Regarding "On-air segment gets out of hand for KILT" (Saturday Pro Football, Page C8), former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson was roundly criticized for answering the question "which of his former teammates had the ugliest spouse?" on a radio talk show hosted by sportscasters Nick Wright and John Lopez. Johnson mentioned by name former teammate Vince Wilfork, and subsequently apologized.
What has gone largely unremarked upon is how this question ever got asked in the first place. Unlike Ted Johnson - who had little opportunity to think before he spoke - Lopez and Wright knew of the question before the segment, and likely discussed it prior to the broadcast, yet they decided to ask it anyway.
Johnson's spontaneous response to the question was juvenile and obnoxious, but he at least was remorseful and apologized. By comparison, the decision to ask the question by Wright and Lopez was downright mean-spirited, and worse, in their follow up comments they took no responsibility and offered no apology. Lopez in particular went to great pains to rationalize their behavior, even blaming the victims by saying "sometimes people take this thing literally", and “Most people understand when you’re being serious on the radio and when you’re having fun, and sometimes that line gets blurred a little bit.”
Sounds like there's at least two more people involved who owe a big round of apologies.
Pete Smith
Cypress
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