Things that aren't cool
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Submitted by slynch on Fri, 2008-11-21 01:18. |
In one of my favorite Kevin Smith movies -- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back -- Ben Affleck's character jokes that the internet was created so people can anonymously bash one another.
It's a funny line in a movie, not so much when it's done in reality. In recent weeks the comment boxes under our sports stories online have been plastered with a number of hurtful and likely inaccurate things about local players and teams.
This is not acceptable, which is why several posters and comments have been banned or deleted. Putting high school kids on blast on the internet with libelous claims -- whether true or not -- is as classless as a person can get. Those who have participated in such activities are the equivalent of cyber-bullies and you should hang your heads in shame.
Regardless of your personal feelings towards particular players and teams, these kids are someone's children. Imagine how your parents would feel if wild accusations about you popped up on the internet, or worse, if it was your children under attack.
Grown-ups should act as such. The next time you want to accuse a player or team of being out of control or of poor moral character, go ahead and look at your own actions first.
Whoa There Nellie!
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Submitted by pUPS1AND2 on Sat, 2008-11-22 00:34.
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Inference in one's writing can say volumes. Did he at any point quantify what period of time he was writing to? Only once and that was a reference to the officials. The remainder leaves an inference that it occurred this year. He specifically indicted the Turlock and Pitman "teams" and in my mind that is a journalism hatchet job since he taints every player on the team and the reader is led to believe that the "whole" team is racist. (i.e. "I've been on the sidelines and heard players from other teams -- Turlock and Pitman come quickly to mind -- taunting the Merced kids with racial slurs.")
He may well have heard "such things" but I can tell you from experience, hearing such things is not limited to the opposing teams or fans...and may I ask, just to clarify what the officials may have been alluding to...I wonder if any statistics are maintained by the Sac-Joaquin Section as to the number and type of penalties assessed by officials by team. I would venture to guess...given the number of Merced games I have witnessed, Merced would lead the league in personal fouls and unsportmanlike conduct penalties...
Saying that the comments section contained disparaging remarks directed toward high school kids should have also applied to the comments in the column. As you put it...are we in third grade? You started this.
And lastly to take down the comments section and not the whole article...leaving Cameron's comments for all to read is censorship at its finest.
Cool?
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Submitted by pUPS1AND2 on Fri, 2008-11-21 16:19.
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Hold on there bucko! What is good for the goose is good for the gander...what goes around comes around...re-read Cameron's rantings...you telling me that what he said about Turlock and Pitman players and fans and the officiating crews that do Merced games wasn't hateful? It was, and as you said, "This is not acceptable". Talk about by hypocritical...He blantantly accused those folks of prejudicial comments and actions...then when readers respond, you take exception and delete their comments but leave Cameron's accusations up on this site...I have lost all respect for your sports department...and one other point...The next time you want to accuse a reader of being out of control or of poor moral character, look at your own words first and at the actions that everyone can see on the field.
Rationalize much
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Submitted by slynch on Fri, 2008-11-21 19:54.
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Are we in the third grade? You guys did it first, so it's OK. My conscience is clear on this issue, clearly you not so much. You missed the point entirely. If you have a problem with what Steve wrote, take umbrage with him, don't go attack kids. He's is a professional writer who is paid to recount what he witnesses. He's putting himself out there to be bashed, and you may do so accordingly. As far as his comments about racial epithets being slung by Turlock and Pitman players, he didn't exactly single anyone out. No players named, simply the programs they belong to. He didn't single out either program as being racist, he just used them as examples of an attitude towards Merced. He also didn't say it was this year. Steve's been here for three years, it could have happened at any point in time over that span. Having not been to all of the games he's attended in that time, I can't very well dispute that he never heard such things. Something tells me you can't either. Would the rest of the staff have named the programs, probably not, but last time I checked Steve is our boss. Therefore we have little if any say in what he prints. My post didn't defend Steve's story, I simply pointed out that the actual bashing of high school kids will not be tolerated.
Syndicate
Again, slightly off topic
The blog has nothing to do with Steve or any defense of his story. Actual High School kids were named and singled out in the comments that followed. You can't simply delete the bad comments, because they are quickly reposted. I don't know how many people you think work for the Sun-Star, but posts can't be monitored 24 hours a day. So, the second things turn ugly, they are simply turned off. You can call it censorship, I'll call it common sense.