Living on the dot that can be placed directly between Baltimore and Washington, DC, let's just say that as early as Monday morning, there was ample opportunity to sop up various opinions on the Sean Taylor incident.  I generally like to expose radio personalities for an idiotic remark, or a matter of fact comment that I think is debatable.  But when something like this happens, the radio airwaves become anarchy.

What I learned, more than anything, is that the culture of talk radio is about wearing masks.   Some guys are obviously characters who would never act or talk in their workplace the way the act or talk as callers or hosts.  The Jim Rome show and his cavalcade of callers are perfect examples.  Even the ones we perceive to be "regular guys" are playing a part. 

Why does the coverage of this incident irk me to some extent?  Well, the primary reason is a phrase we all heard in 2001.  "This really puts sports into perspective."  What does that mean?  Why was it not in perspective before?  I'm sure after the first of 72 hours or Joe Gibbs' next bad 4th and 1 call, sports will be back "out of perspective." 

The serious stories need to be covered in a serious manner, but don't do it by shaming the fans.  The coverage seemed disingenuous, because again, the masks come back on as of Monday morning.  Then there's the borderline PC way that hosts have handled callers who provided thoughts, prayers, or even opinions.  Here is a smattering of I heard the past few days (mostly paraphrases, but any deviation from the quote does not materially change what they said):

John Thompson Show - People don't rob in the hoods.  They go where the money is.

Let's be real.  Even a thief is enterprising.  What is the lowest risk, highest reward possibility?  Many places in the inner city are robbed because the stuff is cheap and available.  That's why the stores have bars on the windows.  And while I'm on it, this is frankly a classist argument he's making.  If Thompson and his cohosts are going to insist that this is a baseless act of violence (which it likely is, but follow me for a second), are poor people the only ones who commit them?

John Thompson Show - (Dok Walker as a piggyback to the above) This happens all the time.  Out of the hundred each day, we act like old ladies aren't getting robbed or killed for their social security checks.  It's just that we care about this one.

Ah, the mirror on our culture bit.  It's a bit of flawed logic to suggest that where the money is = social security checks.  It's a bit of hyperbole used to try to sensationalize this case.  "Sports in perspective" is going out the window.

JT The Brick - (Talk about masks; is that on his drivers license?) Regarding why Taylor wasn't packing with the knowledge that someone ad already tried to break in a week ago: Maybe he's afraid of guns, or doesn't like them.

Fact check - Taylor was on probation...for a gun charge.  If anything, he likely wasn't packing because it would have been a violation of said probation.  This probably means that he was trying to stay in toe with the law but...

Joh Thompson Show - (Brian Mitchell after a caller suggested that this wasn't so shocking) We don't need idiot callers coming in here with that.

Now wait.  Suggesting that there is a reason that this happened doesn't mean that the victim deserved for it to happen.  Now an idiot caller would be one I heard on Dan Patrick suggesting that he when Taylor was still alive that he just wanted him to have some punishment for his checkered past, but not die because of it.  That's moralism going overboard to the point that one takes the immoral stance of wishing torture on someone.  That's an idiot caller.  Someone suggesting that this is related to the 2005 incident, or something for which we are unaware (hey, why Taylor's house twice in 8 days as opposed to any other house in that neighborhood?) isn't an idiot.  It's an attempt to give that reason "why."  It doesn't make it less tragic, if this wasn't a random act of violence.  The result is the same, and there's another generation with that cross to bear, regardless of the circumstance of her father's death.

Basically, everyone was just talking in a stream of conscious manner, hopin gthat they had the one thing to say that trumped all others.  To me, it was a little overwrought, because I know everything said the last two days was cliche.  Sports in perspective:  It's a game.  It's escapism.  It's big money at the professional level, thus people will still opine.  It's action.  It's comedy.  It's drama.  It's tragedy.  You don't want too many acts in the latter, but unfortunately, it IS just another piece of this great puzzle.