FanHouse Media Watch

Suppose you're a second-tier ESPN radio host. Maybe one with a past history of antagonizing the blogosophere. You've got millions of listeners, many of whom are simply too lazy to change the channel. How should you spend your Thursday? How about crashing a high-profile blog just because you can.

Earlier today, Colin Cowherd decided to celebrate his power and virility by sending all of his listeners to The Big Lead. You may have heard of it--it's one of those edgy, investigative blogs that makes the mainstream media uncomfortable, and its author is a FanHouse contributor. Anyway, a few minutes into this audio, you can hear him order his audience to visit TBL right away, hoping he can shut it down. Cowherd has nothing against TBL, hasn't ever read it. He just wants to prove a point about ... I don't know, his need to prove his power and virility in public. Draw your own conclusions.

I can't even begin to describe what a cheap shot this is. I know that blogs scare people like Cowherd, and I get that if we tangle with them, there might be consequences. That would matter if, you know, Cowherd had any reason for doing what he did. Instead, well, let's just say that history does not look kindly upon bullies and intimidators.

Oh, and make sure to read Deadspin's seething take on the matter.

We're all used to saying that athletes have designs on the booth. And it's pretty common for coaches to take a little siesta in the land of broadcasting. Then there's TNT's Kenny Smith, who is trying to get into coaching or management through his time on the airwaves. From Hoops Hype:

When Smith analyzes basketball on TNT, he sounds like a coach designing a game plan or a general manager trying to construct a team. This is not an accident. Smith is very interested in becoming an NBA coach or general manager at some point.

"I think that it's inevitable, because of what is transpiring from what I say on television," Smith says. "It's pretty easy to see my philosophies, how I think about the game and what my thought processes are.

Now that he mentions this, you can kind of see it. Smith does go out of his way to break down everything in great detail, and unlike his pal Charles, is almost never lazy with his basketball knowledge. In some ways, he sounds a lot more like a coach than an ex-jock, who are generally known for being blowhards and bullies on the air.

Here's hoping someone takes advantage of Smith's extended auditon and give him a shot at a third career. We'd certainly miss him, but I'm also totally stoked to see someone like Payton or Jalen Rose take his place.

Once upon a time, Scott Pollard was one of the league's most beloved characters. He was a one-man NBA Hair Watch before such a thing existed, and a prominent cheerleader on those forgotten Kings teams. It's okay if you've lost track of him; he's bounced around, been injured, and rarely played. Maybe his innocence is gone, maybe the novelty has worn off, but either way Pollard's been below the radar.

Until Sunday, when he decided to stick it to the powers that be once and for all. From The Cleveland Plain Dealer:

[Nancy Reagan], famous for her anti-drug message, would not have been amused had she seen Pollard look into the camera during Sunday's telecast of the Cavs' game against the Indiana Pacers and say, "Hey kids, do drugs."

They then quote one father's outrage, and reveal in the process that Pollard "made a few funny faces" before making the comment. Danny Ferry was forced to an issue an official apology, as was FSN Ohio. And somewhere in a secret office, LeBron's team wondered if this would even further dampen his endorsements.

Pollard himself took the whole thing in stride, but tried to explain his actions:

"It was a bad joke. That's all it boils down to. There are a number of things people could say about it, but it just turned out it was a bad joke. Obviously, I don't believe that."

Note: he only pointed out that he doesn't think kids should do drugs. Not that drugs are bad.