sportsjabber.net

Allow me to first clarify that I think the world of Hannah Storm. I find her to be competent, bright, articulate, entertaining, and always on top of her game. I also respect that she’s fought her way to the top (or close to it) of the male-domiminated electronic sports media industry without the benefit of being particularly hot or sexy. In other words, she earned it.

However, Hannah dresses like a CLOWN. And her co-ESPN associate, Tony Kornheiser just got a 2-week suspension for saying so. I’m already in trouble with a certain lady friend for saying what follows and defending Tony. So I may as well draw more fire (Yes, I’m a masochsist, but not a male chauvinist pig).

ESPN, imo, is practicing hipocrisy. Tony and his partner-in-sports & “crime”, Mike Wilbon, spend chunks of their very popular “PTI” show on ESPN, wisecracking & making fun of athletes, coaches, AND themselves and each other in-between discusssing pertinent sports topics. ESPN supports and encourages these antics. Yet when Tony cracks on Hannah the Dresser…not Hannah the Professional…ESPN busts Tony for 2 weeks without pay. WHUT UP WID DAT, BOYS AND GIRLS…KNUCKLEHEADS? (Recognize the lines from EVERY PTI show?)

Why is Hannah off limits to humurous TRUTH, but Woody Paige (ESPN’s “Around the Horn”) isn’t for wearing the wacky outfits that he is so proud of which host, Tony Riali (and most of the other panelists) rips him a new one for virtually every day. Is it because Woody is intentionally dressing like a clown while Hannah does it unconsciously?

Don’t get me wrong…I fully defend Hannah’s right to dress like she does…as if in the dark, out of closet that doubles as a time machine. But I’m also a firm believer that “it’s not slander if it’s true”. So, let’s take a look at what Tony said and agree (or not) whether each point of wisecrack was truE or not. To wit….Look at the picture above of what Hannah was wearing that day vis a’ vis a quote by quote True or False rating of Tony’s comments…

“Hannah Storm in a horrifying, horrifying outfit today”….TRUE

“She’s got on red go-go boots and a Catholic-school plaid skirt.”…TRUE

“…Way too short for somebody in her 40s or maybe early 50s by now”…DEBATABLE but her thighs & bony knees do nothing for me, so I’m going with TRUE

“She’s got on her typically very, very tight shirt.”…TRUE

“She looks like she has sausage casing wrapping around her upper body.”…TRUE

“I know she’s very good, and I’m not supposed to be critical of ESPN people, So I won’t. But Hannah Storm, Come on now! Stop! What are you doing? She’s what I would call a Holden Caulfield fantasy at this point.”…TRUE

ESPN: The network that gets a cramp in its neck looking the other way when it hires a serial sexual harasser (Steve Phillips), but goes holier-than-thou when Kornheiser dares to describe Storm in a very accurate way.

Tony later apologized, referring to himself a “troll” (which he is)) and saying he “has no right to insult what anybody looks like or what anybody wears.”…FALSE, since when someone CHOOSES to exercise their right to dress like Bozo the Clown on national TV, then even straight guys (and ladies)…whether wearing Armani or Good Will themselves have a right to call out Bozo…or Hannah…or Tony (see below)…when they dress like…CLOWNS.