Hey ESPN

In his 2005 best and worst of the sports media, Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated makes a suggestion to ESPN's show "The Sports Reporters" ...

"Boston Globe columnist Jackie MacMullan recently was so eloquent and fiery on Outside the Lines regarding a segment on Penn State coach Rene Portland and the allegations from former players that she is anti-gay (Portland has denied the allegations) that it reinforced a suggestion I made a long time ago to ESPN's The Sports Reporters. Isn't it time a female sports reporter was made a permanent member of the panel? This isn't a knock on the long-tenured and well-coiffed law firm of Lupica, Ryan, Albom, Whitlock and Rhoden. Like The Love Boat's Ted Lange, we appreciate their service, even when Ryan's hyperbole reaches Mt. Everest proportions. But new voices are a good thing, and the pool of talented female sports reporters (MacMullan, Selena Roberts, Sally Jenkins, Michelle Voepel, Dana Jacobson, Liz Robbins, Lisa Salters etc..) would keep the chair filled till Stephen A. Smith took his last breath. Meaning a very long time."