The Houston Astros have suspended Shawn Chacon indefinitely. The infraction? Choking Astros General Manager Ed Wade, a Carbondale native. Chacon told a newspaper he acted because Wade wouldn't stop yelling at him.
Chacon makes $ 2 million a year. I can take a little yelling for a paycheck like that.
I've had some great bosses over the years. I've had some awful ones, but I've been lucky. The good have far outnumbered the bad. Looking back, I can remember only one really, really good fight with a boss. There were dozens of arguments and disagreements, but that comes along with the territory. It was never, ever physical.
Radio and TV news is a funny business. It's an art and a science. While there are some concrete rules and regulations, there is a lot that's up to interpretation and discussion. The good newsrooms promote healthy debate. The bad ones, clearly, do not.
I've witnessed more than my share of fights over the years. I thank heaven I didn't have direct involvement in those affairs. Legend has it that a reporter at one of my old stations threw an ash tray at a photographer. I've argued with photographers and producers. It happens. I'd like to meet the person who gets along with every co-worker, every day, all the time.
And, that brings me back to the opening paragraph. It's okay to disagree, but there's no excuse for getting physical. Shawn Chacon should be on the sidelines for a very long time.
