Cowturd does it again

[slappy4428]

I apologize if this is a D_B, but I haven't the inclination to look...

ESPN Rebukes Colin Cowherd for Big Lead Stunt

Posted Apr 9th 2007 8:09AM by Michael David Smith
Filed under: NFL Media Watch, NCAA Basketball Media Watch, NBA Media Watch, NCAA FB Media Watch, MLB Media Watch
With a few simple words on his radio show last week, Colin Cowherd used his ESPN microphone to shut down TheBigLead.com for more than 48 hours. Cowherd urged his listeners all to go to the site at the same time, and that was enough traffic to knock the site offline.

Now ESPN ombudsman Le Anne Schreiber says the Worldwide Leader has implemented a policy that ESPN's airwaves are not to be used to ruin anyone's business. I'm a little surprised that policy needs to be spelled out explicitly -- do they also have a specific policy against torturing farm animals on company time? -- but it's a good policy.

Still, there are some issues that are unresolved, starting with why Cowherd did this. Schreiber described Big Lead as "a sports blog that is sometimes unmercifully critical of ESPN," but I read Big Lead (who also blogs at FanHouse) and I've never thought his criticisms of ESPN are anything outside the norm in the sports blogosphere. (He did quote a former ESPN employee whose criticisms of ESPN were outside the norm, but if ESPN has a problem with that, its problem is with Jason Whitlock, not the site that interviewed him.)

And, unfortunately, there's one other issue we should note: Cowherd got what he wanted here. He showed that he's more powerful than a blogger. In Big Lead's first post after coming back online, he wrote, "we'll be spending the better part of today looking for a new host." So, congrats, Colin Cowherd. Your total number of listeners exceeds the volume of traffic that Big Lead's host can handle. I take it this makes you feel big. I think it makes you look small.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Best thing that ever happened to The Big Lead. Whoever didn't hear about them before has heard about them now.

 

[Football_Bat]

And Jason Whitlock works his way into another post.

 

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

Yeah but the hosting company is the one being punished here. They are now out of a customer as the Big Lead finds a more robust hosting company. Remember that if Cowherd ever gets n his high horse about protecting "the little guy".

And for the record - I find listening to Cowherd makes my ears bleed and read the Big Lead every day.

 

[proudpittsburgher]

If anyone didn't know that Colin Cowturd was a pathetic tool up until now, well, better late than never. What an immature jackass.

 

[SoSueMe]

I can't even stand his commercial on tv, the one with the guy in his car getting a parking ticket and then eventually being towed.

Cowherd is by far the worst radio host going - perhaps ever.

 

[jagtrader]

It's depressing that enough people listen to this guy to crash a Web site.

 

[Pastor]

His show is not on in NYC. Thus, he isn't even an option.

 

[slappy4428]

His show is not on in NYC. Thus, he isn't even an option.

Might be the one reason to move to NYC...

 

[ondeadline]

All you need to know is that this guy thinks newspaper editors are morons for not covering mixed martial arts.

 

[jgmacg]

Here's the ESPN Ombud's piece:



http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=schreiber_leanne&id=2830113

 

[Shaggy]

The fact is there's probably a few guys that listen to Cowherd that can set up computer programs designed to attack a Web site with hits. I think programs can be coded to hit a Web site every single second.

So no, it's not Cowherd having a gigantic fan base. It's him having a decent fan base, and a few that have vast computer skills.

Now THAT'S something to be proud of.

 

[Idaho]

Here's the ESPN Ombud's piece:



http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=schreiber_leanne&id=2830113

Good for her.

I admit I actually enjoy listening to Cowherd -- as opposed to my other options -- most of the time. This was way beyond acceptable behavior. It smacked of being a childish bully with a big head and overinflated sense of importance.

I'm less inclined to listen to him now.

 

[slappy4428]

As opposed to his childish bullying of the U-M fan site...

 

[slappy4428]

Here's the ESPN Ombud's piece:



http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=schreiber_leanne&id=2830113

She was pissed; good for her.

 

[Idaho]

As opposed to his childish bullying of the U-M fan site...

that, too. Though I think it was more a case of him being a childish idea thief -- pretty much like every radio talker

 

[MileHigh]

That was Schreiber's second piece, after her introductory one. Great start.

 

[tyler durden 71351]

King Kaufman over at Salon.com, who does a good job, slaps Cowherd down.
http://www.salon.com/sports/col/kaufman/2007/04/09/monday/

 

[Bubbler]

Dear God. That self-aggrandizing, hubris-fueled Salon piece was almost as annoying as Cowherd himself.

 

[Sxysprtswrtr]

I used to listen to Colin, but it sure seems like his growing head and ego has just about made the atomic bomb look like a little fart.

In fact, had him on this morning and he was going on and on about how Easter no longer revolves around its religious beginnings. Thanks dumba$$ for sharing your opinion, but if I wanted to hear about Easter and religion, I'd see my preacher! ... Stick to sports, man.