Saturday, March 06, 2004
Misinformation Season Starts Tomorrow
I hate how the media pumps out so much misinformation in general. But it's especially hard when it's yankee media feeding all of the New York area fake facts about the Red Sox. Tomorrow I'll be watching the Sox vs. the yanks on the Hell No! network, and I'll report back here afterwards with all the lies that Michael Kay and company spew out there. I should watch with the sound down, but I feel I have to let Sox fans know just what the yankee people are saying about us.
I also notice that sometimes some reporter will give an opinion, and then I'll hear others say the same thing, as if it's their own opinion. A perfect example is how I heard Francesa on the Fan say the absolutely ridiculous statement, "...with Quantrill and Gordon in the bullpen, the yankee starters only need to go six innings...". He said it a couple of times, and then I read some article on MSNBC.com (written by some guy completely caught up in the media-invented A-Rod fever right after the trade), and the guy said the EXACT same thing. You could say anything on the radio and someone somewhere will repeat it as if: A. they thought of it and B. it were absolute fact.
But my favorite example is the following:
Last season, I saw this thing on the internet. (There's a link to it ondirtdogs if it's still there). It was some lame joke making the rounds saying,"Hey Red Sox fans, tired of losing? Become a yankee fan! Just fill out this questionnaire!"
And it lists all the horrible moments in Red Sox history, and asks you which is your least favorite, etc., and tells you how you can join the club of yankee fans. Needless to say, it was really stupid. Of course, there were some factual mistakes, including saying that the famous Johnny Pesky holding the ball play took place in the 1948 World Series, instead of '46. Now some people may say, "So what, so they were off by two years." Well, I thought even yankee fans can tell you the years the Sox have been in the World Series, but I guess not. I don't know, to me it's a pretty major mistake if you know anything about baseball history.
But here's the point: Within days of receiving this forward, I heard yankee announcer Bobby Murcer talking about that play during a Red Sox-yankees game. And guess what year he said the play took place in.... yup, 1948. I don't know about you, but this left no doubt in my mind that he had read the same thing had, only instead of noticing the mistake, took it as fact and USED IT ON THE AIR. You'd think this ex-player would know a little about baseball history, OR would have brushed up on his facts before game time, OR would've had the sense to not be repeating something to the entire New York area something he read on an INTERNET FORWARD.
He may as well have come out and said, "I've got to run home right after this broadcast because I'm anxiously awaiting a check for $4,000,000 to arrive in my mail. You see, I helped the president of Zaire with his bank account that he couldn't open without MY help, and in return for my services, he's giving me a huge cash reward. Boy am I lucky!"
So tomorrow I'll get to hear Kay making huge generalizations about Sox fans... I can't wait. Ugh.
I also notice that sometimes some reporter will give an opinion, and then I'll hear others say the same thing, as if it's their own opinion. A perfect example is how I heard Francesa on the Fan say the absolutely ridiculous statement, "...with Quantrill and Gordon in the bullpen, the yankee starters only need to go six innings...". He said it a couple of times, and then I read some article on MSNBC.com (written by some guy completely caught up in the media-invented A-Rod fever right after the trade), and the guy said the EXACT same thing. You could say anything on the radio and someone somewhere will repeat it as if: A. they thought of it and B. it were absolute fact.
But my favorite example is the following:
Last season, I saw this thing on the internet. (There's a link to it on
And it lists all the horrible moments in Red Sox history, and asks you which is your least favorite, etc., and tells you how you can join the club of yankee fans. Needless to say, it was really stupid. Of course, there were some factual mistakes, including saying that the famous Johnny Pesky holding the ball play took place in the 1948 World Series, instead of '46. Now some people may say, "So what, so they were off by two years." Well, I thought even yankee fans can tell you the years the Sox have been in the World Series, but I guess not. I don't know, to me it's a pretty major mistake if you know anything about baseball history.
But here's the point: Within days of receiving this forward, I heard yankee announcer Bobby Murcer talking about that play during a Red Sox-yankees game. And guess what year he said the play took place in.... yup, 1948. I don't know about you, but this left no doubt in my mind that he had read the same thing had, only instead of noticing the mistake, took it as fact and USED IT ON THE AIR. You'd think this ex-player would know a little about baseball history, OR would have brushed up on his facts before game time, OR would've had the sense to not be repeating something to the entire New York area something he read on an INTERNET FORWARD.
He may as well have come out and said, "I've got to run home right after this broadcast because I'm anxiously awaiting a check for $4,000,000 to arrive in my mail. You see, I helped the president of Zaire with his bank account that he couldn't open without MY help, and in return for my services, he's giving me a huge cash reward. Boy am I lucky!"
So tomorrow I'll get to hear Kay making huge generalizations about Sox fans... I can't wait. Ugh.
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