Can't We Just Talk About Sports?

This whole Plaxico Burress saga has me befuddled and bemused. Why you ask? First, that anyone would be foolish enough to (allegedly) bring an unlicensed gun to a nightclub. That takes stupidity beyond the average human's comprehension. Second,like it or not, the Plaxico Burress story has reached outside the domain of just sports. Our Sports Anchor Sal Marchiano likes to say that sports is the candy store of news. Sadly, that's not nearly as true as it used to be.

In today's instant information world. the Burress saga is hyped as a 'news' story. It is, but it isn't. Yes, the public is interested in the Burress story, but it does not affect the average person's life. Even Mayor Mike Bloomberg asked that Burress be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. There's the pot calling the kettle black. His desire to do away with term limits no matter the cost or desire of the voter makes Burress' incident seem minor.

To help you better understand my point, Monday night we ran a story on a crossdressing bandit in Florida ahead of potential fare hikes on the New Jersey Turnpike. Which story do you think affects the average Tri State viewer more? The fare hike is more meaningful to consumers in the long term. But a crossdressing bandit is 'compelling video', so it runs first. Edward R. Murrow would roll in his grave. Then again, Murrow claimed that we 'always overestimate the intelligence of the American public.' With crossdressing bandits parading around for airtime, Murrow may have had to rethink that quote.

Don't get me wrong: Plax is a story. What saddens me is that this case, steroids in baseball, drug arrests-they take away from what is supposed to be entertainment. Sports is too much like real life instead of the 'candy store' that it should be. It's just sad that the games we watch and play are now bundled up iwth eight minutes of weather and a live shot (that you see every year) on the 9.000 floats and balloons for the Thanksgiving Day parade. Too bad sports just can't be about bats, balls, sticks, goals, pucks and drop shots.

Here's another point: Will news organizations care if for some reason Plax is found innocent? That's not as compelling to news types. Years ago, outfielder Derek Bell, then with the Padres, was charged with solicitation when the Mets and Padres were playing a series at Shea. It got lead play on all major newscasts. But months later, Bell was acquitted when it was learned he was set up. But TV types and newspapers barely did a followup. Not interesting enough. Let's see what happens this time around.

This afternoon Big Blue placed Burress on the 'non football injury list' and fined him for conduct detrimental to the team. Burress' season is rightly over. The Giants did the right thing for his well being and the sake of the team. Will news organizations care about the human interest if 5 years from now, Burress is enjoying his life with no problems? We'll see.