Jay Glazer: "I Never Wanted To Kick Mickey Mouse's A** So Much In My Life"
Friday, August 08, 2008
Well then. That headline got your attention didn't it? It was clear on Wednesday, when I labeled Glazer the "Media Winner", that I was impressed with the FOX reporter, but today he took that to another level. In a brief interview with Newsday's Neil Best, Jay gave some insight into the biggest NFL story in years was scooped in an Orlando airport and even threw a potential jab at ESPN....
Fox's Jay Glazer has compiled a string of NFL-related scoops, but he had to go beyond the usual call of duty to win the Brett Favre-to-the-Jets sweepstakes late Wednesday night.So the story goes like this (allegedly)....
He spent nearly 24 hours in the Orlando airport waiting for the news to come down.
"I never wanted to kick Mickey Mouse's -- -- so much in my life," he said Thursday from the office of Panthers coach John Fox, whom he originally was to visit Wednesday.
"Dude, you get real creative when you spend an entire day waiting for a huge scoop in a damn airport," he said. "I felt like Tom Hanks in 'The Terminal.' I started making friends in the stores."
1) ESPN's reporters are all over Favre. They suck up to him early on basically laying all their eggs in one basket. Text messages fly and the reports start rolling out all in Brett Favre's favor.
2) GM Ted Thompson isn't happy that he is getting dumped on by the biggest Sports Media entity on the planet.
3) Rachel Nichols ends up with Brett Favre on a tarmac in Green Bay (there's really no reason for this here besides the fact it was funny to write).
4) Glazer wisely chooses Thompson for information knowing that a GM would know that his OWN DAMN TEAM would know about a trade before a player would (crazy I know).
5) Glazer is told from "sources unknown" to not board a plane to Charlotte that day, and sat in the airport all day waiting for word.
6) Glazer gets the call from his "sources unknown" and goes live with the biggest NFL trade story in the history of the game at 10:45pm.
7. ESPN is still talking about Tampa Bay's plans up until about 11:25pm.
8) ESPN catches on at around 11:30 or so and scrambles to verify. They credit Glazer for a good 30 minutes before changing, "as reported by FOX Sports" to "as confirmed by Michael Smith".
9) End scene.
Arguably one of the biggest trades in Sports History was found, scooped, and written, all in an Orlando airport over 1,300 miles from the scene. How awesome is that? Healthy competition is something ESPN hasn't had for awhile now and I'm stoked to see new ideas and new people getting to things first these days. It's about damn time and someone needs to start the slow clap for Jay, immediately.
Update: As SOTG pointed out in the comments that "Mickey Mouse" comment could have been in reference to being in Orlando. I'll see if I can't get a confirmation one way or another.
Fox's Glazer spends day in airport, gets Favre scoop (Newsday)
(Oh and having someone [*ahem*MichaelSmith*ahem*] verify a story through a press release doesn't mean shouldn't continue to give credit where credit's due.)
20 Comments:
@SOTG:
That's the interpretation Glazer would use the day he signs the contract with ESPN to replace Mort.
/not likely
Hmmm, good point SOTG....let me check into that.
I read it the same way as SOTG.
However, I would appreciate if someone would explain why it's so important to be 'the first to report' a sports trade. I briefly wrote about this yesterday and I'm still perplexed. It's not like Glazer brought peace to the Middle East. He simply had a good rapport
with a GM of a football team (who obviously wanted to stick it to ESPN for their cozy relationship with Favre & the over the top coverage of the story). If Glazer had been the first one to bring peace to the Middle East or find a cure for a terminal disease then I would certainly laud his prowess. Why deify someone for being the first to report a trade though? I
Could you blame Glazer for wanting to kick Mickey's ass though? What are you smiling at, you smug prick.
This is't the first time Glazer has been right. As long as they have football, Fox should never let him go. I would reward him by having better analysts. for his PFP show this fall. Sorry Tim Brown, Jason Sehorn, and Eddie George, you three suck. Time and time again, Glazer is the source for all ESPN's stories, even ED WERDER whse nose is so far up Jerry jones' butt, that it has popped out of Jones' mouth.
EPSN is owned by Disney.
IIRC, Disney is referred to as Mickey Mouse.
"As confirmed by..."
What a weasels. There must be more than one Mike Greenberg-type corporate weasel in ESPN.
Read the original Best article, and you'll see why I think I'm right. The quote is in the middle of 4 straight paragraphs about being in the airport. ESPN isn't mentioned till much later.
Yeah, I agree that it was probably a comment about being surrounded by Disney/Mickey advertisements, since Disney World is in Orlando. He already DID kick ESPN's ass...
Being first to report something means people will more likely go to you (your website, your network, your paper) in the future for their breaking news. For Glazer, it means a better resume. For FOX Sports, it means more revenue.
Considering that Glazer talked to Mort right after the story because they are apparently close friends (said so on Mike & the Mad Dog)...I doubt he's really that pissed.
I get Glazer tooting his own horn so that he can be better compensated down the road and FOX sports flipping the bird to ESPN. However, are the majority of sports fans clamoring for trade details seconds after a transaction occurs? Really?
We just witnessed the Manny Ramirez spectacle in MLB and the Favre circus in NFL. What passes for journalism these days leaves a lot to be desired. How long before dozens of cameras and reporters are
following certain athletes around 24/7 like Britney and Lindsay?
Don't understand the credit where credit's due part. Once a news organization verifies a story, they've done their due diligence and no longer have to credit who broke the story. The story isn't who broke it, it's Favre got traded.
Fox Sports and Jay Glazer can continue to mention that they were the first to break it without any hesitation (they should, great get). When people go to their website and articles, they'll know. But other news organizations like ESPN and Yahoo don't have to promote Fox Sports and Jay Glazer.
What I can't stand is that bottom ticker announcing that Chris Mortensen or Michael Smith, or so and so is reporting this because while they aren't saying it, they are implying that they broke the story and it's just wrong. Say Favre got traded, don't say one of your 6,000 people inside his ass is reporting it, because everyone is reporting it and Jay Glazer did it first...600 miles away from your closest reporter.
and this is forgotten, except by Al.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/45589-bobs-breaking-news-bleacher-report-featured-on-nys-wfan-radio
The biggest NFL trade story in the history of the game? Good grief.
can't wait to read the ombudsman's report! LOL
where did Glazer first report it?
online? or that 30 minute national show which i can't remember the name of?
Breaking stories is big in the industry. ESPN vs. Glazer is like 8-on-1. And Glazer scooped them all. A scoop is a big pride thing.
Good for him.
ESPN wants to take credit for everything, although more often than not, they don't get the story first. And Jay Glazer should kick Mickey's ass. And most of the others at ESPN, for that matter. ESPN has changed over the years. And not for the better. And their "Titletown USA" series was a major joke.
"Breaking stories is big in the industry. ESPN vs. Glazer is like 8-on-1. And Glazer scooped them all. A scoop is a big pride thing."
He definitely deserves a lot of credit for the scoop...especially since Glazer was taking on a cast of thousands at ESPN. I guess my main point is that the trade was going to be announced anyway...as opposed to the John Edwards affair. Yes, it's apples and oranges. However, that is a story that wouldn't have been reported anyway. I hate tabloids like the Enquirer and the tactics they employ, but that original article really "broke a story." (and likely ended JE's future political aspirations)
I'm pretty sure the comment about wanting to kick the ass of Micky Mouse was in reference to Micky Mouse. That Orlando airport probably has as much Micky Mouse crap as Disney World.
I felt like kicking Elvis' ass after getting stuck in the Memphis airport, and I think he's dead.
I may have read it differently, but I think "I never wanted to kick Mickey Mouse's ass so much" was more about being stuck in an Orlando airport than a reference to ESPN's corporate overlord.