I suppose for some weirdly perverse reason, I'll either tune in or record for watching at a later date, the newest bit of shameless promotion of the greatest "unsolved" crime, the case of the Simpson murders.
Let's assume for a moment that you've heard of O.J. Simpson. This way, I won't have to bore you with facts and details.
For the record, it doesn't matter what I think of the verdict. It doesn't matter what you think of the verdict. We live in a society and a nation made up of laws, and in the eyes of the law, in a criminal trial, Simpson was found not guilty by a jury of his peers.
If we're going to be so damn strict about the interpretation of this or that, then we better learn that there are some cases, some instances, some people if you will, who fall through the cracks.
This Sunday night, FOX television is going to air something called "The Lost Confession?" I'll assume the addition of a question mark to the title of this program is to supposedly keep people guessing as to whether O.J. or some mythical creature named "Charlie" was responsible for the grisly and untimely deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman in June of 1994.
Click the link for a promo of the Sunday night special.
For whatever reason, the story of O.J. Simpson has riveted fans, haters, detractors across the globe. It's hard to say whether Simpson is more glorified or vilified for his alleged actions (again, found not guilty) that fateful night nearly a quarter-century ago.
I won't judge you if you choose to tune in to the special. In fact, I'll encourage it. We need a healthy, rational discussion about the choice to watch this program and what makes this particular case a piece of American and, in some ways, international folklore.
Josh Rosen may not even like football
With so much hype surrounding nearly a half-dozen soon-to-be NFL quarterbacks, one young man is raising eyebrows for more than just his individual accomplishments.
Former UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen, who some scouts and draft experts are suggesting is the top QB prospect in the draft, has been called out by more than one observer as someone who may lack the desire or the work ethic to be a top-tier quarterback.
One writer in particular, Mike Lombardi, suggested Rosen's interests might lie elsewhere, in some ether-filled land outside the bright lights of the glorious and all-encompassing NFL.
Lombardi was appearing on a show called "The Ringer" earlier this week, following the conclusion of the NFL Scouting Combine, and threw this gem out there regarding Rosen.
“I don’t know if he did [help himself]. I think to me, what I’m hearing was, it was okay, I think he’s gonna have to prove it. He’s coming back saying he loves football. You know, I’ve talked to some people who hear he might like humanitarian work more than football. Nothing wrong with that, but I don’t know where his values really lie.”
What's more insulting to me as a sports fan is the archaic idea that a football player, or any athlete for that matter, cannot have opinions or interests outside of his or her chosen field.
Have we not pigeon-holed our supposed celebrities enough already to the point where we will not dare accept them for being actual people?
Did we truly want our stars to be mindless robots, merely to be viewed at our convenience and only acting in a manner that shows them to be one thing and one thing alone?
I'm a radio personality. I have interests that range both near and far to the industry in which I represent. I enjoy music, I enjoy theater, I enjoy literature that embraces the macabre nature of my imagination.
Sometimes, I write about those things. I often look forward to stepping outside the box of my comfortable studio to enrich myself of things that have nothing to do with being a talk show host.
Does that make me less valuable to my employers? Does that present a problem for anyone who might feel that my priorities aren't always on my main source of income?
I don't always love sports. In fact, truth be told, there are some days I'd rather stay away from studying the world of athletic competition.
The notion that our athletic heroes, our celebrity idols and our so-called role models are only supposed to be focused on the one thing which makes them heroes, idols and role models is archaic and dangerous.
No one questions you when you step outside the box for whatever reason to pursue an interest that doesn't go in line with your everyday affairs.
So why on earth would you think it appropriate to do that to someone you've never met? Further, why in the world would you want someone so obsessed and narrow in their behaviors and actions that they know nothing except for what you (a stranger) deem acceptable?
Richard Sherman is saying goodbye to Seattle
For the record, I enjoy Richard Sherman as a person. As a spokesman and as someone who enjoys stirrign the pot a little more than others.
News that he may be headed out of Seattle should be a concern to Seahawks fans. Because even if you believe that he won't be the same athlete next season coming off a serious injury, he's one of the more dynamic and intriguing characters in the NFL, and if he returns to a contender, his passionate nature can be infectious to a team that has designs on winning next season.
Even more concerning for the Seahawks might be an even larger problem of a leaky offensive line that was already under an enormous amount of pressure, coupled with what looks like a complete restructuring of the Seahawks defense with the apparent trade of Michael Bennett to the Philadelphia Eagles.
One last thing...
Was anybody really surprised at the news of Jerry Jones coughing up 2 million dollars in reimbursement to the NFL this week? For all his blustery antics, Jones knew he was facing an impossible task challenging the league for legal fees related to the Ezekiel Elliott mess from last season. The only thing that hurts worse than Jerry’s wallet is his massive ego. Don’t mess with the Godfather.