A year or so ago, I implored many of my colleagues in the print and
digital media to spend some time in the classroom, as I did as a
adjunct Professor Of Journalism at Five Towns College in 2006-07. At the time I explained that in addition to “giving back” to a
generation that was going to be severely challenged in this topsy-turvy
world of new media, that it would make us all better journalists. Teaching younger versions of ourselves to become ethical reporters
might instill a greater responsibility to have the highest sort of
integrity, etc.
Then “J-Rod” comes along.
In his blog, “J-Rod's Playbook” (I'm not providing a link to this tripe, because the original version has been altered more than once), this “11 years in the Hudson Valley” Times-Herald Record reporter accused Mets' first round pick Ike Davis and some of his Brooklyn Cyclones teammates of humiliating staffer Mira Wassef as she entered the clubhouse for an interview.
He wasn't there, mind you. Didn't have any evidence of this event, other than the hearsay of his reporter. Whether or not this “report” is true, the way in which it was reported was so completely and utterly amateurish that it makes “Lion In Oil” look like the New York Times.
For example:
According to Mira, and I totally believe her, once she walked into the Brooklyn clubhouse, several players began whistling at her and making cat calls. She was unnerved to say the very least. You think the Mets look bad on the field? Well, check out this group of chumps. The performance by the Cyclones was pathetic. A disgrace.
Then came Davis, the Mets’ first round pick (18th overall) in the draft earlier this month out of Arizona State. Mira asked for Davis and, sitting in the clubhouse, he raised his hand. Mira asked if Davis had a few minutes to talk for an interview.
His reply?
“I’m not playing tonight, sweetheart. We don’t have anything to talk about.”
Sweetheart?
Well, I'm glad that “J-Rod” “totally” believes her, because otherwise I'd have thought this was a deliberate attempt to get a million hits to “J-Rod's” blog and Wassef's story about Davis (that otherwise would have gotten perhaps 200 reads).
Also, since I first read it (see, J-Rod? Even I read your blog today!), it's been altered several times.
After seeing a story on Ike Davis, by Wassef, on the site while doing my research for this piece, I called the paper to find out how it was possible for that story to have been published when “J-Rod” said that Davis refused to talk to her. The person who I spoke with said “Huh?”, and then out me on hold for 10 minutes. Then, like magic, a paragraph in J-Rod's blog stated “David finally agreed to sit down with her to do the interview.” Only it wasn't a new entry, it now appears in J-Rod's “original” blog (that doesn't have any edited stamps on it by the way). Oh, and later in the blog, when he states “Ike Davis need to act like a man, not a punk”, the word “punk” no longer appears, but the awkward edit where he removed it remains.
If Wassef was indeed mistreated, and then tell “J-Rod” she had a rough time in the clubhouse, I hope she made a formal complaint to Cyclones' management at that moment. It seems though, she was enough of a pro to get her story done. Good for her on both counts if this story is true.
However, knowing what I know about how Edgar Alfonzo runs his clubhouse, it sounds like “J-Rod” may have taken Wassef's comments about having a tough time, and put just enough “disturbing” adjectives to make sure everyone read his “Playbook”, or Googled Wassef's name.
I even did some research on “J-Rod” to see if this was a one-blog screwup. Maybe, just maybe, he was so overjoyed about his “scoop” that he got careless.
Then I read his Jun. 21 entry:
We could only hope that the Mets replace general manager Omar Minaya and his slimy sidekick, Tony "The Rat" Bernazard, after , among other things, the way they handled the WIllie Randolph's firing last week.
Journalism at its best.
Mission accomplished, “J-Rod”. You totally got your Google Page Rank up!
A year or so ago, I implored many of my colleagues in the print and
digital media to spend some time in the classroom, as I did as a
adjunct Professor Of Journalism at Five Towns College in 2006-07. At the time I explained that in addition to “giving back” to a
generation that was going to be severely challenged in this topsy-turvy
world of new media, that it would make us all better journalists. Teaching younger versions of ourselves to become ethical reporters
might instill a greater responsibility to have the highest sort of
integrity, etc.