Shawn Kemp criticizing Elliot Spitzer for infidelity. Doc Gooden criticizing repeat drug users. Bill Buckner criticizing someone for taking his eye off the ball. Chris Webber criticizing a player who doesn’t know the time and the score. Ryan Leaf criticizing a first round pick who doesn’t live up to the hype.
Can’t imagine anyone of these guys would have the audacity to make those kind of statements right? Right.
You would think Doug Gottlieb would follow suit and not criticize college players on right and wrong or morals? WRONG. Here’s the latest blog from Gottlieb:
• Now, on to O.J. Mayo and the “Outside the Lines” piece that you can see on ESPN.com. Pat Forde’s column taking USC to task is dead right as usual.
So what is the NCAA to do? The Trojans have plausible deniability since they can frankly say they were unaware of any and all arrangements Mayo may have made. Trust me folks, this is far more prevalent than the old days of money in a brown paper bag. As big of a joke as Bill Duffy looks like right now, there are countless other agents that would have footed the same bill if Mayo was their reward. This is how “cheating” happens in big-time hoops in the 21st century with the one-and-done rules. An agent supplies the bag man or AAU coach or both with the means to provide for the athlete and his family, while in turn there is an understanding that the same athlete will seek representation from that his “bag man’s” supplier if and when he declares for the NBA draft. All the college coach has to do is allow the people that control the situation access to the players, and he has no true knowledge of anything other than that he has surrendered any and all control of the player whenever the player decides to leave.
It is not the sin of Tim Floyd’s ambivalence toward Mayo’s bag men that is appalling. Instead, it is in the reward outweighing the risk in the college hoops game. Why Floyd would take on Mayo and the much-traveled and highly questionable Davon Jefferson after having a Sweet 16 run and putting two players in the draft in 2007. After all, Floyd could have rid himself of Mayo at any point before he arrived on campus in Los Angeles for summer school last year and still be seen as a savior of USC hoops.
The answer is in the reward. USC consistently drew 8,468 people in the Galen Center last season. The year before, with a better team, a new arena and a similar schedule, the Galen Center (capacity 10,258) averaged about 5,800 people.
In addition, USC landed Demar DeRozan, one of the two or three best players in a loaded California high school senior class. In addition to the DeRozan signing, Floyd will welcome in DeRozan’s longtime buddy, Lil Romeo, who is reportedly worth more than $30 million and Master P is his father. It should be noted that P has coached DeRozan in AAU hoops and has acted like a surrogate father for years to DeRozan. It should also be noted that Master P has been a sports agent during his professional life, as well, and if USC looks into the dorm room shared by DeRozan and Romeo next year, I think there may be more than one flat-screen LCD hanging on the wall, and it will be completely legal. (LINK)
In case you’re still confused as to why Gottlieb has no right to be judging whether people (or any species for that matter) are right or wrong. Here’s the issue:
In 1995-’96, Gottlieb’s freshman year at Notre Dame, he stole credit cards from a roommate and ran up $900 worth of charges. He was convicted of fraud. He transferred to Oklahoma State. (LINK)
Here’s a 2004 column by Gottlieb, where he adresses the issue:
I started at Notre Dame, a freshman who came in with a lot of hype and promise, only to leave as a high school All-American gone bad. After a tumultuous season in which I led the Irish in assists and steals, was second in minutes played and started every game except the first four, things spiraled out of control. I returned from the Big East tournament not understanding the cliques that had formed in my dorm, but feeling a need for acceptance from what was largely a wealthy student body.
That need drove me to steal three credit cards to fund a $900 shopping spree that briefly helped soothe my bitterness. I was wrong, I was caught and I paid a steep price. I was asked to move on by Irish coach John MacLeod, landing at Golden West College, a two-year commuter school near my home in California. News of my crime and subsequent transfer made the L.A. Times, Orange County Register, Sports Illustrated and SportsCenter. Humbled and humiliated, I looked to move on with my life. (LINK)
With everyone now on pace, let’s get to the issue. Why does Doug Gottlieb think he has any right to criticize USC and OJ Mayo given his past?
If you read my blog about a week ago on Tyler Hansbrough, I talked about the Costas Now segment I attended and how I would try not to jump on the bandwagon of negative blogs. I still do, but there’s no way I’m not taking a stand on this.
Gottlieb committed fraud. He should have been arrested. His take on the USC debacle was a lot more vocal then his comments about Kyle McAlarney on ESPN last year, where he gave little insight as to how the Notre Dame process would work, or trying to support McAlarney with a small ”hope it works out”. He also shyed away from talking about his legal troubles simply stating, “I made a mistake in college.” The pack of sissies he was on with never bothered to push Gottlieb into expanding on his “mistake.” Watch Gottlieb on segments involving discussions about Notre Dame. He’ll never commend McAlarney on sticking it out at Notre Dame, or talk about what it’s like dealing with fans taunts on the road. He chooses to remain silent on the subject.
While Gottlieb remained quiet on that segment, he didn’t do the same on an ESPN.com chat in December this past year:
Mike Indiana: How did your mediocre basketball career prepare you for a mediocre broadcasting career?
Doug Gottlieb: (4:04 PM ET ) So your mediocre life can prepare you for a mediocre afterlife…and by the way, which one of us works for ESPN… hey and next time…when I you say 30 minutes or less….get here on time with my pizza.
John (Notre Dame): Doug, I lost my credit card, where were you last night?
SportsNation Doug Gottlieb: (4:27 PM ET ) Ask your mom.
Johns Mom (Notre Dame): GOTTLIEB I KNOW YOU STOLE MY SON’S CREDIT CARD!
SportsNation Doug Gottlieb: (4:34 PM ET ) Ten years ago I made a mistake…and payed for it…18 years ago YOU WERE your parents mistake and they are still paying for it. (LINK)
A truly classy statement, Doug.
A squabble with different fans aren’t this model citizen’s only problem. He has had a war of words with Wisconsin’s Bo Ryan, in 2005 when he called Brian Butch “the most overrated player in the Big Ten.” He also said Wisconsin was the most overrated team in the Big Ten.
Gottlieb also had the guts to say that Big East teams, mostly Syracuse, play soft non-conference schedules that are “FRAUDULENT”. The fact that Gottlieb had the “onions” to use the word fraudulent given his past, is a true statement to how stupid his statements can be.
Continuing to shove his foot deeper and deeper in his mouth, Gottlieb questioned The Big Ten about its choice for referee Rick Hartzell, to officiate a game that involved a bubble team. Basically implying that Hartzell would now officiate the game differently (ie- act like him and cheat). Thankfully The Big Ten wasn’t as quiet as Gottlieb’s ESPN sissy co-workers, and challenged him on the issue:
“It is unfortunate that Mr. Gottlieb, whose own reputation for honest dealings has been called into question in the past, has been placed in the position by ESPN to pass judgment on a well-regarded, veteran official,” the league said. (LINK)
Good for the Big Ten to finally ask the real question: How can ESPN have any credibility with this guy as an empolyee?
Seriouslly, what is ESPN thinking when they write out pay checks to this guy. It’s the greatest sports network in the world with millions of well qualified broadcasters, writers, and analysts dying for a position with the company. Does ESPN really need to hire a guy with such a lack of character? And even worse, proceed to let him voice opinions on people who have done wrong?
I’m anxious to know what ESPN is thinking by not taking any action on Gottlieb, or limiting his role with the company as a result of his comments. I would love to hear ESPN and Gottlieb’s thoughts, and I plan to make a phone call to ask. I’m not hopeful about getting a response though. Although Gottlieb will probably state the same reason as to why he committed the crime in the first place, “I returned from the Big East tournament not understanding the cliques that had formed in my dorm, but feeling a need for acceptance from what was largely a wealthy student body. That need drove me to steal three credit cards to fund a $900 shopping spree that briefly helped soothe my bitterness.”
That’s a great explanation Doug, you committed a crime because you were trying to fit in. So is it fair to ask that in a world with a lineup of criminals who suddenly find God, and murderers who speak out against owning a gun, that you’re just a credit card theif… “trying to fit in” ?
-Contributed by Terrence Mayrose-
