Nothing more than a rant here...
I feel like I've written this before, but perhaps it's just been me banging my head against my steering wheel. The misuse that I encounter of the words "class" and "respect" in sports radio drives me crazy.
I heard some knucklehead calling in to Matt & Scot tonight, talking about how Johnny Manziel has shown "no class" this offseason. I've been hearing this no class argument/accusation for 15 years. Feels like longer.
Auburn fans have no class. Alabama fans have no class. Steve Spurrier has no class.
"They're just classless, Paul. Don't you think that's classless?" (Classic line from all-time great "Shane From Center Point", RIP.)
Let me explain something to all of you people. There is no such thing as class anymore. Did you watch MTV the other night? Class went the way of Bryan Adams - he's out there somewhere, you just don't see him much.
It is important to note that the "classless" accusation rarely - if ever - comes from the actual host. It's the callers that take this route.
Two things are going on here: 1) People are foolish & 2) People are devious.
Foolish
While their descriptions never seem to be too detailed, the best I can tell from most of these folks is that their definition of someone who is "classless" is just someone they don't like. The knucklehead tonight didn't like Johnny Manziel - flat out, that's it.
It all goes back to "our guy"/"their guy". If it's our guy, we like him - he's "animated" or "spirited". Think Marshall Henderson. Ole Miss fans loved that dude. (So did I.) Florida fans - not so much. The all-time example is Dennis Rodman. Once he arrived in Chicago, Bulls fans forgave him for everything in Detroit - he was now their boy. Rodman had a rotating group of fan bases that hated him, consisting of all the teams that he was not on at the time.
Devious
You are getting trolled, folks. While it wasn't the case this evening, more times than not, when a caller says your guy is classless - he's looking to get a rise out of you.
And boy, that bait trap is full.
It's a simple play upon your emotions - like saying your Mama is ugly. You don't like that, and you quickly tumble down to Patient Zero's level in a name-calling tirade.
I would ask you all to encourage others to not fall into this trap, but I've given up on that. The emotive denominator will stay as long as their are radio shows that will allow the accusations. And for better or more likely worse, that is the format and people are welcome (and entitled) to have their opinions.
I just wish those wouldn't stoop below the Intellectual Quotient of a 2nd grader.
I'm on Twitter, and I'm opinionated. @harry_long
