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Kirk Wessler/Journalistic Standards

tornado

tornado

New member
In his column today, Kirk Wessler says that Mike Suggs was sent packing because of failed drug tests.
"Mike Suggs and Ray Brown were ultimately kicked off the team for failing drug tests."
http://www.pjstar.com/stories/030208/KIR_BFUFGO12.075.php

Well.....in saying so, is this fair??
Does he have a reference he can quote?
Because Bradley has never said this and really it is not true.
First....the school has never issues a release saying anything about Mike Suggs' drug tests. Plus, even a failed drug test doesn't mean a kid is dismissed, and in this case, Suggs left on his own and transferred, but would have been able to stay with the team.
AND if he did fail a drug test (and I won't speak to it because there are no viable sources to this effect) he can still comply with the set standard actions for this situation and be reinstated.

So I call on KW to explain this.
 
bu fan 9 said:
I don't understand why KW even wrote todays story.
Click to expand...

Because any chance he can get to rip on Les, he does. Notice how you rarely see a Wessler article after a BU win. The fact that the website guy said Les should be fired is bad enough, but for KW to bring it up again shows you his intentions. Especially considering he didn't disagree.
 
Don't Buy the PJS!

Don't Buy the PJS!

If more people stop buying and reading this drivel then it will go away! When something causes me pain I stop and take care of whatever the root problem is!

Don't buy the PJS!
 
How many people actually believe his opening comments?

The first time the question was put to me last week, I was mildly startled. Then I heard it again. And again.
Do you think Bradley is running a renegade basketball program?

Does anyone really believe person after person ... again and again (the poor guy was litererally being mobbed) ... was coming up to KW and asking this question? If you believe it, then God help you as you go through life because you are a lamb-like in your trust of fools.

Since KW said the answer to the oft-repeated question is "no." then if Wessler has a shred of professional integrity, he will directly contact Kyle Whelliston and explain why Whelliston had erred in his column. After all, the two KWs are part of the same professional group of sports writers and there is some obligation to set the record straight between the members of the fraternity.
 
If President Glasser wants to improve the university's relationship with the community, she should pick up the phone, call the CEO & Publisher of the PJS, and ask what the **** is going on at that paper. Has the PJS decided to become a wedge in the Peoria community?
 
bu fan 9 said:
I don't understand why KW even wrote todays story.
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I don't either. Kirk should be the Jerk, again, in his next Kirks and Jerks award. Maybe he had a 'Six Pack' before he wrote it. I'm starting to go along with a lot of you regarding the PJS. But for now I'll keep loging on because it's my only source of information (quotes).
 
Pretending these problems don't exist with college athletes and doing NOTHING about or covering the one's that get caught define a "Renegade" program to me.

Renegade programs don't graduate (BU DOES!) and don't care about their players future. BU players regularly stay in the community and stay around the program because they all know hom much we ALL care for them.

One is free to be upset about the issues surrounding our team but IMO we are FAR from being a "Renegade" program, please.

JL has NEVER been afraid to suspend a player if a problem arose. If someone can come up with a situation were there hasn't been punishment issued I would challenge do so.

As to KW hearing "talk of our Renegade program again and again," minus searching the outerreaches of the internet IMO he is delusional.

He is simply lookin for an angle for a column on this topic and he found it.
 
Dallas Brave said:
How many people actually believe his opening comments?

The first time the question was put to me last week, I was mildly startled. Then I heard it again. And again.
Do you think Bradley is running a renegade basketball program?

Does anyone really believe person after person ... again and again (the poor guy was litererally being mobbed) ... was coming up to KW and asking this question? If you believe it, then God help you as you go through life because you are a lamb-like in your trust of fools.

Since KW said the answer to the oft-repeated question is "no." then if Wessler has a shred of professional integrity, he will directly contact Kyle Whelliston and explain why Whelliston had erred in his column. After all, the two KWs are part of the same professional group of sports writers and there is some obligation to set the record straight between the members of the fraternity.
Click to expand...
That is a very contrived statement to say the least. But then again, look where Wessler works!:( I am not going to hold my breath for Krik to call Whelliston either.
 
daPAWW1 said:
If more people stop buying and reading this drivel then it will go away! When something causes me pain I stop and take care of whatever the root problem is!

Don't buy the PJS!
Click to expand...


I'll give Wessler this much. He did commend Les for doing the right thing in the Ruffin situation. But he then offsets that comment with the "poor perception" statement at the very end of his column. So I'm not sure what his intentions are, but I'd question where all of these Bradley "dissenters" are coming from.

And agreed about not supporting these newspapers, with one additional comment. People should stop reading the online version as well, which I just did unfortunately. But maybe from now on I'll think twice before reading a KW article again.
 
daPAWW1 said:
If more people stop buying and reading this drivel then it will go away! When something causes me pain I stop and take care of whatever the root problem is!

Don't buy the PJS!
Click to expand...

I know where you are coming from but should comments made in the PJS go unchecked or unchallanged? From my personal experience with a local topic that was reported incorrectly, I dont think so.


and fwiw.. I dont buy the local rag. I will read the PJS at work where I can get a copy of the paper to read for FREE!:razz:
 
Dallas Brave said:
If President Glasser wants to improve the university's relationship with the community, she should pick up the phone, call the CEO & Publisher of the PJS, and ask what the **** is going on at that paper. Has the PJS decided to become a wedge in the Peoria community?
Click to expand...

Agree with your point Dallas, but disagree with the solution.

She could try that, but I wouldnt rely on the PJS for a solution to a BU concern. I think the solution is a political one that is well within reach between the President,the University, and the Athletic Department. I hope all parties addess this during the summer.

To quote an old saying: "There is more than one way to skin a cat.";)
 
He didn't commend Glasser, he only said he'd be willing to accept the actions she took.

Plus, I checked with a medical authority, and by commenting publicly on a drug test taken by a private individual....
unless there is a signed authorization from Mike Suggs himself, then it may have violated the strict Federal Medical Privacy Act (the HIPPA Law) to publicize this.
The reason this doesn't apply to the Ray Brown situation is that the university, to whom Brown already yielded such authority, had already made those results known, making such information public.
BUT not so in the case with Suggs, since no public release of such a test result was ever made, and I know of no announcement of the reason Suggs left or the cause, except for the same rumors that existed.
On Nov. 18, 2004, Dave Reynolds called Mike Suggs transfer "VOLUNTARY".

"...voluntary exodus of talent from The Hilltop beginning with Ben Coupet in '96 and ending with Mike Suggs this fall"
http://www.pjstar.com/sports/ssections/2004/hoops/111804/HOO_B4MDHA5T.071.shtml
 
daPAWW1 said:
If more people stop buying and reading this drivel then it will go away! When something causes me pain I stop and take care of whatever the root problem is!

Don't buy the PJS!
Click to expand...

daPAWW1 has it right! Also add to this is, do not open up their articles on the web! We can complain until we are red in the face but all they will do is go back to the companies that advertise on their paper and on-line site and show them the stats. If no one buys or opens said site do you think they'll get the same advertising dollars. As the dollars shrink from their section guess what happens? Two things, they get canned or they start changing their tune in order to be able to market the rag to more people. As long as you buy the paper and click on their columns please do not complain anymore, you are only helping their cause. I get all I need about Bradley from this site, Jim Les live and BUBraves.
 
BU RICK said:
Every newspaper in the world has Kirks and Jerks working for it. I'm still going to log on to it beacuse they have other writers that are good and I like to read about womens sports, HS sports, baseball, etc.. I like the quotes that Dave puts up. When BradleyFans gets a reporter to put up quotes from the coach and players after the game, I might reconsider. I thought a site only makes money if you click on the add, none of the adds pertain to my region so I don't click on any of them, am I right or wrong on this?
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They measure both traffic and clicks to each page. You do not have to stop going to PJS web-site to have an impact just do not click on those links to the journalist you want to boycott. I'm going to just boycott the whole site which has a bigger impact on them as a whole.

There's journalist in my local pub that I do not bother clicking on, not because I disagree with their point of view it's that their writing skills for the proffesion is just terrible. There are so many different mediums out there we can chose who and where we want to get our new from. I do not have time to read hacks!
 
tornado said:
He didn't commend Glasser, he only said he'd be willing to accept the actions she took.

Plus, I checked with a medical authority, and by commenting publicly on a drug test taken by a private individual....
unless there is a signed authorization from Mike Suggs himself, then it may have violated the strict Federal Medical Privacy Act (the HIPPA Law) to publicize this.
The reason this doesn't apply to the Ray Brown situation is that the university, to whom Brown already yielded such authority, had already made those results known, making such information public.
BUT not so in the case with Suggs, since no public release of such a test result was ever made, and I know of no announcement of the reason Suggs left or the cause, except for the same rumors that existed.
On Nov. 18, 2004, Dave Reynolds called Mike Suggs transfer "VOLUNTARY".

"...voluntary exodus of talent from The Hilltop beginning with Ben Coupet in '96 and ending with Mike Suggs this fall"
http://www.pjstar.com/sports/ssections/2004/hoops/111804/HOO_B4MDHA5T.071.shtml
Click to expand...


Your medical friend would be right except that HIPPA does not apply to journalists at all. Only doctors, nurses and other health care providers.
 
I have never said KW is subject to the HIPPA law, but the publication of such information as is covered by the law,
would REQUIRE that someone violate the law, since otherwise the info MUST REMAIN confidential and is not to be released publicly.
http://www.hipaa.samhsa.gov/Part2Applicability.htm

Are you saying it IS within journalistic standards to release private medical information that if even a journalist gets his hands on it without Suggs' express permission constitutes a violation?

Did you not note this...in fact they did it TWICE recently in a two day span!
http://www.pjstar.com/stories/022308/TRI_BFS3Q3HA.061.php
http://www.pjstar.com/stories/022108/TRI_BFRG0PO0.057.php

The City of Peoria just a few days ago improperly released sensitive, private information - health related info, and specifically asked the Journal Star not to release it, and profusely apologized for doing so.
This kind of thing is standard in the journalistic industry, that they occasionally will get access to private info, but they are generally responsible and don't make it public.
So why was Suggs' drug test made public? Have you seen that report or confirmation of it being positive anywhere up 'til now??
 
Lakeview Brave said:
Your medical friend would be right except that HIPPA does not apply to journalists at all. Only doctors, nurses and other health care providers.
Click to expand...

Your not entirely correct.... The HIPAA act is all inclusive to anyone who treated, or has record of the patients PHI (Protected Health Information). This includes Doctors, Nurses, Insurance agencies, Schools, and any other entity that may have your health information. If the journalist had permission to view the PHI, he still would HAVE to receive written permission to publish anything out of it. If this permission was not gained, he violated the HIPAA act.
 
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