Pardon The Interruption, PTI
On Tuesday, word spread that Cleveland Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards’ fist allegedly connected with the face of Edward Givens, a promoter and close friend to LeBron James. On Wednesday, Edwards was traded to the New York Jets. Coincidence? At least one person doesn’t think so. Tony Kornheiser, former columnist for The Washington Post and co-host of ESPN’s Pardon The Interruption, has said on record that he believes LeBron actually had a hand in Edwards being shipped to New York. “I think (Browns head coach) Eric Mangini was probably thinking about dealing this guy anyway, and then said, ‘Let’s just get this done, let’s get him out of here.’” Kornheiser said on Wednesday’s episode of PTI. To Kornheiser’s credit, he jumped all over this possibility as soon as news of the alleged incident occurred. On his morning radio show, which airs on ESPN Radio 980 in the Washington, D.C. area, Kornheiser suggested that Edwards pack up and leave town, and he reiterated that point later that day on PTI. “Braylon Edwards has to be thinking about Cleveland now,” Kornheiser said. LeBron is on the record as stating that he believes Edwards is jealous of LeBron and his friend and went so far to call Edwards “childish” for the alleged incident, notably because Givens was listed on the police report as 5-foot-7 and 135 pounds, while Edwards is listed at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds. LeBron James is, without question, the premier athlete in Cleveland and the state of Ohio. However, as celebrated as he is, does The King really have that much pull? Here at C2L, we’re not buying it. First, it’s highly unlikely that LeBron knows Mangini at all, let alone be close enough to him to pick up the phone and say, “Hey…that Wolverine trash (Edwards went to Michigan) has got to go, and ASAP.” Second, Mangini is a disciplinarian who would fine a player $1701 for stealing a bottle of water (yes, this actually happened) to send a message. What’s a better way to send a message than to ship your best (arguably) wide receiver out of town? Edwards was traded for wide receiver Chansi Stuckey, linebacker Jason Trusnik and two draft picks.
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