Why’d ESPN Let Multiple Anonymous Sources Fly on the Owens Story, But Not the Favre One?
ESPN, Media Gossip/Musings, NFL December 12th. 2008, 4:15pm
Hmmmm. A few months back, when Fox Sports reported that Brett Favre had called Lions GM Matt Millen to edcuate Detroit about the Packers offensive strategies, ESPN refused to acknowledge the report, allegedly because it was anonymously sourced. (Surely, you remember this epic DO NOT REPORT edict.)
Yesterday, ESPN’s Ed Werder provided a blockbuster report on the tenuous relationship between Terrell Owens and Tony Romo … and a large portion of the quotes were anonymously sourced. It was surprising to see “anonymous source” in a graphic during Sportscenter. Double standard? Was one story more believable than the other?
Does ombudsman Le Anne Schreiber need to tackle anonymous sourcing in a column?
38 Responses to “Why’d ESPN Let Multiple Anonymous Sources Fly on the Owens Story, But Not the Favre One?”
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December 12th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Fuck both of them.
/Wish they’d both disappear and never return.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Because TO is black?
December 12th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Ed Werder couldn’t identify the source, since he thinks all black people look alike.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
What? On the Owens story, ESPN’s anonymous sources were their own sources.
On the Favre story, they were Glazer’s. They couldn’t confirm them.
Is this for real?
December 12th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Mike NYC owns TBL. And, somewhere, Bernard Berrian rejoices and celebrates the return of his good name.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Romo is racist.
Mole-Im glad we see whats going on here
December 12th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I think Mike’s on the right track with this one. Plus, other newspapers had the same story with, I’m assuming, the same sources. It wasn’t just one (albeit good) reporter breaking the story like with Favre. But it is still something that the ombudsman might clarify, just in case we’re wrong.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Pretty sure they were Cowboys players that wished to remain anonymous.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Yet another TBL post that clearly wasn’t properly thought out.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Diesel-I saw that today.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
It’s all about the numbers, Jay. Why crank out 7 or 8 well thought out and crafted posts, when you can just throw 14 or 16 up there recklessly?
December 12th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
He strikes me as the kind of guy who refers to black people as ‘coloreds’. Southern Illinois is one of the most racist places in the country, it’s like Alabama without any colo… black people.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Terrell Owens will never do what J.J. Stokes did.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
And yes I realize he went to Eastern Illinois, but Charleston is part of Southern Illinois aka everything south of Chicago.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
uh, the Glazer story was true, and ran all over the place. it sent out a memo saying it wouldn’t report on it because of anon sources.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Technically this is true, but EIU is right down the road from the U of I, which is as Central Illinois as it gets. I should know, I was born there.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
/jmorris
December 12th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Moleman is right, though. Once you head south of the suburbs, Illinois is as red state and close minded as it gets. I have relatives who call Asian Orientals. I keep telling them they aren’t rugs, yet it never seems to stick.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
The point is, everyone in Charleston is racist.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
i get it now.. Romo is racist because he attempts to complete a pass to T.O. more than any other person on his team.. it’s all clear now..
December 12th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
it was that long ago? where’s my walker?
December 12th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Wasn’t this the memo:
I don’t see any mention of anonymous reporting in there. I don’t know, just seems like a poor comparison.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I still think that’s a bullshit PC thing. The word fucking means ‘eastern’, we have an ‘Occidental’ college here for fucks sake. Personally I still think we should call them celestials.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Fair opinion. Favre’s story was broken by a guy who owned the Favre beat. Everyone ran with the story. ESPN chose not to because it’s sources (Favre?) told them it wasnt true.
Now ESPN runs with a story about TO-Romo-Witten friction based on anon sources? The DMN and FWST both said that there was a meeting between the WRs and a coach.
FWIW, TO denied the Werder report today.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
This line from his Wikipedia page is great: “Although he is not retired, Stokes last played in the NFL in December 2003 for the New England Patriots.”
Stokes still holding out for that call from the Raiders.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
It’s one thing to go with sources on a coach hiring, or a free agent signing.
This TO fight thing is entirely another. It’s not that I dont believe some of the Owens stuff … im just floor with the aggressive nature in which it was reported. FWIW, i did make this point yesterday in the comments section after the news broke.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Deion Sanders said it wasn’t true last night. Even though he had spoken with nobody within the Cowboys organization, he said it wasn’t true.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
i agree 100%…especially considering this is a complete non-story.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
youngstown-calm down over there
December 12th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Yeah, and I bet Deion says Michael Irvin didn’t stab some dude who wouldn’t get out of the barber’s chair.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Deion Sanders wears a bald cap, he doesn’t count.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
There’s a place in France where the naked ladies dance…
December 12th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Is it time for “Meet the Mets” in Spanish yet?
December 12th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Deion is the most useless analyst. well, after Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith. hmmm……
December 12th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
oh, sanders - look for that syracuse recruiting stuff in the final post. been going through it … so bad.
December 12th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I think you have me mixed up with someone else, TBL. But I look forward to reading it anyhow.
December 12th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
still think that’s a bullshit PC thing. The word fucking means ‘eastern’, we have an ‘Occidental’ college here for fucks sake. Personally I still think we should call them celestials.
I just call them chinks or slopes
/tarbaby
He strikes me as the kind of guy who refers to black people as ‘coloreds’. Southern Illinois is one of the most racist places in the country, it’s like Alabama without any colo… black people.
Those first 18 formative years growing up in milky white Wisconsin just laid the racist foundation, I guess?
December 12th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Well you know he is from Wisconsin so playing in Pittsburgh is like a fall day for him!