(09-13-2013 01:21 PM)Orangemen Wrote: So happy we have found a new target for which the board can direct is craziest conspiracy theories. Unethical regimes aren't corrupting college sports; sports writers are.
And how is that any different from media writers who concentrate on the national political issues?
Conglomerations of corporate entities give to both parties, and own the networks and many of the news magazines and newspapers. Let a reporter go rogue and what happens there? Since those same conglomerates own the sports networks too, and the sports publications as well, how does this differ?
The S.I. case will become a great "Joe McCarthy like case" of bad, or sloppy, journalism, the outcome of which will serve as a big warning to the next reporter who thinks he/she can make a name for themselves by getting off of the usual talking points. The truly sad part is that no matter what the proof or corruption level may actually be in the future there will be plenty who will refuse to cover the story out of fear of taking such a career risk.
The fact that McCarthy ruined many innocent lives became an excuse to quit trying to root out moles and spies in some areas of government and beyond. His sins became a cover for people marginally suspected of espionage. It was a good thing to stop him, but it came at the price of deciding not to make what might appear to be another witch hunt investigation. It was just safer to ride public sentiment and look the other way.
So if this unfolds like I think it might, with the mistakes, inconsistencies, and stretched allegations being rushed to print before an actual investigation was used to gauge the depth and severity of the facts and an assessment of their truthfulness ascertained, then because of this one writer's sloppiness and lack of professionalism, all writers will be burdened by his mistakes and mistrusted because his potential bias. And stories of this kind regardless of the truthfulness of the allegations will not be received with an open mind and the initial retribution for such will land at the feet of the reporter and not the perpetrator.
The Penn State fiasco begged for good investigative journalism a decade before the scandal broke. That event opened up the public's acceptance of looking into venerated sports programs. This case could start to close that window again. Plus, big time denial is popular these days.