The NFL wouldn't stand for it

I'm giving myself the last word on the Mark Foley media frenzy (I love saying that, for some reason). Admittedly, I have difficulties focusing solely on the latest details of Foley's misbehavior, even with all the behind the scenes machinations and manipulations of Democrat activists due to some unresolved anger concerning media coverage of political sex scandals from our recent past.

To explain this stubborn refusal to "just let it go," let's compare today's Old Media to the referees working an NFL football game. (I knew my love for the NFL would pay off someday.) Part of my enjoyment of watching football is not knowing how the game will play out. It's totally unscripted, and teams are made to play by the same rules. As a result, underdogs win every week due to injuries, turnovers, big plays ... whatever. They compete with an equal opportunity for victory.

Now, in the NFL, it goes without saying referees will call an honest game, maybe not a perfect game, but an honest game. Safeguards such as instant replay are built in and, again, far more often than not, teams are treated equally. Even when playing before rabid home crowds, officials are expected to be objective – as objective as a human being can be. Without this kind of attention to fairness, the NFL would quickly degenerate into World Wrestling, and betting on NFL games would end quicker than a Minuteman speech at Columbia University. If only the press covered elections with the same objectivity as NFL referees.

It is now beyond debate the Old Media consistently behaves as an official on the take. The research is in: They are profoundly liberal and vote that way. Media research has proven this inconvenient truth to an extent Al Gore could only dream of. They have chosen sides and happily abandoned their role as fair and impartial officials in political contests. If only our favorite teams got this kind of preferential treatment from referees. There would be no reason to watch the games, of course, but we'd have the satisfaction our teams could do no wrong! Go, team, go!

Is it so naive to believe when Democrats or Republicans lie, spin, are evasive or involved in immoral or unethical behavior, they should be immediately flagged by the press and penalized by voters? Personal fouls, intentional fouls, interference, illegal blocks to the back, unnecessary roughness – anything that gives the other team an unfair advantage should be noted and dealt with, sometimes harshly. Right?

Like exposing and forcing Mark Foley's resignation. That's good for the game.

Recently, the NFL handed down a five-game suspension to Tennessee Titan Albert Haynesworth for intentionally stepping on an opposing players helmet-less head for which the victim required 30 stitches. The replay showed it, the officials dealt with it and Haynesworth paid and will pay a very heavy price. That's good for the game.

Is that why Nancy Pelosi does not want Louis Freeh to lead an investigation about the e-mails and IMs that set off the Foley Frenzy? My thought is a full investigation would be good for the game. I wonder if one of her concerns is Freeh could be biased. Now, why would that matter?

If the NFL's commitment to fairness were adopted by today's media, election coverage would be a pleasure to read. John Lennon might never say it, but imagine a world with no press prejudice or bias; it isn't hard to do.

On the other hand, I suppose that's why Fox News and talk radio are so popular. Millions are incensed watching the media in their Dan Ratheresque attempts to fix elections and have found an alternative source of information – "Fair and Balanced," like a well-officiated NFL game.

You want a real scandal? How about an investigative report uncovering bribes to an NFL officiating crew that were secretly paid by a highly successful NFL team. That story would rock this country like nothing we've seen in years. On the Richter Scale, Dan Rather and Foley are a 2.7. The NFL scandal would be a 9.5. Why? Because we've come to expect the worst from media coverage and the best from NFL officials. Philosophically, the Old Media and Democrats are indistinguishable. They've got each other's backs and it stinks. This kind of blatant favoritism slaps us in the face every few years.

One thing to keep in mind about Clinton's excellent adventure – the Wild Bill and Monica story was never meant to be. Newsweek had decided not to publish it. Remember? Matt Drudge reached into Newsweek's trashcan and turned the Old Media's garbage into the New Media's gold. In my opinion, that was good for the game.

Gerry Studds' continued service and Newsweek's bias ticked me off then and I have never quite gotten over it. The press, "took care of their own" and it is just as wrong today as it was then. And don't get me started on JFK.

I'm not out for tit for tat (that didn't used to strike me as dirty). I'm thrilled Mark Foley resigned. There should be a full investigation of every aspect of the sordid mess. For instance, if a political party orchestrated his outing for political gain, I want to know. Why you ask? Because that's the job of a free press in a free country. You might not want or need to know the rest of the story, but I do. Throw the flag. You know Karl Rove would be kicked out of the league if he were responsible!

If the player Albert Haynesworth assaulted had gouged his eyes just before the spiking, I would still want to see Haynesworth suspended, but maybe the other player would be suspended, too. Why not call 'em as you see 'em? Why not "Just the facts, ma'am"? We can handle the truth.

That's what I'm still angry about. Didn't Newsweek want to sell magazines?

Look at the attendance at NFL games – it's huge every week because fans are treated to fair, straight-forward competition. Now look at how many Americans vote – it is a disgrace, and many of them believe elections are corrupt and fixed. And who am I to tell them they are wrong?

If the press played it straight, we'd double the number of people who vote in this country. The Democrats know it and that's why the Foley non-sex sex scandal has gotten all the hype. Smear an entire party and maybe, just maybe, Republican and Independent turnout will be low. Forget the significant evidence Democrat operatives outed Foley as an "October Surprise." We don't need instant replay. We don't need "After further review." Throw the flag, penalize the team and Moveon.org.

The press may be actively trying to fix this election, just like they've tried to fix elections in our recent past – hello, Dan Rather. Americans resent being manipulated and they will never tolerate being cheated. The Old Media cheats us every day with their admitted and known biases. I hate dredging (Drudging?) it all up again, but if there had been objective officials, I mean if there had been an objective media, Bill Clinton would have resigned for his conduct while president. The pressure would have been too great. His party would have demanded it – like Mark Foley's party. He would have left in disgrace, and the media could have held their heads high for being objective and non-partisan.

It would have been good for the game.

But that didn't happen because the fix was in. There. I said it. I got it off my chest. I promise to soldier on, but I will be forever angry at the media in the United States having abandoned their profession and turned to partisan, tabloid journalism. Just like Gerry Studds, Bill Clinton and Mark Foley, but unlike NFL officials, the media in this country are a disgrace.

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