SportsCenter fudges it again

In the long line of journalistic transgressions made on SportsCenter, I suppose this is pretty far down list, but I just noticed during the Heat-Nets highlights an odd bit of fudging on their part.

They tried hyping up the discord between Garnett, Pierce and LeBron and then, mid-highlight, the anchor says, "Pierce with a little how-do-you-do to LeBron James, who talked afterwards about what he worked on in the offseason." They then cut to a presser from a week or so ago - with LeBron notably wearing his home whites, instead of the road black he was wearing during their game last night - where LeBron says he won't reveal what he worked on in the offseason, "but I got better."

WTH? Why would they bother to intercut an old interview clip in which he basically says nothing and has nothing to do with the game at hand, and then try to pass it off as happening last night despite blatantly coming from a presser after a home game?

 

I'm guessing this was the best setup for faux arguments later in the show.

 

Where it was revealed that Garnett passed a note to Pierce at practice that said the LeBron picks his nose at recess.

 

I think we need Stephen A. to weigh in on this, Stephen A.

STEPHEN A.: This is an ABONIMATION. This is a TRAVESTY. Why would a professional athlete, in 2013, SAY that about another player. I spoke to my good friend Michael Jordan, who has been a big part of my poker game since 1986, I personally served as mohel at his kid's bris, who donated a kidney to me before game 1 of the NBA Finals in 1992, and he said HE WOULD NEVER say this about another player. IT JUST ISN'T DONE. I spoke to my good friend Charles Barkley, who said my good friend Scottie Pippin would never do this. WHAT was Kevin Garnett thinking! You cannot fuel the fire of my good, close friend His Lordship LeBronicus, Methusela Excessior James IV.

 

This was exceedingly well done. I happen to be reading this as Stephen A. is speaking in the background. Absolutely perfect.

 

In the midst of the MLB playoffs and a football weekend, all this over a preseason NBA game?

 

The anchor actually said, "And I want to thank LeBron for bringing some hype to the Heat's regular season matchup against the Nets coming up in two weeks, kicking off the NBA season here on ESPN." So, um, yeah.

 

I loathe the mothership's "create the news" mentality. It just reeks.

 

Exactly. Why cover the story of the day when you can make one?