Today’s viral noise is brought to you by two chowderheaded sports commentators out of New York, Craig Carton and Boomer Esiason, who on their WFAN radio program accused Mets baseball player Daniel Murphy of having incorrect priorities when he used the paternity leave option to take a few days off from the team to be present for the birth and first few days of his new baby.
When I heard about this story I just shrugged. Murphy has a right to make the decision he wants and it sure seems to me that he made the right decision.
And radio DJs? Like that really annoying kid in school who always makes inappropriate comments, their goal is to gain visibility and if it’s through controversy, all the better. There’s a reason that “shock jock” is a common term to describe a radio personality, right?
The only thing interesting about this story is that it’s a story at all. Are we still all so unsure about the role of a father in the birth of a child that a man taking a few days of paternity leave is a Big Deal worthy of debate and discussion?
That’s what’s astonishing.
Murphy, ya done good.
And Carton and Esiason? If you two genuinely feel that a pro athlete’s commitment to his sports team is more important than his commitment to his family, you’re more worthy of sympathy than outrage.