Decisions…decisions…

Who will wear the “Cluebat of the Week” laurels?

Certainly there has been enough cluelessness exhibited by Republicans this week as a group of Republican Congressmen decided that the American people don…

Source: NewsStand
Young journalist put off by editing of T.O. interview
USA TODAY

Michael Hiestand

Graham Bensinger sat down last week with Terrell Owens for an interview that led to what now seems like an end to the wide receiver’s days as a Philadelphia Eagle.

In reporting originally intended just for ESPN.com, Owens made news with his negative comments about his team. But Bensinger says it’s “unfortunate” that ESPN’s SportsCenter, picking up the story, chose to air only four newsy minutes of an hourlong interview. But then, he says, “that’s to be expected in the media.”

Bensinger is learning. Which is totally appropriate, given he’s a college freshman at Syracuse.

Bensinger, 19, had a sort of 21st-century media launch pad that began back in the 20th century. Having built his own website in fifth grade to sell baseball cards, he created his own Internet radio show in eighth grade without any particular adult prompting — he says his father, a financial adviser, “hates” sports — and by simply writing to retired baseball players and asking them to come on his homemade media outlet.

By his junior year in high school, he had a two-hour Saturday show on local St.Louis radio. Owens had been on the show a half-dozen times before last week’s interview. And last year, Bensinger landed a rare interview with O.J. Simpson.

Bensinger concedes it was helpful that he’d been in second grade when Simpson was on trial. “He gave me an interview, without a doubt, because he saw a young aspiring journalist,” says Bensinger, who got a follow-up interview with Simpson that aired on ESPN. “Age was a definite advantage.”

Bensinger, who now has a local radio show in Syracuse as he takes introductory communication courses, archived his radio shows on his thegbshow.com — which includes photos of Bensinger with famous sports figures.

Bensinger began his now-famous Owens interview by asking, “Are you happy?”

Youth, suggests ESPN New Media senior vice president John Papanek, is not being wasted on this teenager: “He’s been able to establish relationships with lots of A-list athletes because of his youth and unthreatening nature.”

$6-7 mill/yr isn’t enough? Fine, have fun at Team McDonald’s or Team WalMart, whiner.

Such a shame — the guy is such a talented receiver and has been a difference-maker.

Bravo, Clint — I too have always hated the “if anyone is offended” BS….

Owens, Owens, Owens. The town was his for the taking. How dumb can you be to blow a deal like that? Think of the money he could have made on endorsements if he didn’t start bitching about his contract.

Well, at the very least, I’m sure you can get a good deal on No. 81 jerseys from the Eagles’ store these days.

I suppose that scrapes by. I’m personally of the school that “I apologize” is a statement that still needs to be backed up with an actual expression of contrition, ala “I screwed up.” or “I’m sorry that…” or “I wish I hadn’t done/said that.” But it’s much better than “I fight for what I think is right.”

To McNabb, Owens said, “I apologize to him for any comments that may have been negative.”

The guy is throwing away tens of millions of dollars, as well as the adulation of his screaming fans, because he can’t get over his own enormous ego.

The next time Owens takes to the field, refuse to attend the game, if you have tickets.

NFL will figure it out from there.

To be honest though, they already have figured it out. NFL players union should never be confused with the MLB version.