CBS drops the ball in coverage of the Chiefs' murder-suicide tragedy

We live in a Bayless-ian age of hyperbole where can-you-top-this snap judgments are delivered for maximum viewership and page views. So I want readers to know the following sentence was considered with deliberation and thought:

CBS's The NFL Today show disgraced itself on Sunday.

Viewers understand that networks have bills to pay and can tolerate mild product placement. But common sense and decency should always carry the day, and 24 hours after Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher murdered Kasandra Perkins (the mother of their three-month old daughter, Zoe), The NFL Today opened its pregame show with a ham-handed live advertisement for Garmin that featured host James Brown hawking the product ("We would like to thank our friends from Garmin for helping navigate our open!") like a GPS-happy P.T. Barnum.

You didn't need a GPS to realize how far off the opening was, but CBS's producers could have tuned in to ESPN or the NFL Network earlier in the day and watched how other outlets exhibited the proper sobriety following a double shooting involving an NFL player.

Had CBS headed straight into thoughtful analysis and reporting of the story after its opener, it would have saved itself from these kind of critiques. Instead, CBS compounded the shill job by opting not to talk about the murder-suicide for the next five minutes.

Think about that kind of editorial judgment. What did The NFL Today talk about? It talked about clothing. After analyst Bill Cowher mentioned what kind of ties he and Shannon Sharpe were wearing, viewers were treated to a chuckle-hut segment on the AFC playoff race. Then came a discussion on the NFC postseason picture. Finally, after an excruciating five minutes that should be shown in journalism schools across the country as an example of what not to do on a big story, Brown made the most awkward-of-awkward turns by saying, "All right, fellas, a little switch here."'

The host then gave a 90-second recap of the news from Kansas City before introducing reporter Lesley Visser, who was live at Arrowhead Stadium. Visser interviewed Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt on the field and did get off at least one good question: Why did the Chiefs management deem it inappropriate to wear Belcher's number on the players' jerseys? ("Under the circumstances, we didn't think it was appropriate to honor just one and not the other," said Hunt, sounding much smarter than CBS yesterday.)

But Visser was gone faster than Usain Bolt and followed by CBS information reporter Jason LaCanfora, who reported on the Panthers deferring to the Chiefs for a decision on whether the game should be played. That should have led into some kind of discussion on all the issues at play here, but the NFL Today instead gave viewers 60 seconds of "rallying a team" commentary. They then went to a feature on the death of Rick Majerus before ending the opening segment.

Thankfully, The NFL Today did have time to air a five-minute segment featuring Victoria's Secret model Lily Aldridge picking NFL games with its analysts. This is an annual tradition for the program, and much digital ink has been spilled on the once-a-year fiesta of 50-something men ogling over a 20-something model. Take a guess whose name was mentioned more on the NFL Today yesterday between Lily Aldridge and Kasandra Perkins? You already know the answer.

After the crew hawked the CBS-owned Victoria's Secret Fashion Show ("Oooh, Justin Bieber," Brown cooed excitedly of the guest list), the show embarked on its usual segments. Finally, about 40 minutes into the NFL Today, Brown led his analysts on a three-minute roundtable discussion that focused mostly on how the Chiefs' players would handle the circumstances (Brown did mention his involvement in a domestic violence organization and the role men could play in it.) Rather than go to commercial on this thoughtful note, The NFL Today had Brown deliver a brutal segue to a conversation on the Pittsburgh-Baltimore game. Asked by USA Today Sports how CBS covered the Belcher story, CBS Sports executive vice-president/production Harold Bryant said, "We covered it very well." And so it goes.

Unlike ESPN, CBS did not have a graphic to commemorate the life of Kasandra Perkins (they did show a photo of Perkins and her daughter), nor did its viewers learn that Perkins was the cousin of the wife of Jamaal Charles (Alas, CBS would need more than a Garmin GPS to find those reporting details, as well.)

Instead, viewers were treated to business as usual at CBS on a day that was anything but. It was abysmal television and it left me disgusted as a viewer.

(SI.com examines some of the more notable sports media stories of the weekend. The first four entries will recap how some of the other pregame shows did on the murder-suicide story.)

1. While watching the 1 a.m. ET SportsCenter on Sunday morning, I was struck that ESPN had a graphic marking the birth and death of Belcher (1989-2012) but not one for Perkins. There's an argument to be made that Belcher is the person the ESPN audience is familiar with when news breaks, but it troubled me because the message, even if not overt, was that Belcher's life was more important than the life of Perkins. When I tweeted the observation out on Twitter, I was struck by the flood of responses and how angry people were by what they perceived as hero-worshiping coverage of Belcher. I think that's too strong a tag for ESPN's coverage overall but the larger point is there was no one at ESPN at that hour to speak up for Perkins.

Yesterday, on ESPN's Sunday Countdown, host Chris Berman began the show on the appropriate somber note, with the producers showing a live shot inside Arrowhead Stadium. Berman then sent the audience to reporter Ed Werder, a longtime journalist who had traveled to Kansas City. Werder provided what Werder always does: credible reporting. Given the news in Kansas City, ESPN, to its credit, canceled its comic segment with Frank Caliendo and its frivolous "Come On, Man" segments.

Though Berman at one point misidentified the age of the victim, the show paid her tribute with co-host Tom Jackson reminding viewers not to forget the 22-year-old Perkins. "We hear about what a great teammate he [Belcher] was and how close some of the guys were to him; he is in fact a guy who is a murderer, who has taken the life of Kasandra Perkins as a new mom and left a little girl without her parents," Jackson said. "So, you know, as we look at the outpouring of all of the sympathy that will go toward Jovan Belcher today, I would ask people to remember Kasandra Perkins, this 22-year-old new mom who lost her life to gun violence."

Countdown ended its opening segment with this graphic, and while I understand some won't be happy with the two running side by side, I appreciate them recognizing the life of Perkins. Why did they ultimately decide to show both Belcher and Perkins in a side-by-side graphic? "The production team from Countdown felt this was the approach they were most comfortable with in covering this sensitive story," said ESPN spokesperson David Scott.

2. Covering crime is not easy for a sports network, but it does reveal something about its journalistic DNA. As news broke Saturday morning from Kansas City, the NFL Network opted to continue airing its regular-scheduled programming (in this case, a repeat of Playbook AFC with Sterling Sharpe) while using the scroll at the bottom of the screen to update coverage. I kept popping back to the network, and the only hint of coverage I saw was someone from a makeshift studio giving a 60-second news brief. The Golf Channel's Damon Hack, who covered the NFL for years for the New York Times and Sports Illustrated, spoke for many viewers when he tweeted, "What 's up w NFL Network? S Sharpe is dancing? [Matt] Millen says he's going to show how P Manning "kills people" w play action? Can't be live."

NFLN's executives and its talent have always been aggressive with reporters to counter the notion that they are a house organ for the league. They've also hired journalists on the TV side, including Andrea Kremer to lead a group on player health and safety. So why did the network opt not to go to a live studio format on Saturday morning to cover a murder-suicide involving an NFL player?

Here's spokesperson Alex Riethmiller. "NFL Network became aware of the breaking news in Kansas City shortly before 8 a.m. PT (NFLN's studios are located in California) on Saturday. Immediately, a story went up on NFL.com, which was composed of information from NFL.com reporters Ian Rapoport and Albert Breer, as well as wire services. At 8 a.m. PT, NFL Network broke into regularly scheduled programming (a repeat of Playbook) to report the news. NFL Network continued to give live updates from the newsroom every 30 minutes, providing the latest news and developments."

This is true, though incredibly unsatisfactory. Yes, the network doesn't have live programming on Saturday mornings, but given how weighty and newsworthy this story was, you send an anchor in to host coverage. Watching the NFL Network air a repeat of a show with Sharpe and Millen brought to mind the Big Ten Network airing old football games during the live announcement of the Freeh Report. The network did open with the story on Sunday morning and sent reporter Randy Moss to Kansas City to provide live updates and reports. Riethmiller said Moss will remain in Kansas City as long as needed.

3.FOX NFL Sunday opened its broadcast with a live shot inside of Arrowhead Stadium and host Curt Menefee understanding the magnitude of the story. Said Menefee: "Sadness and heartache. Those are the emotions all around the NFL. This just one day after a murder-suicide by Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher." Menefee then told the audience that Fox would be bypassing its normal routine to focus on the story out of Kansas City. He gave viewers a surface briefing of the news before sending to game announcers Ron Pitts and Mike Martz, who were calling the Chiefs-Panthers game for Fox. (Credit Martz, though seeing the story mostly through the prism of a football coach, offered some eloquence on the situation). Pitts and Martz were followed by Jay Glazer reporting the Chiefs would hold a moment of silence for victims of domestic violence, local and league-wide reaction to the shooting, and the disturbing news out of Cleveland that a Browns employee had committed suicide at that team's facility.

Menefee then did something that viewers should really appreciate: He mentioned that Kasandra Perkins was training to be a teacher, a detail no other network mentioned, and one that humanized the victim of a senseless crime. Co-host Terry Bradshaw then followed with a welcome note beyond the usually jockocracy stuff. "Let's not overstate this so much that we forget about the real importance here of what is left behind," Bradshaw said. "We have a three-month-old baby girl who has lost her momma and her daddy. Both of them are gone. Therein lies the tragedy."

Menefee then closed the segment: "When we come back, we'll talk football." Well done, Fox.

4. I only listened for 15 minutes, but what I heard from SiriusXM NFL Radio on Saturday afternoon was thoughtful commentary on the Chiefs' story from co-hosts Vic Carucci and Dan Leberfeld. Longtime media reporter Staci D. Kramer, the former editor of Paid Content and a practitioner I trust, listened to the channel's "Press Coverage" show all morning (Alex Marvez and Amani Toomer had the early shift) and described the coverage as "careful, respected but news oriented."

4a. Using the prism of the murder-suicide as a launching point, NBC's Bob Costas caused an uproar among the gun lobby with his halftime essay during the Cowboys-Eagles game on Sunday Night Football. Tweeted commentator Lou Dobbs: "The Media Left at Halftime: Bob Costas pushing gun control, quoting...who else?... a sports writer on ridding the country of the 2nd Amendment." Here's the video essay from Costas. One thing is certain: I don't think any other NBC Sports employee would have been granted the editorial freedom on such a hot-button topic.

5. Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam III calls the Travel Channel's upcoming 'NFL Road Tested: The Cleveland Browns' a "soft version of Hard Knocks." The Browns have partnered with the Travel Channel, NFL Films and RIVR Media for an eight-episode series promising an inside look at how an NFL team travels on the road during the regular season. The first episode airs Dec. 4 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. "It's based a little more on the travel aspect of an NFL team, but you do see us practice and you do see time with the players and coaches," said Haslam, who purchased the Browns for more than $1 billion in October "So I call it a softer version of Hard Knocks."

Haslam said the cameras have been with the Browns for the last couple of weeks and will be around for the next month. "I think everybody was a little nervous at first, myself included," Haslam said. "And obviously, particularly, the coaches. But I think we did a nice job of laying out the ground rules in terms of when the cameras would be present and when they would not. I think all of us have gotten used to it as the process has gone on."

The owner's nerves were somewhat mitigated by the involvement of his wife, Dee, who runs the production company, RIVR Media. "When we got involved with the Browns, we felt like it was an underdeveloped brand and I think this is a great way to develop what we think is a tremendous brand," Haslam said. "Let's face it, we have a very young team and we have struggled this season, but we have played almost every game tough. We are 3-8 [now 4-8] but we could easily be 6-5 or 5-6. We lost a couple of games right at the end. We just hope it continues to raise the awareness of the Cleveland Browns."

5a. Strong words from Bradshaw on the future of Jets coach Rex Ryan: "Any organization needs to be held accountable. Mike Tannenbaum is responsible for putting the talent together for the Jets. Someone's head is going to be chopped off after this season and I have a feeling it's not going to be Rex Ryan. Rex is safe but I think Tannenbaum is going to have to go."

6. Newsday's ace reporter Neil Best recently interviewed Jamie Horowitz, an ESPN VP of original programming and the Bristol executive who oversees First Take, and the intersection produced a quote worthy of The Onion. Said Horowitz: "The only rule at First Take is you must be authentic." Let's forget for a moment that Horowitz employs the ultimate sports monorail salesman in Skip Bayless. The show's producers map out a preshow rundown geared toward producing disagreement. That's the exact opposite of authentic. After you read this fawning piece in the Los Angeles Times, which backs that up, read this takedown by Tommy Craggs of Deadspin on the idea that Bayless and his flock are authentic.

6a. I'll say this about Horowitz: The producers who have worked with him say he's a talented guy. I just wish he'd use those talents for something meaningful. Speaking of flotsam, the First Take-ization of ESPN will expand to Saturday as Awful Announcing reported the carnival barking has been expanded.

7. Really liked this inventive use of storytelling by the Grantland Network. The producers of Pardon The Interruption culled footage from the last 10 years of the show on a single subject: LeBron James. It was fascinating to see the opinions of hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon in 2002 compared to today. Also impressive is the fashion makeover of Wilbon as he morphed from writer to television personality.

7a. Among the memorable sports pieces this week:

• ESPN.com's Gene Wojciechowski reflected on the life of Rick Majerus.

• The Classical has a terrific piece from former European pro Flinder Boyd on what it's like to play against Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio.

• Los Angeles Daily News media writer Tom Hoffarth revealed his 2012 "dubious dozen" from the sports media.

7b. Two non-sports pieces you must check out include this obituary on Britain's only male-speaking clock from The Economist and this gallery of the 100 best photos of the year from Reuters.

7c. On the opposite side, this piece on Colin Kaepernick, correlating tattoos to leadership, is one of the most misguided and out-of-touch columns I've read in some time. But bravo to Robert Klemko of USA Today, who tracked down Kaepernick's parents to give an actual report on the subject.

8. CBS's coverage of the SEC Championship game averaged an overnight household rating of 10.0, matching last weekend's Notre Dame-USC game as the highest-rated college football game of 2012 in the metered markets.

8a. I'd be happy to report some information about Michelle Beadle's upcoming NBC Sports Network show (scheduled to debut in January) but the fine folks at NBC Sports are treating it like Area 51. Said a spokesperson: "We'll have more details in December." Maybe I'll be interested then. Maybe not. I'll have more details on it in December.

8b. According to Sports Business Journal ratings editor Austin Karp, MLS had its best regular-season ratings on cable TV since the league's inception, in 1996. Karp reported ESPN and ESPN2 averaged 311,000 viewers for its games, up 6.5 percent from 292,000 last year. The NBC Sports Network aired 38 MLS regular-season games and averaged 122,000 viewers. That figure was up 79 percent from Fox Soccer's package of games last season (68,000 viewers).

9. According to the armada of publicists at the National Football League, the NFL Network's Thursday Night Football is averaging 6.4 million viewers this season and is on pace to be the highest-rated and most-watched Thursday Night Football season ever.

9b. ESPN's PR blog (aka ESPN Pravda) isn't exactly the place to go for journalism, but this video piece by staffer Allison Stoneberg highlighted the many behind-the-scenes staffers who tireless work on Monday Night Football. It's worth the look.

9c. The NBC Sports Network will air Still Standing: The Earl Campbell Story on Tuesday at 11 p.m. ET. The documentary examines the life of the former Oilers running back.

9d.Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma dropped a very memorable tweet this weekend regarding his appearance at an appeals hearing last Friday.

10. Sirius XM sports talk host Steve Phillips -- the former Mets GM and ESPN Baseball Tonight host -- is doing seven hours of live radio from the Baseball Winter Meetings in Nashville between his Sirius XM morning show and a second show airing in the evening on Sirius's MLB Network Radio and SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio channels.

10a. The MLB Network will also be live from Nashville, with a variety of daily programming.

10b. Orioles public relations director Monica Barlow has been diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer. Said the 35-year-old Barlow to Baltimore's WMAR-TV: "I'm not going to let it define my life." Read about her brave fight here.