The column, which was written as if to inform Dugard about the sports events she's missed over the last 18 years, was decried on Twitter as the "worst sports column ever" and referred to at the Huffington Post as "The Single Most Tasteless Sports Column In The History Of Written Language."
You can read the column and judge for yourself, but this afternoon I e-mailed Whicker to ask him if he came up with the idea for the column or if an editor assigned it, whether he thinks his words run the risk of trivializing the kidnapping of Dugard, and what he thinks about the response.
Whicker's reply to my e-mail is below, in full:
1. It was my concept, which was to (1) celebrate the release of the girl and (2) show just how long 18 years in confinement really is, in the context of sports, which is something sports readers understand, presumably.. If you say "18 years" that's a little abstract and incomprehensible. If you say "Michael Jordan hadn't won an NBA championship yet," that's a little easier to fathom.If there's anything you can give Whicker credit for in this, it's that he takes complete ownership of the idea for the column. When I first read it, it struck me as the kind of piece that was written at an editor's direction, but no: Whicker says it was his idea, from concept to execution.
2. I don't think writing about something in a sports context "trivializes" it at all. The idea that sports writers should ignore the outside world went out a long time ago.
3. I am quite surprised by the angry tone of the reaction. Some have asked me why I didn't make light of the 9/11 attack or the Holocaust while I was at it, ignoring the fact that this woman is alive. For 18 years the family didn't know if she was or not. Obviously I mis-read the emotional component of this story because the reaction really has been quite extreme. I think the intent of the column was still valid. I could have changed some ways of expressing it to make it more palatable, I suppose.
But if Whicker is surprised by the tone of the reaction, he shouldn't be. The Dugard case is a shocking, horrible story, and it's not at all surprising that people who read Whicker's clumsy attempt to use it as fodder for a sports column are shocked and horrified.
Update: Whicker has published an apology. He also e-mailed me after this post was published, saying, "Thanks for ripping me. I'm really happy I devoted part of this very hectic day responding to someone who had as little interest in my viewpoint as the crazies out there."
What did you think of the column? Tell me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.
Comments (Page 1 of 5)
And now here you are leaching off of him. Good work.
I am no big sports fan, but I sympathize with this guy. So he made a mistake. It was obviously unintentional. I think his first email in response was candid and heartfelt, but this columnist's response was stomp on him just a few times more. Honestly, I think if any writer has room to apologize at this point it would be the one who wrote this column. What's wrong with people? Can no one ever make an honest mistake anymore?
And I wonder, if the same misstep ever happens to Mr. Michael David Smith, author of this column, will he be seeking understanding from his readers and contemporaries or will he unflinchingly withstand the baptism by fire he so gleefully is helping to inflict on others?
It's spelled "leeching", and yes, this is totally leeching. The columnist expressed his viewpoint, which to me, seems pretty valid even if I personally find it an odd choice. The sordid details of this crime, along with the questions that no one is willing to ask about this whole situation made the coverage tasteless long before Mr. Whicker ever touched his keyboard to write that column.
whicker dicker, say bye bye to your career
I find this column by Michael David Smith more offensive than the one by Mark Whicker. When I read this column, I imagined would find something terrible in Whicker's column and I did not. In fact, I didn't even find it to be tasteless. It was a bit strange and creative to correlate sporting milestones to years in captivity, but I didn't see anything malicious or derogatory in it. I actually sensed a generous intent behind it. Any heat should be taken in the vein in which it was offered. I cannot see people feeling hostile about something that should not have induced that kind of over-reaction in the first place. Score a point on Whicker's side for me.
If anything, blame the editor for ever allowing the piece to see the light of day.
I give him credit for owning it..he apologized...move on...but of course people will be yelling for his head
Huffington Post calling something tasteless is like Paris Hilton calling someone a bimbo
damn, you lost, get over it!!!!
That comment had nothing to do with the election and everything to do with the Huffington Post saying stuff like "Ted Kennedy's victim would be happy that he was able to rise above the incident and be successful in politics."
@greatqb44
Do you have a link to Whicker's apology? Where is it?
His comments to MDS make it even worse. I could sort of understand a "Holy cow. What was I thnking? I'm sorry. I just had a really bad day. I don't know what to say. I blew it."
But saying, "I am quite surprised by the angry tone of the reaction ... I think the intent of the column was still valid" is absolutely mind-boggling.
I mean, seriously: This is the single most offensive thing I have ever read in a major American newspaper. Really. And I've read a lot. The word "amazed" is insufficient to describe my reaction to the fact that Whicker has not been fired over this.
It would have bean an absolute bottom of the barrel, crap column without the offensive element. "Hmm, a news event with an 18-year time frame. That gives me an excuse to write a column listing some of the events of the last 18 years in my subject area. Hell-ooo, short workday! Let's see. [Typing] 'There's a guy named Tiger Woods.' I love my job!"
The fact that the news event was an 18-year ordeal of freaking CHILD RAPE, TORTURE AND IMPRISONMENT, and that Whicker adopted a breezy, l-i-t-e tone for the column, just puts it over the top from very, very bad to the single worst thing I've ever read in an American newspaper. Bar none.
King Kaufman
Spot on!
"This is the single most offensive thing I have ever read in a major American newspaper"?? Really?? I can think of so many things I have read that were more offensive than Whicker's article. I know you said you read a lot, but the back of the cereal box doesn't count. Love that righteous indignation...try aiming it at someone or something that REALLY matters in this world instead of a hack sportswriter who obviously made a mistake and then apologized for it. susan
Well said. You expressed my sentiments precisely. Why would a news agency keep this guy on the payroll?
two words - big deal
America the Amazing. Anyone wants to read Whicker's graveling to the "customer" and "advertisers" can go to the link of his original story and get their jollies off. But for me I go with Whicker's statement about celebrating her escape, as is how he ends the original piece.
Of course the amazing part for me is that people get all worked up over their misunderstanding here and lambaste the fellow...yet, when another Drone attack bombs a wedding party in the Middle East it's all "that's ok...nuke all the diaper heads"...the disconnect amazes me.
In the words of Mike Gundy,
"The writer who wrote this is garbage. The editor who printed it is garbage".
his article is working- people are reading it and posting comments here about it.
I find it sickening that all you people rush judgment on this man and his article. Yes, it was horrid what happened to this girl. You people act like this hasn't happened before and that you're so shocked! You people obviously don't watch the news and tv cause all they report is this type of stories. I'm not shocked at all this happened. It will happen again, and again. It's happening right now to somebody! If you people are so about right and wrong and this and that with all your opinions and blah blah blah...then help find ways to stop this crap from happening, not blast a little sports journalist who did nothing wrong. Lastly, I'm sure all of you who responded are perfect and have no skeletons in your closets you Piece of sh!ts!
Whicker is an animal. The publication he works for should hold him accountable. EVERYONE should boycott Whicker (big loss to no one) and the OC register. Only in California could such a shameless, immoral act go completely unpunished.
Look at what Whicker wrote. He doesn't even really apologize for what he said! He's just trying to cover his butt so he doesn't lose his job/sponsors.
Even worse, Adrian Woj over at Yahoo Sports NBA is defending him! Please, please, please, hold this man accountable for his actions! He is not a young person who made a foolish mistake. He has over 20 years experience in this field and he was just tryin to capitalize on a tragedy in an attempt to further his career.