"Darkside of the Locker Room"

I believe the Patriot was Raymond Clayborn.

 

Jeff Pearlman was 27, wrote the Rocker story, and was shocked by Clark's behavior?

"I was 27 years old, and had yet to fully grasp that men like Clark were actually schoolyard bullies hiding behind a loud voice and the uniformity of a major league clubhouse. Truth be told, I was also naively unprepared for the backlash that followed the John Rocker profile. Though the story generated a fair share of controversy, all of it had come during the offseason."

Honestly . . . . I have no issue with Pearlman's work (and it's pretty interesting that Clark rememered his name as "dude who nailed Rocker"), but I would hope that those lucky enough to grasp the brass ring that is a gig at Spots Illustrated should be pretty well-versed in locker room politics, even at that tender age. And his cute little tale about "standing up to a ballplayer" six years after the fact . . . . dumb. "Ohh, look at ME!!!!! I got pissy when a sorce wouldn't talk to me!! I'm a CRUSADER!!!!!!"

No. No, you're not. You're another self-important sports journalist, whose status as a author and SI scribe has thousands of dudes breaking out the razor blades. Unprofessional, says this anonymous poster (that was for you, we******).

And yeah, I've heard worse from women reporters, who still seek proper respect in the lockerroom. Especially when it comes to MLS and international soccer games, where players from nations with different rules on media access can be quite undiplomatic.

 

Thanks SC. I had heard a lot of those stories and a few others, but this was pretty comprehensive.

I do wish Ricchiardi had stuck to problems specific to female sports writers. I think having references to female sports writers "bursting bursting into tears at times when being out of town forces her to miss her children's soccer games" really takes something away from the story. Sorry, you want to be equal, you can't be whining about that stuff.

 

Once was rushed for time after a game and hit the Giants clubhouse for clarification on some play. There was a scrum around Clark, who was involved in the play, so I stopped for a moment. Heard what I needed to hear and moved on, leaving the pack to continue questioning him.

He saw me leaving and craned his neck around someone so he could sarcastically yell, "You're welcome" in my direction.

An asshat from the word go.

 

seven years dealing with Bob Huggins, you'd think I'd have some real good stories. Nope. Huggins was sometimes surly, often smug and mostly infused with a sense of self- entitlement, but at least he never screwed anyone over that bad.

 

jesus. get some balls.

 

How did anyone in the Bay area manage to keep their sanity covering the Giants with Clark, Bonds, and Williams in that clubhouse? I know Bonds was and is a major arse but he had his help from the other two clowns.

 

don't sell clark short.

 

Poor John Rocker. How horrible for anyone to write about what a swinging dickbag he is.

LEAVE ROCKER ALONE! [/will clark as hysterical youtube boy]

 

Do share with the rest of the class.

 

shooba dooba doo.

 

Bonds, Clark, Rocker. The unholy trinity of dickbaggerydom.

That's why I'm convinced Bonds will be wearing Ranger blue before the All-Star break. To complete the cycle.