Paging Lynn Hoppes ...

I don't think we can really say if we're racist until we know the ethnic background of the Wikipedia writer(s) Hoppes cut-and-pasted from. Can anyone check that?

 

Well, only one way to find out.

From the Albom/Red Smith Award thread in 2010:

From the John Sleeper thread in 2008:

From the Ron Borges thread in 2007:

 

And with that, this thread as well should be a closed case. No more debate.

 

Mike Harris makes a good point. Let it go .... He will be quietly demoted soon, and that will be cause for discussion either way.

 

I can think of three plausible reasons this story seems to have been met with a collective yawn (besides here):

-Lynn Hoppes is not a "journalist," what he passes off is not "journalism," thus taking him to task for violating "journalism ethics" is a case not worth prosecuting.

-Deadspin and/or Gawker touched it first, thereby "salting the earth" for future acts of journalism that might otherwise have followed.

-Niche journalists whose titles are frequently preceded by a qualifier -- say, "TV journalist," "sports journalist," "technology journalist" or "mulleted-dude you send to the Red Carpet for your ESPYs journalist," but certainly not "political journalist" unless you're a "FOX political journalist" -- are a marginalized sub-species not held the same standards as, well, "journalists."

 

I don't think that was the point Mike Harris (not that one) was making at all.

 

Likewise. I saw "firing offense" in those quotes, not "quietly demoted."

 

The problem is that NOTHING has happened. It's baffling and quite frankly embarrassing.

 

Is it possible that nothing has happened because this practice is part of the culture in Mr. Hoppes' workplace? Perhaps for ESPN bloggers, taking shortcuts, ignoring long-standing journalistic norms, etc. is part of the accepted culture. I apologize if this suggestion is offensive to those ESPN types with integrity, but we're just looking for answers. Guy plagiarized, for heaven's sake. Word for word. Repeatedly. How are we to explain to the seriousness of this to young journalists (heck, to sixth graders) when such a high-profile operation reduces the offense to "laziness."

 

Denis Leary's home state continues to be the uncomfortable leader in the clubhouse in fostering/sheltering many of the pacesetters in the long-term Plagero Derby. It's beyond debate. It must be the water.

 

Good point.