Jen_Lada's Blog

When I was in Green Bay covering the Packers playoff push, I met several personalities from ESPN. It was kind of cool to see folks like Ed Werner and Rachel Nichols going about their reporting duties and battling the elements just like the rest of us. Werner and I actually got a chance to chat for a while on several occasions. In my opinion, he's a very talented reporter and a very nice man with a soft spot in his heart for the Pack (he grew up idolizing Bart Starr.) At one point while I was producing a piece, he came over and showed me the T-shirt he'd picked up at the Pro Shop! He was actually excited to show off his purchase!

Another snowy morning, I was leaving the Atrium after wrapping up the days duties when I saw a different man all alone outside staring up at the Lombardi and Lambeau statues. As I got closer, I realized it was ESPN's own Chris Berman. Well I couldn't pass up the chance to chat up one of the business' oldest and most well known pros... so I sauntered over and spit sports and Green Bay and Brett and ESPN with Boomer for as long as he would have me around. He was very friendly, engaging, helpful and courteous and advised me to let him know if I ever needed anything. Chalk it up to a great chat.

So I can't help but laugh when I see all of these old behind the scene clips of Berman at ESPN. Clearly someone has a beef with the big guy and is working hard to make sure this side of him gets seen by the masses. I just think they're funny - who hasn't had days at the office where you just blow up? Who hasn't joked around with co-workers on the job? Who hasn't dropped an F-bomb or two when things just aren't going your way? And to those of you who haven't: sincere kudos for your eviable level of composure. 

Berman works in a camera-heavy environment and you'd think he'd be wise enough to know his every move/word was being heard/recorded somewhere. But this stuff is eight years old! Show me something from yesterday that proves he isn't still making the same mistakes. Otherwise I won't invest too much into them. I'd hope we all have grown up and matured along our pathway of years, wouldn't you? But it certainly is a welcome reminder to all of us in the business: mind your manners at all times. YouTube and the world may soon be watching.