Last week, freelance writer Tom Bowles, who covers NASCAR for SI.com, was fired by Sports Illustrated after cheering in the press box while covering the Daytona 500. He clapped as Trevor Bayne completed his upset victory.
I have covered sports for almost 30 years. Every press box or media center I have been inside has frowned on cheering for a team or player as a symbolic expression of bias journalism. It’s forbidden, and I agree with the rule for the most part and have strived to live by the journalistic law of the land.
That said, there are exceptions. When a spectacular play is made or an amazing upset occurs, I have seen even the most hardened sportswriters yell out in affirmation. Over the years there have been more expressions of joy for the home team in press boxes around sports. And while it isn’t cheering, there often are cases of people walking up to the line without crossing it.
I really think the actions taken against Bowles were severe (though an unnamed official at SI told the Web site Inside Line that “this last incident was the final straw”). They could have suspended him or put him on probation. But to fire him for clapping for Bayne’s historic victory was way over the top. And by the way, Bowles wasn’t the only one. At the postrace news conference, Bayne, who was honest, funny and entertaining, received applause from the media as he left the interview area.
Bowles freely admits he clapped when Bayne won the race and remains unapologetic for his actions. He was not alone in cheering for Bayne’s success, but he was perhaps the staunchest defender of cheering in the press box, and it sparked a debate that went viral pretty quickly via Twitter.
The Bowles column for SI.com was in no way compromised by his genuine show of emotion at the end of the race. He did not jump up and down or scream at the top of his lungs. He just clapped. That was the extent of his crime.
Sports Illustrated has one of the toughest ethics policies in the business, and it adheres to it like few other publications — with a zero tolerance policy. My hope is Bowles gets another job. He is a talented writer who showed a little emotion, and from time to time a little emotion is a good thing. We aren’t robots. Events happen that move us, and I for one enjoyed the emotion at the end of the 500 when the Fox Sports broadcast team of Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds and Darrell Waltrip could hardly contain themselves.
We can find a way to maintain press decorum and professionalism with an occasional showing of appreciation that is not too over the top. Tom Bowles believes that, and so do I.
Examiner columnist Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this!
