The line between news and sport is blurred at times and there hasn't been a more glaring instance of this than the past two weeks.
When Rae Carruth, the former wide receiver of the Carolina Panthers, was arrested a couple of weeks ago for his alleged part in the attempted murder of his pregnant girlfriend, many wondered why the Sunday morning NFL programs all but ignored the story.
There is a simple answer to the question: the story doesn't belong on the entertainment/information football programs. It's a murder investigation, not an injury report.
Sure, Carruth is a football player, but he is also a citizen who has been accused of a felony - a very serious charge of trying to kill a fellow human being.
The NFL programs are simply not staffed nor designed to cover stories like the Carruth case. It's hard news and should be left to the networks who cover those types of issues, and they will do so once the case hits the courts and Carruth stands trial for his actions.
Many have accused the NFL programs of failing to cover a story that is important to all fans. Yes, it may be important, but the producers of the NFL pre-game shows have made a conscious and correct decision to stay away from the story.
Should CBS send Jerry "the investigative reporter" Glanville to North Carolina for an interview with the accused? Or maybe Fox should dispatch John "the ambulance chaser" Madden to the scene for a full report?
Hardly. Attempted murder is serious stuff and to think for one minute that Glanville, Madden, Bradshaw, or even Howie Long are equipped to report on the story is pure fantasy.
Those who want to inform themselves about the case should tune into CNN or any of the other hard news broadcasts. When Carruth stands before his peers in a court of law, the coverage by those networks will be intense - as it should be.
When O.J. went to trial, a whole nation watched because of the horrendous nature of the crime for which he was eventually acquitted. Carruth's case may not receive the high profile status of the O.J. case, but the circumstances are the same. It's a case that should be tried in the courtroom and reported on the hard news broadcasts.
The story has no place on the Sunday morning shows, other than maybe a passing report on why Carruth is no longer a member of the Carolina Panthers football team.
Sadly, many people have a difficult time separating hard news from entertainment/information. It's a trend which has, at times, caught the people in the news business off balance. There have been times when the lines have been crossed, but thankfully, this time they got it right.
The sports shows have all but neglected the Carruth case, leaving it for the report ers better suited to giving us the accurate story.
Let the NFL personnel talk about zone blitzes and divisional standings and let the court reporters do their work. To keep everything in its appropriate place is an important task.
So far, the television executives have gotten it right. Our hope is they continue to understand the importance of accurate and appropriate reporting.