Man who slept during Yankees-Red Sox game is suing MLB, ESPN, and the Yankees

[name not needed]

http://gothamist.com/2014/07/07/man_who_slept_during_yankees-red_so.php

Can't a baseball fan fall asleep without being mocked on TV? That's the question one unhappy attendee of an April Yankees-Red Sox game is asking in a lawsuit.

According to Courthouse News, "Andrew Robert Rector sued 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. He demands $10 million in damages for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress."

Rector claims that when ESPN's camera caught him, "Announcers like Dan Shulman and John Kruck unleashed avalanche of disparaging words against the person of and concerning the plaintiff. These words, include but not limited to 'stupor, fatty, unintelligent, stupid' knowing and intending the same to be heard and listened to by millions of people all over the world ...The defendant Major league Baseball continually repeated these vituperative utterances against the plaintiff on the major league baseball web site the next day. These words and its insinuations presented the plaintiff as symbol of anything but failure."

MLB does have video of Rector online:

[malthaussen]

1. He's got a point, but perhaps not 10 million worth.

If defendant did use such words as "stupor, fatty, unintelligent (and) stupid" on a national broadcast, then they can be reasonably accused of defamation. Although I don't quite see how such "words and insinuations" presented plaintiff as "anything but failure." Shouldn't that be "nothing but a failure?"

And if they're going to sue John Kruk, they better spell his name correctly.

-- Mal

[Reter]

13. But where in the video did they say those words?

I didn't hear them.

[GeorgeGist]

2. about a buck/viewer ...

sounds about right for sportscasters being assholes.

[Inkfreak]

3. I remember that!

I was watching the game. I remarked to my wife that I couldn't believe this guy was asleep in the 4th! He musta had a few, maybe. This kinda lawsuit seems kinda cliche. Doesn't really surprise me but these days, you never know. I'll bet it gets settled.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. " He musta had a few, maybe."

Or maybe he was tired from working 2-3 jobs a week
or has undiagnosed sleep apena.

[Inkfreak]

7. Yes. It could be for a number of reasons.

Shall we start a list? Or just leave it at the lighthearted post it was meant to be.

[rurallib]

12. When our kids were in there teens and I was working long, early hours

I would take them places like movies or the fair and fall asleep I was o sleep deprived. Slept through ET 3 times before I finally saw it.

[dr.strangelove]

16. This happens to me now

I fell asleep at my son's baseball game a few weeks ago. I was just exhausted from a terrible week at work and my not getting home the ight before until after midnight. I don;t think he should have been made fun of, but its not worth very much money.

[Blue Owl]

4. A field of dreams moment...

n/t

[KamaAina]

5. Bookmark this

for next time someone tells you that soccer is boring (which will likely be tomorrow).

[Inkfreak]

8. Big time Yanks fan.

And I'll admit that U.S. v Belgium match was much more thrilling than an average game. Even when they play the Sox.

[KamaAina]

9. "Thrilling" would not exactly be the word I'd reach for.

[Inkfreak]

10. Yea, disappointing loss.

But it was the first soccer game I ever actually watched completely. A lot more fun than I thought. Saw a little history with Tim Howard, too. So that was cool. I'll be paying closer attention now. Course I gotta wait awhile, I guess.

[KamaAina]

11. Tomorrow afternoon?

You're supposed to watch the rest of the doggone thing, you know. Kind of like the Olympics.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

14. This immediately came to my mind:

[Jamaal510]

15. So Snorlax honestly thinks he's going to get money for this?

[Blue_Tires]

17. Well, to be fair, it *WAS* an American League game

which isn't even real baseball