The Dennis O'Donnell KPIX Mystery MIA is a Legitimate News Story and Will Be Covered Here Even if Bay Area Media Ignores It

AS RALPH BARBIERI USED TO SAY quite frequently, "two things can be 'equally true."

In the case of KPIX Sports anchor, of course, Dennis O'Donnell has privacy rights. (Of course he does, as we all do) --But, and it's a big, "but"...O'Donnell is a PUBLIC PERSON. A HUGE difference. He knows it. We do too. And the KPIX personality, their popular anchor, their sports rep for years and a Bay Area media FIXTURE, has been ABSENT, MIA for nearly a MONTH and away from everyone out of sight and MIA, even from 49ers games. He has NEVER missed a Niners game until now and he's missed two and will not work Sunday's game (albeit, a pre-season game like the others) against the Raiders.He's also a month away from anchoring sports on CBS5 newscasts.

SOMETHING IS WRONG.

And while Dennis is, I've been told, in no imminent danger, he's not capable to work at KPIX and he's taken a LOA (leave of absence)--all entirely appropriate. And while some people will argue, "it's none of you're/our damn busiiness,", yes, in theory, they're right. BUT again, this is different. And it's especially different for his friends at PIX who are very upset and anguished about the status of one of their own. I have heard from some of them. They don't know what's going on because, as one told me directly, "this is not like Dennis."

What if, say, a Jim Hill, the popular and very visible LA sports anchor was away from the LA sports scene for over a month --there'd be quite a stir. The LA Times would most certainly run a story. They'd have to. What if, in his day, the NY Sports TV icon, Warner Wolf, was MIA. The tabloids would be all over it; even the NY Times and local media would have run stories. And while Dennis O'Donnell is hardly like a Hill or Wolf, he's still a very prominent Bay Area media fixture. And so his whereabouts and status would be worthy of notice if you asked a whole lot of people, including me.

Yet the Chronicle hasn't said a word. Hasn't even acknowledged. The Merc? Same thing. Ridiculous in my book. But not surprising. The Bay Area media has become a marginalized mess but that's another story.

Forget about righteous sanctimonial outrage regarding DOD's status. THIS IS A LEGITIMATE NEWS STORY and it will be COVERED HERE as it should be. And while the SF MEDIA IGNORES this all, I WILL be here for those of you that are interested and want to know, especially those of you that have e-mailed me and are concerned and want to know. We ALL are.

KPIX has not said a word. Yes, they have to be careful but they can also be respectful and sensitive to their viewers. They have NOT. They have the obligation to respect the rights of Mr. O'Donnell but they also have the OBLIGATION to their viewers who have been KEPT IN THE DARK. "Where's Dennis?" KPIX and their anchors could say, very calmly and benignly, "Dennis is away." It wouldn't compromise anyone's privacy and it would at least acknowledge the OBVIOUS. Which is, something is amiss, we just can't talk about it now. Bay Area viewers would understand. And PIX would cover their ass, not be the mutts they've become now.

We're NOT going to "drop it" here, so save your emails. We'll COVER THIS as respectfully and as decently as all possible and we can do that. We're adults. Forgive the third-person references but as always, you get my drift.