Sports Column

Stunt has talk show host in hot water

Fair Game

By kerry eggers

The Portland Tribune, Apr 13, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (7 Reader comments)

Colin Cowherd, the former KGW (8) sports director and KFXX radio talk show host, is walking on thin ice at ESPN radio.

Cowherd, 43, has been reprimanded for calling on listeners to shut down a “random” Web site – one that has been critical of ESPN – by flooding it with visitors beyond its capacity.

The site, Thebiglead.com, was down for more than 48 hours last week.

“We apologize – but just don’t screw with us,” Cowherd told his listeners.

On Monday, Cowherd issued a real apology, surely at the behest of his superiors at ESPN.

“We talked to Colin … and all our radio talent, making it clear you cannot do this,” ESPN Senior Vice President Traug Keller said in a column written by network ombudsman Le Anne Schreiber. “Our airwaves are a trust, and not to be used to hurt anyone’s business. Such attacks are off-limits. Zero tolerance. I can’t say it any stronger.”

An ESPN representative says Cowherd is under no official sanction, since such a stunt was unprecedented.

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