ESPN host Keith Olbermann named O’Reilly his ‘World’s Worst Person in Sports’ on his Wednesday show The award is a much deserved response to O’Reilly’s depiction of himself as a star athlete and super jock, in a recent radio interview.
What does this have to do with politics, you may ask? It has everything to do with veracity, and O’Reilly’s status as FOX News and know-it-all, which made O’Reilly an irresistible,and frequent winner of the ‘Worst Person in the World’ award on Olbermann’s previous show on MSNBC. “This is fun,” quipped Olbermann — smiling broadly. “This brings back memories. I’ll stick to his stories about sports and how great he was, and how all his teams in high school and college were virtually undefeated.”
O’Reilly, who phoned in an interview – and plug for his latest ‘Killing’ book on the Dan LeBatard Show, Nov. 17, quickly turned the topic to his athletic prowess. O’Reilly claimed he was on the varsity football team at Marist College. “We were undefeated our senior year,” O’Reilly bragged. “That was a pretty good deal.” If you’re wondering why Notre Dame didn’t snap O’Reilly up. The truth is that O’Reilly’s school did not play varsity football! Says Olbermann: “It was a club team, one step up from intramural.”
Le Batard asked O’Reilly: “What happened with Keith Olbermann reporting in 2005 while he was with MSNBC that you graduated in ’71 but that Marist didn’t have varsity football until ’78 so he’s accusing you basically of never having been a punter or kicker there?” O’Reilly plays the predictable defense.
“Well number one: I never comment on smear merchants. And number two: It was a club football team in a club league.” (Chuckles from the host audible in background) O’Reilly keeps digging himself in deeper. “But it was varsity football in the sense that we played “Georgetown, Catholic U., Fordham, Manhattan, Iona…So you know, look. It’s just…You know what it is guys. You know what it is.”
Cheshire Cat Keith Olbermann grins: “We do now…I still own your head Bill.”
If O’Reilly shined in football, he positively glowed in baseball! According to Big Bill, he is a lifetime New York Mets fan, and and bragged to LeBatard that he was approached by the team after his senior year at Marist. Whew…That would soften the blow from not being picked for a full scholarship ride at Notra Dame! Get ready for another letdown. It turns out, O’Reilly ‘coulda been a contenda’ but for a guy who – in his words, “Just blew me off the mound.”
Olbmermann referred to O’Reilly’s own biography. (Killing Truth) Said Olbermann: “Seaver’s rookie year was 1967, when Bill O’Reilly had just turned 18,” Olbermann said. “In his biography, O’Reilly put the alleged Met tryout in his senior year of college, 1970 or ’71, by which point the Mets had already won the World Series, and Seaver had already won the Cy Young Award. Why ya gonna believe – Bill or your lyin’ eyes?
The only part of this story he hasn’t changed is that he — ‘lifelong Met fan’ — did not recognize Tom Seaver.”
When LeBard wished to lighten up the interview with talk of O’Reilly’s studly adventures, things went south quickly.
O’Reilly’s frolics in exotic vacation destinations with reluctant co-workers, loofahs, ‘massage units’ and the ensuing harassment suits are no secret, but Loofah Boy’s response was curt. Then again, O’Reilly – good Catholic that he is, still has a wife, and we don’t know what the divorce laws are, but I suspect he stands to lose a bundle if he admits to blatant attempts at womanizing.
“I’m not going the get into any of that stuff, so if you guys have another question I’m good, if not, we’ll say goodbye.”
LeBatard, who has given O’Reilly a forum on which to flog his book, and allowed him to natter on about his greatly enhanced sports career, is upset about being shut down by his bossy guest. LeBatard: “But wait a minute. What do you mean you’re not going to get into any of that stuff. I don’t understand.”
O’Reilly has already left the building, so to speak. “We’ll see ya guys. Thanks for making the time. I appreciate it.”
CLICK! Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.