Howie Long Calls Terry Bradshaw A "Scumbag", Sports Media Gets Their Panties In A Bunch

Monday, December 29, 2008


I have yet to find/see the video on this, but a few outlets are freaking out because the NFL on FOX's Howie Long decided to call co-worker Terry Bradshaw a "scumbag" during the pregame show on the network. The comment came after Bradshaw said he was rooting for the Lions to lose their last game and finish 0-16. Via Phil Mushnick at the NY Post....

WHAT are we doing to us, why do we continue to do it, and when, if ever, will it stop?

Two minutes into Fox's one-hour pregame yesterday, host Curt Menefee noted that panelist Terry Bradshaw last week said he'd like to see the Lions finish 0-16.

"S--bag," panelist Howie Long said of Bradshaw.

"I am a s--bag," Bradshaw said.

That gave Long, Bradshaw and Fox 58 minutes to apologize, to express their regrets to a national audience for having ambushed it during Sunday daylight.

None came. Perhaps they felt they'd said nothing inappropriate, or, at worst, it was no big deal. Hey, if there were kids watching, that's what the Fox robot is for!
I think Phil Mushnick is a fine journalist, but that's a little much if you ask me. I'm of the vein that thinks kids have heard a thousand times worse in their time on this Earth, but I guess I'm not the person who should decide where the line is drawn. I didn't even know the term "scumbag" was that bad of an insult. Good to know.

Foul-Mouthed Ambush Mars Pregame (NY Post)

21 Comments:

Apparently scumbag means condom. So, obviously Howie was calling him a Condom. As in, "Terry, you prevent people from having babies with 99.9% accuracy."

Anonymous said...
Dec 29, 2008, 1:23:00 PM  

Mushnick always does shit like this. Sitting up on his high horse and judging others. It isn't right to openly root against teams that you have no vested interest in. Howie was right to call Terry a scumbag. Just like it's right to call Mushnick a scumbag as well.

GMoney said...
Dec 29, 2008, 1:30:00 PM  

I think Phil Mushnick is a complete douchebag. /Fixed

Anonymous said...
Dec 29, 2008, 1:33:00 PM  

Ummm, wow. And to think that I saw this and thought absolutely nothing of it.

I agree with GMoney. While not right to openly root against a team that one has no vested interest in, Mushnick has no argument here. If "scumbag" is the absolute worst thing a kid hears in his life, then that's one kid who really needs to get out more.

Justin F. said...
Dec 29, 2008, 1:52:00 PM  

I saw this article, and was racking my brain trying to figure out what the hell an "s--bag" was.

Anonymous said...
Dec 29, 2008, 1:54:00 PM  

Actually Phil Mushnick is wrong. Both Howie and Terry are entitled to their own opinion, and saying scumbag because of it isn't that bad. Both actually had a vested interest in the game because Terry wanted to see history and Howie, because the Packers beat the Raiders in Super Bowl II, wanted to see Green Bay lose and make history as the only team that lost to Detroit this season.

Anonymous said...
Dec 29, 2008, 2:17:00 PM  

Haha, when I read that article, I thought they had said "shitbag" and actually thought Mushnick, for once, had a point.

Now I realize it's just Mushnick doing his schtick of being that moral guy. I'm 100% positive that the NY Post has run the word scumbag in headlines and in stories without it being written "s--bag".

Anonymous said...
Dec 29, 2008, 2:26:00 PM  

one of the definitions of scumbag is used condom.

that being said, i think a lot of people were rooting for the lions to go 0-16 to save them from themselves. i hated listening to the radio and hearing ex-players saying they hoped the lions won a game. look at the BIG positive that came from this: matt millen is gone.

it's one thing to go 3-13 or 5-12 year after year, but now they can look at that 0-16 on the wall and say 'jesus, what have we become?'.

it sucks they went 0-16 but if they played the browns today, they would beat them.

-dan

Anonymous said...
Dec 29, 2008, 2:27:00 PM  

Well, Terry Bradshaw is a scumbag. You'd better fine me, FCC, I'm a broadcaster too! In any case, there is nothing good about FOX's pre-game show. CBS' is so much better.

Brad James said...
Dec 29, 2008, 2:30:00 PM  

look at the BIG positive that came from this: matt millen is gone.

I would agree with this statement if Millen wasn't replaced by Martin Mayhew.

Dec 29, 2008, 3:03:00 PM  

I can't stand Mushnick and his moral high horse. I also dispute that he's a "fine journalist." Until right now, I had no idea that a "scumbag" could be construed as a used condom. I'll bet most people watching the FOX pregame had no idea, either. Mushnick should just up.

Anonymous said...
Dec 29, 2008, 3:39:00 PM  

TB isn't a scumbag...

Now if we're talking about Michael Irvin or Marv Albert, then it fits...

E Buzz said...
Dec 29, 2008, 3:58:00 PM  

If networks continue to hire commentators whose vocabulary is barely out of junior high then this is the trash they will get.

Anonymous said...
Dec 29, 2008, 10:05:00 PM  

I'm shocked that NY Post is making such a big deal about this, when Fox Sports and the NY Post are in the same company whenever Fox News does something stupid they never mention but when its MSNBC.....

I guess that shows that Fox Sports does'nt associate itself with the other divisions?

Unknown said...
Dec 30, 2008, 2:52:00 PM  
This comment has been removed by the author.
JamesCraven said...
Dec 30, 2008, 3:29:00 PM  

Accordig to Websters' Dictionary, of which Phil Mushnick has never read in any way, shape or form, a "scumbag" is refered to as a "dirty or dispicable person."

It can alo refer to pond scum, see "St. Louis Baseball Cardinals fans on the New York Mets".

JamesCraven said...
Dec 30, 2008, 3:36:00 PM  

scumbag? please.

Anonymous said...
Dec 30, 2008, 5:55:00 PM  

AA guy ---- are you nuts? Phil Mushnick a "fine journalist???"
Phil Mushnick is a deceitful, duplicitous, sactimonious, fraudulent....scumbag.
Wake up, brother.

Anonymous said...
Dec 30, 2008, 9:37:00 PM  

Exactly how should they have apologized? "On last week's program, Howie Long referred to Terry Bradshaw using a term that now means 'despicable person,' but which originally meant a used condom. We apologize for those of you who were born prior to the Depression and who thought that Howie was calling Terry a sackful of jism. We would also like to apologize to the people who now have to explain two profanities to their children who read the newspaper and asked what 's---bag' meant. Although in our defense, 'scumbag' isn't nearly as profane as the other meaning, and it's a lot more fun for all parties involved."

Anonymous said...
Jan 2, 2009, 1:09:00 AM  

Terry how does someone email you for a date?

Anonymous said...
Jan 5, 2009, 1:45:00 PM  

I don't watch the game, but I watch Terry on the pre-game show...I think ur great...wish there were guys with ur sense of humor in Nebraska. Saw u on Leno resently...u made the show.
Nann

Unknown said...
Jan 6, 2009, 8:43:00 PM  

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