The Media Circus

As has been well documented on these very pages, the mainstream sports media has established a proverbial Berlin Wall around select adjectives used to describe a certain type of athlete.  Quite simply, when it came to discretionary use of the words “scrappy” and “motor” it was reserved only for players who met certain specific criteria. 

You had to be white.

Sure, it’s a bit archaic and likely unintentional, but our exhaustive research has shown that black, asian or latino players don’t get labeled “scrappy” even if they share the same primary characteristics of their white counterparts and black defensive lineman rarely are determined to have “high motors”. 

But 2009 has seen that Berlin Wall of the Scrappy Motor begin to show some serious cracks in its foundation and it has one school to thank—Mizzou. Leading the charge is Mizzou basketball forward DeMarre Carroll who has become a pioneer in showing that tall, non-white, non-middle infielders can also be viewed as scrappy by the media.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s Kathleen Nelson boldly ignored industry tradition and compared Carroll to the scrappy, undersized thoroughbred legend, Seabiscuit in a February column. 

Nelson wasn’t the only one challenging the conventional use of the word as websites such as DraftExpress.com have called on the adjective to describe Carroll aka The Junkyard Dog’s presence on the court. 

Meanwhile, at the Mizzou Rivals site—PowerMizzou.com—subscribers looking to check out the 2009 football recruiting class will stumble across another trailblazer in incoming freshman d-lineman, Ty Phillips

That’s right, people.  Coaches are high on Phillips because of his “unceasing motor”. 

While they may stand alone as of now, the Missouri Tigers athletic department and the media that follow them are continuing to work towards a world where players of all shapes, sizes, colors and positions have free use of the words “scrappy” and “motor” whenever they apply. 

And for that, we are all thankful. ###MORE###

Crap that actually came from somebody’s mouth

“Perhaps the biggest knock on (Albert) Haynesworth, the Titans’ first round pick from Tennessee in 2002, questions the consistency of his motor.” – Jarrett Bell, USA Today

Maybe we’re not making as much progress as we thought.

“He looks like he’s had a couple of AMPS. He is amped up.” - Daryl Waltrip, during the Amp “Amped Up” segment

Those of you who watch NASCAR on Fox know that Waltrip is always amped up regardless of his Amp consumption or whether it’s Amp’s “Amped Up’ segment (sponsored by AMP).
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“There’s no need to talk to a reporter these days. I am my own newspaper. I am my own editor. I am my own censor. I am able to put things into the proper context. I am able to control the content and I am educated enough to accurately express myself. I am able to distinguish to people in a unique fashion that football is just something that I do. Football is not Maurice Clarett.” - Maurice Clarett, blogging from his prison cell

Hey, we’re all for people turning their lives around, but there’s something about Clarett’s epiphany that leaves us skeptical at best. 1) He’s not actually writing the words, he’s talking over the phone to friends/family who then transcribe onto a blog and 2) it’s Maurice Clarett.

“I’ve learned that you don’t do a seven-year contract with a player that’s 33.  You do it when he’s 27.  That’s the big difference.” – Daniel Snyder, on signing 27-year old Albert Haynesworth

And Redskins fans, you can be proud that it only took him since 1999 to learn that.  

Lou Piniella vs. Steve Phillips: the Tale of the Tape

The crotchety spark-plug leader of the Cubs and one of ESPN’s least credible analysts have established a side feud the likes of which we haven’t seen since...well, since the last time a baseball manager disagreed with an ESPN talking head (in other words, a couple of hours or days).

Phillips does not approve of the way Piniella handled Kosuke Fukudome during the 2008 season.

“My view is Lou doesn’t have a great deal of patience for assimilation into culture, assimilation into the team. He is just not the most patient guy around, and he tends to verbalize his frustrations in an angry way. I think that may have affected Fukudome a little bit.”

Gotta love how Phillips, a man who rarely travels into a locker room and maintains his perch most often at the Bristol studios can comment on Piniella’s personality and in more detail, discuss Lou’s lack of patience and understanding for culture with foreign players.

Aside from that, if Fukudome can’t handle an angry manager, he should give up his $50 million and head back to Japan.

Naturally, Lou Piniella responded in Lou Piniella fashion.

“I don’t have much respect for Steve Phillips. Let him be around a little more and see what transpires before he makes assumptions. I’ve lost total respect for this guy. If he had something to say, let him say it to me.”

Hard to blame Piniella for his feelings on the matter. That being said, we decided to let these two duke it out in the confines of the Media Circus. Rather than document some of their finest and worst moments in baseball, we wanted to let you decide the winner of this epic challenge.

We will do so by posting the following pics. It’s already a tossup in our minds with Lou’s highlighted hair and Steve Phillips acting like a real general manager on SportsCenter three years ago. You be the judge.

Hmm, tough call. We may have to resort back to our longstanding decision-maker and award the man who gave Roger Cedeno millions as the epic loser of this epic challenge.

Bob Carpenter Memorial Snappy Line

Over the years, the Bobber has become a huge college basketball fan. Aside from the fact he’s had the pleasure of calling college games on ESPN and other mainstream stations over the years, Bobby revels in the fact that most other college announcers love them some snap.

While they may be far away in network miles, people like the Carpster and CBS’ Ian Eagle share a common bond. That bond was on display Sunday at Allen Fieldhouse when the clock hit zero on a Kansas beating of Missouri:

“Rock-Chalk Blowout!”

It’s real simple, people. Rate it PG, give it some snap and voila! You’ve entered into the hallowed halls of Robert C.

The Media Circus is written by Josh Bacott and Patrick Imig. They swear this stuff is real. Email them at [e-mail].