Enterprise Journalism Release – April 3, 2014
To tweet: https://es.pn/1mNolpD
Javaris Crittenton: Gang Related?
Outside the Lines (Sunday 8 a.m. ET, ESPN; replay 9 a.m. ESPNEWS)
Click HERE for behind-the-scenes photos of John Barr reporting for the piece.
Washington’s new receiver DeSean Jackson made headlines last week when he was cut by the Philadelphia Eagles, fueling speculation about his off-the-field behavior, including alleged gang connections. Other star athletes have had rumored ties to gangs, including once promising NBA player Javaris Crittenton who has been indicted in the shooting death of a young mother of four, and on federal drug charges. John Barr reports Crittenton’s fall may have been precipitated by his alleged connection to a Los Angeles street gang.
“You have to understand how the NBA works: it’s the image. You know, what kind of image do you project that is positive or negative for the NBA? And if it’s a negative, and you’re not a star, you’re gone.” – Kermit Washington, former NBA player and representative for the NBA Players Association
“The Javaris Crittenton I know is not the type of individual that would associate or assimilate himself into gang activity. He’s a young man of high character and high standards.” — Courtney Brooks, Crittenton’s high school coach
DeSean Jackson confirms SportsCenter’s breaking news about himself via Instagram
A bit before midnight ET, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that DeSean Jackson and the Redskins were nearing a deal. A bit after midnight, that deal was confirmed by Jackson himself on his jaccpot10 Instagram account (above), when Jackson snapped a screenshot of SportsCenter’s breaking news box. It seems even the newsmakers turn to SportsCenter to confirm news . . . about themselves.
Colts’ Jim Irsay: Like Father Like Son?
ESPN.com
Elizabeth Merrill writes: “Nasty stories abound about the late Robert Irsay, the liquor he consumed, the people he infuriated, the hearts he broke in 1984 when he whisked the Colts out of Baltimore in a caravan of Mayflower trucks in the dead of the night and relocated the team to Indianapolis. But Jim Irsay was damned if he’d be that guy. He learned from his father’s mistakes. He spent a lifetime vowing to be kind and rational, sharp and football-savvy. He’d be one of the NFL’s best owners instead of the worst.”
Fed up with working long hours for meager wages, a Raiderette named Lacy T. recently filed a lawsuit in search of fair pay. She might just end up changing the system. Amanda Hess reports.
Peabody Award
Outside the Lines Wins Peabody Award
The University of Georgia’s Grady School of Journalism announced Wednesday that Outside the Lines was among 46 winners of the 73rd Annual George Foster Peabody Awards. OTL won in the documentary category for NFL at a Crossroads: Investigating a Health Crisis. While the award recognizes the “best in electronic media for 2013,” much of the reporting appeared on both television and digital platforms as video and text, as well as audio.
The Peabody judges said of ESPN’s winning documentary: “ESPN produced a tough, wide-reaching documentary on the concussion crisis in the National Football League and its efforts to downplay growing bodies of scientific evidence and brain-injured player complaints.”
ESPN’s entry included stories from Enterprise Unit reporters John Barr, Mark Fainaru-Wada, Steve Fainaru and Steve Delsohn; and producers Dave Lubbers, Willie Weinbaum, Greg Amante and Simon Baumgart. The award also recognizes the efforts of the Enterprise Unit’s Senior Coordinating Producer Dwayne Bray and CPs Tim Hays and Carolyn Hong, along with ESPN.com Deputy Editor Chris Buckle.
This is OTL’s third major award in the past year. OTL was named one of 14 recipients of the 2014 Alfred I. duPont Columbia University Award — ESPN’s first duPont Award, which honors outstanding broadcast, digital and documentary journalism and recognizes excellent reporting in the public service, commitment to important stories and innovative storytelling. ESPN received an Edward R. Murrow Award from The Radio Television Digital News Association, which recognizes the highest-quality produced by radio, television and online news organizations.
“The Peabody award is one more example of the great work done by the Enterprise Unit and Outside the Lines on the growing safety and health issues involving the game of football,” said Vince Doria, Sr. Vice President and Director of News. “The work recognized by these three prestigious awards investigated the crucial issues from the National Football League’s well-publicized concussion crisis, down to the grass roots of youth football. We’re very proud of the aggressive, independent reporting that has been deservedly honored.”
