Mike Tirico explains controversial comment about Detroit Lions
Sports commentator Mike Tirico has stepped up to address the controversy surrounding his “asterisk” comment regarding the Detroit Lions‘ upset victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. This clarification comes in response to strong reactions from Lions fans who felt their team's achievement was unjustly criticized.
Mike Tirico's Perspective: Context Matters
Tirico, who resides in Ann Arbor, asserted that the full context of his comment should be taken into account. During the closing moments of the Lions' surprising win over the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, Tirico remarked that the victory had an “asterisk” due to the absence of star tight end Travis Kelce, sidelined by a knee injury, and pass rusher Chris Jones, embroiled in a contract dispute.
Speaking to the Detroit News, Tirico acknowledged the rightful concern over the use of the word “asterisk.”
“If you have a problem with the word ‘asterisk,’ that’s a very legitimate complaint,” Tirico told the Detroit News.
“However, it should be in context. If you want to take out the middle of the comment and make it the whole comment, then you don’t understand properly how to attribute things.”
“We saw the Chiefs go into Foxborough in 2016 (editor's note: it was 2017) and win on Opening Night, and that announced to everyone that the Kansas City Chiefs were going to be a factor,” Tirico said during the NBC telecast. “This has an asterisk because of no Chris Jones and no Travis Kelce, but after what you saw at the end of last year and what you saw tonight, the team in blue and silver is for real.”
TL;DR (too long didn't read)
- Mike Tirico responds to criticism over his “asterisk” comment about the Detroit Lions' win against the Kansas City Chiefs.
- He emphasizes the importance of considering the full context of his remarks.
- Tirico acknowledges the legitimate complaint about the word “asterisk” but defends his overall assessment of the Lions' performance.
Bottom Line: Balancing Critique and Praise
Mike Tirico's response to the controversy highlights the challenge faced by sports commentators in providing both critique and praise. While his use of the term “asterisk” raised eyebrows, Tirico's intention was to acknowledge the Lions' potential while noting the absence of key Chiefs players. This incident underscores the delicate balance that sports commentators must strike when discussing the intricacies of a game.
