NY Times story on UK beatwriter Jerry Tipton

So while BillyT lacks clarity, you're merely a dick

 

It's the Internet. And there's an edit button. And we're professional writers and editors.

Regardless, New York is so wildly dispassionate about college sports that I think there would be many local readers surprised at the idea of the local college sports beat writer gets death threats.

 

I really wasn't trying to be a dick.

 

Reading Dale Carnegie this week, I see.

One of the people least deserving on this site of that sort of vitriol.

 

Love Tipton, and I doubt there's a beat writer more reviled by the fan base. When Cal won his 500th game last year (a total that included his vacated wins at Memphis), Jerry called up the NCAA and said "those don't count." Jerry's lead that night? "Look at it this way, John Calipari gets to celebrate his 500th victory twice" or some such. Hysterical.

 

I enjoyed that story. And I like reading Tipton. A lot of the media coddle UK, but he's not one of them, and it drive UK nuts. They all hate him over there.

I've talked to him a few times, very nice, and I saw him at the mall over Christmas. I wanted to go up to him and ask if he had a death wish, but I'm afraid I' would have gotten hit with a bullet meant for him. I'd say it's hell being his wife and kids knowing how crazy UK fans are. And they are just batshit crazy, you cannot exaggerate how nuts they are.

Like his Sunday notebook pieces, especially when it comes to how much athletics gives back, the Rupp expansion or what the anti-hoops faculty people are doing. Lots of different points of views on athletics.

 

Sure, all beat writers get hate mail, blah-blah-blah, but name me another one with this trifecta:

1. more than three decades on the beat
2. a steadfastness for journalism over fanboyhood all the way along
3. one of the two or three or five or 10 craziest fan bases in the country

The Times story chronicles a remarkable individual, as Times stories often do.

 

There are a couple others out there who fit that description, but not many... It amazes me that he's stayed at the Herald-Leader as long as he has, because one would think that he would have had countless offers to move on.

 

OK, I had lost track of this thread.

Johnny. I apologize. I missed the phrase "Readers of."

I withdraw the comment and motion to adjourn.

 

I didn't think he was a dick at all.

And he's right in what he said.

I lacked reading comprehension.

You lacked class.