Role models in this biz

To me, it's the guys with common sense and will speak their mind. Not everyone would agree (and not wanting to take this into another tangent), but that includes guys like Whitlock. The Freep's prep guy, Mick McCabe, is one and people like former Toledo Blade writer Dave Woolford and ex-Oakland Press SE Keith Langlois are others.

And as much as I give him shit here, John is another.

 

Whitlock and Bob Ryan are another two who I would put on this list and I am aware that both have been suspended at points during their careers...

 

I appreciate the kind words from some folks on this thread. It really is nice to hear.

As for the less kind: I like dealing in truth, which is why I only post under my name. So let's cut the bullshit "rumors" reference to what happened with me 10 years ago at The C-J. Here's the deal, if I can condense a pretty complex issue to a few sentences:

Over a period of years, the newspaper was investigating major NCAA violations within the University of Louisville basketball program. I had helped out in the investigation, which ended with the program going on probation. Then we got word of some additional violations and the story was handed off to our excellent investigative staff. They worked the heck out of it and produced some good stuff, but couldn't nail down all the information. Some of that information was passed on directly to me. I, in turn, passed it along to our investigative folks -- and when some of it could not be verified, I passed it along to an NCAA source I had known to see if it was true. Hoping that it would come back to us and we'd get the story. Instead, the NCAA presented it to the university and said it came from me, which the university then took to the paper.

So I violated a serious tenet about taking in-house information out of house. Got suspended for two weeks and did not write a column for a few months. Some co-workers thought the punishment too severe, some thought it not severe enough. I had no problem with the decision and thought I was dealt with fairly by the executive editor, Bennie Ivory. It was a difficult time, including receiving death threats on my kids, by name, in un-stamped envelopes in my home mailbox. But I learned from it and got through it with the help of very supportive peers and superiors at The C-J. In the 10 years on the job before and 10 years after I have never again had my ethics called into question.

I don't know what "rumors" you've heard, but those are the facts.

 

I'd say that settles things nicely. Thanks, Pat.

 

We need to archive that post for the next 300 times someone cites a rumor he heard from someone who heard it from someone who read it on a message board.

Anyone can make a big mistake. Not everyone can recover. Good to hear the story directly.

 

My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it's pretty serious.

 

Thank you, Simone.

 

no problem whatsoever.

 

Ed Graney was very good to me on my first year on the college hoop beat in that part of the world. As such I've always had a great deal of respect for him, and I was thrilled to see he got an APSE for column writing earlier this year.

Jeff Caplan is another one who taught me a great deal early in my career. He's doing great work in Fort Worth now.

 

I've been in this business a long time. Known Pat a long time. Never heard that story. Doesn't change my opinion of him one bit. I'm not even sure he made a mistake, sounds like he was trying to confirm some information for a big story.
Hell, even if it was the biggest mistake a man can make, I'm proud to call him a friend. And a role model. If every young person coming into the business turns out like Pat - even with mistakes - the future of the business is in good shape.

 

Great call. I was doing a project on Red Smith in my first year away at college and I called the Times to see if I could speak with Dave. Imagine how surprised I was to pick up the phone at 4 pm on a Friday afternoon and hear "Hi this is Dave Anderson." Gave me all the time I needed and then some.