I see almost every bit if silly and stupid quasi-baseball news that one can possibly see, but I somehow missed the fact that, back in April, a fan at a Yankees Red Sox game fell asleep and was captured snoozing by ESPN’s cameras. John Kruk and Dan Shulman apparently cracked wise about him. And, because it was the Red Sox and Yankees, apparently some ESPNNew York.com columnist referenced the snoozing fan in the service of what I assume to be a tortured metaphor the following day.
But like I said, that was nearly three months ago and hardly anyone noticed, right? Well, they’ll notice now, because the sleeping dude is suing ESPN. From Consumerist:
The man is suing Major League Baseball Advanced Media, ESPN New York, the New York Yankees, and ESPN announcers Dan Shulman and John Kruk, in Bronx County Supreme Court, reports Courthouse News. He’s seeking $10 million in damages for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress . . . As a result of the photos, commentary and social media attention, the plaintiff claims he was shown in a false light, that his reputation was damaged and it’s no one’s business if he was napping.
Well, I didn’t have much of a thought about this guy’s reputation before, but I certainly do now.