ENOUGH ALREADY!

Charlie Sheen being Charlie Sheen

  Charlie Sheen, (hopefully you're still reading) Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson or Ochocinco, Brett Favre, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez, and LeBron James.  What do they all have in common?  No, only Sheen has tiger blood coursing through his veins (his words).  All of these men are talented at what they do, but no one can remember what exactly that is...

   It seems that every yahoo with a camera, and a pair of wireless microphones has interviewed Sheen in the past week.  Asking him about his wide array of problems or strengths depending on whom you ask...The man who starred in Major League and Two and A Half Men, is two and a half interviews away from complete irrelevance.  True, one reason Sheen's CBS hit was so successful is because the script mirrored his real life, but did anyone realize it was this out of control?

   
Sheen's behavior is similar to that of star wide reciever, Terrell Owens, who has held press conferences in his driveway while doing situps.  Owens has cried over his quarterback, had an alleged suicide attempt, ran 50 yards to the Cowboy star in Dallas (as a member of the 49ers) to say "Look at me". I could continue my rant about Owens, but sadly it won't have anything to do with his 1,078 career catches and 153 TD receptions (Hall of Fame worthy numbers).



Terrell Owens and the imfamous press conference



    There's Bengals wide reciever, Chad Johnson or Ochocinco, who changed his surname TWICE..enough said. Pitcher, Roger Clemens, who isn't known best for his 7 Cy Young Awards anymore..Instead he is known for his federal trial about steroids and perjury.  Before that it was the retiring and unretiring...allow me to introduce you to legendary quarterback, Brett Favre.  Not only does the man spell his own last name incorrectly (pronounced Farve..spelled Favre) he has never met a camera or microphone he hasn't liked. When he approaches a microphone it's breaking news.."Is he retiring, or is he going to tell us what he ate for lunch?"





A-Rod's GQ Photo Shoot



  There's Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who is more well known for his ridiculous steroid story, and the actresses (Kate Hudson, Madonna and Cameron Diaz..not in that order, but who knows) he dates.  Instead of his pursuit to become the "Tainted" All Time Home Run King, GQ photoshoots with mirrors, self portraits as a centaur and tanning in Central Park define him.

  

   And LeBron James.  The only man in American history who felt the need to televise an important life decision.  Imagine if your choice of breakfast cereal included 40 media affiliates, a teleprompter, a boys and girls club and Jim Gray?  "Well Jim..after not much thought, I've decided to go with the Frosted Flakes over Cheerios...I hear they're great!!"

   To quote LeBron, the media is faced with a simple question.."What should I do?"  If a public figure, or entertainer has something to say shouldn't I cover it?  Isn't that newsworthy?  Maybe at first..But hearing Brett Favre hold a meaningless press conference in September is not breaking news.  It shouldn't hijack ESPN airwaves.  WORD TO THE MEDIA..If you interview Charlie Sheen it is no longer exclusive.  The first or second interview he did may have been newsworthy....But, I see Sheen on TV now, more then I ever used to see Dan Rather.

  While the media can't be blamed for these men's ridiculous behavior it certainly does not discourage their actions.  Unless news organizations make some serious changes, the athlete's and actor's names will change, but the overblown sensationalized coverage will not.