The New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman, wondering why CBS’ Dick Enberg was tip-toeing around the Nick Harper stabbing.
On Saturday Harper, the Indy cornerback, was stabbed in the right knee, allegedly by his wife, Danielle. So, at the top of “The NFL Today,” Dan Dierdorf came on and reported the alleged incident.
Still, in the first quarter of Steelers-Colts, Dick Enberg (above) said Harper would start despite having three stitches in his thigh “suffered in an accident yesterday.” Considering what Dierdorf already had reported, and considering the fact police had arrested Danielle Harper and put her in jail, it is safe to say Enberg was lying.
Wait, there’s more. After Harper went down with an injured knee with 3:56 left in the first, Dierdorf said: “That’s the guy who was injured in a domestic dispute yesterday.” Perhaps Dierdorf was just trying to set the record straight after Enberg spoke with forked tongue.
Or maybe Dierdorf was trying to save CBS Sports from taking another credibility hit.
Finally, after Harper picked up Jerome Bettis’ late fourth-quarter fumble and ran it back to the Colts 42, Enberg – now in full Pollyanna mode – played viewers, who had heard his earlier report, for suckers.
“And what a game for Nick Harper,” Enberg gushed. “For those of you just joining us, yesterday, in a domestic scuffle, he suffered a three-stitch wound in his right thigh. And here he is playing the game of his life.”
So, Enberg was basically saying this: In the first quarter I was lying. In the fourth quarter, for dramatic effect, I am telling the truth.