Bob Haynie: A Bittersweet Week Of Sports Talk
As a lifelong sports fan, I awaken each day ready to consume all of the news I possibly can relating to the world of athletics. As a sports-talk show host, I kind of have to anyway.
I want to find out all I can about the home teams and then I hit the national headlines. There is never a shortage of information or opinions on the hot topics.
While we all prefer to concentrate on the news relating to the play on the field, oftentimes real life drama hits us hard and becomes the dominant story. That was the case this week with Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice.
Over the last few days, the Orioles signed two starting pitchers, the NFL salary cap increased, the Maryland Terrapins lost a tough college hoops game to Duke and we have the Winter Olympics happening. Unfortunately, all of these events are being blasted out of the news by the Ray Rice arrest.
Since Ray Rice is a local star and a nationally recognized figure, his troubling week has been documented and discussed not only on sports programs, but by media outlets like Fox News, as well. As details of the arrest of Rice and his fiancée Janay Palmer continue to emerge, the story will continue to be a major force on the airwaves.
Things are not looking good for Rice, who is accused of striking Palmer last weekend in Atlantic City. Everyone has an opinion on what should happen to him and his fiancée. Believe it or not, there are some who are more concerned with the well-being of the Ravens than they are with the troubled couple.
Either way it's news. And it's not going away. Talking about it constantly, gets frustrating and ponderous as people speculate and talk about having inside info based on knowing a "friend of a friend who knows a friend" etc.
But it is the nature of the business and this topic will get a long run. Especially in Baltimore.
At least until the next salacious story comes along.