CBS Sports Tussles With ESPN Over "Bum" Comment

NFL News - September 15th, 2009 - Written by John

Keyshawn Johnson has been out of the league for almost three years but is back in the spotlight amidst a name-calling spat with Baltimore Ravens' receiver Derrick Mason, and now ESPN is trying to get between the two.

In the most recent 'you're stupid -- no, you're stupid' NFL squabble, ESPN asserted that Johnson, now an analyst on the network's NFL Live show, did not call any of the Ravens' receivers "bums" (although it appeared that he did) and is now asking media outlets to retract their stories.

Sunday it was reported on CBSSports.com that Johnson and fellow set member, Cris Carter, had a phone conversation in which Johnson insinuated that the Ravens' receivers were "bums". The transcripts show that the conversation was about how the Ravens have spent their money, funneling most of it, they say, into the pocket of Ray Lewis and his defensive counterparts.

The transcript reads, in part, on CBSSports.com:

Cris Carter: "One thing I have to respect of (General Manager) Ozzie (Newsome) in Baltimore, they have a philosophy to their team. They have a philosophy . . . spend money on Ray Lewis and defense to keep people off of Ray. They've won that way and I'm not going to knock that. They only have a certain number of dollars out of that pie still available for the wide receivers. Wide receivers, you get what you pay for. You don't spend no money on them, that's what you going to get."

(Laughter.)

Keyshawn Johnson: "Hey it is true though. You want a bum, you pay a bum."

The only problem is, the Ravens' receivers (namely Mason) went all superfreak on the Kansas City Chiefs after the comments were made. The Ravens set a franchise record with 501 total yards and Mason responded, according to CBSSports.com, saying:

"Keyshawn Johnson is the bum, that's why he's in the analyst seat. He tried to come back to football but no one would sign him. He was never that good a player. He got lucky and signed on in Tampa Bay and won a Super Bowl because they had a great defense.

"Just look at the two people doing the criticizing, that's all I'm saying. Keyshawn was overrated and Carter is in the same boat I'm in. He doesn't have a Super Bowl ring either. He's in the analyst seat without a ring. At least I'm playing. He still wants to play but he can't anymore. We're the bums? That's why you're in the analyst seat. Just be quiet and keep dreaming you still could play."

ESPN has since sent out multiple warnings for CBSSports and Profootballtalk.com, who also has been reporting the story, to amend their cases, saying Johnson never called anyone a bum and he was speaking rhetorically.

This has a case of ego written all over it. Me-Shawn and Carter were simply expressing their opinion that Baltimore has not been a haven for receivers (which he is right about) and Mason got his feelings hurt. It was just bad timing that the Ravens went all New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Quarterback Joe Flacco set a career high with 301 passing yards and three TDs.

CBSSports and ProFootballTalk are now teaming up to slam the network, claiming they are using bully tactics to skew the truth.

Stay tuned.

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