PFT’s Mike Florio Cowers Away from Opportunity to Talk to Steve Smith

I promise, this is the last opinion I give on the topic, mainly because my premise is to not get involved with the gossipers of the ‘net.

But thanks in part to Pro Football Talk Mike Florio, I have a little more of my own opinion to add before I move on.

It’s nice to sort of get a break from either the “same old” or to actually have something a little off-beat to write about once in a while. I generally don’t get into the gossiping and he said-she said topics very often, if at all.

On my radio programs, I usually use PFT as a bit of a filler to have some different topics to discuss, yet somehow this one passed me by. Probably because it occurred while I was working.

This morning I listened to the replay interview with Steve Smith from WFNZ, and it’s really worth listening to the whole way through if you didn’t hear it yet.

Add me to the ever growing list of Panthers fans who side with Smitty.

After listening to the interview Smith had on the Mac Attack, my whole perception of Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio has changed. I used to consider Florio’s “news” fairly accurate for the most part, but aside from the two or three times he’s gone out on a limb to stir trouble, his usual “sources” don’t have anything to “confirm,” until it’s already been made public via other media outlets.

I played an April Fool’s prank (which I gave away clues throughout via hyperlinks), in which “unnamed sources” said wide receiver Josh Reed was close to inking a deal with the Panthers. Had I been proven correct, I’d have looked brilliant, as no other media outlet — major or local — had reported on nor heard of any such thing. In fact, that day The Washington Post started following me on Twitter. The Post is still following me on Twitter.

But you can see how easy it is to fabricate a story, or even embellish on one. I don’t respect nor have an appreciation for anyone who does such things when there’s no just-cause for it. Unless it’s April Fool’s day or you’re a writer of fictitious stories, don’t make stuff up. You lose major credibility.

Mike Florio has lost all credibility in my opinion. I’ll still read his stuff, just because I get a laugh from most of it. But as for it being newsworthy, it really isn’t. For two reasons: One; 95% of the time, the story he’s reporting and adding a failed attempt at sarcasm to it, has already hit the mainstream media. Two, anytime he actually breaks his own news, it’s rarely backed up by anything other than his opinion and unnamed sources (who I don’t believe exist).

Or as Smith stated during his radio interview on FNZ, “who are his sources? The Easter Bunny? Santa Claus? The Tooth Fairy?…”

Florio also talks in circles most times. In his latest self-created shit storm where Steve Smith “referred” to new quarterback Jimmy Clausen as a punk, he first said a source. That’s indicative of one. Then later he made mention of sources, which would lead one to believe two or more. Then later reverted back to his “source.”

Let us not forget also, that a few years ago, when Smith refused to sign a contract because he found the offer to be unacceptable, he suffered two pulled hamstrings shortly thereafter.

What did Florio think of this? A great opportunity to fabricate some “news!” Steve Smith will be traded away from the Panthers. It’s as good as done. And he had a “source” or “sources” telling him that, as well.

If anything; this time around, Florio’s “quoting” of Steve Smith is slanderous, and could land him and NBC in a lot of hot water, should Smith decide to take legal action. Being Florio is a lawyer, perhaps he’ll represent himself?

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