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Facts? Doyel don't need no stinkin' facts

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by SockPuppet, Nov 11, 2009.

  1. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Nice...
     
  2. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    OK, I understand there's an element out there that doesn't like Gregg's column.
    But I'd never heard he had a problem with accuracy - maybe my head is in the sand?
    It just appears maybe we're a bit too giddy with glee over catching him in a mistake?

    Am I wrong? Is there some history of which I'm unaware? If not, I think perhaps we ought to maybe reel in the excitement. I've made mistakes in my day. You?

    Not a knock on anyone because I actually know most of those who have posted here and like them - including Gregg. Just a thought on my end.
     
  3. Lester Bangs

    Lester Bangs Active Member

    The most obnoxious guys in any newsroom are those who catch a factual error and then dance around like they just pulled off The Immaculate Fucking Reception. Shut the fuck up and do your job, I say.

    Do we honestly think this error shows a reckless disregard for the facts? I know I've done worse. Like Doyel or don't like him, professional journalists should understand that this shit happens and if you're gonna hang the guy for it, go ahead and pick the noose you want for yourself the next time it happens to you.
     
  4. mediaguy

    mediaguy Well-Known Member

    If Doyel and Hoppes were ever to occupy the same room at the same time, this site would explode.

    Guy made a mistake, fessed up to it, move on. He's not the first person to get the second-BCS-team payout deal wrong, won't be the last.
     
  5. SockPuppet

    SockPuppet Active Member

    I've heard from one SJ member who swears by Doyel's professionalism and that he's a nice guy. Fair enough.

    And BFD. He can be a nice guy in real life but he acts like he's an asshole as a columnist.

    When you set yourself up as the Smart Aleck Know It All Got This Internet Thing By The Balls columnist, you've painted the target on your own back. When you napalm reader responses, when you chase down e-mail addresses in order to further you Look At Me agenda, you're fair game yourself. And that means when you fuck up - because, apparently, you can't be bothered to make a phone call to check a fact - then you get return fire. Doyel should be treated the same way for making a mistake as pot stirring jerks like Limbaugh and O'Reilly who prefer bullying to debate.

    I'm not dancing around in glee because I caught his mistake. I merely started this thread because I stumbled across his column, was interested, started reading it and then stopped when I realized he was misrepresenting facts to make his point.

    I'm saddened that the world of sports columns is being taken over by people like Gregg Doyel. Sue me.
     
  6. 2muchcoffeeman

    2muchcoffeeman Well-Known Member

    :D 8) ;D

    I am that damn good. :)
     
  7. silvercharm

    silvercharm Member

    The $4.5 million purse for a second BCS team is one of the most common mistakes I see among college football stories and columns this time of the year. I don't know how many people I've corrected on that. As well as Notre Dame, which gets $4.5 million, not $17 million, if and when it ever plays in a BCS bowl game.
     
  8. imjustagirl

    imjustagirl Active Member

    FYI: this was not me.

    I had many of the same criticisms of Doyel that hondo does above, and still do at times. He called me out on it in a PM on here after I trashed him pretty well one time. FWIW, he doesn't want to be viewed as a clown. I will say this: Having gotten to know him a little bit online, I now read his stuff differently. Know how if you know someone, you read what they write in their voice? I now see the tongue-in-cheek nature that he thought came across naturally...but actually doesn't to those who aren't in on it.

    hondo, Doyel's actually written a number of non-confrontational columns since I've started reading him more regularly. His Hate Mail is still antagonistic, by nature, but the columns themselves are not so much. What I've liked about his stuff is he doesn't throw out platitudes...he uses real examples, but works them in where they're easily digested as opposed to just "here are three paragraphs of examples." I can find some of my favorites for you if you'd like.

    Otherwise, we can all go on with the understanding that columnists are, by their very nature, subjectively enjoyed.
     
  9. Dodd? Please. Dodd still thinks it's 1988 with some of the facts that slip by him. I've lost count of how many times he's gotten something wrong that would have taken him five seconds to check. Doyel would be totally screwed if he used Dodd as a researcher.
     
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