Why did Vic Lombardi bogart the Von Miller news?
“But before Schefter tied the story to Von Miller, Vic Lombardi told listeners to the Fan morning show that “a prominent Broncos defensive player” was facing such accusations. He did not name Miller specifically, allowing instead for a national reporter to get the scoop.”
Read More …
In case you spent the morning in a cave … or don’t wake up until noon … some pretty major Broncos news broke around 8:00. It’s not the good kind. Von Miller will appeal a four game suspension by the NFL for testing positive for THC and “Molly”, a powdered form of MDMA (ecstasy) commonly mixed with speed and / or cocaine.
The story of Von Miller’s possible suspension for recreational drug use was broken this morning by Adam Schefter of ESPN. He’s the guy who breaks most NFL stories. But before Schefter tied the story to Von Miller, Vic Lombardi told listeners to the Fan morning show that “a prominent Broncos defensive player” was facing such accusations. He did not name Miller specifically, allowing instead for a national reporter to get the scoop.
Nate Lundy, one of Lombardi’s co-hosts and program director at the Fan, Tweeted later that Lombardi and company knew the name of the player involved – as well as the substances – but sat on the information. Lundy announced this proudly, as though the Fan had somehow taken the high ground in teasing the Von Miller story without revealing that Von Miller was the player involved. I can’t possibly imagine why.
Why did Vic Lombardi bogart the Von Miller story?
Perhaps Vic and the others at the Fan didn’t see it as “their place” to break the news. That would be an odd take since Vic is the top reporter in town. Also, the show did break the story that “a prominent player” was involved. So why not release the name?
Waiting for Schefter to announce that Von Miller was the player in question seems counter-intuitive. Had the Fan Morning Show broken the story it’s likely that national publicity would have followed. It seems like a missed opportunity. But Lombardi is a highly respected sports journalist so he must have had reasons.
My best guess is that he wanted to show deference to his source. But, by announcing that “a prominent defensive player” was in trouble, Lombardi lobbed an alley-oop to a guy who already breaks his fair share of stories and left listeners scratching their heads.
