The Media's Stunted Perspective
By Vincent Fiore
January 23, 2007

As happens with most anything even remotely political these days, the mainstream media gets it and decides to present a picture that does not represent the actual importance -- meaning news -- of the event. In essence, it might be viewed as the liberal "imprimatur."

Let's take Sunday's NFL playoff championship games between the Chicago Bears versus the New Orleans Saints, and the Indianapolis Colts versus the New England Patriots.

Unlike New York Daily News personality/sports writer Mike Lupica -- who fancied himself to be a Bush-basher if only for a day -- I will not be commenting upon something of which I know little of. (web site)

Instead, let's talk about race and the utter sanctification that the media-at-large bestows upon it, and its ceaseless attempts at "colorizing" the news when able.

Both Chicago and Indianapolis won their games. But immediately after the first paragraph from two separate news stories from the AP, the usual media-imprimatur took form:


"He took Dungy along for the ride, helping his coach finally get to the big game and make some history along the way. In two weeks, Dungy will join Chicago 's Lovie Smith in the Super Bowl, where together they will be the first black head coaches to meet in the NFL's biggest game." (web site)

"Lovie Smith became the first black head coach to reach the NFL's marquee game in its 41-year history and roughly four hours later, his good pal and mentor Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts joined him." (web site)

Steelers Name Mike Tomlin Head CoachSurprise No More: Tomlin Knows Winning Immediately With Steelers a Must
Mike Tomlin talks to the media at the Steelers headquarters in Pittsburgh, Monday, Jan. 22, 2007. Tomlin, the defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers and will be the first black head coach in the team's 74-year history. (AP Photo/Andrew Rush)

Bears' Smith, Colts' Dungy to Make History at Super Bowl XLI
New Players, Uniforms at NHL All-Star Game
Working 'Magic' After the NBA

Heavy Hitters: Sumo Spectacular
March Madness: The Finale
College Wrestler With No Legs
By ALAN ROBINSON AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH Jan 23, 2007 (AP)— When the Pittsburgh Steelers began identifying possible successors to former coach Bill Cowher, Mike Tomlin's name wasn't high on the list.

"He probably was a long shot," team president Art Rooney II said.

Tomlin wasn't very old 34, the same age as some of their players. He had been the Minnesota Vikings' defensive coordinator for only one season, so he didn't have a track record of assembling good units year after year.

Once it came time for interviews, though, all that didn't matter. According to Rooney, "We knew we had somebody special."

Now, Tomlin is only the third Steelers head coach in 38 years a successor to one Super Bowl-winning coach, Cowher, who followed another in Chuck Noll. Tomlin will be reminded of that each day as he walks by the five Super Bowl trophies that are displayed at the team's practice complex.