Post Gamecock Victory Troubles

[Five-0]

Thank God for reporters that know how to our job better than we do. Click the link for the full story.

Postgame celebrations turn nightmarish after South Carolina topples Tide | al.com

Postgame celebrations turn nightmarish after South Carolina topples Tide
Published: Sunday, October 10, 2010, 3:39 PM Updated: Sunday, October 10, 2010, 4:09 PM
Mark McCarter, The Huntsville Times
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- It was a bit surreal to be on the sidelines late in Saturday's South Carolina upset of Alabama. And it was the most unusual small talk I've ever encountered in 30 years of waiting on a press box elevator.
Guys were pulling out their smart-phones and showing video and photos of some of the fans who escaped onto the field to celebrate the win and how they were being (mis)treated.
I'll not soon forget how two police tackled a fan at my feet. As they slammed him to the ground and began to pin his arms behind him, one of the cops belted him with a powerful right hook. It was unnecesary punctuation to the tackle and, judging from the blood, likely broke the kid's nose.

[pac201]

Jacka$$...

Those kind will never "get" it.

[Five-0]

Oh I already commented Pac. Hell one was removed.

[Captain America]

If a player , coach or GOD forbid a reporter were injured by one of these drunk idiots these same reporters would be bitching that the cops didn't do their jobs. It must be great to be a keyboard or microphone expert and not get your hands dirty in the real world.

[Five-0]

The author has already replied to my comment on that story. Kudos for that. A private message to him on al.com may be in order. Well, can't send him messages as far as I can tell.

[Odd]

If Mark McCarter, or anyone else reading the article and comments has found their way here, first off, welcome. As a civilian supporter of the site I've learned a lot from the folks here, and no, it's not always easy to digest. A lot of things that used to seem senseless are quite understandable now, and what seemed wrong seems almost obvious in how it needs to be just as it was with a fuller view. I'm just some guy who had no particular law enforcement interest or connection and wandered by thanks to a police controversy myself. Glad I did, glad you're taking a look too.

Take this opportunity to gain a bit of perspective from the officer's side you won't get from TV or, well, anywhere. Hey, it might well not change your opinion of an event, but you'll gain an insight you didn't have before.

[Five-0]

Thank you Odd. I have emailed the author of the article and extended an invitation here.

[Five-0]

My email to Mark:

Mark,

Again I will say that your open reply to a criticism is a welcome change to most of the
stories I see on al.com. For calling you portly, please accept my apology. I don't
recall ever having read any of your articles as I don't see the Huntsville Times all that
often if ever. I do sometimes hear of police issues from that area as they are linked to
al.com from time to time. That is my main reason for wanting to contact you privately.
I don't go looking to pick fights with journalists or anyone else for that matter. I do
see stories in the media regarding police issues that just flat piss me off more times
than not. One of my all time gripes is seeing a story reported on that I was personally
involved in, and then seeing that report either be flat out wrong/biased or so lazily
reported that the facts are just not there. Yes, I am painting with a broad brush on
purpose as most of society does with Law Enforcement. Regarding the matter of the after
game troubles, I did not see what you saw, nor did I see or feel what the officer(s)in
question experienced. We have different perspectives and experiences when it comes to
police actions, and I'm sure our opinions would often differ on many given issues and
situations.

If you or any of your fellow Huntsville Times writers do follow police matters for
material I invite you to check out:

Our Forums:
American Police Beat Forums powered by OfficerResource

Officer Resource's Home Page:
Officer Resource | Police Officer Forums, Police Resources, Officer News and Articles

American Police Beat Magazine's Home Page:
http://apbweb.com/

The bottom two are good for submitted stories from around the country. The forums are a
place for you to get a real time responses from verified cops (local, federal, and even
the U.K guys) regarding any news stories or scenarios you would see fit to discuss. You
will get responses from the lowly patrolman all the way to the command level. Our
14,000+ members will give you candid responses that you may not get in an interview
setting. You can let me know if you or any of your coworkers wish to register and I will
expedite the registration process for them, or they can register or lurk with anonymity.
Either way it would be a good place to link your or the articles of others to increase
web hits and readers. No costs or strings attached.

Regards

Five-0

My reply from Mark:

Five-0...

To the first matter, I could shed indeed 25-30 pounds and be back to playing weight and be better off. Too many drive-thrus on too many road trips. Hope this will cause you to start checking out more of my work; I typically steer away from police incidents. In fact, this was one of the rare column-ish things I've written that didn't go in the paper. I was just inspired, when I read about the fatality, to write this blog.

As for the writers at our newspaper, and in Birmingham and Mobile, which also provide content to al.com, we're asked to monitor reader responses to our work; they're actually automatically forwarded to us. We're encouraged to offer further perspective and clarification when necessary. Sadly, by the time we do that, often the topic is hijacked onto some different argument among the readers (notice that by now ensuing posts to this blog have become an Alabama vs. Auburn snark-fest.)

To the more specific point, I understand your gripe about reporting. I've been a sports guy most of my career, now dabbling in news commentary a couple of times a week, but was close friends with a police PIO for a number of years and would hear the same gripes, even in the 1980s.

Here are some factors I would suggest play into that: One, there is a lot to be sensationalized in covering stories involving law enforcement. Sensationalizing plays beautifully into the hands of our TV brethren. A juicy soundbite or dramatic image takes precedence over fact.

From newspapers, while laziness is a bit harsh, I can also see when it comes to a routine story that's going to be a 10-inch item in the paper, not every angle is taken, not every question is asked. No matter how much time or space is devoted to any story, there are going to facts omitted. Depending on the perspective, those may or may not be important facts. Ideally the journalist is well-trained and experienced enough to know what facts are most appropriate for his audience. Alas, these days, experienced reporters are becoming scarce. And so often the cop beat is the first place to break in new reporters.

I'd also respectfully suggest you're the one who has bias when it comes to those stories. You're the one with a vested interest or involvement and the reporter typically has none. But the reporter becomes guilty of bias if he doesn't share yours. Just as in our specific instance of the postgame punch, I don't like to see rules broken -- and it was clearly announced not to run on the field -- and I'm all for enforcing that. But the punch was uncalled for. I even saw that in the cop's eyes when he looked up and saw me and realized I had seen the punch. However, understandably and applaudably, you have bias toward your comrade.

Sorry to have rambled, but glad to have had this correspondence and I'll be sure to share these websites with our police reporter at The Times. She does take pride in the work she does and I know will appreciate some extra resources.

Best regards,

Mark


Wow Mark. Falling back on the tried and true blue line of silence. I can tell you didn't check out the site here and see the comments of both our members and myself as it relates to police misconduct. Bad officers are not my comrades. I am still unsure if you have seen a bad one to know what the look in his eye actually looks like. A truly bad cop has no look of remorse and he looks like everyone else because he has rationalized away his bad behavior. Even worse he is a sociopath and doesn't care that what he has done is wrong. Then again that could just be my bias talking again.