Steve Gorten is Hardly a Journalist
by Jonathan Franz on Sep 8, 2010 11:59 PM CDT
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By now you've probably seen this provocatively-titled article, written by Steve Gorten at the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The jist is that Mr. Gorten believes "The Horseshoe is hardly hostile."
As he opines, "The Horseshoe doesn’t come close to The Swamp in Gainesville or Neyland Stadium in Knoxville or a night game at LSU. Those places create a home-field advantage that makes a difference. In conference, Virginia Tech and Clemson are tougher places to play than The Horseshoe. FSU, for a Miami game, is too."
It's an interesting take. The problem? Steve Gorten has never been to Ohio Stadium.
Of course he doesn't mention this anywhere in his 381 word manifesto. Scroll down deep into the comments to find the concession: "No I haven’t been to the Horseshoe before..."
I'm not sharing this to rebut Mr. Gorten's assertion that the Horseshoe is "over glamorized," but because I'm appalled at his lack of judgment. Here is a "professional journalist" on the payroll of a major media syndicate making guesswork out of reporting. Worse yet, Gorten doesn't appear to think there's anything wrong with "making stuff up."
Sure, the article isn't pulled entirely out of thin air. Gorten highlights what five Miami players had to say about playing in the Horseshoe. The problem? Their statements discredit his argument.
After admitting that he's been to a game in the Shoe, Colin McCarthy offers that "it's a crazy atmosphere." Marcus Forston mentions that "I’ve heard it’s a loud stadium." Jacory Harris is "pretty sure it is going to be crazy."
What does Mr. Gorten make of this? He surmises that the stadium "isn’t intimidating...[n]or is it much of a hostile environment." How's that for reading between the lines?
But wait, Gorten protests. It's just an opinion.
No, an online forum isn't a courtroom, but the same standard should apply to professional journalists. After all, the pen is mightier than the sword, and the media's self-sanctioned commitment to impartial fact-finding is one of the few information safeguards in our Constitutional Democracy.
Was Gorten's guess really that big of deal? No. But his hubris exposes a greater shortcoming in electronic media. We as bloggers have the power to say anything. That makes it all the more important that we speak in context.
Congratulations Mr. Gorten. You intended to stir the pot and you succeeded wildly. But I can't help but feel when the hits retreat you'll be left feeling a sense of professional remorse.
Your article was stupid at best and reckless at worse.
But that's just my opinion...
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The Swamp
was so effective, it stifled the home team’s offense for four quarters. No other stadium can claim that distinction, aside from Beaver Stadium 2004, but that had more to do with the utterly hopeless offense than anything else…
Look, Gorten. You want an intimidating venue? Come to Camp Randall and see how well the Hurricanes perform in the low 30s of November. Florida teams will not take that risk. Ever.
If Ohio Stadium turns out to be fairly cold this weekend, Miami’s going to need space heaters, double long sleeves, and ice spikes on their cleats…
Can Abbrederis shoot the long three and effectively distribute the ball to his big men?
"Because one of the great minds of the 21st century is raising glow-in-the-dark fish and weaving serapes..." -Leonard Hofstadter from The Big Bang Theory
For all the crap we give Wil Wheaton, he can still tackle better than Asante Samuel...
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Sep 9, 2010 12:11 AM CDT reply actions
November?
Hell, come up now. Last night I think it dipped into the 50s in Chicago……which is pretty much frostbite conditions for the Hurricanes.
Get your sideline heaters out...
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Sep 9, 2010 8:43 AM CDT up reply actions
Forget the sideline heaters
Let them suffer in misery.
I’d just love it if the lake effect snow misplaced itself over Columbus on saturday. Good luck getting a single first down, Miami.
It might look something like this game: http://www.nfl.com/videos/indianapolis-colts/09000d5d803c9624/2004-Divisional-Colts-vs-Patriots
Can Abbrederis shoot the long three and effectively distribute the ball to his big men?
"Because one of the great minds of the 21st century is raising glow-in-the-dark fish and weaving serapes..." -Leonard Hofstadter from The Big Bang Theory
For all the crap we give Wil Wheaton, he can still tackle better than Asante Samuel...
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Sep 9, 2010 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions
Did you see last year's Orange Bowl?
It was 50, all GT fans were wearing huge coats while half the Iowa fans were in t-shirts. People from the south have no idea what the definition of cold is
"I shoot, I score. He shoots, I score." - Dan Gable
by ClaybornSmash on Sep 9, 2010 5:35 PM CDT up reply actions
in california
it’s common to see a woman wearing short shorts, ugg boots and a down coat when it’s 50.
not that i’m complaining about short shorts…. but come on…
When asked why he went for 5, Tate responded "..because I couldn't go for 6...".
http://www.insidetheshoe.com/
by SouthBayBuckeye on Sep 9, 2010 8:47 PM CDT up reply actions
Well I went to the Big Ten school with the most prominent J School
but I was a CS major. So… want me to DoS his site?
Reality has a little-known Northwestern bias
NU prez knows how to get PUMPED
yes?
Off Tackle Empire
The quintessential Big Ten smoking room.
by Graham Filler on Sep 9, 2010 7:35 AM CDT up reply actions
My Best Guess.....
Is he was talking to Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson who assured him that most OSU fans would be boarding their doors, boarding their windows, because they got an all day long pack your lunch sweater vest ass kicking, hurricane style and so consequently would not be there to cheer on the buckeyes…..
and I have been assured that the reason I dont understand this is because its a U thing.
Hey Buckeyes? I dont normally ask this…. but…
can you hit those guys so freakin hard their fans go home black and blue?
Yeah…..Thanks….
steps down off the soap box
The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.
Joe Paterno
Ease off the guy
if there’s one person who knows from un-intimidating home crowds and a complete lack of crowd noise, it is a Miami fan.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
by HoyaGoon on Sep 9, 2010 1:16 AM CDT reply actions 7 recs
Rec'd
Visit Inside The Shoe
The Buckeye blog for every fan!
by Ian_InsideTheShoe on Sep 9, 2010 5:40 AM CDT up reply actions
This is very true
Miami’s home crowds are quite pathetic. The only sellout I’ve been to was last year against Oklahoma.
A futile crusade to prevent mass ignorance
HammerAndRails, SBNation's Boilermaker Blog
From Mrs. T-Mill, a Miami alum
“Ohio State sells out if they’re playing Sisters of the Poor and Blind. Miami barely fills up for conference games.”
A futile crusade to prevent mass ignorance
HammerAndRails, SBNation's Boilermaker Blog
Their last sellout
might have been before the 2004 season.
After that, their “home-field advantage” markedly decreased in value.
The Hurricanes still have never won a football game in Chapel Hill, NC.
Can Abbrederis shoot the long three and effectively distribute the ball to his big men?
"Because one of the great minds of the 21st century is raising glow-in-the-dark fish and weaving serapes..." -Leonard Hofstadter from The Big Bang Theory
For all the crap we give Wil Wheaton, he can still tackle better than Asante Samuel...
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Sep 9, 2010 9:57 AM CDT up reply actions
First of all
I agree with Hoya..
2nd, There have been a couple of people to go to the major stadiums, and they have always said that Ohio State is in the top three. ALWAYS.
I really hope Ohio State and co. take this to heart, including the fans..because this is just stupid stupid writing. Obviously it was a way to drive traffic from Buckeye fans, to make us look like trolls, and then call us stupid when we win/lose later.
Visit Inside The Shoe
The Buckeye blog for every fan!
by Ian_InsideTheShoe on Sep 9, 2010 5:42 AM CDT reply actions
Virginia Tech and Clemson?!
And weren’t there 15,000 empty seats for FSU’s opener? That’s real intimidating.
Ever Grateful. Ever True.
Here's the problem....
….he could have made a somewhat valid point by telling the truth — The Shoe is a very intimidating and loud place to play, but these Hurricanes have some experience playing in similarly (albeit in my opinion still less) loud/hostile environments, such as The Swamp, FSU’s stadium, Texas A&M’s field, Death Valley, etc….
Instead, because he’s a moron wanting to stir up discussion and controversy, he lies (that’s what it is when you speak without any personal knowledge and end up being wrong)…..and hands the Buckeyes and their crowd a HUGE talking point.
Buckeyes by 20. At least.
Meh
It’s one jackoff at a southern newspaper. Next we are going to be screaming because someone wrote the Big Ten is slow.
I get it, the horseshoe is loud (having went to the Iowa game last year I can certainly attest to that) and this guy is an ass clown. Don’t bother giving idiots more attention because it is really the only reason people post this kind of garbage.
http://victorypolka.blogspot.com/
Dying medium + No talent = sensationalist garbage in a vain attempt to maintain a paycheck
I’d be fired up over this garbage, but it’s too ridiculous to even warrant a “meh”.
by The Iron Colonel on Sep 9, 2010 8:41 AM CDT reply actions
If only this were just a sports reporter problem
Unfortunately the same second-hand, spin it whatever way I want, both-sides-have-a-point, lets play up the horse race angle dominates reportage of news that’s actually important. Not that sports isn’t fun to follow but these days the fourth estate reports on actual wars and stuff this way. Nobody can be bothered to learn the facts before they write the article, they just write what they think people want to hear.
What about the catchall hearsay exception?
Come to think of it, that wouldn’t apply. Total garbage of an article.
at least he didn't site the infamous "sources" a la eSECpn
When asked why he went for 5, Tate responded "..because I couldn't go for 6...".
http://www.insidetheshoe.com/
by SouthBayBuckeye on Sep 9, 2010 11:22 AM CDT up reply actions
Florida's offense was so amazing
that they earned a signature change from me!
The Swamp's home field advantage is so devastating, it stifled the Florida offense as well as the other team's...
"Because one of the great minds of the 21st century is raising glow-in-the-dark fish and weaving serapes..." -Leonard Hofstadter from The Big Bang Theory
For all the crap we give Wil Wheaton, he can still tackle better than Asante Samuel...
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Sep 9, 2010 4:15 PM CDT reply actions
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