Even so, it came as something of a shock to observe that one ESPN personality is turning his on-screen appearances into an opportunity to promote the candidacy of a Dem presidential contender. Many sportscasters have their signature calls. From Stuart Scott's "boo-yah!" to Chris Berman's "back-back-back gone!," several of the ESPN announcers utter idiosyncratic phrases to underline signal athletic accomplishments. Fair enough. But watching ESPN's Kenny Mayne over the course of the last few days, I was surprised to notice that he has coined a new call. Home run at a crucial moment? Three-pointer to take the lead in a basketball game? "Obama!", exclaims Mayne.
This is the second sign that Mayne leans left. He is also a celebrity endorser for "Progressive" Insurance, owned by Peter Lewis, a billlionaire who has donated millions to Moveon.org and other far-left organizations.
I like Mayne. In a world of screamers and rah-rah types, he's a refreshingly quirky change-of-pace. But does he need to inject his personal politics into his sports work? For that matter, would ESPN let a Republican host [if there are any at the network] shout "Ch-Ch-Ch-Cheney!" to mark an outstanding feat?
Come on, Kenny. How about ditching the "Obama!" and going back to wryly observing that a baseball was slugged "over some fencing they set up in the outfield"?
Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net
