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Jim Souhan, Playing Fast and Loose

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by PopeDirkBenedict, Apr 18, 2012.

  1. PopeDirkBenedict

    PopeDirkBenedict Active Member

    Jim Souhan writes a column about the Vikings stadium situation, just trashing a state representative for asking, "Why should the state of Minnesota contribute to a stadium for a billionaire owner?" at the hearings regarding the stadium bill. Souhan basically calls the rep out as a pandering simpleton populist who doesn't understand how economic development works.

    http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/147856875.html

    Leaves out two pertinent facts:

    -- The question was prefaced with, "Here’s a question I get asked most frequently, it’s on everyone’s mind, let’s get it out of the way."

    -- The state rep in question voted in favor of the stadium bill and was a consistent supporter of the bill.

    http://www.minnpost.com/braublog/2012/04/whos-dumber-vikings-stadium-dean-urdahl-or-jim-souhan

    If you want to know why the public distrusts journalists, this column should be exhibit A.
     
  2. Uncle.Ruckus

    Uncle.Ruckus Guest

    Always nice to see Shecky Souhan try his hand at humor.
     
  3. Zeke12

    Zeke12 Guest

    Souhan can be good, but that was brutal.

    I mean, maybe it's cheap populism coming from that guy -- I don't know.

    Doesn't make the question invalid, and Souhan does nothing, really, to answer the question. Instead of the one-liners, how about a column answering the question: Why should Minnesota build the Vikings a stadium?
     
  4. Michael_ Gee

    Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

    The economic facts, demonstrated in many surveys, are that the economic benefits of public stadium financing, especially football stadium financing, range from very little to none. If Souhan doesn't know that, then he's not qualified to write about the issue, which he obviously isn't. The only arguments in favor of it are civic pride, which doesn't fix many potholes but is something, and "I like pro football." The column is an ignorant cheap shot. A pathetic effort.
     
  5. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    Ruling out building a stadium that could benefit a billionaire is like ruling out building roads for all those elitists who own cars.

    That is the worst analogy I have read in a long, long time. And this could be the most clueless column ever on the topic of stadium funding. Good Lord, that is absolutely terrible. If I were the politician who was the subject of the column, I'd be proud to be on the other side.
     
  6. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    The Strib sure likes to keep hack columnists around.
     
  7. PopeDirkBenedict

    PopeDirkBenedict Active Member

    That's the worst part. He takes a question from a state rep, completely divorces it from its context and rips him to shreds -- and the state rep voted the way Souhan wanted him to!
     
  8. Screwball

    Screwball Active Member

    Well, he did try to get to the bottom-line question: Is Minnesota willing to lose the Vikings?

    It is clear, as noted above, that stadiums and arenas are not worth the public investment, as measured in dollars and cents. However, if the Vikings move, would the public blame the elected officials and vote them out of office?

    That does not mean the Vikings would get a publicly-funded stadium elsewhere. But they might, or they could try a privately-funded stadium in L.A.
     
  9. YGBFKM

    YGBFKM Guest

    I don't know about a new stadium, but I like the direction in which the Vikings franchise is headed.
     
  10. Uncle.Ruckus

    Uncle.Ruckus Guest

    Los Angeles?
     
  11. YGBFKM

    YGBFKM Guest

    South.
     
  12. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    And to think you were a close personal friend.
     
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