USA Today: New book says Tom Brady has ‘had enough’ of Bill Belichick
ESPN: New book says Brady long worried about being ‘pushed out’ by Belichick
Mass Live: Brady-Belichick relationship improved after rumblings of drama
Golf Digest: Things were so bad between Brady and Belichick in 2018 that Belichick was reportedly considering vacancies in Miami, New York, and Washington

Yes, Golf Digest….

New York Post: Belichick wouldn’t meet Brady face-to-face when QB left: book
ESPN: The story behind the split of Brady, Belichick and the Patriots
Boston Herald: Alex Guerrero: Belichick didn’t evolve with Brady in New England
SB Nation: The Patriots’ Tom Brady vs. Bill Belichick feud, explained
Sportsnet: Feud between Brady, Belichick, Kraft similar to lover’s quarrel
Sporting News: Souring relationship with Belichick and other signs from the past
Boston Herald: Belichick refused to meet Brady to say goodbye, per report
USA Today: Belichick denies refusing to meet Brady upon exit from Patriots
New York Post: Brady can stick it to Belichick in what will be game for the ages
Musketfire: A history of Belichick’s track record without Brady at quarterback

After his final retirement from the game, the two sat down in an insightful interview that put to rest the false media narrative that their relationship was strained. Turns out, it was anything but that….

The credibility of the media has been reduced to a bad late-night program punchline, especially as they continue to blow off the traditional rule in journalism that forbids the use of anonymous sources. And never forget that attention-seekers in the craft will make shit up and not be banished from the profession.

The Boston Herald sports writer who reported the New England Patriots taped a pre-Super Bowl walkthrough by the St. Louis Rams in 2002 said he will regret the erroneous story for the rest of his life.

“First and foremost, this is about a writer breaking one of the cardinal rules of journalism. I failed to keep challenging what I had been told. I should not have written the story without seeing the tape or getting multiple, firsthand confirmations from members of the organization,” wrote John Tomase in Friday’s editions of the newspaper.
— NFL.com, 5/16/08

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have always had a respectful and professional relationship that has evolved into a great friendship as well.

Something the media can’t diminish no matter how much they tried.

It was interesting witnessing, in real time, the Twitter mob calling for prayers for Mr. Hamlin. These are the same people who have no problem verbally assaulting any praying Christian who opposes any of their warped agendas. Yet now, praying is a good thing, in fact ESPN devoted many camera angles to Bills players praying for their teammate, as if this is an isolated, solemn event.

As it turns out, to avoid rupturing the fragile sensitivities of some viewers, liberal networks immediately end their broadcasts and never show what happens after almost every game: players from both teams, together, kneeling in prayer and giving thanks they made it through another Sunday relatively whole.

While serving on the USS Midway, I remember two catastrophic, peacetime events with loss of life. In each case, the carrier conducted searches for survivors before continuing on with the mission. And that pales in comparison to those fighting on the ground who witness their buddies being horrifically injured and/or killed. No one on Twitter called for the suspension of battles.

Did anyone on social media call for the suspension of the Afghanistan airlift after the bombing? You know, so that fellow soldiers could mourn? No. As in countless examples, our soldiers carried on their mission and received little genuine concern for their understandable mental health trauma.

In fact very few on Twitter even care that, to this day, we have veterans who are homeless and in need of financial assistance. (In case you wish to donate to a more-than-worthy and effective group that helps veterans in need, please go to Code of Vets.)

But I was dutifully reminded that there is a difference between war and entertainment.

Thanks for the tip.

Yes, there IS a difference. Soldiers are compensated at a very low rate of pay considering the possible risks. Professional football players are offered millions of dollars for their services and unlike soldiers, and can opt out of lucrative contracts any time. Athletes acknowledge the risks and most choose to take the money and assume those risks. Those who will remind us about the difference are clearly acknowledging that those who entertain us are more important than those who keep the nation safe, and let’s also not forget those underpaid police officers whom the Twits are quick to vilify.

As a matter of consistent disclosure, I am a lifelong New England Patriots fan and was watching the Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game because the outcome has a profound effect on our final game of the season, which just happens to be this coming Sunday in Buffalo. Most of those who were commenting on Twitter after the incident were not watching the game, merely reacted to what was “trending”, saw and reacted to #DamarHamlin, and to show what good people they are, decided to donate to his charity that provides Christmas gifts to underprivileged children.

When the game was officially postponed, a GoFundMe for his charity “Chasing M’s” started circulating through social media.

The online toy drive fundraiser was started by Hamlin in 2020 with the then-goal of raising $2,500. Since his collapse, fans have raised more than $3 million as of Tuesday morning.
— WGN 9, 1/3/23

Charity is a good thing, when sincere. Seeing how we’re over a week removed from Christmas, where the hell were these benefactors before Mr. Hamlin’s injury?

As usual, it’s not all about the cause but about participants feeling good about themselves. Again, most of those commenting on social media were not watching the game as it was unfolding and know virtually nothing about the sport, team and players. One Tweet proved that point from one of the platform’s most notorious attention whores.

While making a point to tell others to belatedly donate to the toy drive, Alyssa Milano couldn’t even spell the man’s name correctly. What does that say about her knowledge of the topic and those involved?

There have been many sensational injuries in professional sports over the years, so this sudden concern for putting players first is so fake, especially coming from sports and some social media users. On any given Sunday, local and national sports segments highlight the best “hits” of the day and on YouTube, there are hundreds of video compilations of football collisions and hockey knockouts. In not one of those examples has a game been suspended, no matter how horrific the injury and emotional distress clearly displayed by the players and fans in attendance.

Look up the deadly Dale Earnhardt Daytona 500 crash, the football hit that left Darryl Stingley a quadriplegic, the infamous Joe Theismann leg break, goaltender Clint Malarchuk whose carotid artery and jugular veins were slashed during a hockey game, or the more recent Gordon Hayward ankle-snap heard through the stadium that left players and basketball fans in attendance visually disturbed.

In none of those cases was the race or games suspended or cancelled. In Earnhardt’s, Stingley’s, Malarchuk’s and Theisman’s case, the Internet as we now know it did not yet exist. In Hayward’s case, users on social media generously shared the video of him in justifiable agony. Teammates, in the latter cases, composed themselves as professionals and played on. And as the life-is-more-important game is being played, let’s not leave out the fan who was seriously injured by shards of a broken bat at Fenway Park. The game was resumed and completed.

It’s not clear if the Mensa class in the NFL front office and the Players Association thought through the ramifications of this precedent-setting decision to “suspend” the Bills-Bengals game. This didn’t just affect the two teams on the field and the suddenly-triggered on social media.

There are still five teams in the American Football Conference who, going into the last week of the season, have a chance at making the playoffs and last night’s game could’ve made a difference on whose season may have officially ended, and who will have to face who on Wild Card Weekend and seeding. The questions going forward are is last night’s game going to be replayed, will it be “erased”, and how fair will that be to all the affected teams? Anyone on social media even hinting at these very valid questions was mercilessly descended on like flies on shit.

And lastly, many on Twitter sought to shut down and threaten to “cancel” anyone who brought up anything about Hamlin’s vaccination and/or booster status. Over the last few years, many of the things we were told to ignore as “conspiracy theories” turned out to be true. Given the documented increase in Myocarditis in young, healthy vaccinated males and the many videos showing players dropping on the field, asking if Hamlin was recently boosted is a valid question. Most NFL players were required to get vaccinated and boosted and Buffalo’s own superstar receiver Cole Beasley missed all of last season because he refused to get vaccinated. He’s only played in a few games this season so that topic is even more pertinent within the Bills organization.

So have we now reached that pinnacle moment in professional football where estrogen has overtaken testosterone and emotions have supplanted the toughness the NFL promotes? Is any game now subject to suspension when a player gets hurt and who decides how bad that injury will be to stop a game? Other sports that have longer seasons may survive such instances but these decisions in a sport like football will have ripple effects that can impact teams and careers.

And to have it dictated by the sports-ignorant on social media would be the biggest travesty of all.

UPDATE

Now that the emotion has begun to subside, reality has now set in and the aforementioned precedent has now become the real issue.

Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn was not happy with playoff proposals approved by the NFL’s competition committee on Thursday night. She urged other members of the committee to vote against the approved scenarios in a memo obtained by ESPN’s Seth Wickersham.

“The proper process for making rule change (sic) is in the off-season,” Blackburn wrote. “It is not appropriate to put teams in a position to vote for something that may introduce bias, favor one team over another or impact their own situation when the vote takes place immediately before the playoffs.”

Blackburn’s main issue is that the traditional standard of seeding in this scenario is getting thrown out in the middle of a season.
— Sports Illustrated, 1/6/23

Maybe those who demanded I either take down or rewrite the headline of this post, now take the time to reread what I wrote and maybe see that this wasn’t meant to be insensitive to the injury of Damar Hamlin just because I didn’t join the chorus of emotion over ramifications. The decision made last Monday night soothed the immediacy of emotions of the broadcasters and social media and created the predicted clusterfuck.

The Buffalo Bills are officially out of contention for the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, as the Kansas City Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes trounced the Las Vegas Raiders in a 31-13 win at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday to secure home-field advantage and a first-round bye.
— Sports Illustrated, 1/7/23

It turns out, the cancellation had everything to do with how a long-fought season would end for one deserving team, clearly screwed by those in the NFL and NFLPA who should have had leveled heads at a time when they were sorely needed.

The cancellation helped the league avoid late-season logistical nightmares. As for the Bengals, playing 16 games instead of 17 did guarantee them the AFC North title, but it also meant that they no longer had a shot at the No. 1 seed.
— Sporting News, 1/8/23

What would happen in the days to follow was never considered and that’s why we find ourselves where we are now.

Three Reasons Why You Can’t Find a Guy
Ask Anna: Why can’t I find a man?
It Really Is You & Not Him: 10 Reasons You Can’t Find a Good Man
20 Reasons You Don’t Have a Boyfriend
Why You Can’t Find A Boyfriend Even When You’re Trying Really Hard

One of the main contributors was the loud feminist mantra, “I don’t need a man” that left some women with a fist held high in one hand and a smoldering bra in the other, while other women just threw up their hands in the frustration of self-inflicted sabotage.

We can only imagine the conversations that were had between parents and their young male sons who just left the nest for a college campus. How many responsible parents warned those sons to be VERY careful with any female student they would come in contact with, all the precautions that would need to be considered before having any contact with one that could possibly be a love interest, and the possible negative ramifications of such an interest that could follow them for the rest of their lives.

Suppose a woman wakes up in the morning after a sexual encounter and then labels it sexual assault, to the surprise of her sexual partner. Did this woman regret having sex and then say she was a victim so she doesn’t have to come to terms with her actions? Is she lying about being sexually assaulted so people don’t think she is a slut?
— UNC Healthy Heels, 11/7/13

If you have to pose this as a defensive scenario, there’s an inconvenient element of truth that needed to be initially acknowledged.

But we’re told we must #BelieveWomen….

After the stigma placed on men with the implementation of Title IX on campus and more recently the #MeToo movement, how long before women (again) start whining because fewer men are giving them the time of day, let alone a date or assistance in a workplace. Men are now rightfully being very careful.

Women, as portrayed by Democrats, their media and activists, are not looking very attractive and we don’t just mean physically. They’re coming off as unhinged and few men find that kind of potential drama as a positive draw. A lot of these women also appear to be on a revenge mission which leaves any man in contact with them in potential jeopardy, which also translates to the workplace or any space that men and women cohabitate.

Prior to #MeToo, cautious male supervisors would always leave an office door open when talking to a female, equal or subordinate. How many employers have had to absorb the expense of creating really cool offices with glass walls; not because of the attractive aesthetics but to protect themselves from potential accusations of what may or may not have been said or done behind an opaque wall or closed door?

As in most movements that are not well-thought through, there are serious ramifications for impulsive action. Sure, some of these women will find solace within the sisterhood, declare themselves bisexual so they can achieve immediate gratification, but for those who don’t swing that way, the isolation will grow and the frustration will again become a vocal rallying cry.

This time, it’s a different world.

During the Gloria Steinem days of feminist empowerment, it was all about recognition and independence. She and others also claimed to be speaking for all women. Today, #MeToo is all about payback and they claim to be speaking for all women. The problem this time is that some of these women have husbands, brothers, sons and others who are potential targets of those who have agendas and personal issues, mixed with that nasty lack of conscience. They’ll punish any man who rejects them, didn’t reward them as they saw fit, and in the case of a potential Supreme Court justice who could potentially hamper their ability to do what they want with their bodies (and babies within).

Again, things involving the human condition tend to be cyclical. #MeToo women are using their movement to punish men who they claim abused them. They’ve also cast a wide net and have indicted all men as potential sexual abusers. Democrats are using the Kavanaugh confirmation as midterm election topic, many in the electorate are being justifiably repulsed, and fewer men will hold a door open for a woman, let alone vote for one and her offending political party.

The “Why can’t I find a man?” public whining will begin again. This time, there will be a response because of everything #MeToo.

“No, thanks.”

UPDATE

It took exactly two months.

An infrastructure-investing manager says he won’t meet with a female employee in rooms that don’t have windows; in addition, he “keeps his distance in elevators.” Another man, in private equity, has a new, self-imposed rule that says he’s not allowed to have a business dinner with any women who are 35 or younger. (Apparently, after 35, there’s no risk of doing anything appropriate, as women turn into old hags.)

I think Bess Levin meant “doing anything inappropriate” but correcting a woman’s grammar is probably a bad thing.

The horror stories continue. An investment adviser who oversees roughly 100 employees said he started to reconsider having one-on-ones with junior females. Others are refusing to sit next to female colleagues on flights and booking hotel rooms on different floors during work trips. #MeToo, according to David Bahnsen, a former managing director at Morgan Stanley, is “creating a sense of walking on eggshells.” Men, employment attorney Stephen Zweig told Bloomberg, are concerned about “a false accusation,” and “fear what they cannot control.”

Remember how many times we were all told false accusations are “rare”?

Well, it looks like men have been listening and are now responding accordingly.

Avoiding women at all costs doesn’t just make the men of Wall Street look like weird Mike Pences who apparently can’t control themselves in the presence of the devil sex. It also has a damaging effect on the careers of the women they’re shunning for fear of being accused of sexual harassment.
— Vanity Fair, 12/3/18

Women celebrated sticking it to the men and now men are looking to avoid them like the plague.

Happy now?

Are Negros Closer to Apes Than to Humans?
Study Confirms Unconscious Linking of Blacks with Apes
Comparing Black People to Apes: It’s Worse Than You Thought
Enough with stereotyping black people as monkeys!
Comparing Black People To Monkeys Has A Long, Dark Simian History
Google Censors Gorillas Rather Than Risk Them Being Mislabeled As Black People
H&M Apologizes for ‘Monkey’ Image Featuring Black Child
Outrage as museum depicts African people next to animals including gorillas and baboons in ‘racist’ exhibition
Gorilla Statue Removed After Complaints It Was ‘Racially Insensitive’

Again, thanks to some of the more prominent in society, it’s hard to lament the degraded image of black men when black men are the ones doing the self-degradation. Over the last few years, black athletes are repeatedly acting out in ways that back in the day would be considered head shakers, to say the least.

One of the latest episodes occurred during the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers 2018 Eastern Conference Final Game 6 where LeBron James made a late three point shot and acted in a manner that would have left a previous generation of proud black people in sheer disgust. And given how many times that particular “dagger” and reaction was replayed, the politically-correct, progressive sanctimonious at ESPN appeared to really enjoy one of our darker moments.

Despite the traditional racist treatment by Democrats, black people are the most imitated and culturally appropriated. Jazz, the blues, funk music, language has been culturally appropriated and screaming like a wild animal is now something many non-blacks are doing with regularity.

They will NEVER be compared to apes. Wonder why that is…?

Case in point: ESPN’s elevation of Katie Nolan, a sports commentator who previously hosted a podcast, ironically-named Garbage Time, for Fox Sports Radio.

Recent ESPN hire Katie Nolan blasted President Trump with some pretty disparaging remarks on Wednesday night, and her new employer is not happy. While appearing on Viceland’s talk show “Desus and Mero,” the 30-year-old sports talker called POTUS a “f—ing stupid person.”

A rep for the network told Fox News: “We have looked into the totality of Nolan’s comments, they were inappropriate, and we have addressed it with her.”
— Fox News, 1/6/18

ESPN should not have had to address anything of that nature with Nolan, but that’s what happens when you hire undisciplined children to do a professional’s job.

ESPN is a journalistic organization – not a political organization. We should do nothing to undermine that position. ESPN’s focus is sports. By-and-large we are not experts on politics, healthcare policies, terrorism, commerce – that’s not what we do.

Our audience is not looking for our opinions on the general news of the day.
— Kevin Merida, Senior Vice President, Editor in Chief of The Undefeated

Obviously Katie Nolan must have decided that directive didn’t apply to her.

While ESPN has optioned to publicly (and politically correctly) defend the actions of their employee, we all know the ramifications would be much more harsh had Nolan said something similar against former president Barack Obama, and she certainly wouldn’t have said that he was a “fucking stupid person” while flanked by a couple of bruthas.

Nolan’s relatively thin body of work (prior to this controversy, have YOU heard of her?) displays why she was hired; not for her sports acumen where she questions the intelligence of New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady who has more on-and-off the field accomplishments than Nolan could even imagine.

The whole notion of “professionalism” has been diminished by the juvenile Barstool Sports mentality, T&A is a constant source of giggles, ignorance is excused, and the elevation of an under-qualified, former bartender, selfie-loving, alchie (as evidenced by numerous pics of her consuming adult beverages) who met someone’s objective definition of “cute” gave this narcissist the impression that anything goes. And give her the leeway to interject partisan politics with sports ignorance and you see why the employment cycle will always be in flux.

Poor Jemele Hill was the victim, but let’s also note that she’s part of a growing list of privileged who go out of their way to get in our faces to prove their blackness and those attempts don’t always end well.

Our position on women sportscasters are sideline commentators are well known. It’s not sexism but because most have no experience playing the sports they cover and let’s be real: the only reason networks put them in front of cameras is for the T&A factor. That’s something that would be phrased carefully if we were to say as much on, for example, CNN.

Some people just aren’t as nuanced.

Despite what the politically correct would have you believe, the only real value young, skimpy-dressed, (when dressed) women have on local and network sports is their anatomies.

CNN’s Brooke Baldwin can act all shocked at Fox Sports Net’s Clay Travis and his clumsy introduction of female attributes in a cable news discussion, but the entertainment industry still lives by the “sex sells” credo. There is no other reason why it’s so in-your-face, especially during sports programming, punctuated by male enhancement commercials during breaks in the action. Given her faux outrage, Baldwin would be the last to admit that the young men seen during daytime viewing hours are cast to appeal to the bored housewife, home alone during the day.

If tomorrow there were only male announcers and former-player sideline reporters during the NFL broadcasts, I’d be willing to bet the viewer drop-off would be minimal.

I’ll let you in on a little secret: lots of women these days have no business being in sports locker rooms because they’re not qualified and it’s not because their skirt is too high or their blouse is too low. It’s because they don’t belong there because they haven’t earned the right to be there and they’re not qualified and because they got the job because of their looks and not their intellect or expertise.

Clinton Portis is NOT far from wrong on many counts. There ARE women who get into sports journalism at this point to be around naked athletes. And they are there to attract those “exclusive interviews” that men can’t get with their charm, nice perfume and long legs.
— Nestor Aparicio, 9/17/10

The women wouldn’t be missed because it’s about the game, period. We’ll take Hank Williams’ “All My Rowdy Friends” over Carrie Underwood’s “I’ve Been Waitin’ All Day for Sunday Night”. Then again, Hank was fired because he said something against ESPN’s preferred president. No hypocrisy here.

Nah, it’s easier to act all shocked about the word “boobs” while working for one of the most sexist industries in the United States.

You know it, we know it, and anyone who says otherwise is a liar or a wuss.

UPDATE

After her long stint at ESPN, Jemele Hill wound up at another sports industry leader… The Atlantic?

“The Atlantic made perfect sense to me because during this period, it’s critical to be aligned with people who understand this mission: Sports is a great entry point for exploring what’s happening in the wider society,” said Hill. “You can’t talk about sports without talking about race, class, gender and politics. I want to explore the complications and discomforts with a publication that has a long history of supporting this kind of work.”
— The Atlantic, 10/1/18

They offered her a paycheck.

Hill had an opportunity to explain her career moves and how hard it is for female journalists on another sports giant, The Wendy Williams Show….

Jemele Hill, like many others, has blown off the fact that sports is all about competition. It’s about box scores and stats. It’s also great entertainment where one ever really knows from the opening whistle or first pitch who will win the game, which is sports’ ultimate beauty.

It’s not an arena for those who wish to make “race, class, gender and politics” statements. Those who continue to pursue that agenda are correctly relegated to the ash heap of sports “journalism”.

Less than a week after PHL17 reporter Colleen Campbell was fired for going off on a comedy club employee and Philadelphia police officer, laid-off ESPN reporter and verbal abuser Britt McHenry came to Campbell’s defense… sort of.

This is just a post for my friends, but if you’re sharing the video of the Philadelphia reporter, take a second look at yourself. I’ve been in a situation where a video was put out for the sole purpose of trying to ruin my career. In my case, the tape was edited and used as extortion for money. I had serious long-term health effects from the cyber shaming and bullying. This woman was out of line, yes. But what does it say about our culture when we gleefully film, share and consume the take downs of someone’s successful life and career? No one is perfect. I’ve seen every one of my friends make mistakes, and I’ve made a ton of them. I hope nobody I care about has to go through that shame publicly.
— Britt McHenry, deleted Facebook post

Why is it these stupid narcissists never take a moment to think before they post things they quickly have to delete? And this need for these people to find a way to make an incident all about them. Let us not forget who and what Britt McHenry was and is.

While McHenry was not arrested for her actions in 2015, she clearly hasn’t learned anything about humility, tried to play the victim, and was given the T&A pass, at least for awhile.

ESPN reportedly wanted to fire McHenry, but settled on a one-week suspension after she apologized on Twitter for her “hurtful actions” and asked for a second chance amid a torrent of vulgar and sexist comments directed at her on social media. Those angry comments apparently had a direct effect on McHenry, who told Marie Claire that she would stay up late at night reading comments about the incident on blogs that blasted her for being a “bleach-blond bubblehead” and “a sorry excuse for a human being.”

Eventually, she said, the stress become so intense it led to her vision becoming blurry and caused her right eye to grow cloudy.

“I went to a retinal specialist, who diagnosed me with CSR, a condition in which vision is impaired, often due to trauma or extreme stress,” McHenry said, as told by Abigail Pesta.
— Philly.com, 12/13/16

Aw, the hurt feelings. They have no problems letting everyone know how they felt but never considered the feeling of others when they were issuing their entitled, superior tirades on others they consider far beneath them.

The poetic justice? McHenry was one of the recent boatload of layoffs at ESPN. Now while we don’t wish unemployment on anyone, there are clearly those who have no appreciation of the jobs they do have and are also too immature to function in the highest echelons of their profession.

Their pay reflects their effort, thus value.

But of course there are readily-exploited attributes that give some people multiple chances and it won’t be long before we see Britt McHenry and Colleen Campbell on our televisions again because media standards and practices are that low.

UPDATE

As predicted, Britt McHenry landed a gig….

… as Fox News never met a blonde they wouldn’t give a chance.

Meet Britt McHenry, the Fox News Star for Millennials
At another time, the move from sports reporter to political pundit might have seemed less natural. But McHenry’s unemployment, in 2017, coincided with the moment America’s favorite pastimes were all careening toward the political. There was Colin Kaepernick kneeling for the National Anthem. Superstars like Steph Curry were refusing to visit the White House. And, crucially, the President was sniping back.

McHenry’s sports fluency suddenly had currency in right-wing politics. She started pitching columns to Ben Domenech, publisher of the Federalist. Soon she was getting booked on Fox & Friends. When she got her first hit on Tucker Carlson Tonight, she called her mom. “It was life telling me: Yes, this is the direction you want to go,” McHenry says.

This March she started hosting Like It or Not, an evening talk show about politics and pop culture, on Washington’s Fox affiliate. Finley, the Fox News senior VP, saw the show. There was no “aha moment,” he says, just example after example of McHenry “getting people talking. On a fundamental level, that’s what it was. We saw it with the segments she was doing on Fox News, on her social media, columns she was writing for us.” Only three weeks into Like It or Not’s run, he phoned with a national offer. (She’s now working on both channels.)
— The Washingtonian, 1/13/19

When most people have bad social media moments, depending on the infraction, they lose jobs, relationships and their employment future is almost totally in peril. They have to live with the ramifications of their actions.

Members of the media expect, and often receive a pass because they truly believe they are special than the rest of us.

After all, “Don’t you know who I am?”

As usual, they consider their views superior and deem it their duty to get in the faces of others, even when it may not be appropriate. ESPN is paying a financial price but instead of respecting the American sports-viewing audience, they’ll probably find a reason to double down until WE get our minds right.

In the last two months, ESPN has lost 1,176,000 subscribers, a subscriber loss nearly the size of the city of Dallas, Texas. In 2013, a mere three years ago, ESPN had 99 million subscribers. That’s right, in the last three years, ESPN lost somewhere in the neighborhood of ten million subscribers, the rough equivalent of the combined populations of New York City and Phoenix.

ESPN’s slate of uber-opinionated, radically leftist programs such as Around the Horn, First Take, Pardon the Interruption, His & Hers, and others all appear on ESPN or ESPN2, the channels which have seen the greatest decline.

When Rush Limbaugh said what many outside of Philadelphia thought of Donovan McNabb and why he was given more slack than other NFL quarterbacks, he was let go. Curt Schilling said almost the same thing about RGIII and with the same result. ESPN produces programming that not only celebrates the accomplishment of athletes, but how we should feel about social issues we just may not want to deal with when we’re taking our escapist, sports time-out.

Sorry. It’ll never happen.

Aside from sports and news channels, many channels would be in serious financial peril if their customers had “choice” but are saved by the very progressive, wealth-distributive approach to entertainment. Basically, you pay regardless of the quality or value to you of the programming.

While you run those cable remote laps and click past channels you never have (nor ever will stop to watch), remember you’re still paying for it. Production companies, and some of their icky “actors” and “comics” will continue to be handsomely paid, no matter how provocative, partisan, juvenile, racist, unfunny, gory, unoriginal, and intentionally insulting they decide to be as long as We the Consumer have no choice but to pay for their cable and satellite channels, whether we watch them or not.

Imagine if we only paid for the channels we wanted?

With the cheapest cable package (leaving out the obscure), you have A&E, American Movie Classics, Animal Planet, Azteca America, Baby First, Baby TV, BBC America, Believer’s Voice of Victory Network, Black Entertainment Television, Bloomberg TV, Boomerang, Bravo, BYU Television, Cartoon Network, CBS Sports Network, CCTV (China), Chiller, Christian Television Network, Church Channel, Cine Latino, Cine Sony, Cinemax (East and West), Classic Arts Showcase, CNBC, CNN, CNN En Espanol, Comedy Central, Cooking, Country Music Television, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, C-SPAN3, Daystar, De Pelicula, De Pelicula Clasico, Discovery, Discovery En Espanol, Discovery Familia, Discovery Family Channel, Disney Channel, (East, West, Jr., XD), DIY, E! Entertainment Television, Encore (East, West, HD, Action, Black, Classic, Family, Suspense, Westerns), ESPN (Alternate, Deportes, 2, News, U), Eternal Word Network, Food Network, Fox Business News, Fox Deportes, Fox Movie Channel, Fox News, Fox Sports (1, 2), Free Speech TV, Fuse, Fusion, FX, FXX, Galavision, Game Show Network, GetTV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, HBO (East, West, 2, Comedy, Family, Latino, Signature, Zone), Headline News, History, History En Espanol, Home and Garden Television, Home Shopping Network (1 and 2), Impact Network, Independent Film Channel, Inspiration Film Network, Investigation Discovery, ION, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, MLB Extra Innings, MLB Network, MSNBC, MTV (2, Live), NASA, Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild, NBA League Pass, NBA TV, NBC Sports Network, NBC Universo, NewsMax, NFL Network, NHL Center Ice, NHL Network (Alternate), Nick Jr., Nickeldeon / Nick at Night (East and West), Nicktoons, Oprah Winfrey Network, Outdoor Channel, Oxygen, Pursuit, QVC, QVC+, Reelz, RFD-TV, Russia Today, Science, Smithsonian Channel, Spike, Sundance, Syfy, TeenNick, Teleformula, Telemundo, Telemundo Oesta, Tennis Channel, The Learning Channel, The Movie Channel (East, West, Xtra), The Blaze, Travel Channel, Trinity Broadcasting Network, TruTV, TBS, TNT, TV Land, Univision (Deportes, Este, Foro TV, Oeste, Novelas), USA Network, Velocity, VH1, VH1 Classic, Weather Channel, WGN, Women’s Entertainment, and many more.

With that….

If the average family could choose ONLY the channels they wanted, think about how many you’d actually deem worthy of paying for? Personally, we’d keep ESPN (only for NFL pregame shows, Sunday Night Baseball, and Monday Night Football), NFL Network, C-SPAN, Food Network, Fox Business, American Movie Classics, Turner Movie Classics, Home and Garden and that’s about it: a couple handfuls of channels we’d watch on a consistent basis and the rest wouldn’t be missed.

What really sucks is that we’re forced to pay for channels many of us NEVER watch and some we couldn’t be paid to watch. There are many channels that include what is referred to as “soft porn”, so-called documentaries on “family” channels that are nothing less than blatant liberal indoctrination aimed at children, kids’ network with obnoxious know-it-all punks and stupid adults, and numerous reality formats that would not be in existence if not subsidized by millions of captive subscribers.

If ESPN were solely reliant on advertisers, many would hear from those who identify with Curt Schilling’s common sense assessment of the proper, traditional use of bathrooms. ESPN might have had to think twice before making such a snap judgment in firing him.

But the entertainment industry is devious and liberal, they love forcing the public to do things against their best instincts, pushing their ideology unchallenged, and best of all: getting us to pay for it whether we want to or not.

If we ever get “choice”, we will all save a lot of money and the intolerant, politically correct may pay the price for a change!

Jonathan Dwyer of the Arizona Cardinals has been arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident and has been deactivated for this week’s game against the San Francisco 49ers. Dwyer is now the third player in the NFL on what is essentially a paid leave while facing either domestic or child abuse charges. Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings and Greg Hardy of the Carolina Panthers are both on the exempt/commissioner’s permission list.
— Business Insider, 9/18/14

While the announcements of players receiving pay while investigations were ongoing pissed off the most holier-than-thou media types, we also believe that it was highly unlikely the sanctimonious punditry in the news business would be the ONLY employment base where domestic violence or other crimes did not occur, and thanks to the Internet hamper, here are a few examples of the hypocritical media’s dirty laundry….

1997

Testimony Stuns Court Albert, Wearing Women’s Underwear, Allegedly Bit New Prosecution Witness
A surprise witness testified Wednesday that 54-year-old NBC play-by-play man Marv Albert, wearing white panties and a garter belt, bit her three years ago in a Dallas hotel room during a struggle that left her holding the sportscaster’s hairpiece.

Patricia Masden’s story was the most shocking yet in Albert’s forcible sodomy and assault trial, drawing gasps from spectators but not even a smile from the jurors. Albert is not on trial in connection with the alleged incident, but Circuit Judge Benjamin N.A. Kendrick let her tell her story to show what prosecutors say was a pattern of conduct.

This incident prompted a tribute by Rush Limbaugh via a Bob Rivers’ classic….

2009

CNN’s Rick Sanchez alleged Hit-and-Run DUI, leaves victim Jeffrey Smuzinick paralyzed
WSVN-Ch.7 anchorman Rick Sanchez was charged on Friday with driving under the influence. The charge stems from a Dec. 10 accident during which Sanchez struck a pedestrian outside Joe Robbie Stadium, the Dade County State Attorney’s Office said. A blood test showed that Sanchez, 32, who lives in Pembroke Pines, was legally drunk when his 1991 Volvo hit Jeffrey Smuzinick, deputy chief prosecutor Kathleen Hoague said.

Sanchez’s alcohol level was .15. In Florida, .10 is considered drunk.

2011

Former ESPN personality Jay Mariotti charged with felony stalking and assault
Former ESPN sports personality Jay Mariotti has been charged with three felonies -– stalking, domestic violence and assault -– after he confronted his ex-girlfriend the same day a court ordered him to stay away from her, prosecutors said. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the charges: stalking, corporal injury on a spouse or domestic partner, and assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury. He was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of disobeying a court order.

In addition to confronting his ex-girlfriend at a restaurant Sept. 30 — the day he pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor domestic violence — prosecutors said he argued with his former girlfriend again outside of a Venice restaurant April 15. He allegedly pulled a chunk of her hair out and grabbed her cellphone, while shouting at her, prosecutors said.

Howard Bryant, writer for ESPN, charged with domestic assault in Buckland
ESPN and the author of three books was arrested in front of Buckland Pizza and charged with assaulting his estranged wife and hitting a police officer who tried to subdue him, state police said.

Howard Bryant, 42, of Hawley Road in Ashfield, was arrested at about 12:15 p.m. Saturday and charged with domestic assault and battery, assault and battery on a police officer and resisting arrest, said state Trooper T.J. Tudryn of the Shelburne Falls barracks.

Former WJZ reporter arrested again in domestic violence case
Former television news personality Dennis Edwards is being held in the Baltimore city jail after police arrested him a second time in four days in connection with a domestic violence case involving his wife, according to court documents. A District Court judge on Monday set bail at $500,000 and scheduled a hearing for Feb. 2. The 54-year-old is charged with violating a protective order, telephone misuse, harassment and malicious destruction of property.

Police first arrested Edwards on Wednesday, Dec. 29, and charged him with assaulting his wife in their home on South Road. The woman told police that Edwards shoved her down and banged her head on the floor. He posted $20,000 bail and was released pending trial.

New York Times Tech Columnist David Pogue, Estranged Wife Charged With Disorderly Conduct In Westport
New York Times “gadget guru” David Pogue and his wife were arrested this week after the two tussled in their their Westport, CT, home, police said. Pogue, 48, and his wife Jennifer, 47, were both collared inside the Woody Lane home about 10:24 p.m. Monday when an argument between the two “turned physical,” Westport Town Police said.

Police captain Sam Arciola says an argument erupted, during which Jennifer allegedly bit David’s forearm. “Jennifer alleged that she was laying in bed reading a book, when David jumped on top of her, pinning her down and grabbing her iPhone from her hands. She then alleges that David had hit her in the head with the phone,” said Arciola.

2012

News anchor arrested on DUI charges
Amanda Davis, an anchor at WAGA in Atlanta, was driving northbound in the southbound lane of Piedmont Avenue near 14th Street in Midtown around 12:20 a.m. when the crash occurred, according to Atlanta police spokesman Gregory Lyon.

The investigating officer said he noticed that Davis smelled of alcohol. When he asked her if she had been drinking, she responded that she had, according to Lyon. During the course of the investigation, the officer determined he had reasonable cause to believe Davis was driving while impaired. Davis refused to a field sobriety test and state-administered chemical tests, Lyon said.

Former TV anchor arrested for DWI in Harlingen
Harlingen Police arrested a former Valley news anchor for driving while intoxicated early Thursday morning. Officers responded to the 3200 block of Treasure Hills Boulevard at 2:20 a.m., in reference to a car accident.

When they arrived, they found a blue 2006 Porsche Cayenne, driven by Peter Torgerson, 56, that had struck a parked car. The officer noticed Torgerson had blood shoot eyes, slurred speech, poor balance, and the strong smell of alcohol on his breath. Torgerson refused to take a breathylizer test. He faced a judge Thursday morning and was issued a $500 bond.

Torgerson was a longtime television anchor for the 5 p.m. evening news at KRGV. He quit in 1999 after winning the $37 million dollar Texas Lottery, along with a friend.

Former ABC anchor arrested for DUI
Sam Donaldson, a former anchor and reporter for ABC News, was arrested for DUI earlier this month in Delaware. Donaldson, 78, was arrested on December 1 in Lewes, Delaware. Donaldson is still an ABC News contributor and analyst.

Details are still coming in, so stay tuned to KLTV.com for the latest updates.

Former Tulsa TV Anchor Arrested On Meth Complaint
A former Tulsa TV news anchor was arrested on a drug complaint late Sunday night after officers searched his pickup truck following a traffic stop. According to jail records, a Tulsa Police officer stopped the pickup driven by Jerry Giordano just before midnight Sunday near 41st and South Harvard after the officer noticed it had an expired tag.

As the officer was doing an inventory of the pickup, he found a baggie in the driver’s seat containing a “dirty crystalline substance.” The officer wrote that he also found a baggie of “white crystalline substance” in the driver side door panel and a “large rock of crystalline substance” in the driver side door handle.

2013

KTSM anchor Adrienne Alvarez arrested on battery charge
Local TV news anchor Adrienne Alvarez was arrested Aug. 1 after police arrived at her home for a domestic violence incident. The 28-year old was charged with battery against a household member and was booked into the Doa Ana County Detention Center. She was released on bond at about 5 a.m. Aug. 1.

“We are aware of the arrest but will wait for more details before making any other comments,” Gary Sotir, general manager for KTSM/KDBC said in a statement.

KVIA morning weatherman arrested for alleged public intox, disorderly conduct
Channel 7-KVIA morning meterologist Jorge Torres was arrested early Sunday for allegedly causing a disturbance while drunk.

Jail records show Torres, 26, was booked on suspicion of public intoxication and disorderly conduct. He was released from the El Paso County Jail on Sunday evening after posting a $1,000 bond.

WISN’s Dan Needles arrested in domestic violence case
WISN-TV (Channel 12) sports director Dan Needles was arrested in connection with a domestic violence incident in Waukesha, police said Monday. Waukesha Police Sgt. Dave Wanner said Needles was arrested on Sunday and posted bail and was released.

On its website, WISN said Needles was arrested after an argument with his girlfriend in their home.

WLOS reporter John Le and wife arrested, both charged with misdemeanor assault
WLOS reporter John Le and his wife, Elizabeth Alicia Le, were both arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault early Saturday morning. An arrest warrant shows the two were arrested at their Brevard apartment about 1 a.m. on Saturday morning.

There is no other detail about the incident on the written report.

Greenwich Meteorologist Bill Evans, Wife Charged In Domestic Dispute
Old Greenwich resident and WABC-TV meteorologist Bill Evans and his wife, Dana, both face third-degree assault and disorderly conduct charges after an incident in their home, according to Greenwich police. Both Bill and Dana Evans turned themselves in to police after warrants were issued for their arrests in connection with an altercation that reportedly took place May 4, according to the police report.

Each was released on a promise to appear in Stamford Superior Court on June 17, according to the police report.

2014

Ex-CBS 2 anchor cleared of choking wife
Disgraced TV anchor Rob Morrison squirmed his way out of wife-choking charges Thursday, as a judge let him withdraw his guilty plea in return for finishing a domestic violence class. The former WCBS-Channel 2 anchor — who resigned after the February 2013 attack — saw all the domestic violence charges melt away at a brief hearing in a Stamford, Conn. court. He’s now ready to start anew, his lawyer said.

“He’ll end up with zero criminal record,” said Francis DiScala.

Shreveport Anchor Arrested for Drunk Driving
KTBS/Channel 3/Shreveport anchor Jody Lowery was arrested in Red River Parish for DWI on July 31st. State police booked Lowery under her full name: Jody Lowery Waldo. Lowery worked in Shreveport before taking a job in Tampa. But two years ago she returned to Shreveport to anchor the late news and do some reporting duties.

Few details have been released about her arrest.

KHOU announces anchor arrested on DWI charge
A popular Houston newsman found himself in the headlines Wednesday after his arrest on a DWI charge. KHOU-Channel 11 announced on its website that Ron Trevino, the station’s morning anchor, was arrested Tuesday night. But it did not add any details about what led to the charge.

According to Harris County court records, it is the 55-year-old’s first such offense. He was released from a city jail on $500 bond and his next court date is March 19.

Fox News’ Gregg Jarrett Arrested
Jarrett appeared to be drunk, acted belligerently and wouldn’t obey police orders, according to the police report. A bystander told the officer Jarrett had said he’d taken medication, though he told the officer he hadn’t. He told the officer he had begun drinking at 9 a.m. Jarrett was placed in a holding cell, where he struggled with the officer, who was trying to handcuff him. He was subsequently charged with obstructing the legal process by interfering with a peace officer, a misdemeanor.

2015

Wichita Reporter Arrested for Domestic Violence
Wichita NBC affiliate KSNW is reporting weekend anchor and reporter Brian Miller has been arrested for destruction of property/domestic violence.

“KSN is currently investigating the situation,” the station told viewers during its evening newscasts yesterday and on its website. “While that investigation continues, Brian will not appear on KSN.”

Former SA television news anchor arrested on DWI charge
A former San Antonio TV news anchor who worked at both KSAT and KENS several years ago was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated Wednesday evening, according to a San Antonio police report.

Karen Gallagher, 56, was arrested just before 8 p.m. after a crash on Rogers Ranch on the far North Side.

In October 2011, Gallagher was sentenced to two years deferred adjudication and fined $2,000 after pleading no contest to two counts of obtaining drugs by theft.

Former Fox40 anchor Sabrina Rodriguez sentenced in shoplifting case
After pleading no contest to a single misdemeanor theft charge and agreeing to pay $2,480 in restitution, the former Fox40 anchor Sabrina Rodriguez is expected to spend 30 days wearing a monitoring device on her ankle and then try to rebuild her life.

“I just really want to move on with my life, I really do,” Rodriguez, 31, said

2016

Domestic Violence Charges Against KNTV‘s Brent Cannon Emerge
Garcia-Cannon and her husband are separated now with charges of domestic violence against him pending in a South Bay courtroom. By all accounts, things have gotten out of hand with her accusing him of various pushes and shoves, and more extreme physical behavior. According to a source close to Garcia, she has visible bruises to prove it.

Garcia-Cannon is still, somehow, anchoring the morning show at KNTV under obviously extenuating circumstances. “I don’t know how she does it–what with all this over her head,” said a source.

Channel 2 Action News reporter charged with DUI
A Channel 2 Action News reporter was charged with driving under the influence after refusing to take a Breathalyzer during a traffic stop Wednesday morning.

An Atlanta police officer said in a police report that he pulled over Tyisha Marie Fernandes at about 3 a.m. Wednesday on Piedmont Road after observing her car traveling at 66 miles per hour in a 35 miles per hour zone.

TV reporter arrested for defecating on front lawn while covering story
Jonathan Lowe was working a story for KPHO when nature called. Instead of just holding it, he walked across the street and took a squat on the neighbor’s lawn. When officers showed up at the news van, Lowe told them, “I know what you want to talk to me about.” He told cops he wasn’t feeling well and didn’t want to bother anyone by knocking on their door to use the bathroom. “I’ve been stuck in this van all day.”

He also said he couldn’t leave the area to go to a nearby Fry’s Marketplace, and accused the people who called police of just wanting to “start problems,” according to the document. Cops weren’t buying it and arrested him for public defecation.

According to a statement from KPHO’s news director, he has since been fired from his job.

2017

Kinky Details of CNN Anchor’s Central Park Arrest
CNN personality Richard Quest was arrested early Friday morning for drug possession when police found in Central Park well after the park’s 1 a.m. curfew. Sure, the initial reports said Quest told police he was carrying methamphetamime in his pocket, but leave it to the NY Post to add the really detailed details.

Not only did Quest have drugs, he also had a “rope around his neck that was tied to his genitals, and a sex toy in his boot.” That was so not in the NY Times’ account. The Post also reported, “It wasn’t immediately clear what the rope was for” and that “the officer at the scene was able to ID the drug because of ‘his prior experience as a police officer in drug arrests, observation of packaging which is characteristic of this type of drug, and defendant’s statements that… “I’ve got some meth in my pocket.”‘

WJLA anchor Autria Godfrey charged with public intoxication and trespassing
Autria Godfrey, a popular anchor at local ABC affiliate WJLA, was arrested last month and charged with public intoxication and trespassing, according to Arlington County court records, after allegedly getting into a fight in a bar and being asked to leave.

Godfrey, 33, who anchors the station’s “Good Morning Washington” show and “ABC7 News at Noon,” was charged with the two misdemeanor counts in the early-morning hours of Feb. 18 at the Clarendon Grill in Arlington, per the arrest records. A police spokeswoman said she was arrested when she returned to the bar against police warnings.

KUTV News anchor formally charged with DUI
Charges have been officially filed against KUTV News anchor Shauna Lake after she was arrested on suspicion of DUI last week.

Lake, whose full name is Shauna Lake Marshall, faces a class B misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence, a class C misdemeanor charge of using plates registered to another vehicle, a class C misdemeanor charge of open container in vehicle on highway and a vehicle registration infraction.

Police: Colleen Campbell Later Assaulted the World’s Most Patient Cop
By now, you’re probably familiar with the viral video of since-fired PHL 17 reporter Colleen Campbell ranting and raving and getting arrested outside of Helium Comedy Club on Sunday night. Earlier, we told you that the 28-year-old South Philadelphia woman had been charged with resisting arrest, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct, but now the Philadelphia Police Department is saying that it’s worse than we originally thought.

After transitioning from local news coverage in Philly to weather in West Virginia…

Colleen started in May of 2018 and – with hurricane-force winds – quickly rose to become the Chief. She did all of this while working a second job and pursuing her degree in meteorology.
— WDTV, 12/3/20

Explains why so many so-called meteorologists get the weather wrong. Campbell joined the East Texas “weather team” at CBS19 in December 2020. 

BTW — Campbell made several attempts to have our video of her removed from YouTube and in 2025, finally succeeded. The video can be found here.

2018

Former television meteorologist jailed on felony domestic violence charge
Mark Prater, who in April left his job as chief meteorologist for CBS 42, was booked into the Jefferson County Jail Wednesday just after 3 p.m. According to jail records, Prater is charged with second-degree domestic violence/stalking.

The former award-winning television personality in the past had been named Birmingham’s Best News/Weather anchor on a number of occasions. The Associated Press also named him Alabama’s Best Weathercaster in 1999.

12 News reporter allegedly flees from law enforcement, intoxicated
According to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office website, Bryan Turner West, 30, was booked into jail Thursday. The charges include one count of unlawful flight from law enforcement, a class 5 felony, and four misdemeanor DUI counts, including super DUI, which requires a BAC above 0.20.

Mr. West is a reporter for 12 News- KPNX in Phoenix.

Embarrassing moment Florida TV anchor, 28, makes fun of white officer’s baldness and boasts about her master’s degree as she is arrested for drunk driving while claiming it’s racially motivated
A black television anchorwoman has been allowed back to work despite her arrest for drunk driving, as bodycam footage obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com shows her mocking officers and accusing them of arresting her because of her race.

Farron Salley, morning and weekend anchor at West Palm Beach’s Channel 25 in Florida, was welcomed back after a two-month leave after her arrest on December 15, 2018.

After a DUI Arrest, KSPR Anchor Frances Watson Returns to TV
KSPR anchor Frances Watson has returned to the air four months after being arrested for DUI in Springfield, Mo.

“As many of you know, it’s been four months since I have been on the air. I made a bad decision resulting in my arrest for drinking and driving. I was suspended and nearly lost everything I’ve worked hard for,” she said in a lengthy Facebook post. “It hasn’t been easy. It’s embarrassing and sad really. However, I’ve made the choice to own my mistake and not hide from it,” she continued.

The station never ran a story on her arrest back in December.

2019

Domestic violence charges dropped against former FOX 13 reporter
Domestic violence charges were dropped Friday against former FOX 13 reporter Scott Madaus. Madaus, 42, was arrested on the charges on Dec. 15, 2018. According to an affidavit, Madaus and the victim began fighting at his Midtown home after drinking a few glasses of wine, which upset the victim because Madaus had been sober for 20 days.

When officers arrived, they reported seeing the home vandalized and observing a scratch on the victim’s neck.

Tulsa Anchor Arrested on DUI Charges
KOKI noon anchor Tiffany Alaniz was arrested after driving drunk and crashing her car into a utility pole. According to Tulsa police, she flipped her car on Thursday night around 11:30 p.m.

Alaniz was not injured and refused medical help. Police say she showed signs of being intoxicated and underwent field testing from officers.

Hope Woodside, former popular Utah news anchor, arrested for DUI twice in 2 days
According to arresting documents, Hope Woodside, 57, was arrested on March 29 after dispatch received a complaint that she was suspected of drinking and driving in the Jeremy Ranch area. Woodside was booked into the Summit County Jail and is facing charges of DUI, open container and failure to signal.

The next day, just before 11 p.m. troopers were dispatched to I-80 west near the Jeremy Ranch exit on a report of a vehicle that had run off the road. When the trooper arrived, he found a witness who told him the driver was now in the back seat of the car.
Documents state there is prior history of complaints against Woodside of driving under the influence.

Woodside was a news anchor for Fox 13 for more than 20 years and had worked in the industry for 35. She made the decision to leave her job at Fox 13 in September 2018.

Evansville TV reporter arrested, accused of driving while drunk
Veronica DeKett, a noon anchor and senior reporter at WEVV-TV 44 News, has been charged with two counts of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated after she was pulled over after a night of drinking. DeKett failed several roadside tests, according to the affidavit. Police said she was belligerent and argumentative at times.

She was administered a portable breath test and registered a 0.19. A second test at the jail gave the same result. The legal limit is 0.08. She was booked into Vanderburgh County’s jail shortly after 2:20 a.m. but has since been released, according to online records. An initial court hearing is scheduled for Wednesday morning at 8:30.

Station Manager Eric Stremming had no comment on DeKett’s arrest.

Tech reporter Peter Bright charged with soliciting child sex online
Tech reporter Peter Bright has been arrested for soliciting sex with children online. He was employed by Ars Technica until recently.

A federal complaint alleges that Bright sought to molest a 7- and 9-year-old and met with an undercover agent for this purpose, at which point he was arrested. It also states that Bright claimed to be in a sexual relationship with an 11-year-old. He is currently being held without bail.

Former Dateline Reporter Chris Hansen Charged With Bouncing Checks
Chris Hansen got caught. The former Dateline NBC correspondent and To Catch a Predator host who left NBC News in 2013 has been accused of bouncing checks and then failing to pay $13,000 worth of marketing materials he received from a local vendor in Connecticut. An arrest warrant was issued for Hansen, who turned himself over to police on Monday and was released without bond.

2020

New Yorker Suspends Jeffrey Toobin for Masturbating on Zoom Call
Jeffrey Toobin addresses Zoom call masturbation scandal: ‘I’ll regret it for the rest of my life’
Jeffrey Toobin is back at CNN eight months after exposing himself on Zoom
The New Yorker has suspended reporter Jeffrey Toobin for masturbating on a Zoom video chat between members of the New Yorker and WNYC radio last week. Toobin says he did not realize his video was on.

Local news anchor arrested on assault charges, Anchorage police say
Police said they took Maureen “Maria” Athens, 41, into custody Friday in the parking lot of Coastal Television Broadcasting Co. on East Tudor Road after it was reported she and a man were involved in an altercation. Athens was charged with fourth-degree assault, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct. At the arraignment, the judge ruled Athens would be banned from the property until further notice. Athens is also not allowed to have contact with the victim.

Ms. Athens’ employer, general manager Scott Centers declined to comment to Alaska’s News Source on the arrest, or whether Athens remains employed at the station.

Texas news anchor arrested on prostitution charge
A morning show anchor and reporter in Amarillo, who used to be on TV in San Antonio, was arrested on prostitution charges, according to ABC 7/KVII. Anthony Pittman, a morning anchor at ABC 7, was arrested Friday in Randall County and charged with solicitation of prostitution, a Class B misdemeanor, the station reported.

TV Anchor Arrested on Assault Charges After Allegedly Hitting Man with Beer Bottle in Fight Over Politics: Cop
A South Carolina TV news anchor normally reporting on the news was “in” the news after she was arrested on assault charges for allegedly cracking a beer bottle over a man’s head during a heated political argument, police said. The 32-year-old victim sustained injury to his face that required stitches, police said.

Kamie Jo Roesler, 28, an anchorwoman at WIS-TV in Columbia, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, according to the Sioux Falls police. The alleged victim, a 32-year-old man, told the police he and Roesler had been arguing about politics leading up to the incident, The Charlotte Observer reported.

Utah news anchor arrested for DUI
The Salt Lake Tribune reports KUTV anchorwoman Shauna Lake was arrested at Salt Lake International Airport on Friday.

She was approached by an officer while parked in a pickup. Officers requested a blood draw warrant, according to KUTV. She reportedly failed a field sobriety test, but the blood alcohol results are not yet complete. Lake was later released at the airport and sent with someone to drive her home.

This, apparently, is not Lake’s first DUI. Her first arrest happened in May 2017. There are rumors that Lake may be fired from her job. KUTV news director Michael Garber has not made any public comment on the matter.

2021

El Paso TV news anchor Tatiana Favela arrested on DWI charge near Cincinnati district
An El Paso television news anchor was arrested on a driving-while-intoxicated charge after allegedly driving erratically in the Cincinnati Avenue Entertainment District.

Tatiana Favela, 27, the weekend news anchor for Channel 9-KTSM, was arrested early Friday by an El Paso police DWI Task Force officer. The affidavit stated she declined to do a field sobriety test. “It’s against me,” she told the DWI officer, who asked her to clarify. “It’s against my privilege.”

Favela in an email on Monday stated she had “no comment at this time.”

2023

News Anchor Arrested For DUI In Maryland
NBC4 news anchor Leon Harris has seen his recent DUI arrest plastered all over the media. The 60-year-old journalist, who works in Washington, D.C., was arrested on January 29 after causing an accident and then trying to leave the scene. Harris, who once worked for CNN, rear-ended a vehicle at Bradley Boulevard and River Road in Montgomery County. The impact caused the vehicle he hit to rear-end a third vehicle. Fortunately, nobody suffered serious injuries in the crash.

Harris attempted to leave the accident scene but was caught by police. He failed both a Breathalyzer test and a sobriety test. His alcohol level was determined to be twice the state’s legal limit. An investigation into the incident is underway. During this time, Harris has been suspended from his on-air duties at NBC4.

Harris faces a total of nine criminal charges, all misdemeanors.

Former Univision sports anchor charged with murder in Corpus Christi
A former sports anchor in San Antonio has been arrested for murder in Corpus Christi, police there confirmed. Johnathan Solarte, 37, is charged with murder. He worked formerly as a sports anchor at Univision. 

Police said Solarte got into an argument with a 35-year-old family member. The argument turned into a physical fight and at some point, Solarte shot the victim, police said. The victim was transported to a hospital where he died.

In March of 2017, while Solarte was employed at Univision in San Antonio, he was arrested after refusing to stop when a Bexar County Sheriff’s deputy tried to pull him over. But the District Attorney’s Office dismissed the felony evading arrest case and he was not charged or indicted for the crime.

South Dakota reporter arrested, fired for using Gov. Kristi Noem’s phone number to make prank call
The Stanley County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that Austin Goss, the capitol bureau reporter for Dakota News Now, had been arrested Thursday morning and released on a personal recognizance bond. Dakota News Now and KOTA Territory News, which employed Goss, issued a joint statement at about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, which announced the termination of the reporter.

Documents say the call came from a website called PrankDial, which was able to make it appear as though the call was coming from Noem’s cell phone. The call was reportedly made around 8:30 p.m. Jan. 22. Goss was charged with “making threatening, harassing, misleading contacts,” a class 1 misdemeanor. The maximum penalty could be one year’s imprisonment and $2,000 in fines.

Goss nor his attorney wanted to talk on the record.

KSAT reporter arrested on suspicion of DWI
KSAT reporter John Paul Barajas was arrested early Sunday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. The charge is a Class B misdemeanor.

According to a blood draw warrant from the San Antonio Police Department, Barajas was pulled over for speeding and drifting outside the lane of traffic in the 11000 block of Interstate 10 just before 2 a.m. on Sunday. SAPD said he refused a breathalyzer and was taken into custody without incident.

“KSAT12 is aware of an incident regarding one of our employees being arrested for alleged driving under the influence on November 5th, 2023,” said Ashley Parker, VP/GM of KSAT12. “We ask that you respect the privacy of all involved and refrain from speculation or conjecture.”

2024

News anchor in Texas accused of breaking boyfriend’s nose after drinking margaritas
A TV news anchor in Texas was arrested on domestic violence charges after police said she broke her boyfriend’s nose. Heather Kovar was arrested Monday night in College Station.

According to court records, Kovar was drinking margaritas at a Mexican food restaurant when she got into an argument with her boyfriend over relationship issues they’ve been having. They went back to her apartment across from the Texas A&M University campus where TAMUPD said the fight turned physical. Kovar punched him 12 times in the face, bit his left arm and scratched his other arm, according to court documents.

Columbia TV journalist arrested on child pornography charges
The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office says Matt Vereen, 28, was arrested on Wednesday and taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. He is a journalist at television station WACH-TV.

Vereen was charged with three charges connected to the sexual exploitation of a minor: two counts in the second degree and another count in the third degree. Arrest warrants state that child sexual abuse material involving an underage girl was found on his Apple laptop during a search warrant on Wednesday.  Vereen’s LinkedIn page states he has worked as a sports anchor and reporter for WACH-TV for nearly three years. Prior to this, he worked as a sports reporter and anchor at KOLR, a news station in Springfield, Missouri.

WACH-TV said Friday that Vereen has been placed on suspension.

Ex-Local4 news anchor found guilty for alleged threats through texts, emails
A former central Nebraska news anchor has been found guilty of charges of terrorizing a woman through texts and emails.

Joseph Scanlan, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of attempt of a class 4 felony and two counts of intimidation by phone call or electronic device. All counts are misdemeanors.

In exchange for his plea, the latter count was reduced from felony terroristic threats.

2025

Former News Anchor Charged with Murder After Allegedly Stabbing and Killing Her 80-Year-Old Mother
A former news anchor has been charged with murder after she allegedly stabbed and killed her elderly mother.
Police responded to a “reported cutting” at a residence in Wichita, Kan., at about 7:52 a.m. local time on Friday, Oct. 31, per a media release shared on Facebook by the Sedgwick County Police Department (SCPD).
Upon arrival, police found a woman — who was later identified as 47-year-old Angelynn “Angie” Mock— standing outside the home. They then entered the residence and found Mock’s mother, Anita Avers, 80, “unresponsive in her bed with multiple stab wounds.”

FOX 26 Houston anchor Isiah Carey arrested for DWI — again
Award-winning FOX 26 Houston news anchor Isiah Carey, whose full name is Isiah Carey Arbuckle, was arrested overnight for driving while intoxicated, according to Montgomery County jail records. This is the 55-year-old’s second DWI arrest in recent years.

Host of the station’s Isiah Factor Uncensored, Carey was taken into custody around 3:50 a.m. on Friday and later booked into the Montgomery County Jail on his second DWI charge. The charge is classified as a Class A misdemeanor. He is being held with a bail set at $1,000. Further information about Carey’s arrest was not yet available by the time of this writing. FOX 26 did not provide a comment on Carey’s arrest. The station noted he will not be on the air tonight and there will be a re-run of one of his shows instead as he was already scheduled for time off.

South Florida news reporter turns himself into Miami police following Rolex theft, pawning
A South Florida man has been arrested for allegedly stealing a pricy watch from a neighbor. According to police, 29-year-old Michael Hudak is accused of stealing a $16,000 Rolex from his neighbor while the latter was traveling abroad.

Hudak is a reporter for WSVN-ABC Miami in South Florida.

He was taken to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where his bond was listed as “to be set” as of Thursday afternoon.

WSVN said in a statement that Hudak “has been suspended without pay at this time.”

Ex-news anchor sentenced to 10 years in prison for federal conspiracy charge
Stephanie Hockridge, a former news anchor, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for federal conspiracy. The charges are in connection with Blueacorn, a paycheck protection program loan processing company during the pandemic, in which Hockridge was a co-founder. The judge ordered $64 million in restitution in the case, which will be forwarded to the Small Business Administration, which ran the PPP loan program. Hockridge and the other defendants will be jointly responsible for paying.

Hockridge, who worked as an ABC15 news anchor from 2011 to 2018, was acquitted of four counts of wire fraud but convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in June 2025.

Former Rapid City news anchor receives a suspended imposition of sentence
On Thursday in Sturgis, Shad Olson who was a TV news anchor at KOTA and KNBN, was arrested on a domestic violence charge. was sentenced after pleading no contest to simple assault – domestic violence for an incident that occurred in February 2024.

The state was asking for a 180-day suspended jail sentence, and the judge gave Olson a suspended imposition of sentence.

Olson is required to attend anger management counseling, consent to search and seizure, consume no alcohol for the next 365 days, and have no contact with the victim or the victim’s address.

Former KTVU anchor arrested for fourth time following altercation with daughter
A former Bay Area news anchor was arrested this week on suspicion of assault with serious bodily injury after a physical altercation involving his daughter, according to a social media post and jail records.

Frank Somerville, 67, a former mainstay anchor for KTVU in Oakland, said in a now-deleted Facebook post that he was taken into custody Monday evening after a fight with his daughter. Alameda County jail records showed that Somerville was in custody at Santa Rita Jail on Tuesday morning.

2026

KOAT Reporter Arrested for DWI Early This Morning
Award-winning KOAT Channel 7 reporter and weekend anchor Julian Paras is facing some criminal charges related to an alleged drunk-driving incident. Paras admitted to consuming a few alcoholic drinks prior to driving.

While speaking face-to-face with the driver about the reason for the traffic stop, the officer reported detecting a strong odor of alcohol on the driver’s breath and continued to observe signs of impairment, including bloodshot and watery eyes.

After completion of booking paperwork, Paras was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center.

Of course, seeing how news directors are the ultimate gatekeepers as to what is considered presentable to the public, we really have no idea just how many other journalists and news personalities have been busted. Many links to stories suspiciously come up as a “404 error”.

Media professionals salivate at the opportunity to report on any of us, no matter how devastating it is personally and professionally. But they get all protective of their private information when their activities put them in the spotlight.

Sucks, don’t it?