Sports media was tasked with analyzing the Deshaun Watson trade from angles that go beyond the football field and according to Houston sports radio host Landry Locker, much of the industry has failed.
The Cleveland Browns acquired Deshaun Watson from Houston last week and promptly handed the quarterback a historic contract with $230 million guaranteed, despite open allegations of sexual assault and harassment from 22 women.
“The most important thing here is it doesn’t seem like a lot of people that have the strongest opinions have really done the appropriate research to speak on something as serious as what’s going on with Deshaun Watson,” said Locker, who co-hosts In The Loop with John Lopez on SportsRadio 610 in Houston.
“There’s a certain portion of media types that feel they can be extreme on one side of things and that Deshaun’s guilty…and ignore facts,” Locker added. “And if you’re ignoring facts, then how seriously are you taking the matter even if you’re siding on the more conservative side of things.”
The national outrage over Watson’s deal with Cleveland might have been different if they made the trade without giving him a contract extension. Trading for a quarterback who has 22 open civil lawsuits against him is controversial enough, but rewarding him with a historic contract that was deviously contrived to protect him from a suspension sparked further outrage.
“In fairness it is a very sensitive topic,” Locker acknowledged. “And most sports radio hosts, 99.9%, they’re not attorneys, they’re not lawyers, they don’t have a grasp of that so it is understandable, but people are losing their effing minds.”
The show went on to specifically criticize coverage from Shannon Sharpe and Fox Sports Radio host Ben Maller. But Locker and Lopez took their biggest exception with Dan Le Batard Show producer Mike Ruiz. Ruiz, who is a Browns fan, said it “felt like someone died” when the trade was announced and proceeded to blast Watson for not speaking to a grand jury about the accusations.
“The accused never, by law, speaks to the grand jury. It’s the prosecution and other witnesses” Lopez said, noting he and Locker have been following the Watson case with detail. “So he’s actually factually incorrect there.” Lopez further explained that Watson pleaded the fifth during a deposition, but not to the grand jury.
“Just do a little more research you might feel a little bit better about it buddy,” Locker suggested. “I know that there’s a certain brand that you gotta keep going, but just do a little more research, you might feel a little bit better, you might be able to sleep.”
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com