A Woman's Place???
By Darla Cesta
10-2002
ALSO SEE:
Letter to the Editor
Poor old Andy Rooney. His recent comments on "The Boomer Esiason Show" about female sideline reporters sure have stirred up the feminazi over at NOW. For those who have been living in a cave, Rooney stated that women "have no business being down there" and that women are not capable of handling sideline reporting for a football game.

As a woman who is more knowledgeable about sports than a lot of men I know, I have one thing to say to Andy - hallelujah, brother! It's about time someone ignored political correctness and told it like it is. I despise sideline reporters in general, who for my money don't add much to the game. But I'd much rather listen to banter from Lynn Swann or Eric Dickerson than to some female journalist whose only purpose on the sideline is as the "token on-air female" for her network's sports department. Let's face it, most of the audience for professional football is male, and men want to get their information about men's sports from other men. Preferably from other men who have played the game professionally and can offer more insightful comments than a blow-dried Barbie with a BA in journalism who has "studied" the game. Give me a break. In my humble opinion, I could put my football knowledge up against any other non-player, and I still wouldn't venture onto the sidelines or into the booth.

There are just some things better left to men, and this is one of them. If you haven't played the game in any organized fashion, you haven't earned the right to comment. Let the female reporters, many of whom actually have talent, tell us about sports in which they've participated. Chris Evert is a fabulous tennis commentator. Peggy Flemming does a great job reporting on figure skating. Women who are true fans of men's sports also want the inside information that can only come from ex-players. So come on, ladies, lighten up. Find something more important to complain about and leave us football fans to our precious Sunday afternoons.

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