Comments on: Last word on ESPN's civil lawsuit policy

By: tom coughlin's coat holder

tom coughlin's coat holder — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:56:01 +0000

in the afternoon i like to watch pardon the interuption. when dan lebatard fills in for the other asshole kornholio,i have to turn it off,lebatard is the biggest douche to walk this earth.he’s so overboard on being politically correct,it leaves me with a gag reflex.
attn:vox,i concede the cowboys are the most followed team in the u.s. of a ..

By: texasPHINSfan

texasPHINSfan — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:19:48 +0000

ESPN has always sucked. selective reporting, heavy bias…. i’m not surprised about this lastest deal. They’re the self-proclaimed “leader” in sports. No one outside of Bristol actually thinks that.

By: mborz

mborz — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:52:59 +0000

I’m sorry Mike, but I think you went overboard with the ESPN angle. I can’t help but picturing it this way:
1. You (rightfully) get credited with breaking a huge story.
2. You can’t wait to see how ESPN breaks the story, since they’ve been known to not properly credit story-breakers in the past. If they do it this time, you’ve got ‘em! And if they do properly credit you, it’s huge cred points! Either way, you’re set.
3. You wait and wait. And wait longer. Sigh. By not running the story, ESPN robs you of your huge “payday”.
4. Your emotions lead you on somewhat of an “inadvertent crusade”, going on and on about ESPN far more than you probably should have.
At this point, I’m not sure which is worse, ESPN’s decision not to run the story, or your non-stop covering of their decision.
It’s not that I disagree with your view about it. But I think you would have come off better had you waited for the next series instead of throwing a fit on the sidelines.

By: ZombieRevolution

ZombieRevolution — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:42:59 +0000

“We really don’t want our coverage…become an exercise in the bashing of ESPN. …we don’t generally believe that the network is evil or corrupt or otherwise nasty.”
Why hide behind the “We” Florio, everyone knows in this case it’s shoulbd be “I” How many inches did your nose grow when you wrote this piece?

By: Phyxsius

Phyxsius — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:29:36 +0000

Dan Patrick is saying on his radio show that ESPN just picks and chooses which civil lawsuits they want to publicize.

By: TheDPR

TheDPR — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:23:27 +0000

“quarterback, who also happens to play for the team with the most loyal and rabid fan base in America.”
I have to correct you here, Mike. Ben doesn’t play for the Eagles.

By: schiver

schiver — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:06:22 +0000

The link above goes to a different story. I went to ESPN’s home page and there is still no report of the story. Incredible.

By: LeeB

LeeB — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:44:11 +0000

Steeler fans have no objectivity in this story whatsoever and should refrain from cluttering the conversetion with their post and hype that their guy could not have possibly done it.
The fact is that he may be innocent or guilty but they can’t handle the latter. I just hate to hear only one side of the argument.
And Lebatard is a mysogynist pretending he loves women. I quit listening to him a long time ago. If ESPN doesn’t get on board soon, at least to say there is a story out there without having an opinion on it. I am about to remove them from my favorite bookmark.
BTW: You folks need to read on rape and the complexities of it. Some women keep a rape bottled up inside for years without uttering a word. No cops, no doctors, nothing. It doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It is truly a horrible thing to happen. It’s not sex, it’s not lovemaking. It is a vile violent act and a crime. Steeler fans need to deal with the possibility their guy made a terrible mistake.

By: Emmet50

Emmet50 — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:38:49 +0000

Its pretty funny that ESPN thinks that Steeler fans will stop watching because they report the facts about their quarterback. If there truly are many fans like that, i’d be shocked. Also, do fans really care if don’t hear Roethlisberger trot out tired old cliches every single interview? Most athletes are incredibly dull and Big Ben is no different. Espn is being too paranoid

By: lifelong

lifelong — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:42:25 +0000

I think it’s a bit hypocritical to criticize ESPN for failing to report something that is clearly newsworthy because of some non-existent, nebulous policy while at the same time bashing Florio for reporting the clearly newsworthy fact that ESPN (the largest sports media company ever) is trying to cover up this story.

By: thedude

thedude — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:32:03 +0000

if it was a Bengal player that was involved in this, you can guarantee it would have been reported.

By: Just JTO

Just JTO — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:04:42 +0000

ESPN can’t do anything bad against Big Ben. After all, he saved their employees from a fire at the Bristol office, remember?

By: ncoolong

ncoolong — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:01:56 +0000

As a Steelers fan and a sports writer, this story has me oddly/sadly/justifiably capitvated. It’s an immensely rich subject for the new Ombudsman, and I’m very interested in his response.
More of the issue as far as PFT is concerned is the constant ESPN bashing (despite your thinly stated desire to not do that). I do not see at all why a civil trial for something like this is not newsworthy and I don’t agree with ESPN’s allegedly stated stance to not report it.
As the leading media outlet covering the story, why would you care at all that ESPN isn’t covering it? It seems to me your constant reminders to your audience that ESPN isn’t covering the biggest story of the off-season hurts your well-earned credibility. Cover the story, enjoy breaking news over an outlet that has one million reporters, just don’t act as if we want to sit and discuss why ESPN wants to hurt its own reputation even more.
As a side note, it seems the perfect time for Brett Favre to announce he’s playing for the Vikings.
p.s. Steeler Nation is far bigger than any reaches of Green Bay, “PackNCheese.” Just accept it.

By: Poo Flinging Monkey

Poo Flinging Monkey — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 04:16:04 +0000

According to Google Trends, Ben Roethlisberger and Erin Andrews account for four of the top 20 most searched terms. Not newsworthy? They’ve abandoned the most basic tenets of journalism.
Their responsibility is to report the (sports related) news, and they’re not doing it.

By: darth_vincent

darth_vincent — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:22:51 +0000

listening to ESPN Radio out of Green Bay (wduz)… the top of the hour news from ABC mentioned this civil suit several times earlier today… Just how lame are you when your organization won’t report a story, but every newsbreak on your radio stations across the country does…

By: PSU COWBOY

PSU COWBOY — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:58:00 +0000

Thanks Florio!
I am done with the hacks over at ESPN. Journalistic integrity is damned over there…
keep up the good work!

By: Curzon417

Curzon417 — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:44:15 +0000

Pot (pft) meet kettle (espn). both are baised and have their own agenda. Anyone reading this site or who watches esp of n knows this.
All we as readers or watchers can do is keep an open mind and sift through the agenda each provides.

By: dlcreed44

dlcreed44 — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:38:44 +0000

Worst Day in ESPN history

By: phillyburdzfan

phillyburdzfan — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:02:12 +0000

“the team with the most loyal and rabid fan base in America.”
Is this confirmation to the longtime readers that you “are who we thought you were?”

By: INVAIDUH

INVAIDUH — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:54:12 +0000

10 yrs ago.. ESPN? Sure. Now? Meh.
I can’t remember the last time I watched the
morning loop.
It’s the MTV of sports. It just sux now.
And in other news…
How don’t you loafs know that “Fantasy Football”
is a cruel joke….On… Umm..You.
Use the stats for football discussions with power
points.
Not Dungeons & Football….
Have your mom slide a pizza under the door and
come to your senses.

By: Darth Ringo

Darth Ringo — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:50:13 +0000

“However, we do believe that the network is way too large for its own good…”
… So says the website that recently merged with NBC-Microsoft-General Motors…
I have no problem with PFT giving ESPN a black eye, but don’t pretend to be some maverick outsider anymore. The Fox News bashing gives it away, if nothing else..

By: PatsRPerfection

PatsRPerfection — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:44:48 +0000

Don’t want this to become an “exercise in the bashing of ESPN”??? Why not?? I love bashing ESPN and John Tomase that fraud.
I’ll reiterate, I love that there’s this website, the NFL network, Versus, and every other sports outlet out there that’s NOT ESPN.
ESPN can be like a girl you dumped, after you embarrass her she talks to anyone who will listen and bashes you every chance she gets.
The “World-wide leader” is tabloid garbage, that pushes its own agenda every chance it gets.
Florio if you want to bash ESPN, I say please continue, I’m loving it, and what to contribute anyway I can.
Screw ESPN and John Tomase.

By: Rob0729

Rob0729 — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:43:33 +0000

God bless ESPN! They have no problem publishing a story by Mike Fish that states that Matt Walsh has incredibly damaging evidence against the Patriots eventhough Walsh refused to tell Fish what the evidence was or provided proof that the evidence even existed. But now their strategic partner is in hot water and they are treading lightly.
I do say God bless ESPN because they are exposing themselves as the frauds they are.

By: Ralph Gre Nader

Ralph Gre Nader — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:31:08 +0000

Jason Whitlock, Dan LeBetard, and Bob Ley…..
The most credible minds to ever come out of the ESPN revolution….
The whole network is becoming Hack infested

By: ashylarry

ashylarry — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:28:01 +0000

You mean like reporting civil suits is not important. I mean didn’t this same site mention all of Plax Burress civil suits in order to portray him as this out of control loon for the majority group?

By: MagicDawg

MagicDawg — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:27:02 +0000

ESPN is really missing the boat on this one . They are really screwing the pooch .
Doesn’t surprise me though . Florio has made me more aware than Trey Bingo and the rest of the set of NFL Live . Shame on them !!!!!

By: VoxVeritas

VoxVeritas — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:26:56 +0000

“I didn’t realize Roethlisberger played for the Green Bay Packers, the city owned team that has sold out their tickets year after year and has a stadium that John Madden calls the National Cathedrol of stadiums. The same team that has over 70,000 people on the season ticket waiting list.”
#1 – the city of Green Bay does not own the Green Bay Packers. Packers stockholders do.
#2 – Who cares what John Madden thinks?
#3 – What else is there do in the fall and winter in Green Bay? Go icefishing, eat at BertFarve’s steakhouse, kill and rape and eat (in that order) neighborhood kids, go watch the Packers lose.

By: Jay

Jay — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:26:06 +0000

ESPN has always cherry pick what to report. Take the Patriots and the Rams walk through video. Ends up being a complete fabrication but they were all over it. All because they didnt like Belicheck.
Thank you PFT for calling them out!!

By: TFBuckFutter

TFBuckFutter — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:23:04 +0000

Can someone explain why they think NOT reporting the story is, in any way, beneficial to them?
It’s not like people aren’t going to find out about it (especially when the story hits CNN)…..so they just look inept and/or corrupt when they turn a blind-eye to a story with legs. Eventually they have to tuck their tail between their legs, and mention it (particularly if the thing turns out to be true)…..of course, they can always take their usual path, three months from now, of “Our own John Clayton has found out that Ben Roethlisberger raped a bitch” when all is said and done.

By: slammers

slammers — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:22:07 +0000

I think whats interesting is that Colin Cowherd referenced Florio and ProFootballTalk.com today with another story.
I thought it was odd when he kept plugging the website today. He did it at least 3 times. I wonder if that was his way of back dooring the Roethlisberger story since he wasn’t allow to report on it during his show.