The real question of the World Series heading into tonight’s Game 4 at Yankee Stadium is not if the Bronx Bombers will win their 25th championship, but:
When they do, will they talk to NBC TV sports reporter Jim Gray?
Gray – who has been vilified for his aggressive interview of Pete Rose before Game 2 Sunday in Atlanta – was blown off by Chad Curtis after the Yankee outfielder gave the Bombers a 3-0 series lead with his 10th inning homer last night.
After Curtis rounded the bases and freed himself from the mob of jubilant Yankee teammates, he was approached on the field by Gray, who said, “Chad, tell me about that pitch…”
But Curtis said, “I can’t do it. As a team, we decided because of what happened to Pete we’re not gonna talk out here on the field.”
Curtis did add, regarding the home run, “I do wanna say, though, that was for you, grandma.”
Curtis then turned and walked toward the Yankee dugout, and Gray called after him, saying, “Chad, you don’t want to talk about your home run?”
Curtis did not, and Gray sent it back to play-by-player Bob Costas.
Curtis said it was the team’s decision not to do field interviews with Gray. On sister network CNBC’s post-game, Curtis did talk with NBC’s other dugout reporter, Craig Sager.
Later, Curtis addressed why, after his walk off home run, he simply walked off. “It’s not a personal thing with me and Jim Gray,” Curtis said. “It’s a thing the team decided.
“It really upset some people, so we as a team decided to boycott talking to him on the field,” he said. “If my team decides that, then it’s my decision, too.”
Earlier in the broadcast, Gray apologized to the fans, but not to Pete Rose.
“After viewing the videotape, I can understand the reaction of many baseball fans,” Gray said. “I thought that it was important to ask Pete Rose if this was the right moment for him to make an apology.
“If in doing so, the interview went on too long and took out some of the joy of the occasion, then I want to say to baseball fans everywhere that I’m very sorry about this.”
The Yankees obviously didn’t think this was justice enough – and have decided to act.
Now it’s NBC’s turn: Will it succumb to the pressure and take Gray off of the Yankees, whom he has covered all Series, or will it keep him on the Yankees, which could cause more tension?
Interestingly, the latter decision – keeping Gray on the Yankees – will make for Must See TV. The former – taking Gray off the Yankees – will set a bad precedent for TV sports journalism.
Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Sports, has backed Gray by calling him “the best TV sports reporter of his generation.” However, Ebersol said he thought the interview on Sunday “probably went too long.”
Yesterday’s interview went too short. Will Ebersol take the chance of this happening again?