I signed it. I couldn't believe how inappropriate and insensitive his article was.
Others have been fired for much less. While all of Redskins nation mourns the lose of Sean Taylor....these guys want us to think we shouldn't be surprised and he probably had it coming.
Sheesh.....we got more support from Cowboys fans then these two $@%# who write for the Washington Post.
Signed. I wish I could sign twice. I have also decided to never read the online or print version of the Washington Post EVER again.
When I lived in the area as a child, I could hardly wait to read the entire paper on Sunday morning, especially the sports page.
Sadly, the presence of washed-up media whores such as Shapiro and Wilbon have made that pleasure a dim memory.
I'm amazed that they thought we'd allow their callous, inhumane attempts at journalism pass without comment.
This is a perfect example of cowardice in journalism.
"No one played with more heart."
-Clinton Portis on Sean Taylor
As of 11/27/07, I resolve to never again read any version of the Washington Post.
absinthe1023 wrote:Signed. I wish I could sign twice. I have also decided to never read the online or print version of the Washington Post EVER again. When I lived in the area as a child, I could hardly wait to read the entire paper on Sunday morning, especially the sports page. Sadly, the presence of washed-up media whores such as Shapiro and Wilbon have made that pleasure a dim memory. I'm amazed that they thought we'd allow their callous, inhumane attempts at journalism pass without comment. This is a perfect example of cowardice in journalism.
I agree with how horrible it is, but i wouldnt go as far as to say never to read the post ever again........
There are only two teams I root for in the NFL. The Skins, and whoever is playing Dallas.
It's okay that we drafted a Landry. After this season, the crygirls will have a new association with that name.
absinthe1023 wrote:Signed. I wish I could sign twice. I have also decided to never read the online or print version of the Washington Post EVER again. When I lived in the area as a child, I could hardly wait to read the entire paper on Sunday morning, especially the sports page. Sadly, the presence of washed-up media whores such as Shapiro and Wilbon have made that pleasure a dim memory. I'm amazed that they thought we'd allow their callous, inhumane attempts at journalism pass without comment. This is a perfect example of cowardice in journalism.
I agree with how horrible it is, but i wouldnt go as far as to say never to read the post ever again........
To each his own, of course. I've been displeased with their form of journalism as a whole for quite some time now. This is the sequoia log that broke the camel's back, I suppose.
With so many other sources available in print and online, I know I won't miss it in the least.
"No one played with more heart."
-Clinton Portis on Sean Taylor
As of 11/27/07, I resolve to never again read any version of the Washington Post.
absinthe1023 wrote:Signed. I wish I could sign twice. I have also decided to never read the online or print version of the Washington Post EVER again. When I lived in the area as a child, I could hardly wait to read the entire paper on Sunday morning, especially the sports page. Sadly, the presence of washed-up media whores such as Shapiro and Wilbon have made that pleasure a dim memory. I'm amazed that they thought we'd allow their callous, inhumane attempts at journalism pass without comment. This is a perfect example of cowardice in journalism.
I see where you're coming from, but if you look at the overall coverage of Sean's murder by the Post, most of the coverage has been fair. I posted an article in the USA Today thread that I thought was fair to Sean and attempted to shed some light on Sean the person and not just the player. But you're right about Shapiro being a media whore. The guy is an absolute disgrace and he should be dealt with harshly by the Post.
I just went to the Post website and read Wilbon's column. I didn't see anything from Shapiro. I didn't see anything objectionable to anything Wilbon had to say. He was just telling it like it is, and if Sean had the benefit of hindsight, I suppose he would probably agree.
Wilbon was right. Escaping the hood is difficult. It wasn't a good idea for Sean to stay in Miami -- especially if he had to sleep with a machete in the bedroom.
It's an emotional time right now. And this is just how things go sometimes. Whenever you have a tragedy such as this one, there are some things that are going to be said that may not be what people want to here right now.
These guys are entitled to their opinions. Whether they are right, maybe? Whether they are wrong, maybe? Wilbon touched on something that is prevelant in the African-American community especially with athletes. If you look at the trouble that alot of african-american athletes in the various sports have been in over the years, you will see a similar pattern of it being associated with "the hood" or those individuals from the hood.
Also look at how impressionable these guys are at a young age. Sudden fame, wealth, etc. It's alot for many of them to deal with and it's hard for them to disassociated themselves from those things in "the hood" just like that. Plus, the individuals in which they are involved with or get into altercations with don't care about what's right. Apparently someone at some time had a run-in with Sean and felt that they needed to get back at him by shooting him. It doesn't matter that Sean has matured, gotten past those things from his past and has turned his life around. Those individuals or that individual didn't care about that. All they saw was revenge or whatever and acted on it.
All Wilbon was saying is that those things from the past may have caught up with Sean. Should Wilbon be fired? That's not up to me to decide or make the final decision on. As insensitive as some may feel his comments were, it's his right in this country to free speech, like it or not. Those that have been around crime or the "criminal element" so to speak probably have a clearer understanding of what Wilbon is saying and how things from your past can creep up on you. IMO, it was retaliation for the ATV incident which happened several years ago. Since that incident, Sean has appeared to turn a corner in his life and put that stuff behind him. Unfortunately, it appears to have followed and wouldn't let him go....
Sean Taylor - 1983-2007 R.I.P.... Forever A Skin.....
Who do you think edited and published the articles and chat in question?
The Post knows how 'controversial' their pieces were - they probably gave the guys raises for causing so much stir and making people come to the Post site (even if only to hate on the two of them).
The Post not only doesn't care - they likely were hoping someone would play the cards that were played.
Don't kid yourselves; The Post knew what they were doing... they just didn't care.
So why petition to have anyone fired from the Post - shouldn't you just be boycotting the Post entirely?
Sean Taylor was one of a kind, may he rest in peace.
I generally do not have issue with the Post and overall I enjoy reading their articles. I also do understand the shock value but as we have seen by many times before there are people who have been fired by media agencies (Imus, O&A, Michael Graham, Larry Krueger to name a few) that have crossed that line. I am shocked that the post would print those articles (especially on the same day he passed away) and perhaps I am extreme in this statement but I compare those articles as if a President was assassinated and a news reporter comes out the same day with an article saying while it is sad that it happened there were many policies that president made that angered people and ultimately caused his own death. It is irresponsible. Period.
I signed it, but I added the comment that Shapiro should be fired, but Wilbon only censured. I don't think Wilbon's words, while completely tactless, rose to the same level of offense as Shapiro's.
Andre Carter wrote:Damn man, you know your football.
I look at this very simply. He was murdered. While his history MAY be the very thing that led to his untimely death that does not mean it WAS the thing that led to his untimely death. By these reporters not only bringing up his history (which we as redskins fans all already know about and don’t need it constantly thrown in our faces today) but also pointing to it and making the inference that his death was not only not a surprise but was his own fault is what I am taking offence to. Unless they are way ahead of the Police and have some facts that Taylor caused this (instead of what we are hearing from all the redskins about him cleaning up his act) then all they are doing is trying to create their own shock value and are dragging Sean Taylor's name through the mud on the same day he was murdered. I once learned that to embarrass or publicly insult someone is likened to murdering them. We may learn everything might not have been as peachy in Taylor’s life as we thought BUT until those facts are presented these guys (mostly Shapiro) are way out of line by inferring this was his own doing and should pay a price for crossing that line.
ike075 wrote:I look at this very simply. He was murdered. While his history MAY be the very thing that led to his untimely death that does not mean it WAS the thing that led to his untimely death. By these reporters not only bringing up his history (which we as redskins fans all already know about and don’t need it constantly thrown in our faces today) but also pointing to it and making the inference that his death was not only not a surprise but was his own fault is what I am taking offence to. Unless they are way ahead of the Police and have some facts that Taylor caused this (instead of what we are hearing from all the redskins about him cleaning up his act) then all they are doing is trying to create their own shock value and are dragging Sean Taylor's name through the mud on the same day he was murdered. I once learned that to embarrass or publicly insult someone is likened to murdering them. We may learn everything might not have been as peachy in Taylor’s life as we thought BUT until those facts are presented these guys (mostly Shapiro) are way out of line by inferring this was his own doing and should pay a price for crossing that line.
You make a very good point in your second post. I personally don't blame Sean for any of this and it's not respectful for anyone to blame him but some people will, whether we like it or not.
Those values and things "sacred" that many of us grew up on are no longer prevelent. We live in a "shock", "reality t.v." and ratings driven society. So when people do get a chance to speak on something, you have to take it with that grain of salt because of the time we live in. People put their feet in their mouth all the time and it has happened throughout the history of news and t.v./radio.
I'm saddened by all of this and at the same time angry because Sean had turned the corner in his life and was growing into a good man and now he's gone.....
Sean Taylor - 1983-2007 R.I.P.... Forever A Skin.....
roybus14 wrote:I'm saddened by all of this and at the same time angry because Sean had turned the corner in his life and was growing into a good man and now he's gone.....
I know this isn't what you were implying but I'd like to clarify one thing: Sean Taylor was a good man who was growing into a better man.
Sorry, but this is lame. Free speech is one of the most cherished freedoms of our country.
If you don't like what's being written in the Post, don't buy it. Don't read it.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "You can't do epic **** with basic people." - DJax "We're on the rise, man, whether you're on the train or not." - Josh Norman
It's funny. I come to this website every single day--365 days per year because I am a lifelong Redskins fan. It's a great source of information on the Redskins, but to be honest, I find a lot of the opinions here to be either largely uninformed or just silly. And that's okay--disagreement is valued in our country--I just choose not to post myself.
That doesn't lessen the importance of this site to me, though; it's just all about perspective. And just like everyone here is entitled to our own opinions, so are journalists who are paid for their perspective. Perhaps we should start a petition to silence some of you? Or would we really be asking thehogs.net moderators to endorse that silence...since they, like the Washington Post editors, are able to review this content?
Sean Taylor deserves to be honored. Of course. We know nothing about who, why...we don't even know that much about how right now.
I didn't particularly enjoy reading Wilbon's column, and I personally wouldn't have said some of the things he said. But if you stop to read it--carefully--you might find that he is not rushing to judgment. He's calling out a pattern. Not Sean's fault, but perhaps the fault of his environment.
And in hindsight, knowing what we know now, perhaps leaving Miami would have prevented this. Or not. But if we could turn back time, wouldn't you advise him to leave Miami? If it was your fiancee and child?
Be honest--put your indignation aside and be really, really honest for a second--wouldn't you have been more shocked if this happened to, say, Jason Campbell? Or Mark Brunell? Or Randy Thomas? Or London Fletcher? Or Rock Cartwright?
And if so, why?
That doesn't make it Sean's fault. That's not the point.
I've been a Redskins fan my entire life, 31 years at this point, and I can remember ONE instance of a criminal breaking into a player's home and fatally shooting him in his bedroom. That player is Sean Taylor. So, yes, I was shocked.
I can not understand why some actual missteps and some alleged and often falsified missteps are somehow supposed to mitigate the shock I felt when hearing that a person of Sean's stature was shot in his own home.
Few points of clarification. I do not believe anyone on THN started the petition. Second, the main issue I found was in Shapiro's article and while I didn't like Wilbon's I do believe a little more sensitivity was necessary for a legit home town paper. Third, I do believe that some of the comments that have been made of Sean Taylor have crossed the line to the extent of slander which is not protected under the freedom of speech act and they need to wait until facts are brought out before making these type of accusations.
