Duke/Maryland Riots....the Role Of ESPN

[docicu3]

Opening my mail today I noticed a piece from the University of Maryland where my youngest son attends. Certain money would soon be the subject of the letter, you can imagine my reaction to the school's apology for the behavior of the undergrads involved in "rioting" following the men's basketball success over Duke earlier this week.

And then it struck me...................

When is the school and local law enforcement going to responsibly react to evenings like Weds. night with a useful action of consequence that identifies the other culprits responsible for these "riots" guaranteed to decrease these episodes of over zealous celebration and destruction.

HOLD ESPN RESPONSIBLE...

As soon as the clock struck zero, an orange mass of our sons and daughters stormed the court like a military seizure who's only mission in life was to create a celebration that kept the cameras rolling and the TV's lit with chaos that people will remember for decades.

IF ESPN WANTED THESE EVENTS TO STOP ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS STOP SHOWING THE FOOTAGE OF THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

This gargantuan media monster (ESPN) with fewer morals and shakier ethics than these kids were raised with would fuel this fire with 24 hours of gasoline begun by focusing on the post game court for 20 MINUTES after the end of the game, followed by 24 hours of SC highlighting these kids competing with other schools across the coutry who had longer, more destructive, violent expressions of what not to do at a collegiate sporting even.

ESPN obviously keeping the atmosphere quiet and serene using such low key reporters such as Erin Andrews who must be an awfully accomplished athlete to roam sidelines of the NFL,MLB,NBA and of course anything NCAA eliciting just the right touch of frat humor to the festivities.

When "streaking" was the rave, network TV cameras turned away, when fans stormed players on fields of all sports the cameras were turned away to stop the attention for all who behaved badly. Maybe ESPN should actually consider less airtime, fewer games for schools who are involved in episodes like this in an attempt to actually curb the behavior without worrying about making sweeps money on these kids behaving badly.

And where is the conscious of these sports and campuses, the sportswriters such as usually outspoken Wilbon, Kornheiser or Costas all employed by ABC which owns ESPN and HBO via Disney or the athletic directors who simply pull the covers of the financial bed up over there eyes,ears and mouths lest they lose the millions of reasons that make the whole circus possible.

Of course these kids should face the discipline process and if found guilty be suspended if not expelled but if you want a country to take you seriously Mr.ESPN for taking 2 weeks of TK's candy for goofing on Hannah Storm's clothes maybe you should make a sizable contribution to these schools that have suffered for the ratings you create through means you should be beyond ashamed of.

If the Univ. of Md wants to apologize for my sons behavior Wed. night as he watched the game from his campus room studying for a math test Thursday, who then apologizes for ESPN and the Univ. of Maryland for creating a 24 hour telethon broadcast long after the last seconds of a great game ended.