"No Clowns Allowed Beyond This Point"

The new Yankee Stadium security measures are terribly draconian — unless, of course, you're Chris Berman, the newly appointed ringleader of the circus.

New York Daily News media columnist Bob Raissman tackled the issue of stadium security in his Friday column, contrasting the treatment of radio broadcasters and players' wives to everyone's favorite ESPN personality.

He devotes two grafs to Berman but still manages to sufficiently sting him. If you can't tell, the bolded lines are my emphasis:

Nonetheless it seems security does not take the same rigid stance with everyone - like ESPN's mouthy Chris Berman. Monday, he was seen walking around the Yankees clubhouse like he owned the place. Berman was big-timing to the max, strolling into areas clearly marked "no media allowed beyond this point." Perhaps Berman thought the sign did not apply to him because it did not read "no clowns allowed beyond this point."

By the time PR personnel found out Berman was trespassing and went to evict him, he was in Girardi's office talking to the manager. Berman occupying prohibited space in the Bombers' clubhouse is nothing new. He did it at the old joint and in Detroit. When the Yankees were in there, he parked his tuchis in the players' food room, totally off limits to media. Perhaps Berman subscribes to the following old adage: If it ain't catered, it ain't journalism.

And Raissman wasn't the only New York sports media hound to target Berman this week. The Post's Phil Mushnick called the Worldwide Leader a "broken network" in his Sunday space, saving some of his harshest words for Boomer:

That's why Kenny Mayne is stuck playing that Kenny Mayne character on ESPN, Lee Corso is stuck playing Lee Corso, and Chris Berman, who long ago should have been encouraged — even ordered — to move beyond and above his clown act, remains ESPN's head clown. They've all been painted into corners.

Nothing to add here.

Yankees insecurity: Off field, meanies are in play [ NYDN] Kornheiser's departure won't fix broke network [ NY Post]