LeBatard column on the media

[jaredk]

In the last 15 years, according to a piece this week by Dan's colleague, Linda Robertson, 8 U of Miami football players have died violently: 3 shot, 1 beaten to death, 4 in car wrecks.

But Dan thinks the media shouldn't wonder why these things keep happening.

http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/football/story/324931.html

Seems to me, if a columnist is bothered by media reports that he believes say nothing concrete, the last thing he should write is another column that says nothing concrete. Go do some reporting. Tell me why there has been no arrest in the murder of a Miami player last year. Tell me why I should ignore the fact that Taylor's car was riddled by gunfire that left 27 shell casings in the street. Go interview the kid Taylor jacked up preceding that drive-by message, ask the kid if he's a suspect. (Local CBS TV did that.) Talk to some Taylor neighbors. Walk the street at 1 in the morning, tell me what it sounds like. Do something that Edna Buchanan would be proud of. Then write.

Or just take the day off.

 

[dooley_womack1]

What do car wrecks have to do with the repute of a program? And many athletes from big-time programs came from rough neighborhoods; we know that without Lebatard having to pull a Jane Byrne. It's not just a Miami thing. Robertson didn't seem to provide much that LeBatard had to really knock down.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Dan has his tin drum
Whitlock has his.
I hate the opinion culture of this business sometimes.

 

[Thanks for comin' out]

"I don't know how anyone could lack so much compassion that they would somehow blame a city or school or culture to this awfulness, as if a city or school or culture could possibly deserve something that brings this kind of sobbing and wailing."

Maybe Dan didn't ask Antrell Rolle - one of Taylor's actual friends - about this.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Why do people believe Rolle more than they believe the Miami cops?

 

[playthrough]

The reports I have seen and read have not "blamed" anyone as he believes, but I think they have provided context. Read the SI piece this week on Vick, that's very good journalism that (sadly) might be applicable here.

Plus, I don't need an ESPN talking head telling me that the talking heads are out of line.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

If there's a "might" in there, then it's not applicable.
Your talking-head point is a good one, though.

 

[Thanks for comin' out]

Why do people believe Rolle more than they believe the Miami cops?

Why do people believe Dan or Fenian more than Antrell Rolle? If one of your friends died, wouldn't you probably have a better - at least a rough - idea of what was going on with that person?

 

[Ace]

Bottom line is that in some places Miami is a dangerous city. It's not just for decoration that lots of modest, block homes have iron bars on the windows.

And if the University of Miami has a thug reputation it brought that on itself.

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

Why do people believe Rolle more than they believe the Miami cops?

Why do people believe Dan or Fenian more than Antrell Rolle? If one of your friends died, wouldn't you probably have a better - at least a rough - idea of what was going on with that person?

Plus... their fathers are/were both cops. He knows plenty, Antrel Rolle.

 

[hondo]

Bottom line is that in some places Miami is a dangerous city. It's not just for decoration that lots of modest, block homes have iron bars on the windows.

And if the University of Miami has a thug reputation it brought that on itself.

Ace and I are in agreement. Two many UM players, past and present, have died or been involved in too many incidents, to not come to the rational conclusion that there has been a pervasive, dark culture of some sort within the program. Did Sean Taylor bring his death on himself? Absolutely not, from all we know at this point. But neither did he lead the life of a choir boy. I hope Randy Shannon roots it out.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

Bottom line is that in some places Miami is a dangerous city. It's not just for decoration that lots of modest, block homes have iron bars on the windows.

And if the University of Miami has a thug reputation it brought that on itself.

. . . and DLB's being deliberately obtuse, which is nothing new, in this neighborhood . . .