Hat tip to @LSUHornet17 for the link to this radio interview on WIST 690 AM by Hornets President Hugh Weber. He addresses Chris Paul and the ownership transfer, and he does it much better than the official statement from George Shinn did yesterday.
I definitely recommend you check it out.
I would listen to it again and transcribe the interesting bits, but I was so annoyed by the chunk in the middle where he blames the Chris Paul rumors on “bloggers in the basement in their pajamas writing at midnight” that I can’t bring myself to. In fact, you can expect a scathing post in response when the draft is over.
Mr. Weber, I went to war for this team yesterday on Twitter. Both At the Hive and Hornets 247 cover your team with a depth of statistical knowledge that vastly, vastly surpasses both the local paper and the mainstream national sports media. Who, by the way, were 100% responsible for the creation and perpetuation of the Chris Paul rumors that, if you bothered to look at all, your local bloggers were savvy enough to scoff at immediately. I know all this “new media” is scary, but we’re not your enemy. And we certainly know your team better than Chad Ford and Bill freaking Simmons.
I’m sorry you don’t know it.
Infamous
TT6: I have been watching ya tweeting your pissed little head off about Hugh Weber’s knock on Bloggers and wanted to reply here. The most telling thing about the situation is that he describes journalist and journalism that is at best sloppy, at worst negligent. How is it the Bloggers fault that a “JOURNALIST” doesn’t check out the story before printing? Isn’t the journalist job to find the truth, then print? Have credible sources, then shout the story from the roof tops? So the main difference in this “new age of information”, isn’t that the Bloggers are messing things up, it is that the people paid to find and report the truth about a situation are now lazy and sucking at the teet of the Hype monster!
I said as much in my comment on Chad Ford’s knight in shining armor post this morning. I was so thankful that he cut through all the crap that was being said about the Hornets shopping CP3. Where would we be without the national media and their stellar example of journalistic integrity.
FYYFF!
Just want to say… hear hear.
You know what. We ought to write the Hornets’ FO some sort of letter from all of us, you, Mike, Ryan, Joe, me, Lee, expressing our disappointment or whatever. I mean, the FO obviously reads us all. Being discredited like this is kinda, sorta, just a little disheartening.
The HORNETS BLOGGER COALITION UNITE!!
I haven’t been able to listen to the whole thing I caught the bit about bloggers. Hugh must know that there are no basements in New Orleans so his comments are probably about other bloggers. Hell, they even give 247 credentials now just like the REAL journalists.
At least that’s what I’m going to tell myself…
Seriously though, I feel like bloggers are getting respect around the league to some degree, but people certainly give me a weird look the first time that I tell them the outlet I am with is in fact a website. Seems like most people who still give me the time of day after hearing that wind up realizing that I actually know a fair amount about the game.
Today for example a bunch of actual newspaper reporters were sitting around talking about the salary cap. None of them knew the percentage of NBA revenue that gets paid out to players. Now I know that’s not a big deal, but I chimed in because I do know. I make it my business to know.
The more stuff that we know, and the more good stuff that we put out, the harder and harder it will be for people to continue holding the belief that bloggers are the cause of all evil in the media.
Thanks for the kind words, and I’m glad you are posting again.
I certainly know they read my twitter feed. Since I’ve ranted about some things and then … stuff has mysteriously happened in response.
@ Joe: I did think that too. About hey, New Orleans has no basements. But it was disheartening considering this was a rumor that was not started by a blog. Correct me if I’m wrong, but it was Woj at Yahoo reporting that World Wise Wes was selling a package of CP/LeBron together, and the shitstorm took off from there.
It was certainly not covered in any seriousness by anyone local (except the TP, which fanned the flames. Go figure). Neither of you took it seriously– I don’t include myself because I’ve been on a break lately. Even a small amount of logic applied to the situation should make Weber realize, how do random people in basements have “sources” among LeBron’s inner crowd or other NBA GMs?
I don’t have a basement. I have pajamas, though.