ESPN's Dan Dakich is still "scheduled to call" the Michigan State-Purdue men's basketball game Saturday despite MSU coach Tom Izzo criticizing comments Dakich made on Twitter about the school's students, according to Brendan Quinn of MLIVE.com. Dakich yesterday tweeted he has "always had unreal respect" for Izzo and MSU fans. He said he reached out to Izzo "to clear the air." ESPN "has discussed the situation with Dakich," though "nothing more is expected to come from the matter at the network level" (MLIVE.com, 2/15).
WHO'S AT FAULT, IF ANYONE? L.A. Times columnist Bill Plaschke said Dakich “was wrong” for his comments, and he is the “conduit in his role … at ESPN doing what he was doing." Plaschke: "There’s no room for that sort of editorial judgement.” ESPN's Sarah Spain noted Dakich made his comments on Twitter and "not during the broadcast." However, he does "have to bring a voice that people will believe is un-biased, which is tough.” ESPN’s Kate Fagan did not think Dakich needed to apology for his tweets but said, "Whenever your kid is involved, you just should not be tweeting” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 2/15). In Detroit, Carlos Monarrez writes Izzo was "out of bounds" Tuesday when he tried to get Dakich "censured." The problem is that Izzo "went too far and should know better." Izzo is "right to dislike Twitter, a hair-trigger medium that often turns into a cesspool of outrageous invective and personal attacks." Monarrez: "So why engage, Tom?" Dakich’s job is to "offer opinions, and he’s good at it." If Izzo thinks he "should stick to opining about basketball," he should "think twice" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 2/16).
