Sigh.  Those of you who follow professional sports, particularly baseball, are likely familiar with Steve Phillips. If not for his less than spectacular run as the Mets' General Manager than maybe because he’s a regular on ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight.”

Or was. Anyone unfamiliar with Phillips before yesterday may now know him given the fact he had an affair which, in turn, has resulted in him taking a “extended leave of absence” from ESPN. 

Phillips and his scorned lover.  An intern.  Always the intern.

Same song millionth verse, right?  I didn’t give the story much thought until I was driving into work and heard a radio personality wondering why this is even a story.  Then I scanned ESPN’s website and saw multiple comments echoing the same sentiment: why are the private dalliances of this man being reported for all the world to judge?  There were similar outcries in the wake of Letterman's now infamous admissions.

Are you serious? 

When did you move to America?  What year did you lapse into that coma from which you just emerged?

We never looked at Altoids the same again after we heard what President Clinton used them for after hours. (Hint: it wasn’t to kill the onion breath).

We all heard what Bill O’Reilly wanted to do with that loofah.  Thanks for sending me back to good old fashion wash cloths, pal.  

We live in a country where Lindsay Lohan kissing some chick makes  national headlines. Where excerpts of Mark Sanford’s funny-if-they-didn’t-seem-so-heartfelt e-mails sent to his soul mate who wasn't his wife are accessible to all of us at the click of a mouse.

We know so freaking much about adulterous Jon and opportunistic Kate Gosselin and their marital woes that I’ll be shocked if the Plus Eights aren’t in therapy by the time they start losing their front teeth.

We are inundated by sex related scandals, period. Why? Because the liberal media loves to take down conservative politicians?  Because of vast, right wing conspiracies?  

Nope. Not even close. It’s because we, the people, love it.  A good sex scandal just can’t be topped.  This stuff isn’t forced down our gullets like castor oil. It’s demanded. Expected. Anticipated. We all looked at pictures of Britney’s nether regions just because we could.  It is literally impossible to avoid sex in news because that’s way (uh huh uh huh) we like it.

So can we please place a moratorium on hopping onto soapboxes to opine about the media’s priorities every time a high profile individual’s personal affairs are placed in the public eye for judgment and dissection?

Can we quit asking in all caps “why” this is a story?

It’s a story because Phillips is married. It’s a story because it’s a relationship that occurred in the workplace. This ain’t ESPN’s first rodeo in that regard.  Just ask Harold Reynolds.

Can we quit asking with lots of exclamation marks “why” this is a story?

It’s a story because he picked the wrong gal to sleep with if he thought it would end quietly. He’s 46; she’s 22.  She drove to his house and peeled out across the yard when his wife emerged. She set up a bogus Facebook account to establish communication with Phillips’ teenage son. Cops got involved. Not exactly a run of the mill break up. 

Can we quit asking “why” this is a story and reminding everyone that this is a tough time for the Phillips family?

My guess is his family is much more distraught over the fact Dad did this than they are by the the fact that the media is covering it.

Can we quit asking “why” this is a story and pointing out that journalists could be covering stories about the homeless instead?

It’s a story because Phillips was involved in this genre of scandal before: in 1998 a sexual harassment lawsuit was filed against Phillips and the Mets. The parties settled out of court.  During the course of that litigation Phillips admitted to numerous affairs.   

The mainstream media is damned if they do and damned if they don’t, right?  Report on sex scandals and be accused of plummeting to National Enquirer level status. Don’t cover them and be accused of “playing God” by determining what should be covered and what shouldn’t. 

Beyond that criticism, media outlets also face the reality that failing to report on sex scandals will simply result in their reader/viewership going someplace else for the scoop. That’s a scary commentary on us, not them.

The world won’t stop turning on its access because Steve Phillips got it on with a college age girl for a few magical weeks this summer. But it’s a story because we wouldn’t have it any other way.