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27 Jan 2012 19:44

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Biz: CBS Sports fires blogger who flubbed Joe Paterno death report

  • Bad sourcing plus poor timing: Adam Jacobi took to Twitter earlier this afternoon to reveal that CBS Sports — which ran with a erroneous story that Joe Paterno had died hours before he actually did, based on a single tweet from a student Web site, originally linked to and otherwise unsourced (then retracted it, naming the source and initially refusing to take full credit for the error) — fired him over the incident. “In the end, CBS had to let me go for the Paterno story going out the way it did,” Jacobi wrote. “and I understand completely. Thanks, everyone, for reading.” The Washington Post’s Erik Wemple calls the move classy on Jacobi’s part, and an important line in the sand for CBS: “Not only does CBSSports.com put on notice its employees that multiple sourcing matters,” Wemple writes,”it puts on notice the entire industry.” While we don’t necessarily think Jacobi should’ve been fired, CBS made a good move, as it initially looked like they would let the sword fall onto Onward State. It would’ve been better if they took credit right away. (photo via Flickr user audreyjm529) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Jan 2012 23:22

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Culture: Joe Paterno’s memorial service: A strong defense against a grave offense

  • Paterno, remembered: During Thursday’s memorial service, numerous speakers remembered the longtime Penn State figure’s life, and his time as a coach, with great reverence, showing respect for the man at a time when his legacy has been clouded by controversy. Speaker after speaker — family, friends, and disciples — spoke reverently of him, emphasizing a legacy that goes far beyond that of an unspeakable scandal, one that improved many lives and the scope of a university. Perhaps none said it better than Nike chairman Phil Knight: “If there is a villain in this tragedy, it lies in that investigation, and not in Joe Paterno’s response.” Penn State football, under Paterno, was known for its great defense; the defenders came out strong Thursday. source
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Jan 2012 10:52

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Culture: Obviously: People trying to sell free Joe Paterno memorial tickets on eBay

  • 16,000 number of free tickets given out for Joe Paterno’s memorial, which happens this afternoon
  • $98,000 the amount some of the tickets have gone for on eBay — before eBay took the sales down source
  • » Greed over grieving: With Paterno so highly regarded in the Penn State community, it only makes sense that there’s a lot of demand for these tickets. “It took only minutes more for pairs of the tickets to start showing up on eBay,” the Centre Daily Times pointed out. But, thing is, eBay has a rule where you can’t sell tickets you got for free for money. So many of the ticket sales got taken down. Suggestion to all: Don’t sell tickets for a memorial. A guy died. It’s not the Super Bowl. (Thanks Time’s Moneyland for the tip)
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jan 2012 10:13

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U.S.: Penn State: Joe Paterno clears the record in first interview since firing

  • I didn’t know exactly how to handle it and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was. So I backed away and turned it over to some other people, people I thought would have a little more expertise than I did. It didn’t work out that way.
  • Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno • Speaking to the Washington Post’s Sally Jenkins about the situation with Jerry Sandusky — the first interview he’s given since leaving the school. Paterno’s firing (after a 61-year career) came late at night, under rushed circumstances. Since then, Paterno has fought a variety of health issues, including cancer and a broken pelvis, but agreed to the interview in an attempt to clear the record. Among other notable things in the interview: Paterno encouraged Sandusky to retire at an early age because he was spending too much time with the Second Mile foundation at the cost of football; and when told by assistant coach Mike McQueary that something was amiss, he said he “didn’t feel adequate” to deal with the issue, so he handed it off to superiors. And he was lost in terms of handling it further, afraid that he might mess something up by exerting too much influence one way or another. “In hindsight, I wish I had done more,” he said. Officials say that Paterno has no legal liability in the case, and that he worked with officials the whole way through. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Dec 2011 13:42

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U.S.: Penn State witness Mike McQueary describes his handling of incident

  • There’s no question in my mind that I conveyed to (university officials) that I saw Jerry with a boy in the shower and that it was severe sexual acts going on and that it was wrong and over the line.
  • Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary • Describing his handling of the alleged sexual abuse incident involving Jerry Sandusky back in 2002. McQueary made the statements while speaking at the pre-trial hearing for Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, two former Penn State officials charged with covering up Sandusky’s crimes by not acting upon McQueary’s evidence. The assistant coach, currently on leave, emphasized that when he went to the officials, he expected something to be done: “In my mind, that is the police. I want to make that clear.” In regards to the controversy around his handling of the incident, McQueary, who was “shocked” and “horrified” by what happened, said he wasn’t thinking straight in the direct aftermath of seeing Sandusky, but he was sure that the incident was over at the point he left. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Dec 2011 14:06

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U.S.: Sandusky lawyer Joe Amendola inadvertently plugs sex chat line

  • quip Joe Amendola, the defense attorney for former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky, remarked that anybody who believed an account of Sandusky sodomizing a young boy in a gym shower “should call 1-800-REALITY.”
  • oops The punch-line of Amendola’s somewhat unsympathetic joke contained a plug for a service he likely didn’t realize; 1-800-REALITY is a paid, gay sex phone chat line, which bills itself as “the hottest place for triple-X action.” source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

13 Dec 2011 10:20

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U.S.: In tactical move, Jerry Sandusky waives pre-trial hearing

Sandusky’s decision to waive the pre-trial prevents the alleged victims from having to recollect their cases today, but surprised many; some see the decision as a smart tactical move on his lawyer’s part. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

23 Nov 2011 14:50

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U.S.: New allegations against Jerry Sandusky made by family member

  • from bad… Yesterday brought reports that two more allegations of sexual assault had been leveled at former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky. The claims are being investigated by the state’s Children and Youth Services, which means the two accusers are under the age of 18.
  • …to worse Subsequent reporting today suggests that one of the two juvenile accusers is, in fact, a member of the Sandusky family. According to Sandusky’s attorney, Joe Amendola (a dubious choice), the claims were brought forward after his client’s arrest. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 Nov 2011 00:24

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U.S.: Jerry Sandusky’s collateral damage? Why this track coach got fired

Thom Hunter unknowingly coached “Victim one,” who recently dropped out. Hunter lost his job before the scandal broke. Why? He encouraged the boy not to give up on running. School officials decided this entered the friend zone. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Nov 2011 19:35

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U.S.: Alleged Jerry Sandusky victim quits school after getting bullied

  • awful A number of reported victims of alleged child molester Jerry Sandusky were reported to have dealt with various unspeakable things in a grand jury report released a while back.
  • awfuler The first victim on the report, referred to as “Victim One,” has dealt with brutal harassment at his high school due to Penn State coach Joe Paterno’s firing, a result of Sandusky’s arrest.
  • awfulest The student — a senior with just half a year left — had to withdraw from school as a result of the bullying. Protip, teens: It’s not a victim’s fault when a someone gets fired in a cover-up. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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