Watchdog

Bryant Gumbel, who hosts HBO's "Real Sports'' and in his spare time works for the NFL-owned NFL Network as a play-by-play announcer, famously ripped NFLPA boss Gene Upshaw last year in one of his closing commentaries.

Then commissioner Paul Tagliabue was incensed, and said so publicly. But the league kept Gumbel on for its network job, and he went on to have a rocky rookie season as a play-by-play man.

In the "Real Sports'' that debuts tonight, Gumbel shows he has not changed his opinion on Mr. Upshaw. Here is the closing commentary that will be televised for the first time at the end of the 10 p.m. hour:

“Finally tonight a few words about that popular new game: all pile on the Upshaw. The Upshaw is of course, Gene Upshaw, the titular head of the NFL Players Association who has become, with good reason, the sports world’s most popular piñata.

“Rarely a day goes by now when you can’t find Upshaw’s name in your local newspaper, generally being verbally assailed by folks with legitimate grievances. A number of ex-NFL players find him cruel and callous, a variety of folks are taking exception to his definition of disability, medical people are questioning his seeming lack of regard for player safety, some veterans have filed suit claiming he’s denied them millions in licensing fees. Congress, too, wants some answers up on Capitol Hill.

“Now instead of being professional, Upshaw, in response to all this has adopted the turtle defense, choosing to explain himself to no one. At a time when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is rightly using an iron fist to upgrade the image of active players, the players’ union boss has become the league's biggest embarrassment, even stooping to physical threats against one of his critics.

“As one whose low opinion of Gene Upshaw is a matter of record, I can’t say I’m surprised. History suggests you can only deceive so many for so long. One can only wonder when the active players will join the growing chorus of those crying out for new leadership. It is, after all, their union. It’d be nice to see them reclaim it before they become ex-players, and find out the hard way why so many are so outraged.”

Yikes. Tell us how you really feel, Bryant.