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The Daily Verdict...Pipe Dream

November 30, 2005

 

I used to berate one of my best friends every time he left signs of his addiction behind in my house or my car.  I can only be thankful that possession of an unusually high number of Copenhagen cans is not punishable by law.  Otherwise I might be answering the same tough questions Michael Irvin has faced this week…

 

I must admit that I was fully prepared to rip Irvin for being a fool and a relapsed scumbag.  To do so, however would be wrong…and it would be wrong on a couple of counts.  One, Irvin’s story that the marijuana pipe found in his car belonged to a friend currently in rehab is plausible.  Laughable, perhaps, given Irvin’s suggestion that he thought it better to put the pipe in his car as opposed to the trash, but plausible nonetheless.  And secondly, it would be a terrible shame if a man who had apparently turned his life around had once again lost his battle with drug addiction. 

 

Keep in mind that I reach for the remote every single time I hear Irvin’s voice.  I simply cannot stand to listen to the man.  I have always been disgusted by the fact that a former cocaine addict has received such a prominent spot on ESPN’s NFL studio shows.  Now, after taking a few days to weigh what I really think about the Irvin situation, I realize that my greatest disgust is saved for ESPN.   And that they have subjected me to Irvin isn’t where my disgust comes from.  ESPN has plenty of “talent” on the air that I can’t stand.  But I have always been troubled by the fact that ESPN would welcome someone with a past as checkered as Irvin’s, and then spend so much time sitting in judgment of sports figures guilty of far less serious transgressions.

 

I mean, think about how everything transpired in this recent arrest…Irvin was arrested on Friday, yet still was at his post on Sunday.  ESPN did nothing Friday night or Saturday to address the issue, and in fact, Irvin’s first public statements to anyone affiliated with the network came on Monday.  We can be certain that there were legal issues at play which limited on-air comments concerning the situation, but didn’t ESPN have some responsibility to make formal statements concerning Irvin’s status as soon as possible.  Shouldn’t they have pulled him from the air until he was exonerated of the charges levied against him?  And shouldn’t they be held to the fire for employing this guy in the first place?

 

We are talking about a sports media empire that dispatched on-site reporters, legal analysts, and satellite trucks to a Colorado resort in record time when Kobe Bryant found himself on the wrong side of the law.  Bryant had a story, too.  But that isn’t something that ESPN was interested in.  They had a story, and a whopper at that.  One that transcended the sports media.  So the network had little to no interest in taking time to weigh whether or not Bryant was to be believed.  Had they handled the Bryant story in the same manner that they handled Irvin’s situation, after a day of reflection, the ESPN hierarchy would have said, “Hmm…Kobe says it was consensual…sounds good to us…pack it up and come on home guys…”

 

And how about the Terrell Owens situation…How ridiculous has their coverage of that been?  Shall we put together a list of T.O.’s criminal transgressions…OK…here’s the list…Yep, there it is folks…zero.  Has he been the world’s worst teammate and employee?  Maybe.  But keep in mind that he did his job extremely well, and the only teammate that he directly slighted was Donovan McNabb (although we know that his selfish behavior certainly did damage to all of his teammates).  But he has not been guilty of criminal behavior.  But nobody, not their anchors and not their analysts, has hesitated to sit in judgment of Terrell Owens (although ironically, Irvin was one of T.O.’s few supporters…a supporter who would later set the table for Owens’ final demise).  Not one of those all-knowing ESPN gurus or resident smartasses has had anything to say in terms of Irvin’s past problems or his recent arrest.

 

Finally, just like the Philadelphia Eagles knew what they were getting with Terrell Owens, so too did the Worldwide Leader in Sports with Michael Irvin.  Keep in mind that Irvin’s 1996 arrest for cocaine possession wasn’t a slap on the hand; it was felony cocaine possession.  He was then arrested again in 2000, but the charges were dropped.  So the network knew they weren’t hiring a choirboy.  Having Irvin arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia is sort of like hiring a reformed pyromaniac and later finding matches in his desk.  You just really aren’t that surprised…

 

I hope for Michael Irvin’s sake (and mostly, for his family’s) that he is telling the truth.  If indeed he is, and he really has been trying to help turn a friend’s life around, then I applaud his character and his efforts.  I think I can be certain of this, however: Whether Irvin is telling the truth or not, his greatest affliction may not be his drug addiction.  It might be stupidity.  And the same could probably be said for the suits at ESPN…

 

**** A special note to The Chief’s readers and his staff ****

 

One issue very much on The Chief’s mind is the Hall of Fame soap opera that is Pete Rose.  I would love to hear from all of my readers and get your thoughts on whether or not the Hit King will ever deserve an opportunity to get into Cooperstown.  My email is listed below, and I hope that all of you will let me know if you think Rose deserves entry or not, why you feel the way you do, and let me know if you would be willing to have excerpts from your email used here on the site.  My own take on The Hit King’s status and your thoughts on the matter will appear in the Daily Verdict in the next few days.

 

Contact The Chief Justice at chiefjustice@thehighcourtofsports.com.