Mark Whicker, what were you thinking?

I'll post under my real name. Mark Whicker made a huge mistake. Tim wants accountability. The most troubling thing about Mark Whicker is his responses to criticism of his mistake largely show a person who can't see the depth of his mistake, and instead of humility and accountability, they show defensiveness and an inability to "get it."

The column makes disiplinary action, including his mandatory silence for a time, a judgment call. His responses make it a must.

 

Just for kicks and FYI, I checked back over all 17 pages of this thread to see how many actual, direct calls for firing, suspension, keelhauling, or other other disciplinary measures were made (by different posters), either against Whicker or any desk people/editors.

The result: 12, 13 if you counted one that was very qualified and wishy-washy.

The vast majority of this thread has included shock, lots of benefit of doubt and generous comments and consideration directed at Whicker.

Otherwise, there have been discussions of many valid concerns and interesting topics -- most notably spiking -- and if/how/when/why they come up, and almost all the posts have been cogent, civil and thoughtfully presented. And nobody is posting for giggles, or taking any joy in any of this. Hardly fanboi stuff.

And Mark Whicker's career is not at stake, not by any stretch of the imagination, if the Orange County Register's management uses any thoughtfulness whatsoever in consideration of the matter.

 

At the time, I thought Ryan's punishment was too harsh because I didn't think he meant it literally. When someone says, "I'm going to slap some sense into her" or "Someone should slap her across the face." it's not exactly a threat. It was a very poor choice of words.

If memory serves, I was one of the only people to come to his defense. ;D

 

Yeah, I'm still going to say Ryan's was worse. Even JOKING about domestic violence, or violence against a woman, is a no-no.

Whicker's was a very bad, very offensive, very inexcusable idea. But he didn't say someone should slap Jaycee.

 

Ryan also said it on TV, when you can't edit yourself.

Hey, Jaycee, while you were having your childhood stolen from you, Michael Jordan was winning his sixth ring...

Your oldest child is 15, which means he's never seen Severite beat Mater Dei.

 

Whicker's column caught the attention of the Onion's AV Club

http://www.avclub.com/articles/daily-buzzkills-check-out-the-rape-victim-hook-whi,32759/

In the comments section, someone posted 10 other media angles on the story:

 

Also worth nothing, Whicker has written the hostage/sports moments column before.
Then it was 1991 and Terry Anderson had just been released.

 

Wow.

 

Pointed out about a zillion pages ago, but it does show that this something Whicker might think is funny...

 

Regarding the anonymity stuff, Tim:

Journalists put their names to their stories because they're taking on an outside institution and rely on their organizations to back them up. If they don't, then we can put our names to that and can embarrass the hell out of the alleged journalistic enterprise that's caving in.

SportsJournalists.commers are taking on internal subjects and often their own organizations. It is lunacy to think that, in today's industry climate, that wouldn't be used against some people as rationale to cut costs or as sheer sport. It is a lame attempt to stifle discussion and throw around one's relative weight and job security to dismiss anonymity as undercutting all valid points.

 

The LION'S share of the blame go to Whicker and the sports editor; the issue should have never gotten to the copy desk. The sports editor should have spiked it, or the sports editor should have put something in notes mode saying to the effect that the column was approved. The sports editor should always go out of the way to see what the lead columnist is writing about, and the lead columnist should give a heads-up if the SE doesn't go to him or her first.

With those steps apparently not happening, someone on the desk should have said something, even if it had gotten beaten down in attempts to red-flag Whicker in the past.

 

I sort of agree, Dooley, but a holiday weekend, and in general -- the sports editor isn't going to see every column every time. Whoever's in charge that day had to make a judgment.