Death watch: Ed Bradley

Ed Bradley died today of complications from leukemia at the age of 65. He was a 26 year veteran of 60 Minutes and, along with Harrison Ford, Bradley introduced the world to the male midlife crisis earring. It never caught on.

Even though 60 Minutes is the easily the most successful newsmagazine in American television history -- and I like the news and the television -- I've never watched 60 Minutes for more than a few minutes.

I can't bring myself to: 60 Minutes scarred my childhood.

When I was growing up my fall Sundays were spent watching football. This was back when the NFC was on CBS. At some point during the fourth quarter of the featured four o'clock game Pat Summerall would bellow:

"Immediately after football, it's an all new 60 Minutes, followed by Angela Lansbury in Murder dramatic pause She Wrote."

It was then I'd realize I needed to start thinking about homework and having to wake up at an ungodly hour to start another horrible week of school. When 60 Minutes began the weekend was over. I hated 60 Minutes for that.

I never really held Ed Bradley responsible. Morley Safer, however, can burn in hell.

So I don't know much of Bradley's work. But I do know he was a well-respected investigative reporter who amassed 19 Emmy awards.

I was able to watch Bradley's last significant work of investigative journalism -- his effective take down of the ill-founded Duke lacrosse prosecution.

CBS put the segment on their website, and I watched it during the middle of the week.