It's not often I read an article and upon completion stare at the page or computer screen shaking my head like the AFLAC Duck. I certainly haven't felt like firing an e-mail to the author. But that changed after finishing the collection of words Orange County Register Columnist Mark Whicker compiled and tried to pass off as Sports Journalism. I controlled my outrage and decided not to send an e-mail.
I have read my share of sports related articles and columns over the years and this is by far the lowest of low, the worst of the bunch, a complete waste of time and utterly disgusting. At some point you would think your internal filter would catch the garbage..Not the case with Mr. Whicker's September 7th article.
I'll admit I would probably not have ever read the piece had it not made the rounds nationally.
The article titled "Many odd things have happened in sports the past 18 years", sounds innocent enough...But all that changes with the opening line where Whicker writes "It doesn't sound as if Jaycee Dugard got to see a sports page."
What direction could Whicker take the column and have a positive result?
Whicker uses the rest of the article to list some big sporting events kidnapped / rape victim Jaycee Dugard missed while being held against her will from June 10, 1991 until August 29, 2009.
How could someone write this in good conscience and how could his article slip past his editors?
As a sports journalist I am embarrassed he's part of my chosen profession and completely understand why some are jaded when it comes to the media. Mr. Whicker's lack of judgement and compassion is dissapointing.
(He did issue an apology)
You can read the article by following the link below.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/world-won-most-2555260-never-one
Mark Whicker's apology can be found here.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/column-apologize-readers-2557723-register-most
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