Mystery Disease Kills Thousands
Gay Marriage Vote Puts Heat On Christie
In case you hadn't heard, everybody hates LeBron James these days. My brother compared it to the ending of the Watchmen movie: James, through one great cataclysmic move, has managed to unite the entire world. Except, like the omnipotent Dr. Manhattan, he has done so not through his past heroism, but by becoming a universal villain everyone could agree on. Brilliant marketing, if you ask me. Between all the Hall of Famers announcing that they would never unman themselves like James has, there's been the lasting cry that conspiracy, foul play, and all manner of trickery were at play in the formation of the Uber-Heat. Adrian Wojnarowski landed one of the most devastating blows on this front, with an expansive piece following James (and the other principals) from 2004 up through The Decision.
Woj's piece was unique in that it didn't simply cast the Heat as nefarious, but made LeBron out to be an unforgivable jerk at every turn. Brilliant, history-making stuff. Except there's one complaint, or at least a concern: Like so much journalism, sports or otherwise, Woj's epic relies largely on unnamed sources and shadowy allusion.
Share Ethan Strauss of the TrueHoop network took the trouble to run through the piece, line-by-line, and point out all the times he as a reader (and editor) was left with questions. The larger issue, though, is that in the increasingly moralistic climate surrounding James, it's now acceptable to let these sources, and their incomplete revelations, heavy-lift a narrative along for several thousand words.
I know that anonymous sources are part of the game. Deep Throat is a national hero, as are Woodward and Bernstein. However, this kind of journalism is closer to what Seymour Hersch does in The New Yorker -- where, because he's Sy Hersh, we take seriously far-fetched scenarios supported only by loose-lipped sources at the highest levels. Woj's track record makes us inclined to accept his story. But apart from his reputation, the article is a house of cards, if not a tautology.
Why is it true? The sources said so. Why do we trust the stories? They make sense of the story. Factor in the muddy details, and it's even harder to come away completely convinced.
And with that, we're back to the old Socratic question: it is true because Adrian Wojnarowski said so, or did Adrian Wojnarowski say it's true? Or, to push this one step further, do we believe because of Woj, or does Woj tells us what we want to believe? I suspect that, if anyone dared craft a pro-LeBron narrative this extensive, the burden of proof would be much, much higher.
How Long Will Santorum's Surge Last?
Washington Gay Marriage Legislation Signed Into Law By Governor Chris Gregoire
House GOP Offers Deal In Big Fight
Officials Confirm: Prescription Drugs Found In Whitney Houston's Room
Obama Budget Signals Shift From Austerity Measures To Campaign Promises
Feds Recover Record Number Of Health Care Fraud Judgments
U.S. Green-Lights Google's Massive $12.5 Billion Purchase
Syrian Rebels Fight Off Attack On Key Town
Downgraded: Moody's Cuts Credit Ratings Of Italy, Portugal And Spain
Republicans Slam Obama Birth Control Rule, Ignoring State Contraception Mandates
WATCH: Fox News Pundit's Disturbing Comments About Rape
Monsanto Guilty Of Chemical Poisoning Of French Farmer
Pressure Mounts On Mortgage Giants To Pursue Principal Reductions
When Will The New iPad Be Announced?
Wall Street Fears Volcker Rule Will Force Testosterone Monitoring
Topless Protesters Target 'Gas Gangsters'
WATCH: CPAC's 'Best In Show'
WATCH: 25 Million Tons Of Japan Tsunami Debris Headed Directly Our Way
WATCH: Anderson Cooper's Hilarious Adventures With Adele
Huff TV: WATCH: Arianna Weighs In On Tony Bennett's Call To Legalize Drugs
WATCH: Bill Maher Rips GOP Concept Of 'Elites'
Obama's Birth Control Rule Will Hurt Homeless Veterans, Warns GOP Congressman
Supreme Court Justice Robbed
