Jeff Fisher a big goateed baby.

[Pruitt]

The complaints about Bernie Kosar ripping apart the Rams receivers in a local telecast of a pre-season game are hilarious.

I've watched the highlights, and I think that Coach Fisher needs some midol.

[KabaModernFan]

I was listening to the radio the other day and they were having fun with the sound bite of Jim Donovan and Bernie Kosar talking about how Kellen Clemens once signed an autograph for the Pope. More specifically, they greatly enjoyed the honesty of Kosar directly saying that Kellen Clemens couldn't play football.

And of course, Clemens promptly threw an interception merely seconds afterwards.

[wxwax]

Just sticking up for his guys. Did Kosar really say the kid was an embarrassment to his mom? That's a bit over the top, no?

[KabaModernFan]

Just sticking up for his guys. Did Kosar really say the kid was an embarrassment to his mom? That's a bit over the top, no?

That's not exactly what he said, but some of the comments were probably unnecessary. I'm all for honesty in the broadcast booth, but some of his remarks seemed to be him going out of his way to be disparaging. It doesn't help that I don't recall hearing him say anything in the same vein about Browns players either.

[mkocs6]

In general, I'm with Pruitt. These players are not little leaguers and the broadcast is intended for the Cleveland market. I don't see why objectivity (if that's what we're concerned about) in an exhibition game is particularly critical. Anyway, nice misdirection by Fisher: my first team looked fairly awful against the Browns' starters, so, uh...let's talk about how mean Bernie was.

I'm going over the game right now, making notes on things--including the commentary. So far, in terms of Kosar berating the Browns, so far he has described a Jordan Cameron drop as 'horrible,' but yes, he's gone more consistently after the Rams. He's knocked the their receivers so far, but given a lot of credit to Bradford. In his defense, St. Louis has played a pretty sloppy game so far. He's called St. Louis out for play design a little--or, really, said a screen would never be drawn up this way in a regular season game--and noted that the Rams had really bad coverage on Travis Benjamin's ninety-yard punt return. (Which, um, they did.)

Really, though--who cares? He was probably harshest on Clemens (which happens much later in the game), and I haven't gotten there yet--I have seen the ridiculous footage where Jim Donovan claims Clemens signed the pope's mitre, and I'm not sure how that's even possible (seriously, that's the kind of thing where you need photographic evidence, or it never happened)--but, uh... doesn't Jeff Fisher have bigger things to worry about than what Bernie Kosar says?

[wxwax]

Yeah, I'm sure he does. Still, I have no problem with a coach sticking up for his players. It's good for the team, which is the only thing he cares about.

FWIW, it's not about being objective. It's about using a one-way bully pulpit to cheap shot someone who can't answer back. Lack of character.

How to stick up for your player, version epic.

[Rich Gapinski]

Here is what Kosar actually said and description of what was going on around each comment.

http://www.dawgsbynature.com/2013/8/...entary-against

Jeff Fisher is overreacting.

[ScottDCP]

Jeff Fisher is taking a page from the Phil Jackson Bullying Playbook. Frell him. Big goateed baby.

[wxwax]

Disagree. the Browns have taken the extraordinary step of rebuking Kosar and apologizing to the Rams. Quite right.

Your job, as a television commentator, is to observe and report. Criticize performance all you want.

Never, ever ridicule. You have way too much power with that little microphone dangling before your flapping lips.

Respect the game. Respect the people who are trying to earn a living the best they can, in a very public and difficult arena.

Be honorable. Do not ridicule, minimize or otherwise degrade hard working folks.

Simple, really.

[mkocs6]

This is all a little sanctimonious for me. Whatever. Bernie said what he thought, something I think we all wish more announcers would actually do. Did you read through the above post that Rich provided? I've watched the game and listened to the commentary and found very little worth a reprimand. I would seriously doubt that Jeff Fisher and Peter King have, and if they can't take a joke, then the hell with them.

Re: Gundy, I thought it was common knowledge that--in addition to Gundy making a fool out of himself--the player for whom he did this didn't particularly appreciate it. Of course, Oklahoma State just hired that player for some non-coaching, football function, so it's obviously a fairly complicated story.