Cheap shot foul on dunk temporarily paralyzes Indiana star

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

He's been ejected from a basketball game, not charged with a crime. It's part of reporting the events of the game. I'd publish it.

Just for the record, I'm with Rich. It's just a part of the game. Hell, if you're gonna name a coach that gets tossed...like Lavin t'other night....why not a player?

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by bainsey

Are you telling me that, when you hear of a player getting hurt by a reckless act, you don't want to know who did it?

Nope.

If I live in Kalamazoo, Michigan and a player get's injured in a game in Bethlahem, Pa., I may be curious about the circumstances, but I don't "want to", or "need to," know the 17 yr olds name. Maybe that's just me.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Just for the record, I'm with Rich. It's just a part of the game. Hell, if you're gonna name a coach that gets tossed...like Lavin t'other night....why not a player?

And usually that information is in the box scores; but coaches are adults (by age if not behavior) and high school players (typically) are not.

I'm not really saying you shouldn't publish it, but claiming that it's some sort of journalistic crime to omit the name is just stupid.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by bainsey

Are you telling me that, when you hear of a player getting hurt by a reckless act, you don't want to know who did it?

Yep...that's what I'm telling you.

If I do want to know, I will ask someone who was there. I have no desire to read that in the paper.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by grunewar

Nope.

If I live in Kalamazoo, Michigan and a player get's injured in a game in Bethlahem, Pa., I may be curious about the circumstances, but I don't "want to", or "need to," know the 17 yr olds name. Maybe that's just me.

Right, and even if I lived in Bethlahem, I wouldn't need to know. If I wanted to know, as has been pointed out, I could find out with about 20 seconds of extra keyboard work.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by grunewar

If I live in Kalamazoo, Michigan and a player get's injured in a game in Bethlahem, Pa., I may be curious about the circumstances, but I don't "want to", or "need to," know the 17 yr olds name.

I didn't say anything about age. The question I posed is about flagrant acts, regardless of level.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Apples and potatoes?

Pomme de terre ???

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Pomme de terre ???

Mais oui!

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by bainsey

You folks have missed my point.

When you go to the table to report a technical foul, do you concern yourself with the embarrassment it may cause that player? Of course not. You do your job, and report the facts.

In journalism, it's the same thing. You don't concern yourself with the embarrassment of the principles (with some exceptions of certain crime victims); you merely do your job and report. The only reason one would intentionally omit such information is that uneasy feeling that you may humiliate someone, and that feeling has no place here, no more than it does when we report a foul to the table.

Maybe you meant "principals" which means something completely different, although it is not nearly as humorous in this context.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by RadioBlue

Snaq's is correct. Don't call it shoddy journalism unless you have all the pertinent & relevant facts. You've stated an opinion based on your limited knowledge of the whole story. You're calling the integrity of a newspaper writer into question without knowing all the facts. Perhaps the writer had the kids name in his original story, but the editor yanked it. Do you know?

Would I have had a problem if the story included the fouler's name? Not at all. Just as I don't have a problem with the name being excluded. It really doesn't matter whether the kid's name is in the story, or not.

How often does a newspaper article name a kid who got called for defensive pass interference that led to the game-winning touchdown? How many times have you seen a rightfielder get named when he drops a can-of-corn flyball which led to the winning run in a high school regional?

It's in poor taste to name kids who make mistakes during a contest. While this situation is not your run-of-the-mill foul, nor were the results, I'm not sure it rises to the level where the offender should be named with no if's, and's or but's.

Actually, this is a pretty pertinent factoid. Back when I was a junior in HS, we had to raise our hand if we committed the foul. When I was a senior, it became optional. Why? Because the Fed did not want to have the fouler "embarrassed because he did something wrong". I thought it was stupid then, and still do today. But, it leads to what I and others have pointed out multiple times in this thread. Editorial policy is up to the publishers and editors--not reporters or readers. And if they want to run their business that way, it is fine by me. I have a much greater problem with editorializing masquerading as reporting than I do because some kid's name was left out of a story and some guy on an internet forum is upset about it.

[APG]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

Actually, this is a pretty pertinent factoid. Back when I was a junior in HS, we had to raise our hand if we committed the foul. When I was a senior, it became optional. Why? Because the Fed did not want to have the fouler "embarrassed because he did something wrong".

Which is all pointless when the announcer tells us, "Foul on number 22...*insert name*...his first. Team's 7th. Number 55...*insert name* at the line shooting two."

Then to add more to the "embarrassment" the scoreboard operator (I know this part is going to get CHS' ears up) puts that foul on the board and we a running count of all the "mistakes" every player as made in the game.

Those announcers and scoreboard operators sure are a "mean" bunch.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by bainsey

Yes, really! It's the reporter's job!

The next time you report to the table that Team A gets two free throws, and they ask you which Team B player committed the foul, tell the table it's not a key fact.

I guess there is really only one thing you can do. You are going to have to write to Dear Abby.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by 26 Year Gap

Maybe you meant "principals" which means something completely different, although it is not nearly as humorous in this context.

Good catch, Gap.

Though, I don't know what Dear Abby has to do with this. The most productive thing I could do -- if any -- is simply email the newspaper. Instead, I chose to casually mention it here. That casual nature was lost pretty quickly.

[Dealone]

Regarding the omission of #40's name, I can see reasons on both sides. The player's name matters as important context in the story ie. does #40 have a history of intentional/flagrant fouls ? I am also fine with omitting a juvenile's name as editorial policy. Beyond policy, I would probably have omitted 40's name in this particular case because I think the severe consequences of this intentional foul were accidental and do not merit further punishment or anger focused on a juvenile or his family. Obviously it was a nasty foul but the medical injuries resulted from airborn physics. Outside of the name issue, #40 shoves Etherington on the way up in the dunk (that makes a difference regarding intent). Etherington has a breakaway choice, a two handed full speed slam or an easy layup. Maybe #40, playing in front of a packed home crowd, didn't like the slam option and reacted badly in a regrettable instant. I hope Etherington makes a full recovery and everybody heals from this unfortunate play.

[constable]

I see no reason to omit the kids name. It's a sports story. Up here in Canada we publish the name of all players who get game misconduct penalities in hockey for much more egregious acts than this.

I would hazard a guess that many HS leagues and conferences publish their game sheets and reports online. Why not in the news paper?