Well, that's exactly what Toni Locy, a reporter for USA Today, faces unless she tells a judge who told her an Army scientist was a suspect in the still-unsolved 2001 anthrax case, which took place shortly after Sept. 11.
Check out the story below, vote in the poll and discuss.
Judge Holds Reporter in Contempt in Anthrax Case
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
Here Come the Provisional Driver's Decals!
We knew the committee investigating the sharp rise of fatalities and serious accidents amongst provisional drivers was going to be suggesting some kind of scarlet letter for students to strap to their cars.
Behold!
Behold!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Messrs. Clemens and McNamee Go to Washington
As a former full-time Sportswriter, it's probably fitting that my first regular blog entry touch upon the steroid-related circus that unfolded its tent flaps in our nation's capital today. No longer a former full-time Sports scribe, I can unequivocally state up front I am no fan of Roger Clemens, both for his New York Yankees' association as well as for the fact that he is a mockery of a human being. Having been around him professionally with both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Yanks, I always knew him to be the loud-n-proud Texan that he styles himself as -- cocky and self-absorbed by his many regimens -- but I had no idea as to the true extent of these flaws until today.
Yes, today on national television from the packed Rayburn Room I got to visit repeatedly while a student in D.C., the Rocket showed just how far he'd go in order to maintain his innocence of performance enhancement by nonchalantly rolling over his wife and mother of his four boys -- all of whose names begin with the letter 'K' (get it?) -- by explaining former teammate and surely soon-to-be former pal Andy Pettitte "misremembered" an earlier conversation the pair had years earlier about steroids and Human Growth Hormone.
According to Pettitte's sworn testimony, which was so convincing in the eyes of the committee members they let him off the hook from today's three-ring spectacular, Clemens told Pettitte he had used steroids and HGH in the late 1990s, which makes sense given Clemens went from washed up in Boston in 1996 to winning two consecutive Cy Young Awards with the Toronto Blue Jays in '97 and '98. Anyway, when Pettitte and Clemens have a conversation years later in the wake of this entire performance-enhancing dreck and Pettitte asks Clemens what he would ever say if a reporter asked him a question about taking steroids, the Rocket dropped a bomb by giving up his Rock-ette. Clemens corrected Pettitte who, apparently, confused his fellow Texan pitcher with the petite blonde. I knew the guy had issues. I sat and watched as he flew into a full-blown 'roid rage during Game 2 of the 2000 World Series when Mike Piazza's sawed-off bat was slung back at him skee-ball style from the pitcher's mound and the Rocket vapor-locked. But who among us figured the guy is so desperate to exonerate himself that he would sell out his spouse. She must really love him. I'm not so sure he feels the same way. With Valentine's Day tomorrow, wonder what his flower bill will be like.
On the other side, Brian McNamee did anything but come off as credible or like the sad clown he thinks he is in all of this. His history is littered with lies, all of which he rationalizes in the name of keeping others out of trouble. In 2001, he lied to police in Florida about details in the sexual assault of an unconscious woman. During the Mitchell investigation, he was asked to tell federal agents everything he knew, which he admitted today he did not. He has repeatedly attempted to capitalize on this whole sad affair, citing his sick son or this or that. He's no angel. One congressman even referred to him as a drug dealer, which slowly settled into his psyche upon realizing he had procured illegal substances at the behest of pro athletes. There's nothing unusual about McNamee though. There are three of him in every professional locker room in this country. My beloved New York Mets had one who sang for the Mitchell Report in Kirk Radomski. They are garden-variety hangers-on of no particular import except for the dirt they squirrel away about others.
Conventional wisdom says to look to the guy with more to lose by lying. Clemens would, seemingly, stand to see everything he has "worked" his entire career to build collapse while McNamee was only threatened with the prospect of perjury and possible jail time. But a conscience should keep a supposedly-devoted husband from sacrificing his wife on the altar of public opinion.
Obviously you've got to possess a soul before you can lose it.
Yes, today on national television from the packed Rayburn Room I got to visit repeatedly while a student in D.C., the Rocket showed just how far he'd go in order to maintain his innocence of performance enhancement by nonchalantly rolling over his wife and mother of his four boys -- all of whose names begin with the letter 'K' (get it?) -- by explaining former teammate and surely soon-to-be former pal Andy Pettitte "misremembered" an earlier conversation the pair had years earlier about steroids and Human Growth Hormone.
According to Pettitte's sworn testimony, which was so convincing in the eyes of the committee members they let him off the hook from today's three-ring spectacular, Clemens told Pettitte he had used steroids and HGH in the late 1990s, which makes sense given Clemens went from washed up in Boston in 1996 to winning two consecutive Cy Young Awards with the Toronto Blue Jays in '97 and '98. Anyway, when Pettitte and Clemens have a conversation years later in the wake of this entire performance-enhancing dreck and Pettitte asks Clemens what he would ever say if a reporter asked him a question about taking steroids, the Rocket dropped a bomb by giving up his Rock-ette. Clemens corrected Pettitte who, apparently, confused his fellow Texan pitcher with the petite blonde. I knew the guy had issues. I sat and watched as he flew into a full-blown 'roid rage during Game 2 of the 2000 World Series when Mike Piazza's sawed-off bat was slung back at him skee-ball style from the pitcher's mound and the Rocket vapor-locked. But who among us figured the guy is so desperate to exonerate himself that he would sell out his spouse. She must really love him. I'm not so sure he feels the same way. With Valentine's Day tomorrow, wonder what his flower bill will be like.
On the other side, Brian McNamee did anything but come off as credible or like the sad clown he thinks he is in all of this. His history is littered with lies, all of which he rationalizes in the name of keeping others out of trouble. In 2001, he lied to police in Florida about details in the sexual assault of an unconscious woman. During the Mitchell investigation, he was asked to tell federal agents everything he knew, which he admitted today he did not. He has repeatedly attempted to capitalize on this whole sad affair, citing his sick son or this or that. He's no angel. One congressman even referred to him as a drug dealer, which slowly settled into his psyche upon realizing he had procured illegal substances at the behest of pro athletes. There's nothing unusual about McNamee though. There are three of him in every professional locker room in this country. My beloved New York Mets had one who sang for the Mitchell Report in Kirk Radomski. They are garden-variety hangers-on of no particular import except for the dirt they squirrel away about others.
Conventional wisdom says to look to the guy with more to lose by lying. Clemens would, seemingly, stand to see everything he has "worked" his entire career to build collapse while McNamee was only threatened with the prospect of perjury and possible jail time. But a conscience should keep a supposedly-devoted husband from sacrificing his wife on the altar of public opinion.
Obviously you've got to possess a soul before you can lose it.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
My first blog
Welcome to my blog! I'm so happy to have you. Here I will share my take on all things Journalism, connecting them, of course, to the blogs of my student reporters from the finest high school newspaper in the country, the Wall (N.J.) High School Crimson Courier.
I have to admit, this blogging things is new to me. Having been a reporter covering primarily Sports in my first career, I am familiar with the concept as well as somewhat technologically savvy, but it's going to take me some time to get my style under me in this new format. We'll all be learning at the same time.
One thing I'm going to experiment with and solicit input about is going to be the sign-off from my blog. There have been so many good ones, particularly in TV Journalism and, having been in print the majority of my career, I was always envious of that. Since the web is really the nexus of Print and TV Journalism, I want to incorporate one and see what sticks. Feel free to let me know and make suggestions, comments, faces, etc. :)
That's all for now. I'll catch you on the flip side.
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