Forgive me if I sound a bit pig-headed here, but ESPN didn't exactly hire Andrews for her journalistic ability. Anybody with some television credits can ask Nick Saban what he plans to do in the second half of a tied ball game. The harsh truth is that ESPN's sole purpose for bringing in women like Andrews or Rachel Nichols is the hope that their world-class good looks will draw in viewers that wouldn't normally be interested in the game at hand, but now feel compelled to watch because there's a hot chick on the screen. Think about it. 10 years ago, the only women you would find on the Worldwide Leader were Linda Cohen and Robin Roberts. Solid reporters, but not exactly easy on the eyes. Now, ESPN and its many sub-stations look like Barbie's Playhouse, with sidelines and other venues being patrolled by girls who like extras from a Baywatch episode. So it shouldn't come as a shock that some perv decided to use his 15 minutes to broadcast Andrews' goods. When you cast someone out as eye candy to a sexually-obsessed, technologically advanced fan base, these are the type of incidents you can expect.
Now, again, I think Andrews is justified in her outrage. Her privacy was violated and if the culprit was a co-worker, as has been rumored, then she has every reason to be upset. That being said, what's done is done. The video has been leaked and no matter how strong of a legal force Andrews has backing her, they can't conquer the Internet and its litany of career perverts. As for Andrews' "wholesome" image? Please. The only image in the minds of those who tune in to see Andrews are the ones similar to the stills pasted in the New York Post.
The question that I would be asking if I was Andrews is "What now?". If the rumors are true and Andrews was exploited by her employer, doesn't that make going back to work a bit awkward. Keep in mind, this video had been online since February and, had ESPN's suits not made a stink about it, chances are nobody would have really known it was Andrews in the video. It makes you wonder if ESPN's ban of the Post as an act of defending Andrews was really just an act of covering one's guilt. After all, where was ESPN in shutting down the YouTube video of USC linebacker Rey Maualuga mock-dryhumping Andrews at the Rose Bowl this past January? Granted, it was a bit more tame than a 10 minute video of Andrews doing butt-naked jumping jacks while listening to Black Eyed Peas, but still embarrassing nonetheless, don't you think? Is the instant protection from ESPN their way of saying "Our bad, Erin"?
Another thing that wandered inside my brain was the reaction of Andrews' female cohorts over the release of this video. I wonder why nobody's asking Suzy Kolber for a response or why there's no round table discussion with Melissa Stark and Colleen Dominguez? It makes you wonder how Andrews is perceived by her peers. Is she seen by her colleagues as a trend-setter whose instant rise will inevitably open the doors for other young females to make it to higher heights in the field of broadcasting or is she seen by them the way she is seen by many heterosexual females which is as just another fair-haired Malibu Barbie who used her swimsuit model physique and soft eyes to leap-frog less attractive women who might have paid their dues? Do Andrews' co-workers look at her the way the employees at Digicom looked at Demi Moore's character in Disclosure, with jealousy and disdain? You would think that a scandal like this, while something that ESPN is clearly trying to put the bed quickly, would open up conversation about the exploitation of female broadcasters in the sports world. With the way ESPN and other media outlets like to over-analyze and over-cover stories like this, wouldn't this be a great opportunity to host a Bob Costas-esque Town Hall discussion amongst ESPN's cavalcade of sideline sirens(both the veterans like Kolber and Stark and Cohen and the new breed like Andrews and Nichols and Dominguez) and have them speak publicly about how the feel about their perception and the rigors of gaining respect in a male-dominated profession? Doesn't an incident like this offer up the perfect soap box for women who have been used to be seen and not heard?
Look, I like Erin Andrews. I respect what she is trying to do even if it's to be nothing more than a modern-day April O'Neil. Personally, I find the idea of sideline reporters to be a bit pointless. No coach worth his weight in gold is going to reveal strategies to a reporter on national television and I really don't know what kind of new information sports fans are seeking to obvious questions like "Coach, how you plan on guarding Dwight Howard?". That being said, I'd rather get my useless information from someone like Andrews, who seems to have a genuine interest for the game, than a fat slob like Tony Siragusa, who studies from the book of cliche one-liners. Naturally, like many sexually-obsessed males in their mid-20s, I'd love to see the momentum of this video lead to a Playboy spread. Kim Kardashian did it after the Ray J sex tape was broadcasted. Vida Guerra did it after her naked cell phone pictures were revealed online. Even fellow sideline vixen Lisa Guerrero succumbed to the pressure of taking it all off for money. Certainly, you can't blame Andrews for having more self-respect and dignity than the aforementioned three, but if or when it does happen, it will be something the whole world saw coming........
..........even if they were looking through a peep-hole.
---Dave
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