Adam Schefter Says NBC Wants an Apology for Laughing About Ravens-Steelers Being Moved for a Tree Lighting Show
Source - There is something inherently amusing about a football game being knocked out of prime time for a tree lighting ceremony. Amusing unless you’re the network the made that decision, apparently.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter joined Murph and Mac for his weekly chat on Thursday morning, and said that NBC is angry with him for what they perceived as a mocking tone when he reported that Wednesday’s Ravens-Steelers game, a game that was originally supposed to take place in prime time on Thanksgiving, would be shown at 3:40 ET, since the network didn’t want to bump the 88th Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony.
Schefter admits there may have been a chuckle during his report, for obvious reasons, but doesn’t understand why he should apologize for reporting the facts.
“It’s come to my attention that the fine folks at NBC weren’t particularly pleased,” Schefter said of the incident that took place on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown. “They felt like I was mocking.
“Let’s say there was a little chuckle there. Again, I don’t think what I did was over the top. I thought it was just like ‘Okay, well this is just in, NFL’s going to 3:40 because it’s (small chuckle) the 88th Rockafeller Center Tree Lighting Ceremony.’ Well there were people at NBC who were not happy.
“My understanding is they want an apology. My response is, what am I apologizing for? I reported factual…again, did I say anything that wasn’t factual? That’s my question.”
NBC is not wrong here, Adam Schefter. Sure, you might be the big fish in the pond when it comes to breaking news of trades and injuries and coaches being fired. But don't ever think for one hot second you're bigger than this lineup of stars you're so quick to dismiss with your mocking tone:
When you discuss the Rockefeller Tree Lighting Holidaganza, you put some respect in that mouth, mister. The excitement of a football game can't match the high-intensity adrenaline rush of Christmas seasonal lights being turned on. Just because your world revolves around football and the last undefeated team in the league was facing a long time blood rival who had the best record last year and is fighting for their playoff lives doesn't give you the right to make Kelly Clarkson collateral damage in your little War on Christmas.
And the irony should be lost on no one that NBC has already had to issue an apology for this game.
So get over yourself, Schefty. Be the man that Collinsworth is. You might be the biggest thing in breaking NFL news, but you're not bigger than a 40-foot West Virginia spruce. You're not bigger than Tori Kelly lip-syncing next to guys in sweaters pretending to play instruments. And you're not bigger than any part of Dolly Parton. So you can knock off the snarky tone right now and just make with the apology that NBC - no, make that America - is entitled to.
