Missing the Story

They always say that only two things are certain in life, death and taxes. If I were to go with a similar theme, there are two things that always raise my blood pressure. This is not a good sign considering I'm supposed to make it to the ripe old age of forty-two before I have a massive heart attack. The two things that hasten my demise are Sean Hannity and sports radio.

Sean Hannity is not worth my time to criticize in this particular space, so lets shift the focus to the other part of media I find infinitely exasperating. I never understood the fascination with celebrity gossip. It always seemed shallow and to be completely useless discussion. I used to think this was a particularly female infatuation, then I realized that sports radio fills this gap for the remainder of the population. This particular kind of media is ridiculous for the same reasons that CNN, Fox News and the like are ridiculous. I could sit her and offer you analysis of a daily event until I am blue in the face, but it does not mean I SHOULD. There's simply not enough news for the 24 hour cycle. Actually that may be untrue. There is enough news, but 24 hour networks chose about four stories and BEAT THEM TO DEATH. Sports media (particularly sports radio) is an even worse offender in a similar manner. Cable news networks are guilty of being terrible because they do no properly cover the news of the world in their seemingly endless amount of air time. Sports media is guilty for not even beating to death all the stories in the major sports, let along ALL sports.

When I turned on the radio today, for some foolish reason, I heard the following topics discussed for about two hours:

1. KU vs. Missouri on saturday
2. Nick Saban comparing his team's consecutive loses to the attack on Pearl Harbor and 9-11.
3. NFL football (in some capacity, it all blends together in my head at this point).


Now, I will not for one second profess that Nick Saban unbelievably comparing his team's failures to the act of aggression that provoked the United States involvement in World War II and a horrific terrorist attack on the United States is not the biggest story in sports today. Hell, it might be worth noting on national news. If you don't think his comments were inappropriate and totally out of line, then you take sports WAY to seriously. If that's the case, you should definitely go drink something toxic, beer...or possibly Drano.

The reason I am upset is that everyone still managed to overlook one of the most important stories of the day, nay, MONTH.

Joey Crawford was one of the officials for the Spurs and Hawks game on Tuesday night!

Confused? Let me rehash the events of last spring that make this so compelling.

Sometime in early April as the NBA is closing in on the end of the regular season and the begining of the playoffs, the Spurs and Mavs play their final game of the season against each other. This game was originally billed to be important because leading up to the game their records were close enough that it might be a game for home court advantage in the playoffs. Well, the Mavs got on a little role and the Spurs ended up being too far behind to really compete for home court, however this was still a game in one of the, if not the biggest, rivalries in the NBA.

Somewhere towards the end of the game the calls appeared (at least to TIm Duncan) to be a little frivilous and his displeasure showed through on his face. Joey Crawford, being one of the league's biggest assholes, decided Mr. Duncan was showing him up, so he rang him up for a technical foul. Duncan, the rest of the Spurs and even some of the Mavs seemed a little bit surprised at the T, but Duncan moved himself to the bench and Dallas took the foul shot. On a possession right after Duncan's first technical, another foul is called on the Spurs. Well, Duncan thinks the Spurs are getting hosed, so, while sitting on the bench, he laughs and claps his hands. Catfish (Joey Crawford's nickname, check out his physique it makes sense) decides Duncan is showing him up and gives him a SECOND technical foul. This results in an automatic ejection and Tim Duncan is ejected from a game WHILE SITTING ON THE BENCH.

This whole sequence seemed really out of sorts. Kicking out Tim Duncan from a game for what was essentially trash talking is like saying, "Get that damn mime out of here. He's too loud!"

After the game the whole story really starts to emerge. First of all, as Duncan left the court, it was fairly easy to read Duncan's lips when he said, to Catfish, "You're a piece of shit." This seems out of character for Duncan.

We find out after the game from Duncan as well as Spurs and Mavs players that Mr. Crawford repeatedly asked Duncan if he "wanted to fight." Duncan also says in an interview that Crawford has had it out for him for a long time.

Now I realize to the less devoted fans of the league it's hard to understand this, but if you follow the league, you KNOW who Joey Crawford is. He's an asshole, and he has been accused repeatedly of trying to make himself the focus of a game.

As a result of the incident, Crawford (one of the longest serving NBA refs) is removed from the league, no more regular season games and no more playoff games. He applied for and was granted reinstatement over the summer.

I suppose this leads me to my summary. Since Crawford worked the Spurs game tonight (which I believe was his first one this season) how was this NOT a story?

The real answer is that sports media, like celebrity media, is directed specifically for stupid people. Alright everyone, get you bag of popcorn and sit on the couch. I'm sure your afternoon will go something like this:

"AWESOME! That guy just got his leg ripped off. Stupid running back! Hahahahaha!" jumping up and down on the couch.

"Shhhhh. I'm trying to read about Brad Pitt's new romance!" giggles. Wets self.


-Dusty