Other African American players such as LaTroy Hawkins received hate mail while playing in Chicago, do you think Chicago is a hard place for African Americans to play?
Do you think the hate mail was dropped off at the stadium or do you think it was someone in the organization
Do you think the mail came from inside the organization? Do you think that it did?
How does that play into your mindset when you get mail like that and you have to take the field?
Did you fear for your life in Chicago?
Did you fear for your safety?
Where you worried about your family?
Dominguez hears Bradley mention hate mail (Which, by the way, all players receive no matter their race especially if they are not performing up to the standards of their contracts) and she immediately jumps to a conclusion that it may have been from an inside source within the Cubs' organization. This was never brought up by Bradley. Dominguez pleaded for him to just speculate that this was an inside job. She repeatedly asked him if he thought the hate mail came from inside the organization. It was as if she wanted to turn to the camera and say "The mail...it was coming from INSIDE Wrigley Field! Duhn...duhn...duhn!". In a display of restraint, Bradley refuses the pressure to implicate the organization in any wrongdoings. This is clearly irresponsible journalism on the part of Dominguez. She immediately takes the side of the player in the circumstance. She never brings up the comments Bradley recently made that something must have been wrong with Chicago because he never played poorly before (Because obviously this logic is rock solid). She instead wants to play up the racist story. She knows Bradley is going to eventually bite on the race card, so she continues to prod in that direction.
Did you fear for your life in Chicago?
Well, why in the world would he fear for his life? This city let Steve Bartman get away alive, what are the chances they would do anything that drastic to Bradley? He admits to feeling like a "prisoner in my own home". This is ridiculous. He bases his fears on one particular trip into public he made with a friend where he encountered a fan who made some disparaging comments. This forces him into hiding for the rest of his days as a Cub? Get a clue, Milton. Fans are fanatics. They love you when you are producing and hate you when you are slumping. This is not a direct threat to your well being. These people wanted to love you, they were never predisposed to hating you (Even if you got ejected in your first memorable moment). Dominguez makes sure she attempts to get the all important "fear" soundbite.
(Thinking to her self) So, he never feared for his life, let's ask him if he feared for his safety. Shoot, he kind of brushed that off too. Let's go with the family route, I read that his son was called names. Hope he bites. YES! Got it!
Of course on the third attempt Dominguez gets her Angry Milton. Job well done.
How can ESPN be content with how Dominguez covered this story? Why is Milton Bradley even being interviewed? He is a middling role player at this point in his career. He still gets the opportunity to stand on his soapbox and bash the Cubs from miles away. Excellent job ESPN, way to uncover this non-story, play it up as investigative reporting and package it in a way that makes it seem like Bradley is the center of some major Chicago conspiracy against African Americans.
I just hope Julius Peppers doesn't hear about how terrible Chicago is, he might ask for those bottles of champagne back.
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