I like Chip Towers. For the record, I don't think he is out to get UGA. He is in a tough position, due to the pressure on him to generate hits for his employer's website, so I could triffle a bit about the wording of his headers, but I assume part of that is driven more by editors than Chip.
Is his article professing not to have anything out for athletes or UGA weird? Yes, and I think he is better than that. He rightfully pointed out that Georgia law requires a jail visit for driving without a license. He used appropriate qualifying language about the minor nature of the tickets. It was a very balanced article.
And before you we get all but the AJC doesn't cover Georgia Tech or other schools like this, that is more on the reporters covering those schools than Chip (or the AJC for that matter). There are two things that generate hits in the Atlanta market: Negative pub on Georgia and positive pub on Alabama. Chip, like others in his position, are in a tough place due to this. Because their editors really know it.
His article was just a weird thing to write, IMHO.
TD
See Also:
-Advice to the new kids on the block (Blutarsky)
For an alternative view:
-Chip Towers is full of crap (The Grit Tree)
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2 comments:
My guess is that Chip was being encouraged by his editors to write about it. I think Chip was conflicted because the offense really was minor (but required a jail visit) AND this is a kid who just arrived on campus.
Also, I think he knew how the whole incident sounded like overkill from the UGA PD.
UGA's Athletic Dept reviews the driving status from all of the incoming freshmen and finds out the someone has an issue (probably with assistance from the UGA PD.) They tell the player to take care of it AND inform the beat cop patrolling the freshmen dorm to watch out of this kid because he does not have a valid license. If you see him driving pull him over and cite him.
UGA PD can spin this however they want, but this is how it happened. I don't believe ANY other story from the UGA PD about seat belts etc.
Chip knew the ramifications of writing it and what happens when they publish a story about a UGA athlete getting arrested. It was unfair because this kid had not even been on campus much longer than a week?
In Athens-Clarke County, it is illegal for one to whistle very loudly after 11pm on Mondays. This is one of those stupid laws still on the books from many, many years ago.
It also sounds like an opportunity for Jimmy W and the boys. Be on the lookout for this fellas.
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