Saints quarterback Jim Everett accepted what he thought would be the chance to confront "one of my biggest critics." Instead, it produced a nationally televised jostling that left the interviewer on the floor.
It happened Wednesday night after ESPN2's Jim Rome twice referred to Everett as "Chris Evert," a not-so-subtle suggestion that Everett lacked the courage to stand in the pocket and face down onrushing defenders.After warning Rome to cease and desist, Everett stood up, pushed the table at which they were sitting and Rome went tumbling to the floor.
"We're not proud of what happened," said John A. Walsh, executive editor of ESPN. "We regret the incident occurred, as I'm sure Jim Everett did."
Walsh and Rome denied several times during a conference call that the fight was staged.
Everett gave his version of what happened in a Thursday night conference call, arranged by the Saints, from his home in Las Vegas.
Everett, who was acquired from the Rams during the offseason, said Rome provoked him and that he had no regrets.
"Number 1, I don't condone the physical abuse-type thing," Everett said. "I really don't condone my actions, but I was put in a position that I was going to be in a journalistic-type interview and, instead, I was put into what I felt was a taunting attack.
"I don't regret what I did. I mean, I have to live with the actions and I'm prepared to face whatever repercussions there are. I think in the future I hope that I can learn something from this incident, and I hope that I can be a little bit more prepared, not only on what I'm doing in an interview, but also who's interviewing me."
Rome said Everett was aware he would be called "Chris Evert" on the air. Everett acknowledged the show's producer warned him that the topic would come up, "but not to the extent that it was presented on the show."
Asked why he would subject himself to an interview in which his abilities would be so obviously questioned, Everett said: "I thought, `Here's one of my biggest critics and I want to sit down, face to face, like a man, and discuss some of the things that have gone on in my career and the things that were hopefully going to happen.
"I really went to that interview, because I wanted to talk about the great things that have happened in my life. I hope that this is the best trade in this franchise's history and I hope to make it that way. Those are the types of things I wanted to get into. I regret not having the chance to say those things."