Some of the NFL’s other actions have horrified Alex Marvez, president of the Pro Football Writers Association and a South Florida Sun-Sentinel reporter. He winces at the new rule requiring photographers to wear red vests with small Canon and Reebok logos. Mr. Marvez calls the idea of using working press members as advertising vehicles “really alarming.” Neither company is paying a specific fee for the vests, but Canon Inc. is an official sponsor of the league (it pays a rights fee to be associated with the NFL) and Reebok International Ltd., owned by Adidas AG, is a league licensee (it makes merchandise with NFL logos, including jerseys, pants and photo vests).
We think this is brilliant. Some suggestions for other advertisements for the working press:
• Marv Albert. Victoria’s Secret.
• Skip Bayless. Astroglide.
• Peter Gammons. Head-On.
• Pedro Gomez. Cattle steroids.
• Jim Nantz. Black Tail magazine.
• Sean Salisbury. The iPhone.
• Stephen A. Smith. Well … you know.
“Nike is concerned by the serious and highly disturbing allegations made against Michael Vick and we consider any cruelty to animals inhumane and abhorrent. We do believe that Michael Vick should be afforded the same due process as any citizen; therefore, we have not terminated our relationship. We have however made the decision to suspend the release of the Zoom Vick V and related marketing communications. Nike will continue to monitor the situation closely and have no further comment at this time.”
We repeat: In three years, they’re going to make these into squeeze toys and remarket them to pet owners. We don’t even have a dog, and we’ll buy one.
It’s a shame, though; the mass production of these now-defunct shoes must have cost Nike, oh, at least 30 bucks in labor.
These days, being a beat reporter has all kinds of rules. But one of the bigger ones? Please don’t ask the players for their autograph. It would destroy the delicate illusion that reporters are actual impartial observers who just happen to cover some of the most famous people on the planet. A Japanese reporter covering the Yankees didn’t get the memo.
When a Japanese reporter recently asked Roger Clemens for an autograph, he got a signed photo and a swift penalty: His membership in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America was revoked. Hiroki Homma of the Fuji Evening News said he didn’t realize he was breaking the rules, though he took full responsibility and apologized to the New York Yankees.
“I didn’t know,” Homma said. “It was my fault.”
We understand why Homma was in the wrong … but we really think he’s just being honest about the real relationship between reporters and the players they cover. If you don’t think reporters aren’t dining out on their “What’s Roger Clemens really like?” stories, you’re crazy. What’s perhaps most amusing is that it probably didn’t even occur to Clemens that Homma might have been doing something strange. Just another human who isn’t Roger Clemens, askin’ a favor; sure, lady, he’ll sign your baby.
Just to briefly step in the way-back machine, we note that it was a year ago today that our first visit to the new Busch Stadium ended with Hell raining down from the skies and one poor woman being absolutely leveled by a flying thrash can. After this weekend in July 2006, we were convinced that the new stadium was cursed. We got over that.
Even though there isn’t much funny about what Ookie and his pals are charged with — we remind you once again to read the full indictment, just to see the depths of depravity the government is accusing Vick of — there’s still plenty of comedic highlights in the indictment’s wake. First off, anything that brings these two great tastes together is worthy of considerable applause.
But our favorite quote about Vick has to come from Sports Illustrated’s Don Banks. The issue is not that Vick is a horrible person; the issue is that he’s a moron.
“He’s not very bright at all,'’ the source said of Vick. “And that’s a big part of his problems. He’s a very unintelligent person and he makes poor decisions because of it. It’s not a white or black thing. Paris Hilton is an idiot, too. Mike Tyson was totally dumb, but for a long time his trainer kept him protected from his worst mistakes. You have to have someone around you who can protect you from yourself at times.'’
We’re not sure how being an idiot would spur someone to slam a dog to the ground until death, but we do imagine being an imbecile could, potentially, lead to problems.
Attention horse fans, young girls, and fans of the play Equus (starring Daniel Radcliffe as a very non-boy wizard character) … Atari has you in their sights. Their upcoming game My Horse & Me, for the Wii, DS, and PC has more horse action than you can shake a riding crop at. Details on the gameplay are pretty scant at this point, but we’re sure it involves riding and jumping over gates in an effort to re-create that boarding school experience.
According to Atari, “The game features the most accurate horse models and animations yet realized in a video game,” which means that it’ll give Oblivion a run for it’s money. But does it have horse armor? Doubtful. But it might feature some mane-brushing minigames, so you won’t be missing it.
According to Atari Senior Product Manager Emily Anadu, “We are looking forward to providing the horse-enthusiast community with a rich and authentic game that allows gamers to take care of and compete in a variety of challenges with their horse.” So if you’ve always promised a pony to someone in your family, the cost (and cleanup) will get a heck of a lot cheaper this fall.
Agent Steinz has returned from the West Coast where he almost certainly does not belong! And since Bog is my co-pilot yet again, Littles is back behind the camera after a week in the hot seat (highlight: breaking off a one-liner about Brady Quinn, Lonny Baxter and guns).
The three of us (plus Prada) are getting on the phone today for Blog Show’s pre-production meeting, which should be a headache as this week’s episode — our super sweet 16! – is entirely up in the air. Other than the fact that I’ll be wearing MoHut’s new ’GEM MINT’ t-shirt, I have no clue what’s happening on here. Oh, and with the British Open and all, this is front-running for YouTube of the Week:
Here’s the rest of the stuff we’re considering for inclusion. Let us know what’s hot or not via the comments and, as always, the Blog Show inbox.
Programming note:Blog Show is on the talking picture box Fridays at 6 p.m. as part of Washington Post Live, airing Monday-Friday from 5-6:30 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet in the D.C.-Baltimore region and also on washingtonpost.com. Subscribe to BlogShow’sYouTube feed.
Update: As more links come in, I’ll throw them down here …
Saturday, in Atlanta, the Braves game suffered a rain delay. Some fans in the bleachers, bored, drunk, started to get the idea of running on the field and sliding across the tarp. You can watch their plans being formed, then being executed. You can probably guess what happens next.
The NFL tends to be the sports world’s leader in maximizing revenue opportunities, but they might have outdone themselves: They’re slapping advertising logos on the media members.
This is the 
These days, being a beat reporter has all kinds of rules. But one of the bigger ones? Please don’t ask the players for their autograph. It would destroy the delicate illusion that reporters are actual impartial observers who just happen to cover some of the most famous people on the planet. 
As we note 
