Skip to content

Rick Reilly runs with the bulls, and the result is another stupid Rick Reilly column

Jul 26, 2010, 11:00 AM EDT

25 Comments

So Rick Reilly thought that running with the bulls in Pamplona would make for a great story. And in a way, he was right; seeing the ESPN columnist surrounded by piles of bull**** is a pretty apt metaphor for what his writing has become over the past decade. Yes, Reilly’s Pamplona column — and accompanying video — is journalism at its laziest. Yes, the piece serves as ESPN’s tacit approval of animal torture. And yes, he endangered his own life, and others’ with this stupid endeavor. But let’s let Yahoo NFL columnist Charles Robinson take it from here in a series of tweets.

Rick Reilly is a jackass. Saw his piece w/ the running of the bulls. His swatting bulls w/ a newspaper is dangerous & disrespectful. Moron.
8:51 AM Jul 25th via web

Video following the jump.

You should never swat the Bulls w/ a newspaper. It causes them 2 get distracted & go after runners. Rick Reilly should have known that. Ass.
8:52 AM Jul 25th via web

I love that ESPN glorifies Reilly being a totally disrespectful ass. Do some research. He’s exactly why locals hate Americans at the event.
8:53 AM Jul 25th via web

I am beyond pissed about this Rick Reilly running with the bulls piece. He endangered other runners. He’s why people die. Total idiot.
8:58 AM Jul 25th via web

5 minutes of research tells you the rolled newspapers R to distract bulls if they get disoriented & charge. Not 2 recklessly hit them. Idiot
9:00 AM Jul 25th via web

Friends who I met when I ran w/ the bull can’t believe the Rick Reilly video piece, either. Dangerous self-aggrandizing garbage. Shameful.
9:05 AM Jul 25th via web

You expect this kind of thing from Reilly; self-aggrandizing garbage has become his trademark. But who’s the real idiot here, Charles? The writer who doesn’t know any better, or the one who does?
Robinson claimed on his Twitter page that he’s been on four Pamplona runs. And whether you know what you’re doing or not, participating in this is your little seal of approval for animal torture. What do you think happens to the bulls when they complete the run? They aren’t sent off to live at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm, in case you were wondering.
Here’s how most of them end up. (Warning: Graphic image). As the coup de grace, the animal’s spinal cord is severed and it is dragged out of the ring, often while it is still alive.
Reilly doesn’t know any better, obviously. What’s your excuse, Robinson? Who’s the real idiot here?
***
Battle for the bull run [Orlando Sentinel]
Welcome to Tramplona [Rick Reilly -- ESPN]
Bullfighting [WSPA]

Skip to Comments (25)
More Off the Bench
Back to Homepage
  1. kelsos38 - Jul 26, 2010 at 2:28 PM

    And now we have reporters reporting on the reporting of other reporters? At least Reilly reported on an event, rather than simply vent his opinion about one of his colleagues columns. Who’s the real moron here, Charles Robinson?
    As for the bulls, Spain has different customs than those of the US. When the US stops trying to push its agenda down the throat of every other country that thinks differently, perhaps the world will be a calmer place.

  2. Q - Jul 26, 2010 at 2:31 PM

    Its journalism like this that makes people hate people from the United States. How dare animals be treated in this manner? What gives us the right to condemn another country’s historic event?

  3. BC - Jul 26, 2010 at 2:44 PM

    Up until a few years ago I actually liked his pieces for SI. Now he’s just full of himself – just like every other writer that goes on TV (see Bob Ryan, Mike Lupica, et al). Only one I can think of that didn’t have this happen to him was Dick Schaap.

  4. RT - Jul 26, 2010 at 2:46 PM

    Right on kelsos38. There is a bumper sticker that says it well – These Colors Don’t Run – The World. If a sovereign nation allows an activity we find offensive, who are we to tell them otherwise? Maybe OSHA should try to shut down La Tomatina in Valencia because one on the tomato’s being hurled could cause an eye injury. It’s not our call. But Reilly is still an idiot.

  5. Troy - Jul 26, 2010 at 3:08 PM

    I love that this article turned into a “leave other peoples customs alone” argument. I couldn’t agree with you all more. Why do so many Americans have the audacity to condemn others traditions, I thought we were a people of tolerance and understanding? Who gave us the moral high ground? Oh right, no one!
    Also, Rick Reilly does suck. But I applaud anyone who runs with the bulls, it’s been a dream of mine for sometime now.

  6. Donna - Jul 26, 2010 at 3:13 PM

    Well at least he’s off of a Tiger for a minute. If Tiger ever retires Rick is in trouble. Look at the list of “most commented” articles to the side, there are 10 total and 6 of those either pertain to Tiger, Elin, their divorce, one of his peer’s opinion, or all of the above.
    Although my personal opinion is that this is a ridiculous notion and I have no empathy for any of these folks when it comes to injury or death, I agree that if they adopted this ritual for centuries now then so be it.

  7. Dan - Jul 26, 2010 at 3:18 PM

    No offence, but these people run through town squares with agitated bulls and Rick Reilly is the reason why people die? HE’s the jacka$$???
    I guess it all depends on how low the bar is set to begin with.
    That’s like looking at a group of people swimming around in a pool filled with sh!t and complaining about the guy who’s splashing…

  8. bill - Jul 26, 2010 at 3:25 PM

    when rick chandler has won the national sportswriter of the year award 11 times, then he can start criticizing rick reilly. Or when he has written 10 books. or when he gets his own wikipedia page.
    If rick reilly wants to write an article about the running of the bulls, what better way to learn about it then actually running with the bulls. i guess actuall jorunalism is a foreign concept to our dear friend mr. chandler here.
    there is a reason before i read this article I had absolutely no idea who rick chandler was. and going through and reading some of his stories, i dont think chandler has a leg to stand on when it comes to bad writing. maybe if this piece was written by ernest hemmingway I would lend some credibility to it. I can agree reilly has gone a little downhill from his SI days. its like jordan with the wizards, he is still averaging 25 points a game which isnt too shabby!!! rick chandler is like…..michael olowokandi without the hype of the number 1 pick.
    its a shame really. I guess as the old saying goes, “if you can’t beat them, write a strongly worded article to try and smear your opponents reputation.”
    at least he didnt go dan gilbert on us and hit the caps lock key before he started typing.

  9. Darren - Jul 26, 2010 at 4:04 PM

    You spelled Hemingway wrong.

  10. Adrian - Jul 26, 2010 at 4:07 PM

    Your analogy is hilarious, sir. And spot on.

  11. Michael McLarney - Jul 26, 2010 at 4:15 PM

    The pomposity and arrogance of Amer4icans is ridiculous. There are cultural reasons for the running of the bulls that no one writing here has any understanding of. There are cultural rules of behavior that are involved as well. Rick breaks all those rules and expects us to praise him. Charles criticizes Rick and expects us to praise him and his superior view over the Pamplonans. The reality is that the running of the bulls is the cultural business of the people of that country. Our values are not their values. We would be the first to cry foul if they decided to criticise our way of playing football as dangerous and foolish, but some how it is ok for us to criticise them. Solomon had it right about it all being vanity.

  12. Rick Chandler - Jul 26, 2010 at 4:39 PM

    The systematic torture of innocent animals is everyone’s business. NFL players have a choice. These bulls do not.

  13. Joker34 - Jul 26, 2010 at 4:53 PM

    I must say that bashing Rick Reilly will get you nowhere. Reilly has been an outstanding journalist for years. I used to buy Sports Illustrated simply to read his columns at the end. If the man wants to go to Spain and run with the bulls, then he will dang well do it. So he slapped a bull with a newspaper. Wooowwww… Let’s cry a little bit. Let’s flip out because another country has been running with and slaying bulls for generations…. PLEASE! Get over it. Get a life and write about something relevant to sports. That’s your job isn’t it? I don’t see “bash Rick Reilly” anywhere in the job descriptions of sports journalists. Bullfighting is a sport. Reilly was doing his job. Do yours and shut the hell up already.

  14. Rick Chandler - Jul 26, 2010 at 4:57 PM

    **There are cultural reasons for the running of the bulls that no one writing here has any understanding of.**
    If wanting to stop this is pompous and arrogant,
    http://www.all-creatures.org/anex/cattle-bf-23.jpg
    then OK, I gladly admit to being both of those things.

  15. Bullshite - Jul 26, 2010 at 5:04 PM

    I have never followed the running of the bulls and don’t care to. I would like to know the torture that these animals go through? All I ever see is the bulls running with a crowd of crazy Spaniards so not sure where the torture part comes in.
    If they sever their spine and drag them out of the arena, seriously, what business is that of ours? We can’t even clean the crap out of our own back yard and we are going to worry about a few bulls in Spain? It’s okay to raise chickens and turkeys to kill them for food or drive a spike into a cows head for that juicy steak but we are going to worry about a few bulls in Spain. What about the neighborhood kid that pulls the wings off a fly, should we be outraged over that too or is a fly to insignificant?
    Spain is not America and the rules of America do not apply to the world PERIOD!!!! Our morals, our definition of right and wrong do not apply to everyone, apparently even in America.
    The only question I see here is, why are we reporting on the running of the bulls? Is there any major relevance besides the torture of these animals?

  16. Rick Chandler - Jul 26, 2010 at 5:05 PM

    ** running with and slaying bulls ** Nice euphemism. You meant “slowly torturing to death with various sharp weapons until the animal chokes to death either under its own weight or on its own blood, then has its spinal cord severed and is hauled out of the ring, usually while it’s still alive.” Please strive for accuracy next time. And if I feel like bashing Rick Reilly I will dang well do it. Get over it.

  17. smallpenis - Jul 26, 2010 at 5:23 PM

    I think People Eating Tasty Animals needs to get involved.

  18. rondonald - Jul 26, 2010 at 6:00 PM

    rick chandler has thin skin.

  19. Rick Chandler - Jul 26, 2010 at 8:51 PM

    when it comes to this particular subject — animal torture — yes.

  20. Kill More Bulls - Jul 27, 2010 at 11:36 AM

    Rick’s a hack. Why don’t you man up and take your protest to Pamplona?

  21. Rick Chandler - Jul 28, 2010 at 1:10 PM

    In case you haven’t heard, the internet goes all over the world now; even to Spain. Bullfighting’s days are numbered.
    http://outofbounds.nbcsports.com/2010/07/post-675.html.php
    As opposed to you, whose days are lettered. (Those letters are: FU).

Leave Comment

You must be logged in to leave a comment. Not a member? Register now!

More Off the Bench
Back to Homepage