It’s been a negative week on the TV sports screen.
Deflategate was inflated again into another major story after the decision by the NFL to uphold its four-game suspension of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. This produced a lot of negative commentary toward the league and the Patriots, and featured scenes of a surly, almost snarling coach Bill Belichick during a news conference.
And the never-ending reports about athletes’ drug abuse reached a zenith level when sports channels reported that New York Mets pitcher Jenrry Mejia had been suspended for 162 games for failing a drug test a second time.
Need an optimistic look at the sports world?
Go to ESPN on Friday and Saturday at 5 p.m. for its coverage of the Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles. Both nights will feature competition highlights plus interviews and profiles of athletes.
Friday’s highlight? A feature about Patrick Yerman, a legally blind cyclist from Lewistown, Mont.
These games never reach the high publicity coverage level or audience ratings of regular Olympic sports, or of playoff competition among popular U.S. sports teams. But the event provides emotional, legitimate sports competition.
Before the World Games, ABC and ESPN aired an exceptional newsworthy documentary, hosted by Robin Roberts, which put the Special Olympics into focus.
“Special” remains the key word in the competition, which has drawn more than 6,500 athletes from 165 countries to Los Angeles.
And the World Games have produced an important local story: Chris McElroy, a 29-year-old swimmer from Aurora, won a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle. That’s special.
Three other local athletes have been competing too: Julian Hale, 25, of Denver (tennis); Nikia Davenport, 40, of Denver (power lifting); and Nathan Knepper, 37, of Golden (tennis).
Hale was the subject of a compelling feature about how he has dealt with numerous problems through his desire to play tennis.
Quick departure. Colin Cowherd left his talk show on ESPN radio (105.5 FM locally) last week after making controversial remarks regarding the talent and “academic abilities” of Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic. He initially was scheduled to leave the network Friday.
Cowherd also devoted a good chunk of air time to providing a negative view of the Broncos and their star quarterback, Peyton Manning. He predicted the Broncos would miss the playoffs this season. He insisted that Manning, while smart, is an immobile QB and that his passing no longer would be a positive factor because the power of his passing arm has been diminished.
Cowherd also said Manning has been at his best in the early part of the season but has faded in the cold-weather playoff season.
Several media outlets, including and USA Today, have reported that Cowherd will join Fox Sports, getting a lengthy, lucrative contract that will include television duties. ESPN has not announced his replacement.
Back in the saddle. Gary Miller will return to KCNC-Channel 4 in September to be involved with regular-season Broncos coverage.
He also will return to 105.5 FM as the voice of the Colorado State football and men’s basketball teams.
Miller, who’s in semi-retirement, lives in Denver and Southern California with his family.
Simmons update. Bill Simmons, who departed ESPN a month ago, has joined HBO Sports as a weekly talk-show host and a key player in the cable network’s work on its digital platforms.
Among his duties: delivering podcasts, as he did for ESPN.
Simmons, a respected writer and TV commentator, had been with ESPN since 2001. His pointed commentaries, particularly those aimed at the NFL and league commissioner Roger Goodell, created national attention.
Simmons has a multiyear contract with HBO, but he won’t be part of the regular HBO lineup until early next year.
Longtime Denver journalist Dusty Saunders writes about sports media each Friday in The Denver Post. Contact him at tvtime@ .
