CBS's Mike Freeman Freaks Out

I continue to find it fascinating how those who make a living criticizing others, completely lose their minds when it is turned back upon them. Case in point, Mike Freeman of CBS’s freak out on Twitter last night. In case you missed it last night, I used Freeman as an example of the type of reporter that drove me crazy…one with ethical problems in his past (in Freeman’s case, lying on his resume that led to a termination from the Indianapolis Star) who nevertheless feels he is the ethical judge of others. Freeman holds others to a standard that he can not meet and I pointed that out in a column that was primarily about Pat Forde.

Well unlike Forde, Freeman responded on Twitter via his previously little read account. He first wrote:

The Coach Cal apologists are out in full force attacking the media. Attack way. We can take it, the apologists are cowards who can’t.

I then questioned to what extent I was a coward and said I would be glad to debate the issue reasonably with him, and he responded directly to me:

you’re an apologist and a coward. Why would I debate an apologist and a coward?

Freeman then blocked me from Twitter and spent the rest of the night ranting at UK fans, claiming that there were many sending him Direct Messages that were racial taunts (I dont believe that, but one guy did send him a public racial slur…but that guy is a moron) and slowly losing his mind. The meltdown is actually interesting to look at and not what you would expect from a national writer.

The most baffling thing to me is Freeman’s inexplicable notion that I am a coward. Call me a homer if you like, an apologist if you feel the need, but I would suggest coward is the most inexplicable. Writing the piece about Freeman certainly doesnt help our relationship with CBS (for whom four of us from the site did work this past winter), makes my existence at all media rooms even more awkward (which was tough to do) and puts myself out there for criticism from all. In what respect is that being a coward? One might argue that the person showing much more cowardice is the one who doesnt address the issue, calls the individual names instead of arguing the point and the blocks any further communication with him. But hey, thats just me.

Either way, it is interesting to see how my point in last night’s piece was made. Had Calipari or any other coach responded to criticism the way Freeman did, he would have blasted and ridiculed them. So maybe I should give Freeman credit…his actions last night proved my article to be correct. Thanks Mike.