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*UPDATED* RIP Coach John Wooden

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by MileHigh, Jun 3, 2010.

  1. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Re: John Wooden hospitalized, in "grave" condition

    I think it's funny that everyone rips into TMZ when they break someone's death and I can't ever recall them being wrong, when the OCR and Washington Post seem to have shit the bed on this one...
     
  2. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    Re: John Wooden hospitalized, in "grave" condition

    Because I don't think they did any reporting/work to get, you know, confirmation. I got a message from a SoCal colleague yesterday afternoon saying there were "rumors" that he had died. Didn't have a source, but they were tracking down Marc Dellins. Before I started this thread, I was hunting around for anything about it, then found the KCBS report that he was in the hospital. And I think the rumors spread with the mass of media at Staples Center, and folks went with it (see OCR, WaPo and people who have no connections with the Wooden family and UCLA were tweeting it). And the fact UCLA had nothing and the L.A. Times had nothing led me to believe it wasn't true. Basic reporting 101 has gone the way of the dodo, it seems.
     
  3. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    Re: John Wooden hospitalized, in "grave" condition

    This is a perfect example of the adage, "those who know don't talk; those who talk don't know."

    There's no mystery to solve. He is in the hospital in very tenuous condition. The number of people who work directly on his case (and would thus have accurate knowledge) is most likely very limited (and easily traceable in case of a leak).

    Any legit news will come either straight from the family, or the hospital staff or some other designated spokesman, with their authorization.
     
  4. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    Re: John Wooden hospitalized, in "grave" condition

    And no one will remember, or give a shit, who got it first either.
     
  5. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Re: John Wooden hospitalized, in "grave" condition

    I just think that when it comes to a death, if you don't get it from the hospital or the family, you just don't run it under any circumstances.
     
  6. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    Re: John Wooden hospitalized, in "grave" condition

    Or just do some reporting:

    http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-simers-20100604,0,3749250,full.column

    JOHN WOODEN has been in the hospital the last week and surrounded by family.

    The Orange County Register and the Washington Post reported Thursday he had died, but maybe they will do a better job of reporting when it actually happens.

    "He's comfortable," said Nan, Wooden's daughter. "He's just about the same as when he came to the hospital. He's not in any pain. We're just playing the waiting game.

    "We're talking to him," she added, while aware of earlier media reports. "Daddy has not passed; he's still with us."

    Bill Walton, who was at the Lakers' game, said he had the chance to visit Wooden in the hospital two days ago.

    "I told him I loved him," Walton said, "and then I kissed him goodbye.''
     
  7. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    Re: John Wooden hospitalized, in "grave" condition

    Wooden is "resting comfortably"

    http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2010/06/john-wooden-resting-comfortably-according-to-ucla-release.html
     
  8. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    Re: John Wooden hospitalized, in "grave" condition

    or a funeral home.

    Not to do too much topic swerve, but I remember working on the desk one night when one woman called and spent 15 minutes going on and on about someone in the local baseball community who had died and could the sports editor please do a story? I tried explaining it was his night off (it really was) and he'd be in tomorrow, and we all know how well that works, right? So then she started begging me for his home number. No way. Finally I told her we couldn't do a thing until we had the death confirmed, which at least got her off the phone.

    Sometimes, you feel like telling people waiting a day for confirmation won't make them any less dead!
     
  9. BTExpress

    BTExpress Well-Known Member

    Re: John Wooden hospitalized, in "grave" condition

    Each would shut down under those guidelines.

    A nice thought, though.

    Whether it's the Iran election or John Wooden, I wouldn't go anywhere near Twitter to find out the truth.
     
  10. mustangj17

    mustangj17 Active Member

    Re: John Wooden hospitalized, in "grave" condition

    Well the nice thing about Twitter is we can also post with a nice little hashtag #JohnWooden --- put a message like "hang in there" or "Go Bruins"
     
  11. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Re: John Wooden hospitalized, in "grave" condition

    I'm just curious who told the OCR and the Washington Post that he died. I'm guessing it came from somewhere.
     
  12. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    Re: John Wooden hospitalized, in "grave" condition

    I cannot think of a coach/player relationship that tops Wooden/Walton. I really wish I was older when Walton started at UCLA. I have no memory of Wooden as a coach, and that sucks.
     
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