Brett Myers: Philly Reporter Still 'Retarded'

Media-player scrape-ups have an incredibly predictable formula. A reporter asks an unusually pointed question that throws the athlete for a loop. The athlete considers said question "disrespectful." The athlete calls the reporter names, or tries to physically intimidate him, or whatever else, and then slowly learns not to mess with the people that buy ink and paper (and bandwidth) by the ton.

Brett Myers? He's still coming around on that last bit:

The Phillies closer admitted calling Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Sam Carchidi "retarded" during a shouting match after Saturday night's game was a poor choice of words. But when asked if Carchidi will get an apology, Myers said no chance.

"Absolutely not," Myers said Sunday following a 14-2 win over San Diego. "If anything, he should apologize for pointing his finger in my face and disrespecting me that way."

"Maybe I used my words wrongly," he said. "It's just a word that came out because I was heated in the moment. I should have called him an idiot. But he put his finger in my face, and as a man ... people don't stand for that. I took it as disrespect to me."

"He covers high school sports and comes in here and tries to stir things up, and we definitely didn't need it [Saturday] after a tough loss," Myers said.

With regard to high school sports, let me be the first to tell Myers that it ain't easy covering the preps beat. Sometimes the PTA doesn't give free popcorn and candy to the reporter(s), and then you're sitting there at a Class A game in Pawtucket and you're stomach is rumbling and you can't concentrate! Seriously, it's tough!

But no, Brett, calling a member of the media "retarded" -- however accurate or inaccurate that assessment may be -- is probably not a good idea if you want to stick in Philly for much longer.