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John Clayton/Tavaris Jackson, or how ESPN took credit again

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by zebracoy, Sep 17, 2008.

  1. zebracoy

    zebracoy Guest

    I woke up from a mid-afternoon nap today (Yes, ESPN does put me to sleep - a shocker) to find out that ESPN's John Clayton was reporting Tavaris Jackson had been benched in favor of Gus Frerotte. I was still groggy at the time, though, so I just stumbled over to the computer to read a little bit more about the move - especially considering that a lot of people thought this was Jackon's year and some morons prognosticators even thought Minnesota could make it to the Super Bowl.

    After reading Clayton's story, I got to the bottom and saw the often-standard line: "Information from The Associated Press was used in this report." Then I read the story closely a second time. Clayton did not have a dateline, but I did notice this in the second paragraph:

    That piqued my interest. I went to find the AP Story, which, lo and behold, was written by Jon Krawczynski at the media day.

    Naturally, I compared quotes. It appears it wasn't just information that Clayton used from Krawczynski; he used all of his quotes.

    I ask this question knowing the predictable response ("Because it's ESPN and ESPN doesn't care, that's why,") but how in the world can the organization get away with that? I'd like to believe Clayton could have done his own work, and admittedly don't know the forces at work here, but when it's an open media availability where several outlets get the news at once, how can one entity take credit second-handed? Personally, I want to know what Krawczynski thinks.
     
  2. ESPN has no ethics and does whatever the hell it wants.

    You just discover that?
     
  3. BYH

    BYH Active Member

    And John Clayton NEVER breaks ANYTHING.

    I'll be glad to take a dose of I Was Wrong if someone else has evidence otherwise. but I quit reading his crap b/c every story was exactly what Zebracoy said...a bunch of regurgitated shit with the "Information from the AP was used in this report" tagline.

    Makes you wonder why ESPN.com even bothered hiring BLOGGERS!!!! doesn't it?
     
  4. apseloser

    apseloser Member

    John Clayton is awful. Give ESPN credit for hiring guys who really are plugged in, like Mort, Len P, Sal P and Werder, who may get a few wrong but break an awful lot. They're good. Credit deserved.

    But Clayton's a buffoon. He's an information guy who never breaks anything. Thieving from AP is about as low as you can go.

    Same with that Pedro Gomez clown. Has him on Bonds watch and he got his clock cleaned.

    Same also with Joe Schad, who breaks in a year what their college football ace, Mark Schlabach, does in a morning.

    Never understood the Schad fascination. He wasn't the best on the Florida beat while in Orlando — Gainesville Sun crew and Dave Jones were far superior. Whatever ESPN is paying Schad is way too much.
     
  5. zebracoy

    zebracoy Guest

    I'm not coming on here to tear Clayton down, guys. And to be honest, I wouldn't bother doing that without putting my name on anything I put on here - which is something I don't plan on doing, nor do many others.

    My only objection at the time was crediting the story to him when he wasn't even there to break the story. I'm not killing his work ethic, discrediting his sources, etc. My only gripe is what I've stated above and in this post.
     
  6. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    Clayton is a bright guy, don't know the whys and wherefores of the Jackson "scoop." I think much too much attention is given to these "gets" when the news is released by the team to the public within hours or minutes.
    I mean really, "ESPN has learned the Putztown Snakes have put Joe Goomba on the DL." Is that really a scoop?
     
  7. Italian_Stallion

    Italian_Stallion Active Member

    T-A-R-V-A-R-I-S

    Thank you.
     
  8. Dickens Cider

    Dickens Cider New Member

    IJAG <3's Tarvaris Jackson.
     
  9. Italian_Stallion

    Italian_Stallion Active Member

    I probably should know what that means. But I don't. So I'll just go have a Dr. Pepper.
     
  10. imjustagirl

    imjustagirl Active Member

    ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

    You found the only way to get me to post on this thread.
     
  11. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    Down, girl...
     
  12. Joe Williams

    Joe Williams Well-Known Member

    Doesn't matter what the AP guy thinks, really, does it? He could have been any warm body manning the controlled release of the information by the Vikings. That's what AP guys at press availabilities are. Shoot, that's what most reporters and columnists at press availabilities are. So really, the credit for breaking that story should go to Brad Childress.

    AP guys exist to be used and abused by people who get woodies over their bylines and attributions on the TV crawls. Unfortunate but true.
     
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