Words by BRAVEHEART
Why?
I believe this is because ESPN is in the NFL’s back pocket and this story gaining any traction or being “validated” by ESPN is the last thing that the NFL wants right now.
Especially during the offseason period where the lack of NFL activities and the nations thirst for anything NFL related would give this story major attention.
It’s been long known that the NFL has a huge influence over ESPN’s reporting. Bill Simmons, who had quickly become one of the biggest personalities and contributors at ESPN, had the audacity to criticize the NFL and it’s commish Roger Goodell specifically, and got fired for it.
The NFL vigorously protects their already battered reputation, and aggressively combats against anything that damages “The Shield” as they call it.
“The Shield” being the NFL logo, which represents a symbol of the NFL’s oft questioned integrity.
ESPN makes a ton of money with the NFL and can’t afford to piss them off so they reportedly acquiesced to Goodell’s command, fired Bill Simmons who was one of the few legitimate journalists and commentators that ESPN had anyway, and the only one with the balls to call the NFL and Roger Goodell on their BS. ESPN even went as far as removing Simmons from the website that he created (GRANTLAND), which had exceptional reporting BTW, with Grantland.com having to fold just a few months later without its founder and leader.
The NFL can’t control NY Daily News reporter Shaun King, whose recent in-depth and detailed story of the sexual assault allegations and further questionable actions of Peyton Manning and his father, former NFL QB Archie Manning is also the subject of this tweet.
But the NFL sure can attempt to stop ESPN from covering a story that could damage their golden child and recent Super Bowl hero’s perceived perfect image, and by extension, damage “The Shield” as well.
Words by BRAVEHEART
Follow him on Twitter.
Questions, comments, complaints?
TGDCmailbox@gmail.com
Why wasn’t this an issue earlier in his career? Why is it a big deal to this reporter now?
LikeLike
Like most of us, Shaun King was not aware of the story. Someone apparently gave him some documents this past week.
LikeLike