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American Morning
"Here's What I Don't Get"
Aired December 18, 2001 - 08:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: It is that time of the morning when our own Jack Cafferty joins me, for "Here's What I Don't Get."
But first, remember the story -- well you remember the story, because you told us the story yesterday, about the Cleveland Browns fans who threw beer bottles in Sunday's game.
Well, did you see the kind of treatment they got over at Comedy Central, the John Stewart how, "The Daily Show?"
CAFFERTY: No, but I like that show. You've got a clip?
ZAHN: Yes, let's check it out.
CAFFERTY: Okay. All right.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN STEWART, "THE DAILY SHOW": How can anyone, much less the owner, of the Cleveland Browns begin to justify the kind of behavior that we saw yesterday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John, no one is justifying anything. It's just an unfortunate incident that happened. No one is to blame.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: But the individuals who threw the bottles are to blame.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John, there were no individuals here yesterday. There was a crowd. None of the people in the stands would ever throw a bottle, but all of them would.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: So you're staying the Cleveland fans ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please John, they are properly called, "The Dog Pound". They are a rabid group of pigskin enthusiasts led by a morbidly obese man holding a bone, dressed as a bulldog. Now, admittedly I would have expected more leadership from a man like that, but you know, these -- these things happen when the dogs are on the prowl.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Woof woof.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: Woof, woof.
CAFFERTY: I thought we were going to run the whole show.
ZAHN: We could.
CAFFERTY: Yeah ...
ZAHN: And we'd -- we'd still laugh 18 hours later, or how ever many hours later it is.
CAFFERTY: I mean, it's interesting that they make fun of it, but it was -- it was not funny. And what was really disturbing, and that was the reason we brought it up on the show yesterday, was the reaction of the front office. Both the team owner and the President of the Cleveland Browns, a guy named Carmen Policy, came out and said really dumb things.
Policy said something to the effect, well it's nice to know that our fans care.
And if we've got the voice-over, the tape of this, go ahead and roll it. Because, you know, the fans care -- they were throwing empty glass beer bottles. And you see these people running for cover. The team owner -- I don't recall his name, and it's not worth remembering -- said something about, well it was, you know, unfortunate, but it was no "World War III".
Now, you know, imagine some kid on the sidelines getting hit in the eye with something like that. You know...
ZAHN: Yeah.
CAFFERTY: And so...
ZAHN: And how the parent would describe that, if the kid loses an eye.
CAFFERTY: Yeah, I wonder -- or if it was his kid, if it was Policy's kid who might have had a sideline pass to hang out with the ball players. I mean, it is just ridiculous. And so today, or apparently late yesterday -- and this is not unexpected -- he backed up a lot. Here is what he had to say when he had time to think about how silly he sounded the first time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARMEN POLICY, CLEVELAND BROWNS PRESIDENT (voice over): We're very, very disappointed, obviously, that this occurred. But we must tell you that, recognizing our imperfections, we're going to work harder than we did before. Not only to regain the ground that was lost at the conclusion of this game, but to make it even better than it was before the incident.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: I'm telling you, Jack, every time you weigh in on something, you change people's minds.
CAFFERTY: Yeah, sure.
ZAHN: Look how much his resolve changed between this time yesterday morning and late afternoon.
CAFFERTY: Can you imagine the hew and cry that must of -- I mean, not just here, but, I mean, everybody knows "The Daily Show." I mean it is just silly to say. Last night in New Orleans they had another incident, and it was handled a little differently.
Now, here's what happened at the Monday night football game, between the Rams and the New Orleans Saints. Once again, people throwing debris on the field. But this had a little different outcome. The security guys moved into action immediately. Within moments, several of the guilty had been grabbed and removed from the stands. By the end of the game, they were in jail. See the guys in the yellow shirts?
ZAHN: Yeah.
CAFFERTY: Big lads, do not want to mess with them. But I mean, they -- I mean, they stopped it in a heartbeat, and it was not allowed. I mean, nobody had to leave the field. But I mean, do you remember right after the World Trade Center? One of the things I recall hearing was, you know what, it's time to remember that things like football are just a game.
ZAHN: Right.
CAFFERTY: So I guess it's a sad commentary that we are returning to normal. Where, apparently, it's more than a game for some people, and that's sad.
ZAHN: Yeah, it's pathetic. That's what it is.
CAFFERTY: Yes it is. Now on to other things.
ZAHN: Okay.
CAFFERTY: From North Carolina, the land of mint juleps and Buffy and Muffy and Wiffies and Biffies ...
ZAHN: Sounds like you've laid back a few of those in your lifetime, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Yeah never been near it. National League of Junior Cotillions, something with which I'm not familiar with at all. But what they do is, they go around and they teach people etiquette and manners.
ZAHN: Right.
CAFFERTY: And they're out with their list of most mannered people in all the land. Beginning with the New York firefighters -- got to agree with that, President Bush, the Mayor of New York City, Prime Minister Tony Blair -- these are not exactly reaches, these are ground balls -- Secretary of State Colin Powell. I mean, all the people involved in the aftermath of the World Trade Center, Secretary -- who number seven?
ZAHN: That's a reach. That is not a ground ball, that is a reach.
CAFFERTY: That's a rose among nine thorns is what that is. Charlie Rose, Julia Roberts, and Jennifer Cappriotti . And they had different reasons. Cappriotti for her perseverance as an athlete. Were you one of those households as a kid where they, you know, emphasized manners -- be polite?
ZAHN: Yeah, you know ...
CAFFERTY: Mind your manners.
ZAHN: Well, you know, that was demanded of us in our household.
CAFFERTY: We didn't have a cotillion society in Reno ...
ZAHN: No we didn't have one in Naperville, Illinois, either ...
CAFFERTY: There was an old man saying, get your elbow off the table and sit up straight or skip the rest of the meal and go to your room. That was the cotillion society in Reno.
ZAHN: And the cotillion society worked, didn't it?
CAFFERTY: Yeah, and they said, you know the reason they said for you? Because you are so gracious and nice to all your guests and the people that you interview.
ZAHN: Well that's nice to hear.
CAFFERTY: And they are absolutely right about that.
ZAHN: Well you're so kind, Jack. Thank you very much.
CAFFERTY: Nice guy.
ZAHN: But aren't you happy your parents were strict with you about manners?
CAFFERTY: Yeah, well like I said, you know, it was like "my way or the highway, Clyde." We've got no time to discuss the whys and wherefores.
ZAHN: But don't you believe, after September 11th, in general, people have been much kinder...
CAFFERTY: Indeed...oh, you could
ZAHN: ... and more respectful of each other -- except on the football field, of course.
CAFFERTY: Well, yeah, that's -- I mean, those are people who have nothing better to do. And they drink too much beer. But in this city, which has -- or had -- a reputation for being a little curt and brusque, people were -- there was a change. And it was palpable. There were no horns blowing, people were polite. They would stop and let somebody else go. I mean, it was, yeah. But gradually that will disappear, unfortunately. But congratulations on your ...
ZAHN: Well thank you for that recognition.
CAFFERTY: Good choice. Yes.
ZAHN: We'll see how long that lasts.
CAFFERTY: I thought this was my idea but ...
ZAHN: I hope I can be courteous to other people. You know what, countdown till next year. I will nominate you for next year.
CAFFERTY: All right.
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