My apologies for the minor coronaries and intestinal discomfort the headline of this piece undoubtedly caused. However, I promise it’s not all bad. In a move that will most certainly result in the purge of the ESPN films department, the “4-letter network” will air a...wait for it...positive feature on President George W. Bush’s throwing of the first pitch in Game 3 of the World Series in the weeks following 9/11.
For those of you who need a reminder of what presidential leadership actually looks like, here’s video of the 2001 GWB pitch that the ESPN feature will be based on:
Bush wore a bulletproof vest and gave the crowd a thumbs up before throwing a perfect strike ahead of Game 3 between the New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks. It was emotional and powerful moment.
“What President Bush told us without uttering a single word was that we could once again attempt to carry on our lives,” sportscaster Jim Gray said via the Dallas Morning News at the George W. Bush Presidential Center during a screening of the movie last weekend. “What an amazing symbol it was.”
The 25-minute documentary titled First Pitch will debut on ESPN next Friday on the 14th anniversary of 9/11. Gray produced the film.
“It’s a moment that when I think about it, I still get goosebumps,” he said.
I’m guessing it will give liberals a different sensation. So, and this is something that can’t be said often, kudos are in order for ESPN and their decision to air this piece. Though, it still leaves us with plenty of questions. Patriotism and courage in standing up to terror were the two major themes on display that October night in the Bronx.
Yet, ESPN does not discipline Kevin Blackistone for calling the National Anthem a “War Anthem.” And, they suspend Curt Schilling for an entire season for merely pointing out the dangers that even a small number of Muslim terrorists could pose.
So what gives?
Was it the knowledge that ESPN would soon part ways with Bill Simmons, who ran the liberal Grantland site and was highly influential in the ESPN films department, that led them to greenlight a 9/11 feature that showed Bush in a positive light?
Who knows? All I know is that for 25 minutes next Friday, ESPN is not going to suck.
