Sensationalism sells

By DAVID GREEN

I wholeheartedly agree with Michael Waltrip when he asks, in reaction to the Clint Bowyer quote from Bristol, "Why did ESPN do that?"

MW's question is intended to be a rhetorical one, obviously, intended to provoke philosophical thought and not so much to get a literal reply. The literal, the real-world answer is, to quote troubadour Bruce Hornsby, "that's just the way it is." That's the way modern, technological journalism operates. It emphasizes the sensational, not only over the mundane, but over the less sensational.

The deeper issue is why would they select a recorded sound bite, in contrast to a spontaneous, live blurting out of an emotional reaction, which would prove to be based on an erroneous perception of something that had happened? The one is inarguably premeditated and purposeful, while the other is avoidable only by a time delay and an on-his-toes director.

It's a very good question. Why, indeed -- except to make both drivers look bad and stir controversy?

The criticism of Waltrip as "the worst driver in NASCAR" was clearly over-the-top and rooted in spontaneous anger and frustration as much as in Bowyer's honest assessment of Michael Waltrip's abilities. Not only did it besmirch a driver who has won more races than his critic (two of them fairly important events), but it made Bowyer appear to be severely lacking in grace and propriety.

Neither image is true. Waltrip is obviously not the worst driver ever to compete in NASCAR, nor is Bowyer a complete boor.

So why would a media entity want to air something such as Bowyer's comment?

Again, it was recorded, not live. ESPN knew of it only because technology permits the media to eavesdrop on private conversations.

Yes, drivers and other team members know the Fourth Estate is monitoring, and they should be well aware that whatever they say can and, without any doubt, will be used against them. But airing a monitored radio transmission from driver to crew is not the same as something a driver says when a reporter is sticking a microphone under his nose.

I would suggest Bowyer ought to be even angrier with ESPN than Waltrip is. The sound bite added nothing except sensationalism to ESPN's coverage of the event.

Bruce Hornsby was right: "That's just the way it is," indeed.

ESPN and other news managers perhaps ought to remember the next line of the famous song's lyrics -- "But don't you believe them."