about our vote and the media is their propaganda whore. One time I would like to see every incumbent politician, Dem or Rep, voted out of office. This would send a message that if the will of the people is not their first and foremost consideration we will send them home and keep looking for someone who will. Of course anyone who even suggests that will be set upon by the media as villans and they will squash them like a bug.

The only real media is talk radio. Why? Because it cannot be edited without us knowing it. When you call and talk to the host you can actually hear your comments over the airwaves. Now this is real dangerous. The people actually voicing their opinion over the airways. The gov can’t allow that to continue so they are now in the process of trying to shut it down. When the voice of the people is silenced and all we hear is what they want us to hear sooner or later we will all think what they want us to think and that will be the end of America as we know it. If you think it can’t happen you are sadly mistaken. It is happening. Right now.

The biggest danger we face in America today is the absence of real journalism. The only thing we know about world and political affairs, both nationally and locally, is what we hear in the media. If they don’t tell us the truth how can we possibly make informed decisions.

Sorry for the diatribe. I just feel passionate about this. It would not be honest to say that it won’t happen again but this is a football site and I will try in the future to speak pigskin only.