Boo for the Sporting News

by Todd on Aug 7, 2008 9:13 PM CDT in Miscellany Comment 25 comments

I swear I'm not trying to stir up another blog war or anything here, but this has been bothering me all afternoon ever since I saw it and I thought I'd post about it. Sp orson did a post over at the Sporting News about the special place in hell reserved for Alabama fan Joey Barrett, Jr., the guy that got all stabby at an Auburn frat house before last year's Iron Bowl. Seems that Barrett talked a friend who had been declared "mentally retarded" into taking the blame for the stabbings in exchange for a car. His ire towards Barrett isn't what bothers me; Barrett is clearly a stain on humanity and, worse, the Alabama fan base and deserves any and all scorn, ridicule, and prison "cuddlings" that result from his action. I'm not even upset at the ridicule by association we'll receive since every one of us is always quick to take the worst things we hear about a rival fan and apply it to our perception of their entire fan base. It's just the way being a fan of college football works, though if the boogs really want to run their mouthes too much maybe they should stop and remember that stabbings and despicable actions occurring at Auburn frat houses are old hat for them by now. Y'all wrote the book, Barrett, unfortunately, just read it. No, what does bother me is this picture and caption:

Everyone knows tattoo guy and depending on who you ask he's either an awesome fan or kind of an embarassment, but I think we can all agree that this is a guy who has never done anything to hurt anyone (and by all accounts is a very nice, friendly person) and doesn't deserve to a) have himself associated with Barrett for no other reason than he is a visible, recognizable Alabama fan or b) be labeled an "idiot" for no other reason than....well, unless there is something horribly wrong about people who get tattoos and love college football then for no reason whatsoever. I sent Sporson a text about it and he said he didn't have anything to do with it, an editor put it in, so at least I can feel a little better that he isn't taking cheap, unwarranted shots at an innocent bystander in all of this, but it's still a cheap, unwarranted shot. Boo on the Sporting News.

UPDATE - Chris Mottram, the editor who posted the offending picture and caption, was kind enough to replace it with a generic Alabama logo, so a sincere thank you to him. Hooray for the Sporting News.

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Lame...

What a lame cheap-shot. The “tattoo guy” is named Nathan—I’ve run into him several times around Tuscaloosa/Northport, and actually had about a 10 minute conversation with him in the Winn Dixie in Northport 5 months ago. He’s a very articulate, intelligent, and kind person, and had the decency and politeness to indulge me for a quick conversation while he was buying groceries. It’s unfortunate that people assume he’s just some redneck scumbag because of all his tattoos, but he has good reasons (reasons that, if you ask, he will fully explicate) for having every single one of them. I just feel like Auburn fans spend all their time trying to rip on/worry about Alabama. If Auburn wins their game, the AU fans just wait around hoping for Alabama to lose. If we don’t lose, then they don’t get excited. If they lose their game and we lose ours, they could care less about THEIR loss. Auburn just needs to get interested in themselves instead of us.

by Bama philosophe on Aug 7, 2008 9:46 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I thought mainstream media had higher standards than this?

I guess all the standards don’t apply when making fun of someone. And what is going on with an “editor” doing that? We hear all about how “editors” are what make the mainstream media so much better than the new media.

by capstonereport on Aug 7, 2008 10:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The sad truth is that most MSM editors and suits sorely misunderstand blogging. This, to them, is what blogging is. No rules, no ethics, no professionalism… and while there are plenty of blogs out there like that, too many of the higher-ups at these places think that they have to act like idiots to fit in with the blogging crowd.

by PeteHoliday on Aug 7, 2008 10:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Blogs usually save their vitriol for public figures

However, you make a great point. What the Sporting News did was the equivalent of a blog-by hit. An innocent fan was linked to a crime for no other reason than he was an Alabama fan. I don’t like tattoos, but that doesn’t give me or the Sporting News or anyone else a license to behave in such a reckless manner.

They should apologize to the guy, and remove the image from that story.

by capstonereport on Aug 7, 2008 11:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not sure that's it

I think the difference is that publications like the Sporting News has an organization around them, someone who’s in charge, and who can dictate what gets published, and what doesn’t, including whether or not to include the item that was mentioned above.

They KNOW it’s misleading, the point is, they don’t care because the visual association is there, i.e., they are banking that most people will view anyone who would tattoo the Bear on their back as a retard and therefore be drawn into the story. Look around a little more, maybe link to it, or use it to make fun of someone else.

The difference isn’t the content that’s generated by either MSM or bloggers, it’s the formal structure. Someone who owns a publication like the Sporting News has money at stake, lots of it. If they piss off an advertiser, money goes away. If they anger a team, access goes away. In both cases, there are formal arrangements and an agreement as to the proper way things are done.

Bloggers, OTOH, typically don’t have an organization. There’s no one to answer to but your readers. It scares the hell out of people who have real money invested in this stuff because they can’t attack blogging by bringing all of us into the same formal arrangement. Therefore, they can’t control it.

But don’t kid yourself it has to do with content. It has nothing to do with content. It’s all about control.

Go Big Red Nebraska!
Our Cobs Are Bigger Than Yours!
Corn Nation!

by corn blight on Aug 7, 2008 11:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

tattoo guy

is a cool dude! i’ve talked to him before and he’s not super intense or zany, he’s just a dude who really loves BAMA and wanted to show it with a sick tattoo.

by tempebamafan on Aug 8, 2008 1:42 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah....

...I read that earlier today and it is f*ed up. Nathan totally doesn’t deserve association with that. I haven’t met him, but several of my friends have (both Bama fan and non-Bama fan) and they’ve all had nothing but great things to say about him.

by Nico2.0 on Aug 8, 2008 3:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Nathan ought to sue!!

I’m not overly litigious, but that crosses the line. I’m sure a jury in Tuscaloosa would see it the same way.

by heffie on Aug 8, 2008 9:37 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What?

I understand that this may have gone over the line as far as journalism standards go, but libel? He would have to actually show damages caused from this article.

by Kenny483 on Aug 8, 2008 9:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nathan could

say that he’d been scarred for life, but I’m not sure the judge would be able to see said scar under all that…

I bleed crimson and white...I puke Vol puke orange. RTR

by SugarBowl93 on Aug 8, 2008 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Slander

I smell a subpoena!

Auburn fans are like slinkys... not really good for anything but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.

by IHC800 on Aug 8, 2008 9:43 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Ill say this

Are are only a few people i know that could get a tatoo like that. Look how wide his back is….man!

Don't take life to seriously, you'll never get out alive.

by bammer on Aug 8, 2008 10:10 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm the "editor" how wrote the caption

My name is Chris Mottram, I’m the editor/writer for The Sporting Blog and I come in peace. Please, calm yourselves. I assure you I was joking when I added that caption. I’m sure the tattoo guy is actually quite awesome. No harm meant by it—I don’t care nearly enough about college football to take any sort of anti-Bama stance.

by Chris Mottram on Aug 8, 2008 3:49 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm clearly a great editor ...

... because there’s a typo in the subject line. “I’m the ‘editor’ WHO wrote the caption.” Carry on …

by Chris Mottram on Aug 8, 2008 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

This isn't an "anti-Bama" thing...

...it’s dragging some poor guy that you don’t even know into an article about a man that stabbed a group of people then tried to talk a retarded man into taking the blame for not other reason than he is a fan of the same team AND then labeled him an “idiot” in a very public way for no good reason. It’s poor form, and you should take it down and issue an apology.

Roll Bama Roll

by Todd on Aug 8, 2008 3:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Better?: http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sporting_blog/entry/view/10752/

by Chris Mottram on Aug 8, 2008 4:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Still missing the point...

....that’s not Barrett either, just some guy that’s a recognizable Alabama fan who is now associated with him for no other reason.

Roll Bama Roll

by Todd on Aug 8, 2008 5:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ok, Todd. Check the post now. Does that appease your delicate sensibilities?

by Chris Mottram on Aug 8, 2008 5:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Haven't you heard?

Alabama fans have unrealistic expecatations and are never pleased.

I actually meant to add that the last picture was at least humorously appropriate (the devil horns and 666 going along with the “fan hell” theme), but since you’ve changed it, oh well. Sincerely, though, thank you for taking the tattoo guy off of it. Its much appreciated.

Roll Bama Roll

by Todd on Aug 8, 2008 6:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Todd...

...you were much nicer and more professional than I would have been to Mottram. I have actually spent the last twenty minutes typing and deleting responses to that jerk, but I decided that trying to communicate with someone who has such an underdeveloped conscience would be a futile effort. However, if you ever meet that twit, I hope you appease your delicate sensibilities by shoving your boot up his backside. Have a nice weekend.

by NiceLittleSaturday on Aug 8, 2008 11:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

No need to be angry...

...we got what we wanted, end of story.

Roll Bama Roll

by Todd on Aug 9, 2008 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I’m such an asshole that I went back and changed the photo in the post THREE TIMES so we could get to a point where you guys weren’t offended by it. I easily could’ve just left it as is with the “idiot” image.

by Chris Mottram on Aug 9, 2008 8:38 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs