The Herpes of Sports Reporting

Recently Green Day frontman Billy Joe Armstrong call Korean singer Psy the "herpes of music" "once you think he's gone he comes back." Armstrong took some heat for the comment but generally people thought it was amusing and agreed with him.

It got me thinking about who I would consider the "herpes of sports reporting". Here's my list:

1. Dan Shaughnessy - nobody makes me turn a radio or TV channel faster than Shagnasty. He faded into the woodwork somewhat after the Red Sox ruined his "Curse of the Bambino" cottage industry but recently he made himself as public as a cold sore on a wedding day with his basically accusing David Ortiz of using steroids. It should be recalled that before Ortiz even had a plate appearance for the Red Sox - Shaughnessy called him a "pile of you know what". I think the Curly Haired Boyfriend just has it out for people of color.

2. Skip Bayless - why is he famous? Why does ESPN stick with this douche? Does anyone like him? All serious questions.

3. Mike Lupica - get over yourself little man. You couldn't hold Dick Schaap's jock.

4. Stephen A Smith - aka Screaming A Smith. As annoying as this guy can be I do have to admit that at least occasionally he makes valid points.

5. Ron Borges - we get it. You hate Bill Belichick, don't find plagiarism to be a sin and are not afraid to fight men in wheelchairs. Probably a Boston thing but this guy is a dickhead.

Missing the list - Jay Marriotti who has proved himself to be more of a chlamydia in the word of sports transmitted diseases.

Wow - Allen Iverson = Trainwreck

Wow - I never realized that Allen Iverson's life was such a mess.

Allen Iverson is in trouble, folks, deep trouble. The combination of alcohol and gambling - and a once-promising career in tatters because of the first two - won't culminate in anything short of disaster if help does not arrive in short order.

If numerous NBA sources are telling the truth - and there's no reason to believe they'd do otherwise in a situation of this magnitude - Iverson will either drink himself into oblivion or gamble his life away.

Nice job by Stephen A. Smith. I criticize him often but Screaming A really brought his A-game on this piece.