While Valley Review isn’t typically in the business of media criticism, there are occasionally headlines that sway so far into the realm of sensationalism that it would be irresponsible to ignore them.
And so it was when heading online following the Green Bay Packers’ Thursday night scrimmage with the Kansas City Chiefs.
My interest was piqued.
“I yelled, ‘Don’t look Ethel!’ — but it was too late …”
There was apparently a brief game of “chase the idiot” at Lambeau Field on Thursday night, though countless Twitter users and several media organizations misused a word and thereby made the situation into something it wasn’t. Sports Illustrated and Larry Brown Sports were among those that used the word “streaker” in headlines.
There’s one key factor at play which sets forth the need for correction: pants.
The dude was wearing them.
Per the Oxford Dictionary, a streaker is defined as “a person who runs naked in a public place, especially in order to shock or amuse others.”
Words matter.
When I hear “streaker,” I expect that a special brand of doofus showed the world that football is indeed a game of inches.
When “streaker” is used, I anticipate reading about a whole new definition for “offensive holding.”
As it turns, a website was able to get a cheap click out of me. Congratulations.
There is, however, a bigger shame in this whole situation.
If the idiot had a little more bravery, he could’ve really accomplished something.
For even just a few moments, he could have made preseason football interesting.
