Stepping Into The Ring and/or Up To The Plate
Before I begin, let me say that this blog is inspired by a fantastic piece of writing by Tom Benjamin at canuckscorner.com titled “Dumb and Damien.[i]” I took these quotes directly from Tom’s transcripts of this: http://video.thescore.com/watch/a-look-into-the-battle-between-nhl-reporters-and-bloggers . “A Look into the Battle Between NHL Reporters and Bloggers,” Score V-Blog story.
Tom, if you are reading this thank you for sparking my fire at my old friend Mr. Damien Cox. I have been waiting since August 22, 2010 after Cox’s, “Gotta at Least Ask the Question[ii]” umm... “Blog?/Article?/Piece of Journalism?” came out to write this one up. I for one, am a strong supporter of the blogosphere. I believe that the information found on twitter feeds, facebook posts, and any online form of media consumption is not to be disregarded as Cox would have us think.
(Please note that this is all done in good fun)
The following is my dismantling of Cox’s 3 arguments in The Score’s V-Blog.
Round 1: The Truth - Online Media is too Critical and Aggressive.
DC: “Should we not ask them for comment and to explain? Is it possible that what somebody is saying about Colin Campbell may not exactly be the truth? If you are a person who wants to do that, all of a sudden you are protecting people. All of a sudden you are not being tough enough. And I just think that’s unfair. And I understand that’s part of what people who consider themselves outside the mainstream media want to portray themselves as tougher, nastier. I understand that that’s what they want to do, um, and to do it they try to tear down other people. And quite frankly that’s a waste of everybody’s time.”
You’re right Damien. We should allow the person we are accusing, or writing a story about, the chance to comment. So allow me to pull up my favourite article of yours, “Gotta at Least Ask the Question,” to see how real journalists like yourself do just that.
Direct Quotes from Damien Cox about Jose Bautista and the Toronto Blue Jays:
-“When it comes to Jose Bautista, how is it exactly that at the age of 29 he's suddenly become the most dangerous power hitter in baseball?...
...Chance? Healthy living? Diet? New contact lenses? Comfortable batting gloves?”
-“Anyone reading about the Roger Clemens perjury case this week, which of course brings up all of baseball's tawdry steroid history, should at least be willing to wonder about Bautista's sudden transformation into the dinger king.”
-“ The Blue Jays, we know, have quietly become known as a bit of a nest for alleged steroid abusers over the years. Clemens played here. Gregg Zaun has been implicated. Ditto for Troy Glaus.”
-“ But the fact is that baseball's history, and the Nixonian way in which the Selig administration and the players association have chosen to deal with the steroid issue over the years, should compel any intelligent person to wonder when a player suddenly starts displaying abilities never before seen in his career.”
-“Blue Jay fans won't like it. But you've got to at least ask the question when it comes to Jose Bautista.”
You are right Damien, we should ask questions! Since this is about Jose Bautista, and going by your quote this week, we should ask Jose Bautista directly!
Direct Quotes from Jose Bautista or the Toronto Blue Jays Training Staff Commenting on Steroids as Found in the Article:
-...
-...
-...(cricket)
Whoa Damien! Is this not a direct case of you trying to portray yourself as a Brian Burke-esque, “tougher, nastier?” like you said in your recent interview? And that this article must then be, “Quite frankly a waste of everybodys time?”
Well your point is made Damien. Unfortunately for you, it was best exemplified against your own journalism, which you were attempting to defend, and thus, making it illogical and irrelevant.
Logical Breakdown Session!:
Proper journalism always has supporting comments. --> all A is B
Damien Cox writes. --> C
This Damien Cox article has no supporting comments. --> C has ~B
Therefore Damien Cox does not always write proper journalism. --> if C has ~B then is ~A
Sorry Damien! logic doesn’t lie!
Adam 1 – Cox 0
Round 2: Bias Hurts Journalism: Fans Should Stay in the Stands
DC: The basic tenet of sports journalism as long as I’ve been in it is “No cheering in the press box.” And some places literally have signs “No cheering in the press box.” If your primary function is to cheer for the team then you belong in the stands with the fan.
So Damien, there should be no bias in journalism? Ok let’s go back to the August 22 article again
shall we.
Direct Quotes from Damien Cox on Baseball:
-“For the following unpopular question, blame Major League baseball and all the nonsense it has spewed over the past decade.”
-“As of Sunday morning, he had 38 homers, six more than the great Albert Pujols, seven more than Miguel Cabrera and Adam Dunn.”
-“ For the fact that we do, blame baseball.”
Seemslike Damien Cox has had his own opinion and image of baseball forever changed to the negative? It seems like no matter how much regulated testing now goes on, Damien Cox is going to believe that steroids have ruined baseball. These quotes make it very apparent that Damien Cox does not respect baseball like he does other sports, aside from, “The Great Albert Pujols.” But Albert isn’t Damiens favourite player! That would be biased! Journalists can’t be biased! Right Damien?
Logic Time!
No journalism should be biased. --> A is ~B
Damien Cox writes. --> C
Damien Cox writes biased statements. --> C is B
Damien Cox is not a journalist. --> if A is ~ B, and C is B, then C is ~A.
Sorry Damien, your words!
Adam -2, Cox -0
Round 3: Anonymity is Bad. You need to have some sort of accountability.
DC: “Part of what concerns me about what I see is that there is irresponsibility and no consequences. I can say whatever I want about anybody and I don’t even have to put my name on it. I can’t see how that’s good.”
I can see how it is good, and so can any school teacher or university professor as well. It is the name of the writer that renders a bias in the reader. The writer’s personal ideals should not have anything to do with the validity of the article, and to most readers, they don’t. If an article is written by a Blue Jays fan, I am more likely to take it as something with journalistic integrity because it was written with passion. I will at the very least want to know what the ghost-writer has to say, on the topic that they are so involved with.
It is when we put nametags on writers that we develop our own unwarranted impressions on a written work well before reading it. This is why the ghost-writing of the internet is so intriguing. To the prospective reader on the blogosphere, we have forced them to finally not judge a book by its cover.
Logic:
Anonymity is bad journalism. --> ~N is ~J
All bias is bad journalism. --> B is ~J
A name is a bias. --> N is B.
A name is bad journalism. --> N is B is ~J
Everything must either have a name, or not a name. --> N or ~N
Everything is bad journalism. --> N =~J, ~N =J
So Damien, I guess we all flunk that one! Call it a deuce!
Final Score:
Adam-2.5 Cox-0.5
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Final Words:
Well that is all I have to say because...
DC: “When somebody says, like that guy, something that is so ignorant and so misinformed and quite frankly so beneath anybody whose been in the business… to even respond to it… all I can really do is laugh”...or ask the question? Right Damien?
Someone cue DJ Khaled please...
Now, to all my fellow bloggers out there:
“Errrreeeboddy Hands Go UP!”
Comment number 1 is bang on. 2 may be a bit of a stretch, I agree with 3 but don't find it super important.. I think you have enough to write an entire entry on your first point
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