Phoenix radio guy calls Tomlin his "hero" during Monday's press conference

That would be correct. I have to assume that was largely because of Plummer's ASU history. Not to excuse it in any way, but I doubt you'd see that for someone other than Plummer.

And as for the guy who is the basis for the thread, he's just a morning "shock jock" douchenozzle. Not really worth the handwringing. He's a reflection of the media here about as much as Bubba the Love Sponge is a reflection of... wherever the fuck Bubba the Love Sponge is from.

 

Everyone is from someplace else. I agree. So why bother with all these city names to begin with. The Cardinals' best player, Larry Fitzgerald, went to the University of Pittsburgh, but actually hails from neither place.

Maybe we should replace all the city names with corporate names: Like the U.S. Steel Corporation "Steelers" vs.the Wells Fargo "Cardinals". That way fans would feel less of a sense of disloyalty and betrayal when their star player leaves to sign with someone else.

 

True, but surprisingly, his homerism (albeit to another city) is on par with some of the media in Phoenix. It's gross. A lot of times, I see other media types wearing ASU sweatshirts/hats/shirts/sometimes jerseys when I'm covering something -- including a press conference for a recruit who was deciding between a number of schools, ASU included. (Another dude had his Texas sweatshirt on -- another of the kid's choices.)

 

Dude, I've worked here a long time, and I've worked and spent time in other markets. It's absolutely no different here than in any other place. Half the people working in Phoenix went to ASU, so you see a shitload of ASU sweatshirts. If they are wearing them to ASU events, I'd agree it's inappropriate. If it's to a non-ASU event, couldn't care less. And I'm amazed anyone went to a recruit signing press conference, so what they're wearing doesn't concern me. I'd be stunned if anyone in TV or radio covered a signing, and I can only think of one recent one that's even made the paper.

I can promise you, outside of the ASU alums, the majority of people I have worked with who cover sports in Phoenix don't much care about the local teams.

 

Fair enough. You're right, it happens elsewhere too. I'm probably just more in-tune with it here.

I know that there are more people out there who do things the right way, but, damn, when I see shit like a reporter referring to a team as "we," I realize that not everyone holds objectivity in the same light. A guy I used to work with told a younger reporter it was OK to clap at an event, so long as he "did it under the table."

 

Give it 10 years. That's coming.

 

I'm dyin' to know what his question was.

 

What's really sickening is that a lot of the public thinks it's OK to root for the home team.

 

One step past that, lono. A lot of the public thinks we're obligated to root for the home team.

 

As for sports lapdogs in the NYC media, I offer two words:

Penny. Crone.

 

Whoop! There it is!

 

He asked something about Tomlin's appreciation for Steelers fans or something like that. Let's just say it didn't make my story.

And it was kind of amazing that there wasn't a collective gasp from all of us in the room. I think that's because everyone was dog tired from going to bed at 3 or 4 in the morning and waking up for an 8:30 a.m. press conference. Had this been mid-afternoon, maybe he gets assaulted.