Clueless writing about our sport

[Tuariki]

Tattoos are traditional for Maori. I have a number of Maori relatives with full facial tattoos. Me? No. Adverse to pain I am.

[bambam1729]

Tattoos are traditional for Maori. I have a number of Maori relatives with full facial tattoos. Me? No. Adverse to pain I am.

Didn't hurt a bit. Of course, mighta hurt a lesser man ...

[dukehjsteve]

Didn't hurt a bit. Of course, mighta hurt a lesser man ...

What was your intoxication level at time of application ?

[bambam1729]

What was your intoxication level at time of application ?

Since I rarely drink alcohol (like 1 beer per month), you can guess it was pretty low, as in 0.

[Powell]

This isn't journalism per se, just a clip that was put on a FB page and that's supposed to be motivational, but the captions are incredibly clueless given that the guy went into the race as a co-WR holder and favorite:

https://www.facebook.com/roadmapstory/videos/954594484676488/

[Atticus]

This isn't journalism per se, just a clip that was put on a FB page and that's supposed to be motivational, but the captions are incredibly clueless given that the guy went into the race as a co-WR holder and favorite:
https://www.facebook.com/roadmapstor...4594484676488/

That was way past clueless; that was insulting to Wottle and the entire sport. Some of the viral sh*t I see on Facebook, esp. the dramatic stories which Snopes debunked YEARS ago, truly make me lose faith in humanity.

During the election, a 'friend' of mine (I won't say on which side) would send out posts purporting to out a scandalous secret, NONE of which were true. Sigh.

[KDFINE]

I just watched the video and read the comments. "Fortunately" there were more than enough comments from the public on this page pointing out that the posters comments were clueless.

[Conor Dary]

I just watched the video and read the comments. "Fortunately" there were more than enough comments from the public on this page pointing out that the posters comments were clueless.

Indeed...most of the comments point out the correct facts.

[Master403]

This probably wouldn't be notable, except that it is from a USATF news release.

http://www.usatf.org/News/Herb-Douglas,-oldest-living-African-American-Olymp.aspx

"At the 1948 London Olympic Games, Douglas clinched bronze with a jump of 81-1.5/24.9m."

No mention of any injuries on the landing.

[KDFINE]

Probably a typo that wasn't proof read.

[Master403]

Probably a typo that wasn't proof read.

I would agree that putting 24.9m rather than 24'9" is a simple error that might have been missed in proofreading in a local newspaper.
But someone at USATF then took that 24.9m and converted it (incorrectly) to 81'1.5". To me, that process, during which it didn't register that 81 feet made no sense, elevates it above missed typo.

[KDFINE]

I would agree that putting 24.9m rather than 24'9" is a simple error that might have been missed in proofreading in a local newspaper.
But someone at USATF then took that 24.9m and converted it (incorrectly) to 81'1.5". To me, that process, during which it didn't register that 81 feet made no sense, elevates it above missed typo.

Make no mistake, I totally agree with you.

[bambam1729]

I'm sure it was a typo that wasn't proofread. I just contacted Jill Geer at USATF to get it corrected

[Master403]

I'm sure it was a typo that wasn't proofread. I just contacted Jill Geer at USATF to get it corrected

.
Thank you. She has corrected the article.

I should note that other than the one glaring error, this was a well-written piece about a remarkable individual. I recommend it to anyone who is unfamiliar with Mr Douglas's story.

[jc203]

Just blundered onto this jewel in the Wiki entry for Igor Paklin:
"Like all modern high jumpers, Paklin used the Fosbury Flop style, and he was the first to do so jumping off his right leg."

So true... except for maybe a million others including Fosbury himself.