MUST SEE TV: When Sports Writers Attack

CBS: A flurry of Twitter jabs between two Philadelphia Eagles beat writers escalated into real-life fisticuffs Wednesday, with one writer allegedly punching his newspaper adversary in the head at the team’s practice facility. According to Howard Eskin of SportsRadio 94WIP, the spat started when Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer called Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News an “old hack that hasn’t broken a story in years.” The two sent initial jabs in 140-character form on the social media site Tuesday over the injury status of Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, CBS Philadelphia reports. McLane reported that Vick would definitely start this Sunday. Bowen started by saying: “@LesBowen: Oh, and BTW, nobody has any idea on Tuesday whether Michael Vick is starting this week. It was Obvious Monday Andy thinks/hopes he will.” To which McLane replied: “@Jeff_McLane: @LesBowen Right. I made it up. How about if Vick starts Sunday you have to say on Daily News Live, “I’m an old hack that hasn’t broken a story in years, needs my editor to keep my blog fresh, and missed Vick on Monday because I was cluelessly tapping away on my computer and had to steal quotes from hard-working reporters who have a clue.” If Vick doesn’t start I’ll eat my pencil. Sound good? And Les countered with: “@LesBowen: @MoorestownCup I will handle my business in person, not thru yapping on Twitter. But thanks for your concern.” Which he apparently did. The veteran reporter allegedly threw a punch that landed to McLane’s head before the two had to be separated. MORE