A recent series in The (Louisville) Courier-Journal on the lack of education afforded star high school athletes had the unfortunate title “Hollow Victories.”
“The irony implicit in that title has not escaped us,” Courier-Journal Editor David Hawpe wrote in Sunday’s paper in a front-page report to readers.
Hawpe said that after the stories appeared, the paper was forced to issue 10 corrections, two clarifications and a statement from a high school teacher challenging the story’s reference to him. One of the two reporters who worked on the series has resigned — Alan Judd, 28, a rising star who had been at the paper for almost six years. Judd, contacted at his home, said that he had nothing to say at this time. He would not elaborate on a comment he made to the Associated Press on Sunday that “the entire story has not been told.”
Hawpe said that after people who were quoted began to challenge statements attributed to them in the paper, the editors asked to review Judd’s tape recordings of some interviews. Hawpe said crucial interviews had been recorded over and one contained “only background noise” instead of conversation Judd believed was on the tape.
And a much more recent chaser.
Now, I know I’m biased in this instance, but that seems much more like an echo than a mere coincidence, although invoking the paper in his defense is a new touch. Then again, maybe there are two Alan Judds who both happen to be reporters.
Assuming that’s not the case, it does make one curious about whether the AJ-C vetted Judd’s history before hiring him, though, as well as what their current editorial standards are these days. Eh, what do I know? I’m just a fan blogger.
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UPDATE: Jason Butt reached out to Alan Judd for a reaction to the news. Here’s what he got in response.
Judd did not answer his phone when called by UGASports.com. Following an email inquiry sent to Judd and his direct editors, Judd responded and stated his comments were to be off the record. It’s important to note that on-the-record and off-the-record conversations are agreed upon between the reporter and subject, and UGASports.com did not agree nor was seeking any off-the-record comments.
“The following is off the record: something that happened 35 years ago, during a rough period in my life, has no bearing on anything today. The question you need to ask yourself is whether it is appropriate for a government agency — (In) this case, UGA — to use public resources to try to dig up dirt on a journalist who has published uncomfortable but true stories about that government agency.
“Obviously this has been fed to you — even my personal telephone number, which is known to a relatively small number of people at UGA. Is your devotion to the “Dawgs” so great that you want to try to destroy a person whose work over the past century has exposed atrocities in the state mental hospitals, saving countless lives; helped expose a cheating scandal in the Atlanta Public Schools that had life-altering detrimental effects on thousands of poor African-American children; spurred legislative changes to protect children in the state’s foster care system; and much more.
“So do whatever you want to do to ingratiate yourself with Coach Smart and others at UGA. Drag up the worst moment in someone’s life from 3 1/2 decades ago, and ignore everything since then.
“I hope whatever momentary advantage you gain with UGA is worth the personal degradation you put yourself through.
“Again, every word here is off the record. I might consider talking to you next week. Right now I’m too busy dealing with threats from Georgia “fans” — making sure that my family and I are safe — to deal with you any more.”
Yikes. This dude thinks he’s righteous. I can see where the editorializing in his reporting comes from.
BTW, if anyone reading this has threatened the guy, shame on you.
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