From time to time, an item in the news requires me to conduct a little experiment. This is one of those times. Please indulge me. In the graphic below, you will see the headlines on four major sports media sites. From top left, going clockwise, we have ESPN, Sportsline, Foxsports, and SI’s front page headlines. In each headline, you will notice that only one name is used, either last or first, for the subject of the headline. Except for one. Please observe:
Names such as Rizzuto, Offerman, Pedro, Gibbs, Busch, Vick, Kiffin, Harvin, Cox, Donaghy, Beckham, Adu, Alou, and Imus are all used. In each case, no more than four or five other words of context are necessary for the general sports fan to understand about whom they’re talking. But there’s one headline that didn’t have a name: “Rutgers Player Sues Imus.” Notice how they don’t say “Kia Sues Imus,” or “Vaughn Sues Imus,” but rather, “Rutgers Player Sues Imus.”
You know what that means? That means nobody knows who the hell she is! She has no reputation! If she did, then her name would’ve been used in the headline. It’s pretty simple you see. If your accomplishments precede your name, then you’re not famous, and you have no reputation. Therefore, this entire lawsuit by the Rutgers player is 100% complete bullcrap, and nothing but a ridiculous moneygrab aimed at taking advantage of our legal system. This disgusts me.
(also see We Suck at Sports)
