Week 5: Ethical Speaking Analysis
Matthew S. Ackerman
Comm/ 310- Public Speaking
April-18, 2013
Bradley Volmer

When watching a “live” Sunday Night Football game on a local channel with my son. The halftime show came on and consisted of the usual highlights of the game, some commentary from the analysts of what needs to happen in the second half, and the recaps of the games earlier in the day. That was all the usual stuff that happens in a halftime show. But, what we were then exposed to was a two minute speech by Bob Costas regarding the issue of gun control in America. Even my young son asked, “Why is that man talking about guns?” Wow! At his young age of 6, he recognized the power of influence without even realizing it. One issue propagating another. To summarize the tragic events that occurred earlier in the week would be to say that a man killed his girlfriend then committed suicide. If that were the case, this story would never have hit the national stage and Bob Costas would not have had an avenue to voice his liberal agenda. What did happen was; Jovan Belcher, a player for the Kansas City Chiefs football team, was extremely distraught. And, it is noteworthy to say was intoxicated at the time, shot his girlfriend who later died at the hospital. Then, drove himself to the Chiefs practice facility where he was confronted by police, security and team officials. He then turned the gun on himself and committed suicide. For Bob Costas to use his position as a sports broadcaster to editorialize his beliefs or promote some liberal agendas on a nationally televised sports event on a totally unrelated topic such as gun control during a sporting event was extremely unethical and irresponsible. Not only did he try to turn this instance into a gun control issue instead of a domestic violence issue, Mr. Costas also spoke in clichés like “Something like this really puts it all into perspective”. He then goes on to say, “That perspective will be short lived the next time this ugly reality intrudes upon the game”. This quote is also irresponsible to the fact that he could be misquoted or eluding to the fact that the NFL is all just a bunch of thugs and killers. Mr. Costas also brought into the fray the support of another individual who was quoted earlier as saying, “The NRA is the new KKK” Bob did say he doesn’t agree with everything this man says, but did agree on his views on gun control. So, along with dropping Jason Whitlock’s name and agreeing with him in some sense could bring about further allegations or assertions about Bob Costas and his political and or liberal views. This circumstance was just another tragic act of domestic violence in our country. The only linking evidence we have in classifying this as a gun control issue is that this was done with a gun. But, it was also done by a person. The gun did not fire itself. If this individual was so distraught to the point of killing his girlfriend. Who is to say he wouldn’t have done it with some other object like his fists, a knife, a car, or even a candlestick in the conservatory.