For the Indians and their fans "It's us against the world" Big Market Bias rules the airwaves
Opinion by Tim Shirer
The Cleveland Indians have had an historic season in 2016. The problem is they are from Cleveland and the national media has always had little respect for Cleveland for the simple fact our fine city is not a big market. There might be some people who would argue this point with me, but I think this was very apparent during the Indians ALDS sweep of the big market Boston Red Sox.
The cable network TBS that attempts to cover sports was horrendous with their coverage during the series. Ernie Johnson, Jr., Ron Darling and Cal Ripken, Jr. were the broadcasters and they did not even try to hide their disdain for the Indians and their unrequited love of David Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox. It was so clear in their voices every time the Red sox did something positive (not very often) they would get excited like when a pre-teen girl see “One Direction” in concert. Then when the Indians would score some runs (which they did often) or get out of a jam when pitching, their voices would become sheepish, like people do when they have seen something tragic happen.
Johnson, Darling and Ripken Jr. can deny this all they want, everyone who watched knows what they wanted to happen in this series. Darling, who before this series I thought was a pretty good broadcaster was no doubt the worst. Every time the Indians did something positive he would point out how the Red Sox failed. Even when the Indians did something well, like when Carlos Santana reached on an infield popup in the first inning of game three, Darling found a reason to criticize not only Santana, but Francisco Lindor too. I am not surprised that Darling acted this way, he was on the 1986 Mets, who had some of the worst human beings to ever play the game of baseball. So he learned long ago how to be a big market jerk. Ron Darling, no doubt you were a good Major League pitcher and I respect that, but as a national broadcaster you can kiss my, you know what.
Cal Ripken Jr., was probably the least bias of the trio, but even he was pulling for the Red Sox and David Ortiz. But Johnson, Jr, wow, his voice would go up two octaves when the Red Sox scored a run. When Mookie Betts scored during game three, Johnson, Jr., got so excited I have to think he had to change his underwear between the next innings. Then when game three ended and the Indians completed the sweep of the overrated big market Red Sox, Johnson, Jr., was more concerned with the David Ortiz lovefest than acknowledging the Indians win. It was some of best example of big market bias I have ever heard or seen on television.
Then TBS pulls the stupid stunt of a picture with a burning river and saying welcome to Cleveland. How childish and pathetic. Of course they issued a half-hearted, half-ass apology, actually it wasn’t an apology, it, was just a statement.
The bias does not end with TBS though, MLB Network has joined in on the fun. When MLB Network came on the air they were very good at covering all teams equally. Well someone at the top must have made the decision that, being fair was not a good thing and they have now fallen into the trap of loving the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox as well as the New York Mets, endlessly. The worst example of this is Christopher Russo, who hosts “High Heat” on the network. This guy is a complete and total joke. Half the time he has the facts completely and totally screwed up. But you better believe he will have the facts straight when it comes to praising the Yankees, Red Sox and Mets. Oh how Russo loves to praise these three teams, even though he claims to hate the Yankees. He also has the nerve to say he likes this 2016 Indians team, while ripping them at every chance he gets. He only has knowledge of maybe four players on the Indians roster, but you can bet he knows every player on the Yankees, Red Sox or Mets roster. You are a big mouth and somehow that’s how you stay on the air it definitely is not your knowledge of the game of baseball.
A perfect example of Russo not being in touch with the game was in late April or early May of this season when the Phillies were playing well and Russo, being so far out of touch with reality said, that the Phillies were playing better than expected and it would probably save Rueben Amaro’s job. Problem with that is, that at that time Amaro was the first base coach with the Boston Red Sox (somewhat stunning that he didn’t have the whole Red Sox coaching staff memorized), he had been fired by the Phillies on September 10, 2015. Russo makes huge mistakes like this weekly if not daily and usually does not correct himself, or if he does, he blames a member of the staff for his lack of knowledge of baseball. Oh yea he can talk about great moments in baseball history that most baseball fans know by the time they are age seven, but to get facts about the current game right no way.
Russo knows he doesn’t have to have his facts right, as long as he yells and spits on the air while talking about the Yankees, Red Sox and Mets.
In a lot of ways Russo’s temperament on the air reminds me of myself, my son actually says I do a very good impression of Russo. But I know there is one big difference, if I am going to argue with someone about baseball, I’ll know the facts and not make them up as I go.
Tribe fans, understand one thing, it truly is us against the world, this is not just something we in Cleveland imagine, it, is real. So, as we get ready for Friday and the ALCS expect the guys on the air at TBS doing the series and the idiot Christopher Russo at MLB to love the Blue Jays and count the Indians out and then be stunned when the Indian prevail once again.
POSTED 10/11/2016 22:14
Lake County Sentinel
