How many pounds of flesh are needed to satisfy?
The media needs to end its witch hunt against the Astros
Oct 27, 2019, 1:47 pm
Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images
Astros owner Jim Crane and GM Jeff Luhnow have come under fire for their 'corporate culture' in the aftermath of the firing of Assistant GM Brandon Taubman.
We saw the greatness of social media on full display last week. Media of all baseball backgrounds coming together to support their own against an Astros executive who deserved every bit of the uprising against him. Brandon Taubman tried to intimidate female reporters, lied about it, used his influence as Assistant General Manager to try to cover it up. His actions were ultimately discovered, his lies exposed, and in 72 hours he was terminated.
The Astros released a statement that included the following:
"We were wrong. We sincerely apologize to Stephanie Apstein, Sports Illustrated and to all individuals who witnessed this incident or were offended by the inappropriate conduct."
The Astros admitted being wrong in black and white, and made their apology. Apparently that wasn't good enough.
The demand for justice is still unsatisfied. Now the media wants to know who Taubman spoke to, who were the witnesses, who wrote the original statement (paying no attention to the fact that as AGM, Taubman likely had significant influence over what was written). One firing isn't enough. The demand for justice has now become a witch hunt, with the media demanding names and associations, blaming the Astros culture, and demanding more firings.
On Saturday, October 26, I explained how this situation has gone from the best of social media to the worst of social media, the unrealistic standard being applied, and why the baseball media needs to end this crusade against the Astros.
AUDIO: Patrick Creighton: Its Time for Media to End Witch Hunt vs Astros
Patrick Creighton is the host of "Late Hits" on ESPN 97.5 weeknights 7-9p CT, and "Straight Heat" on SB Nation Radio weeknights 12-5a CT. Follow him on Twitter: @PCreighton1
Sunday night matchups don't get much exciting than this, as the Houston Texans host the Detroit Lions in prime-time at NRG.
The Lions come into this game on a six-game winning streak looking every bit of the best team in football. Houston on the other hand has lost two of their last three games with a struggling offense unable to protect their quarterback.
CJ Stroud has only one passing touchdown over this span, and is clearly having trouble adjusting to life without Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.
If Houston is going to come away with an upset victory, they will need big performances from Tank Dell and Joe Mixon. After catching 4 passes against the Colts two weeks ago, Mixon not only failed to catch a single pass against the Jets, but he wasn't even targeted.
Considering the Texans' offensive line issues, choosing not to use Mixon as a pass catcher is hard to fathom. Especially since he and Dell are the team's top 2 playmakers.
What's working in the Texans' favor?
They play this game at home, where they are undefeated this season. A lot of the team's protection issues have popped up on the road, so communication should be easier for the offense on their home turf.
Bulls on Parade
We have good news and bad news about the defense this week. On the positive side, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmy Ward have returned to practice. If they're able to contribute on Sunday night, that would give the defense a lift.
And now for the bad news. Will Anderson has yet to practice this week after rolling his ankle in the Jets game. If he is unable to practice on Friday, it's hard to imagine he'll be active against Detroit.
X-factors
The Texans have to show some improvement on the offensive line this week.
Houston must lean on Joe Mixon again, as Nico Collins isn't expected to play.
Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the league, and he does most of his damage from the slot. If the Texans continue to deploy Jalen Pitre against premier receivers in man coverage, St. Brown is going to light up the scoreboard.
What would a win over the Lions mean to Houston?
The Texans are no longer considered a true championship contender because of their losses to the Packers, Vikings, and Jets. In fact, the Bills are the only team with a winning record that the Texans have beaten.
An upset win over the streaking Lions would change that narrative.
What does Vegas think?
The Lions are currently favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 49 points.
Don't miss the full preview of Texans-Lions in the video above!
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