USF Takes Weak Stance On Football Field Racial Slurs

[Bullpride08]

Was the article on Walter Walker trying to get rid of the word "news worthy?" What did you think at the time? Did you complain and cry then? I swear I am constantly amazed at this board.

Remember www.southfloridabulls.com 12 years ago? Oh those were the days.

I suppose you're directing that to me.  The Walter Walker story was newsworthy to some, not so much to others.  Same goes for the recent story.  The issue of this thread is how far the "media" takes it in claiming USF is not addressing the issue itself.  USF's decision to address the student-athlete internally is USF's prerogative.  The University is not required to offer some apology to the community or do community work because a player used unacceptable language.

Now, southfloridabulls.com 12 years ago?  No.  It wasn't around.  But what is the point?  Are you inferring that SFB used the same sorts of tactics?  I'd urge you to find any proof of that whatsoever.  SFB was not an editorial site, save for two editorials I wrote, one I remember was about my disdain for Raymond James Stadium (I'm an OCS guy).   Nearly all of SFB was game stories, trivia, polls, images, et cetera.

Let's not try to legitimize the illegitimate by conjuring up some additional fiction.

Sorry Brad that comment wasn't aimed at anyone. Its just amazing to me how many people know what is and what isn't newsworthy when it comes to negative USF press. They must have learned this in the Murrow Institute. None of them were criticizing the Walter Walker story when it came out, now they decry this article because it hurts their USF *******. The way the board members act anymore would be laughable if it weren't so sad.  I can't wait till they shout down Brett at a press conference but then again that at least takes initiative and action not just not so righteous indignation on the internet. I can hardly stomach it anymore.

As far as the southfloridabulls.com reference I meant the usfbulls.com site back when everything was new and only hardcore fans without an agenda or an internet persona to build had fun and shared USF news which was hard to find at the time. Most of those poster have abandoned the internet web sites and have been replaced with . . . hell I don't even know how to describe the posters these days.

You do a great service to USF fans and the university and I never meant anything to be directed at you.

The newsworthiness of this went out the door when a particular player was named, and the reporter used comments not intended for quotation as the centerpiece to his article on making a very strained and isolated point.  It would be akin to you coming into your office this morning, and your computer doesn't work, so you curse at it and call it every name in the book.  A reporter strolling by hears the nonsense coming out of your office and does an article, naming you specifically (however not telling you he's naming you and using your words), and using you, and your morning antics, as a poster-child for violence in the workplace.  Explaining in the article that you typlify the modern workplace and why there are so many violent murderous episodes.   

Tell me would that be fair to you?  This is the same thing, Giddins is quoted in a very heated football moment, and probably his quotes were purely instinctive and not intentional, and quite possibly not an example of a greater 'issue' or problem existing at USF.  To suggest a racial issue then more examples need to be cited, and a few direct quotes from qualitative individuals associated with USF, and that follow racism in the country.   Asking Genshaft about this situation, and then using her deflection to comment as illustrating insensitivity, is poor reporting.  How can a connection be made like that from such a weak example, and no illustrations or additional support.  If you're going to claim a systemic issue then a bit more needs to be provide to be determined, and particularly before one begins to editorialize it and villify USF for their actions or lackthereof.  I see nothing that has occurred, other than a particular football player on the football field said a naughty word, and directed a racial slur at a player who commonly wouldn't find offense to it, during a heated physical exchange?  That issue equates to usually detention or soap in mouth as an adolescent and now BMM is suggesting a University investigation into the matter is necessitated?  Why are we wrong to scratch our heads and wonder why 1+1=3 with this report?  If Leavitt made him run laps or gave him a stearn talking to after practice isn't that enough?  Does such action need to be addressed with the media, particularly after the media had already humiliated the young man enough?  From Tom's article you'd guess that he and BMM would believe some type of public flogging is in order.  Since there opinion of punishment doesn't come close to fitting the crime one must question their motivation?  Why the death penalty in a shoplifting case?

BMM, and his crony took these heated, instictive comments and made them into a racial issue, indirectly insinuating Giddin's lacks racial sensitivity and USF lacking racial intolerance.  How is one suppose to gleen from those comments by Giddins there is a racial issue, any more than that person angry at his computer is symbolic of a systemic issue with violence in the workplace.

To many degrees of separation, and presumption had to occur with what Tom, and BMM tried to pass off as journalistic. 

Was it negative?  Certainly, but that isn't the issue, I am very angered you would act so contrite and presume many fans are only upset because of the negative light it casts on USF.  Many fans on this site are highly critical of USF, in many cases to a fault, however most could see the issues with this aspect of reporting and the motivation behind it.   There is an issue when a reporter tries to insinuate, or loosely connect an isolated incident on campus to a greater American wide issue, and claim systemic problems existing at USF.  I need more beef then a heated exchange on a football field, where a black player is saying a racial slur to a player that normally wouldn't take offense to it since he the slur doesn't describe him or his race.  I am all for tarring and feathering USF if an injustice occurred, and I know all to many on this board are willing as well...it's just I haven't seen anything, and this article is suggesting such a thing has occurred.

BTW, naming the player in the original blog entry was tasteless by a reporter to begin with before this Tom guy went on his ignorant crusade.  The point could have been made without embarrassing a particular 18 year old, especially considering BMM knows by now his comments are not isolated with just this one player on a football field (it isn't BMM's first rodeo).  If he wanted to prove a point, and cite Walt Walker, then by all means but leave the player's name out of it.  To name someone like that, using comments overheard, and not requesting to quote them, has more underlying intentions behind it, particularly when we all know and agree the point could have still be made without stating the player and generalizing.  Then he and Tom would have had a point, and could have used some journalistic latitude.