When it isn’t supposedly suspending its talent in favor of its own business interests, ESPN acts, as it should, like any other big journalistic outlet: covering and breaking news.
Recently, it’s turned its attention to Heisman-winning Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston and his troubled off-the-field issues around Tallahassee. The network’s Mark Schlabach and, surprisingly, Darren Rovell uncovered a few days ago that Winston might’ve been selling his autograph for money, while it continues to report on Winston’s ongoing sexual assault hearing, among the many other issues Winston’s had.
Well Florida State fans, I’m guessing some of the most passionate in the country, don’t take too kindly to all the negative press their national championship-winning player has received. Since ESPN’s flagship “College Gameday” program will be in Tallahassee for the Seminoles’ match-up with No. 5 Notre Dame on Saturday, FSU fans have taken to social media to “boycott” “Gameday.”
A fan set up a Facebook page on Oct. 12 called “Boycott ESPN Gameday,” and Twitter’s full of “Boycott ESPN” messages and hashtags to spread the word. What that “boycott” would entail, exactly, can be found in the Tweet below, provided by Fansided.
Attention #FSU fans going to #Gameday: We're trying to get everybody to sit on the ground, backs to the stage in a silent protest of #ESPN
— Brenden Martin (@brendenmartin28) October 14, 2014
Sympathy would come easier to Florida State fans had Winston’s screw-ups not come so often. Because when a former Heisman winner is blasting Winston on radio about giving up on him, it’s probably time to take off those blinders and consider maybe that’s all warranted coverage.
