Bennett Boycotting the Times

[sutz]

Calkins in today's Times:
http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/...ith-seahawks-michael-bennett-and-i-apologize/

I didn’t get it right with Seahawks’ Michael Bennett, and I apologize

There will be no excuses here, no justifications, no attempts to explain it away.

I made a mistake this weekend. And I want to apologize.


In Sunday’s editions of the Seattle Times and online at seattletimes.com, I wrote a column entitled “Seahawks’ Michael Bennett does great things, but why the immaturity?” In it, I cited a host of qualities that made Bennett one of the NFL’s most interesting and admirable players.

He’s a great quote. He’s fearless in his political stances. He’s committed to multiple charities. And he’s one of the toughest, most talented players in the NFL.

But in the second half of the piece, I added some criticism. I suggested that if Bennett wants to maximize the power of his platform, he has to dispense with his erratic, sometimes off-putting behavior.

 

[Uncle Si]

Nice apology..

"I made a mistake, but I'm still not sure what Bennett did was right, so its still not really my fault"

This guy sucks

my favorite part: "I also apologize to the readers. Credibility is everything in my profession, and I just undermined my own."

Dude... you're a sports writer, not Woodward and/or Bernstein.

 

[StoneCold]

Nice apology..

"I made a mistake, but I'm still not sure what Bennett did was right, so its still not really my fault"

This guy sucks

my favorite part: "I also apologize to the readers. Credibility is everything in my profession, and I just undermined my own."

Dude... you're a sports writer, not Woodward and/or Bernstein.

I think using his actual quote it's less clear he's being a douche. He says he doesn't know why, personally thinks a public apology would make a better "Role Model" impression, but acknowledges he doesn't know why it was private.

Sure, there is still a part of me that wonders why Bennett kept it private. If he is serious about being a role model, I feel like it would have been in his best interest to show his contrition to the world. But it’s also possible that Wixey, who couldn’t be reached for comment, asked Bennett to keep the apology between them so the story would die. I just don’t know.

What I do know is that I should have reached out to Wixey before posting my column. The fact that I didn’t was just plain lazy.

 

[two dog]

Calkins is quick to leap to the defense of predatory journalism whenever it rears its
not-so-pretty head.

In a piece about Frank Clark about a week ago he chastised Clark when he reacted
in an immature fashion to a piece about him by a lady journalist. Pete called Clark on it
as well because he didn't react well. What Calkins didn't say is that said lady needed to
do some serious fact checking of her own.

Steven A Smith is a tool and I can understand one of his targets going off on him. Bennet
is no shrinking violet and when you poke him you are going to get a reaction.
I think the reporter asking Bennet about Seattle's pass rush immediately after they just got their
ass handed to them was, however innocent his motive, off a little in his timing.

I see nothing wrong with Bennet's attitude toward the Times. After all, Mike has a point.
He spent his summer and considerable endorsement money doing good for a lot of
people. Not writing about the shortcomings of others.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

This is a nonsense non apology apology.

Obviously Caulkins bosses told him to do this because they don't want the Times access restricted to the most popular sports team in town.

Not sure why there's so much resentment for sports writers and media members for having an opinion, even if it's negative. Hell of a lot more interesting to read than plain vanilla stats or general news I can find anywhere on the internet faster than the next morning.

 

[JGfromtheNW]

Nice apology..

"I made a mistake, but I'm still not sure what Bennett did was right, so its still not really my fault"

This guy sucks

my favorite part: "I also apologize to the readers. Credibility is everything in my profession, and I just undermined my own."

Dude... you're a sports writer, not Woodward and/or Bernstein.

I think using his actual quote it's less clear he's being a douche. He says he doesn't know why, personally thinks a public apology would make a better "Role Model" impression, but acknowledges he doesn't know why it was private.

Sure, there is still a part of me that wonders why Bennett kept it private. If he is serious about being a role model, I feel like it would have been in his best interest to show his contrition to the world. But it’s also possible that Wixey, who couldn’t be reached for comment, asked Bennett to keep the apology between them so the story would die. I just don’t know.

What I do know is that I should have reached out to Wixey before posting my column. The fact that I didn’t was just plain lazy.

It says a lot that the guy can't chalk this up to "none of our business," but instead tries to push the idea that apologizing publicly would be the best thing to do. The media expects players, and apparently even Wixey, to act like beaten dogs and only say and do nice things, I guess.

I'll give it to this Caulkins losers, I had never heard of him until this weekend.

 

[Uncle Si]

Nice apology..

"I made a mistake, but I'm still not sure what Bennett did was right, so its still not really my fault"

This guy sucks

my favorite part: "I also apologize to the readers. Credibility is everything in my profession, and I just undermined my own."

Dude... you're a sports writer, not Woodward and/or Bernstein.

I think using his actual quote it's less clear he's being a douche. He says he doesn't know why, personally thinks a public apology would make a better "Role Model" impression, but acknowledges he doesn't know why it was private.

Sure, there is still a part of me that wonders why Bennett kept it private. If he is serious about being a role model, I feel like it would have been in his best interest to show his contrition to the world. But it’s also possible that Wixey, who couldn’t be reached for comment, asked Bennett to keep the apology between them so the story would die. I just don’t know.

What I do know is that I should have reached out to Wixey before posting my column. The fact that I didn’t was just plain lazy.

His actual quote makes it quite clear what he's being... even he' doesn't see it.

 

[StoneCold]

Nice apology..

"I made a mistake, but I'm still not sure what Bennett did was right, so its still not really my fault"

This guy sucks

my favorite part: "I also apologize to the readers. Credibility is everything in my profession, and I just undermined my own."

Dude... you're a sports writer, not Woodward and/or Bernstein.

I think using his actual quote it's less clear he's being a douche. He says he doesn't know why, personally thinks a public apology would make a better "Role Model" impression, but acknowledges he doesn't know why it was private.

Sure, there is still a part of me that wonders why Bennett kept it private. If he is serious about being a role model, I feel like it would have been in his best interest to show his contrition to the world. But it’s also possible that Wixey, who couldn’t be reached for comment, asked Bennett to keep the apology between them so the story would die. I just don’t know.

What I do know is that I should have reached out to Wixey before posting my column. The fact that I didn’t was just plain lazy.

His actual quote makes it quite clear what he's being... even he' doesn't see it.

To me I think he's stating what he thinks/feels, which to my ear softens the comment rather than it being a backhand ragging on Bennet.

 

[Uncle Si]

There's a lot of that, yes. But it's also defending what he's apologizing for, which, despite all the contrition in his statement makes him sound like he's really still engaged in the argument.

 

[Hawkstorian]

Somebody made a point on KIRO earlier today that in light of the passing of a Seahawk great, this whole story seems even stupider if that's at all possible. Agreed 100%.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

Hmmm, Mike Bennett or Seattle's local dumpster-fire of an excuse for sports media?

Gee, which do I choose to support here?