Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
You've undoubtedly heard the story about James Harrison not going to the White House, but now it appears we've gotten to the root of the problem in an interview on ESPN Radio in Pittsburgh:
I hear it's not really a good neighborhood over there. Plus, most of my teammates know I'm scared of flying anyway ...
Honestly, this is reaching Tracy Jordan-esque levels of stupidity. So is he afraid of flying? Is the White House in a bad neighborhood? Is it the fact that they wouldn’t have been invited if they, ya know, lost the game? Please, James, pick one.
I fully expect another creative answer out of Harrison today. Perhaps he thinks the traffic is too heavy in the area and doesn't do well with long car rides. Or maybe they were having triple coupons at his local grocery store and simply couldn't pass up the opportunity.
The fact that Harrison didn't want to go to the White House wasn't a news story, but that he's now concocted a bunch of weird excuses as to why he didn't want to go makes everyone want to know more.
And in case you missed it, Harrison also got a little bit of a roasting on The Daily Show last night.
(H/T to Sports Radio Interviews)
This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.
14 comments
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
Scoreboard data copyright © 2012 by STATS LLC. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC is strictly prohibited.
OpenCalais - Powered by Thomson Reuters
•
Odds Shark 
Comments
It’s not that I don’t want to go, it’s just that my passport is expired. Isn’t the District of Columbia in South America? No? Oh…well, I would go but the general Mall area is too rough and tumble for me. Nothing at all like my childhood days growing up on Gumdrop Street in Happypuppycloudville.
by ChiAdam on May 20, 2009 9:51 AM EDT reply actions
Good one Chi!
Scared of flying?
James you can afford a good PR guy so get one.
by toeknee475 on May 20, 2009 11:27 AM EDT reply actions
newsflash james, if michigan state had beaten unc they would have been invited to the white house despite obama’s picking the tar heels to win.
by george32 on May 20, 2009 2:19 PM EDT reply actions
I guess he figured if it was an acceptable bull**** excuse for Kornheiser, why can’t it work for him.
by sultanofslot on May 20, 2009 4:28 PM EDT reply actions
Whats rediculous about all this is, He is not the first person not to go to the white house and he won’t be the last. I’m surprised he’s even giving an excuse. If he don’t want to go it’s his choice, so what, get over it.
by steelcrazy2 on May 20, 2009 6:24 PM EDT reply actions
@steelcrazy2 — That’s sort of my point. He could’ve just said no thanks, and been done with it, but first he comes up with some weird reason that they should’ve been invited if they lost? And then the flying? And then the bad neighborhood? It’s such a weird grouping of explanations it leaves the mind to wonder what the heck his deal is.
by littmann.tsn on May 20, 2009 6:33 PM EDT reply actions
he is a racist for dissing obama like that.
by scurds on May 20, 2009 6:39 PM EDT reply actions
for god’s sake leave harrison alone. i know the media can’t believe he doesn’t want to see obama seeing how they worship him, but maybe harrison just doesn’t want to go. many more important stories to cover than this. he didn’t go in 2006 either, no one cared then, why care now? i only posted on this story bc i’m about as sick of hearing about it as i am favre.
by middle linebacker 77 on May 21, 2009 1:10 AM EDT reply actions
Maybe he found out how much the Prez wants to tax him. If someone wants to take my money and freedom, I wouldn’t go visit them either.
by doublebogie on May 21, 2009 1:49 PM EDT reply actions
ML77 – We don’t care that he is not going. What is funny is how this jackal keeps tossing out these ridiculous excuses. Like you said, no one cared in 2006. And why? Because he was not rambling away about various absurd reasons as to why he was not going. Trust me, no one cares about where James Harrison goes.
by ChiAdam on May 21, 2009 2:58 PM EDT reply actions
I agree Chi. It’s the BS surrounding him not going. He’s an embarrasingly stupid man.
by bigcityballer on May 22, 2009 7:40 AM EDT reply actions
the ultimate steeler.
by scurds on May 22, 2009 7:56 PM EDT reply actions
no one cared in 2006 cause james was sitting on the bench and no one ever heard of him.
by dwb on May 22, 2009 11:24 PM EDT reply actions
It’s the offseason—they throw EVERYTHING against the wall to see what sticks. We live in a tabloid society that thrives on controversy, and is constantly screaming for more, more, more. Harrison is weird, and he plays for the champs, so the media is gonna ride it as long as they can.
by bobcat79er on May 23, 2009 9:36 PM EDT reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed