Mess With The Catman, Get The Claws

If we've said it once, we've said it a million times; when football broadcasters are allowed to attempt humor — especially at Fox Sports — it's all of us who suffer. Coming out OK in the end, though, was Carolina superfan Greg Good, known to all as Catman. Let's wrap up the details for you once again. It was on August 24, during Carolina's preseason game with Miami, that Fox broadcasters thought they'd play a joke on Carolina's No. 1 fan. They told him that he had won a free car ... and then filmed the hilarity as sideline reporter Tony Siragusa handed Catman his prize, which was a toy car.

Hardly anyone found it funny, least of all Catman, whose actual car — an Econoline van — had more than 150,000 miles on it. Many of those were recorded traveling to his weekday volunteer job, counseling troubled youth.. The public outcry at the hoax forced Fox's hand, and they ended up giving Catman a brand new Ford F-150 pickup on Sunday. Said Fox Sports Chairman and CEO David Hill, who flew in to hand Good the keys:

We've had extensive conversation with all of the Fox announcers involved, and they've agreed that what they'll do from now on is talk about football. They will leave the comedy to the comedians.

Has anyone told Bradshaw?

Catman Gets His Truck [Charlotte Observer] Fox Sports Car Giveaway Joke On Panthers Fan Was Cruel And "Lame" [Rammer Jammer Yewllow Hammer] Fox's Joke On Fan Just Plain Mean [Charlotte Observer]