Throughout the last couple of weeks, we’ve noted some of the negative aspects to the MLB playoffs and World Series.  It was capped off in style Sunday night, when Fox’s broadcast of the 8th inning turned into Ken Rosenthal breaking the news that Alex Rodriguez was opting out of his contract.  After Ken’s report, Joe Buck and Tim McCarver pondered aloud the possible destinations for A-Rod, and wondered just how much money he could potentially rake in.  “Could it be Boston?  Mike Lowell is set to be a free agent, you know.  Maybe it’ll be around $30 million per year.”

All this was going on as the Rockies tried to mount a comeback against the Red Sox in the 4th game of the World Series.  Sure, the Series may have been “over” in many people’s eyes by the time the 8th inning rolled around with the Sox still holding on to their lead, but for those of us tuning in to watch the game, it was the equivalent of being poked in the ear repeatedly.

After the inning ended, the focus thankfully shifted back to World Series Game 4, and subsequently, the Red Sox dominating to win their 2nd championship in 4 years.  That story along with analyzing the effect of eight days in between the NLCS and World Series for the Rockies became the two remaining stories -- and rightfully so. 

That’s where it should have stayed the following day, but ESPN just couldn’t help itself and had to up the ante on FOX’s coverage of individual players, speculation, and “sports news” as opposed to the actual games.  All day long on ESPN News, a “Breaking News” box noted that Joe Girardi was to be formally offered the managerial job of the New York Yankees. 

While that news flashed repeatedly, Buster Olney logged hour after hour discussing the possibilities for Scott Boras and his client in the free agent market.  Essentially, the WorldWide Leader in Sports treated the A-Rod news and Yankees managing vacancy as the two main stories of the day – even though one team won the World Series and another lost it 12 hours earlier.

Whenever we wonder why the games seem to hold less significance and less entertainment than in past years, ESPN and FOX Sports always come through to remind us.        

Crap that actually came from somebody’s mouth
“How ironic, by the way, that the Red Sox win their second World Series in four years and our top stories are two on the Yankees – a new manager and A-Rod opting out.”  – Jay Crawford, ESPN First Take

We wouldn’t call that “ironic”, we would call it “predictable”.
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"Once a guy drops his bat, baserunning is the biggest determining factor to whether you're going to get runs or not.  It is so important.  So important." - Tim McCarver

But before you assume that was another obvious McCarver comment, just know that it was a close race between base running and sunflower seed chewing for the title of “biggest determining factor in scoring runs after the bat is dropped”.
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“Dick’s Sporting Goods would like to be the first to congratulate the Boston Red Sox.” – Joe Buck

Too late Joe; MasterCard did so minutes earlier during the first commercial break after the final out.  Suck on that, Dick’s.
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“(The Red Sox) played like they wanted to win the World Series.” – John Kruk

And with that, we say good bye to the John Kruk no-shit analysis for the 2007 season.
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“Boston fans are used to (being upstaged by the Yankees).” – Linda Cohn

1. The only people who are upstaging the Red Sox fans with news of Yankees managers and A-Rod’s contract are the media. 

2. The Red Sox aren’t the poor victims anymore.  That ended in 2004, so stop with the drama, honey.
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“New England (8-0) at Indianapolis (7-0). The only thing like it in sports today in competitive intensity is Red Sox-Yankees” – Peter King

Peter, we don’t think you’re overstating the importance of a five-year rivalry at all – Sincerely, Duke-North Carolina, Oklahoma-Texas, Michigan-Ohio State, Auburn-Alabama, Bears-Packers, Cubs-Cardinals, Dodgers-Giants. 

In Favre We Trust
We’ve been on the Favre-overkill bandwagon for years, lamenting the inordinate amount of man-love proclaimed on the QB by the national media (and using as an excuse to repeatedly post a picture of him wearing rolled jorts).  After this week’s Monday Night Football game featuring Favre, we think we’ve figured it out – they’re doing it on purpose. 

The media is trying to antagonize us reasonable fans by taking the Favre love to levels we never imagined they’d go to.  It’s the only explanation…

…surely there’s no way that ESPN would really have their color commentator profess his undying passion for one of the players in the game, all but throwing objectivity out the window.  And they certainly wouldn’t let him compare a guy who has won the same number of Super Bowls as Trent Dilfer to Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, would they?

"In a few moments, DeAnna Favre will tell you why everyone loves her husband Brett.  Now I'm going to tell you why everyone watches him.  Many athletes are great, but very few make the needle move.  Very few cause you sit in front of the TV for hours, just because you don't want to miss what they do and the way that they do it.  We watch Tiger Woods on Sunday in red because every shot he takes carries with it the possibility of something so great that you would hate yourself if you missed it.  We watched Michael Jordan in that same way, because every time he had the ball in his hands, he might deliver something unforgettable... It's the same with Favre, who at 38, now qualifies as an actual living legend.  Nobody, not even Peyton Manning or Tom Brady brings the flare that Favre does.  Nobody shows more enthusiasm.  He doesn't make all the crazy throws he tries, but he'll keep trying them, no matter how many times they're picked off because nothing ever discourages him.  He always thinks that the next one is going for 6.  And that's why we give him a hall pass for all those interceptions.  Because Brett Favre will keep slinging, and the next pass he might fit through the eye of a needle and then jump into someone's arms like a teenager.  Look, you don't just get to watch Brett Favre, you HAVE to watch him!" - Tony Kornheiser, in the opening segment for Monday Night Football

…surely the network wouldn’t have a player’s wife read some heart felt poem to her husband on national TV would they?

"We first laid eyes on you on an autumn Sunday.  You, the little boy from Dixie.  Drawing up plays in the Mississippi mud.  Never growing old.  All these years later, you remain as genuine as you were that day.  You are our's, because you've stood by us.  Not only in triumph, but more importantly, in times of despair.  Celebrating timeless victories and honoring those tragically lost.  As the years passed, the doubters increase in volume.  He's too old.  He's lost a step.  It's time to go.  Pay them no attention.  For we are survivors.  Legends write their own stories.  My Brett.  Our Favre." - DeAnna Favre, in the opening of MNF

…surely they wouldn’t have their top play-by-play guy fawning over the human interest angle of a quarterback who is lining up opposite a team of players who have had to deal with the death of two teammates within the last 12 months would they?

"From the death of parents to drug and alcohol treatment to her battle with breast cancer.  They've shared pain, tough times spent in the public eye, yet strengthened by a bond.  As she said, they are survivors." - Mike Tirico

My Media. Our Circus. 

Terry Bradshaw is Fascinated with Terry Bradshaw
In last week’s Media Circus we gently poked fun at Terry Bradshaw’s “expert” column on Foxsports.com on Tom Brady.  It seemed that the best way Terry could quantify Brady’s greatness was to compare it to himself.  When fishing through the archives of Bradshaw’s infrequent columns on the site, we started to catch onto a common theme….Terry Bradshaw is absolutely fascinated with Terry Bradshaw. 

On Brady Quinn
“Hey, Peyton Manning struggled with the Colts his first year until they got some more talent. He even threw quite a few interceptions. Hey, it's like me. I was picked No. 1 and went to the worst team in the league and they tried to kill me. I didn't know any better. I got my (butt) handed to me.”

On Tom Brady…
“Think about this. Brady already has 27 touchdown passes in seven games. I was the first quarterback after the AFL-NFL merger to throw for 28 touchdowns in one season and was league MVP. He's one away from that and he's going into his eighth game. It took me the full 16. He's some special talent.”

On Brett Favre being the best QB of all time…
“I know people are going to get on me and say Joe Montana. Joe and I both won four Super Bowls.  I know that Favre has thrown a lot of interceptions (49 since the '05 season), but when you think of all the great quarterbacks in the modern era — I don't even know if you would call me a modern quarterback — all of us have had a stable set of wide receivers…Favre has now thrown 210 more touchdown passes than I did. He's attempted over 4,000 more passes than me…It's like I said on the show: Not too many people ever ask me how many touchdown passes I threw in my career. In all the corporate outings I've been on, all the speeches and conventions and Q&As I've given, nobody has ever asked me that. Never.”

Amazing how every quarterback seems to bring Terry back to his favorite subject – himself. 

Bob Carpenter Memorial Snappy Line
Knowing full well the World Series would end prematurely, the Bobber kept his ears open in the early games of the World Series.  It was in Game 2 when Bobby gave a severe chuckle directed at Tim McCaver, who beautifully described the action of an in-game interview with a Taco Bell executive back to the game featuring Curt Schilling on the mound:

"From shilling to Schilling."

Good bye, Tim McCarver.  Take two thumbs up and a cyber high five from Robert C. all the way to the off-season.

The Media Circus is written by Josh Bacott and Pat Imig.  They swear this stuff is real.  Email them at info@joesportsfan.com