“People are sending Ed Hochuli hate mail?” exclaimed ESPN Radio’s Mike Tirico (above) earlier today. “Listen, the San Diego Chargers have made mistakes. Norv Turner’s made mistakes. Phillip Rivers has thrown bad passes. The Chargers defense made mistakes. I make mistakes on ‘Monday Night Football’. San Diego Chargers fans make mistakes in their own lives….but to e-mail Ed Hochuli?…Grow up.”
“In South America,” added Michelle Tafoya, “they kill soccer referees.”
While it’s pretty hard to defend threats of violence against Hochuli, might there be something screwy about Tirico railing against society’s lack of perspective? Yes, it’s all about a mere blown call in a football game, but that’s a blown call that was discussed to death on Tirico’s network. Apparently, Tirico would like you to care about the outcome of an NFL game — his livelihood depends on it. He just doesn’t want you to care very much.
But thanks, Ms. Tafoya, for reminding your listeners that in some far-flung corner of the world (presumably less civilized than Bristol, CT), a soccer referee is shot, lynched or poisoned EVERY THREE MINUTES. I’m sure you’ll agree, he’s a very unlucky soccer referee.