Tiger Woods Saga: Bob Costas and Rick Reilly, What in the World?

There have been some things said by the “superstars” of sports journalism (e.g., Bob Costas and Rick Reilly) during the coverage of this Tiger Woods saga (i.e., the never-ending saga of who Tiger slept with and when is he coming back to play golf) that has just been nothing short of mind-boggling and basically hilarious.  

I mean some of the comments that have been made during these approximately three and half months since Tiger’s feeble attempt at driving (i.e., at approximately 2:30 AM the morning after Thanksgiving Day 2009) are stuff that just makes you shake your head and wonder how these people in the sports media business got their jobs and then how they have somehow retained them.

This saga and the performance by some of the members of the sports media has made me begin to think that unlike most other professional paying jobs, intelligence and a person’s ability to think rational thoughts is not a criteria for getting hired in sports media or a criteria for retaining that job.

For example, let’s go back to the coverage of the accident the day after Thanksgiving Day, 2009.  I just happened to turn on CNN and caught some of their “breaking news” coverage of Tiger’s accident.

During CNN’s coverage they decided to have a phone call with Bob Costas.  I am not sure why Bob was chosen, since he only remotely covers golf on NBC (i.e., he does the lead in set-ups), but some crack producer at CNN decided he was the chosen one to talk to on this matter. 

To be fair, maybe he was the only one available that Friday afternoon after a holiday?  Or, maybe it was a difficult chose between Bob Costas, Ozzy Osbourne, or Charles Manson!

I guess they debated it and then had to think, "I guess we will have to go with Bob."

Regardless of why they chose to talk to Bob Costas, some anchor on CNN asks Bob if we should read anything into the fact that Tiger’s car accident took place at 2:30 AM the night of a holiday and that it happened just approximately 100 feet from Tiger’s house. 

Bob’s response was that, no, we should not read into it and that these types of accidents can happen. 

These types of accidents can happen?  Really Bob? 

Bob, is that really what you were thinking?  

I would think most people thought Tiger’s accident was a very strange event, but not old Bob “I want to look 30 years old forever” Costas.  He wasn’t the least bit concerned or thought anything happened out of the ordinary. 

To be fair, maybe in Bob Costas’ world, people, on a regular basis, get into accidents at 2:30 in the morning, Thanksgiving night no less, just about 100 feet from their homes (hitting curbs, hitting a fire hydrant, and hitting a tree head-on), while attempting to drive away from their homes! 

Bob Costas’ world must be filled with some crazy stuff for him to think that Tiger’s accident was nothing to be concerned about and is, as a take away from his comments, basically a common occurrence!

I seriously hope someone at NBC was listening to Bob Costas’ comments and, hopefully, are checking into what is going on in Bob’s life.  Based on Bob’s comments, his life must be filled with total chaos!

I will tell you this: I am currently attempting to get a list of the names of Bob Costas’ friends/family members to make sure I am never in a car any of them are driving! 

On a serious note, Bob Costas’ performance that Friday afternoon last November was nothing less than laughable and showed either he basically doesn’t have the ability to think, or he was playing it safe and his intent was to protect the golden calf, Tiger Woods.

At the very least, even if Bob didn’t want to speculate on what could have caused the accident, he could have admitted that Tiger’s accident was peculiar and could cause a person to think something unusual happened that night. 

But I guess Bob didn’t want to be a true journalist and offer his thoughts about a strange event.  Instead, he would rather keep playing it safe, say nothing controversial, and continue his great career of reading from a teleprompter prepared statements by the staff at NBC.   

What a career Bob has had, huh?  Reading statements from a teleprompter that someone else probably always writes.  That must be gratifying, huh?

Would Howard Cosell, if he were alive and was asked about Tiger’s accident, said what Bob Costas said?  I don’t think so.  I think he would have said what most people with any common sense were thinking, which is that either some argument happened between Tiger and his wife to cause the accident, or that Tiger must have been inebriated. 

Okay, enough on Bob “I got nothing to say of any relevance, but you must admit that I still look 30 years old if the lighting is just right” Costas. 

Let’s now move on to Rick “It gave me chills” Reilly, of Sports Illustrated and ESPN fame. 

In February 2010, as almost every living person on the planet is aware of, Tiger Woods gave a 13-and-a-half minute apology speech (eh, PR motivated speech) on TV. 

After Tiger Woods was done with his “exciting and moving” speech, ESPN offered some time for people to express both thoughts/reactions on Tiger’s speech. 

One of the people ESPN chose to allow to offer thoughts was Rick Reilly.  During his statement on Tiger’s speech he claimed that it gave him chills. 

That’s right folks, chills!  You didn’t misread what you just read. 

Rick Reilly thought Tiger’s speech was so moving that it gave him chills!

Risk Reilly actually admitted on live TV that he got chills from what most honest or sane people thought was a 13-and-a-half minute snooze-fest!

I mean, come on. Tiger’s speech was not something that should have moved anyone to the level of getting chills! 

Rick, really? You actually got chills from listening to that monotone delivered, PR motivated, nonsense? 

Wow, it doesn’t take much to move Rick Reilly, does it? 

I hate to see how Rick reacts to something that is truly moving.  He must just completely fall apart and become a sobbing fool!

If Rick was being 100 percent honest and he actually got chills from that speech, then someone at ESPN should be seriously saying, “Houston, we have a problem!”

If true, I am seriously concerned about Rick Reilly’s current mental state.  In my opinion, I feel he is on really shaky ground!

Again, if true, I just hope a family member has taken steps to intervene and has attempted to get Rick Reilly some badly needed professional psychiatric help!

On a serious note, Rick Reilly came across in February as a total Tiger Woods’ suck-up.  I guess he desperately wants to be the one to whom Tiger grants his first interview. 

Everyone who has any journalistic integrity should be stating that Tiger’s statement was totally a PR move and nothing else. 

But, I guess Rick would rather say nice things about Tiger since ESPN is covering the first and second rounds of the Masters for the first time this year, and all they care about is that Tiger is playing in that event. 

Wouldn’t want to say anything that would be remotely honest about Tiger’s motives, would we?  We must protect the golden calf, right?

Anyone that is being totally honest and has any ability to think knows Tiger did that speech to try to start to rebuild his image. 

Well, Rick “I tear up sitting through insurance seminars” Reilly, I wish you well on getting that interview with Tiger. 

I just hope if Rick Reilly does get to interview Tiger, there is a lot of Kleenex around for Rick to use when he starts sobbing from Tiger’s answers to his questions!

I am sure there is a lot more out there then what I touched upon, but I thought Bob Costas and Rick Reilly provided some pretty good material to make fun of both of them. 

I am sure there will be more to come from these “superstars” of sports journalism and when I have more to work with, I will be back.