You Talking to Me? Athletes to take it off for ESPN's 'Body Issue'

From: Gonzalez, John

To: Ford, Bob; Fox, Ashley

Subject: Taking it off

ESPN the Magazine says it will ask amateur and professional athletes to pose nude for its forthcoming "Body Issue." Private parts will be hidden by bats, gloves, balls, masks and other sports equipment. Is this appropriate? And is there anyone who you'd like to see in the issue? Or, on the flip side, is there anyone who you hope not to see?

From: Fox, Ashley

To: Ford, Bob; Gonzalez, John

Subject: Taking it off

Ding. Ding. Ding. This is right up your alley, John. How will you be able to wait for this issue to come to fruition? Maybe you could do a "Making of the Body Issue" piece. I'm sure Cohen could set that up for you.

Here would be my requests for this issue: No offensive linemen. No one over the age of 35. No media. Everything else is up for grabs, so to speak.

From: Gonzalez, John

To: Ford, Bob; Fox, Ashley

Subject: Taking it off

You think you know me, but, sadly, you don't. This is a terrible idea. For starters, it's a transparent attempt by ESPN to counter SI's swimsuit issue. It's also a stale concept that ESPN is cribbing from other publications. Athletes have done these sorts of shoots for years now. It's just more derivative nonsense from ESPN. Come up with something original or truly risqué and I'll applaud you. But I'm not in the mood for more faux porn.

From: Fox, Ashley

To: Ford, Bob; Gonzalez, John

Subject: Taking it off

I guess I don't. My bad. I figured you liked skin, subscribed to Maxim and would love to see athletes, particularly females, naked. Guess not. Forgive me.

Maybe next year we can go to Wing Bowl together and bond.

From: Gonzalez, John

To: Ford, Bob; Fox, Ashley

Subject: Taking it off

Oh, I'm all for skin. Full-on naked is OK by me. It's kinda-sorta-but-not-really naked that I object to, particularly when ESPN is trying to peddle it like it's something new and different even though it's been done in the past.

I asked you to be in our Wing Bowl entourage and you rejected me. I'm still sad about that. So is Wax.

From: Fox, Ashley

To: Ford, Bob; Gonzalez, John

Subject: Taking it off

I still regret it. Can't believe I turned down that invitation.

From: Ford, Bob

To: Fox, Ashley; Gonzalez, John

Subject: Taking it off

You've got this one pretty well covered, Ashley. I'd only add that - this just in - sex sells and ESPN is in the business of selling magazines. If I thought it would sell more newspapers to have our sports staff pose nude, I'd be all for it, even if it would make McKee a star.