OK, One more round with Gare.
I guess Gare's flight was delayed...
Gare Joyce said...
Like I say, I've had emails from people who support my story and their comments have been supressed from blogs of Bronco-friendly, Bronco-affiliated folks. Read into that what you want. Likewise on Keen's blog, my subsequent comments have not been approved for viwing. As for editing on this blog, well, whatever.
Just to get facts straight, Bob Wilkie's quotes are from January, not ten years ago or whatever you suggested. And I talked to board memebers and to fans to an extent--amazing that somehow you were able to poll everyone who was at games that I attended in SC and presume that I didn't talk to any of them. And I interviewed people away from the rink to--for the record and on background. Did I put everuone I talked to into this story? No and the same can be said of my Mike Danton/David Frost story for ESPN The Magazine when I called on more than 60 of Mike Danton's high school classmates and dozens more of friends, former team-mates, former coaches, officials, etc. Just because it's not in the story, don't presume it's not there. Brady said everything attributed to him, denials aside, and everyone on the team and involved with the team knows that to be true. It's just the way things are, sad but true.
You're associated with the official broadcaster. I understand your position. There are truly bad guys--James above and beyond--and there are victims--Kennedy likewise. Between them is everyone else. You place me closer to James than the board memebers who did almost nothing to honour the dead. My head wil hit the pillow and I'll not miss a second's worth of sleep. Like I say, many more speak well of me than speak ill. That's not true in Swift Current, but given the town's sorry track record of mistaking winners for losers, I can live with it.
9:58 PM, April 14, 2007
Switzer said...
"Like I say, I've had emails from people who support my story and their comments have been supressed from blogs of Bronco-friendly, Bronco-affiliated folks. Read into that what you want. Likewise on Keen's blog, my subsequent comments have not been approved for viwing. As for editing on this blog, well, whatever."
I'm sure you do have support for your work. I'm sure you have friends and family who think you're amazing. I can't speak for any other websites and blogs, but as comments go, I have had NOTHING positive about you that I haven't posted. As for editing on this blog, what have I edited? Are you implying I've edited your words? We can continue this on your blog if you think you're being treated unfairly here. I will copy and paste for mine. People can compare. Should be fun.
So you did actually get new quotes from Bob Wilkie? In January? Just after his midget team played at the Macs with Bronco four leaf clovers on their jerseys? Another solid piece of info not found in "denial of death". Funny how you sought out the only Bronco alumni out of several hundred who has ever publicly spoken out about the team, save Sheldon and the "unnamed player" (I believe Wilkie is the only one, correct me if I'm wrong). Brad Larsen, Shane Hnidy and Dean McAmmond are just a few NHLers who played in Swift for Graham James. No sizzle there though. Just the same old boring quotes about us being a good hockey town and how nothing seemed wrong (Actually, Larsen would've given you a good story about a Bronco practice just before everything blew up).
As for my "official position, associated with the team's broadcaster" I've already clarified my stance there, but seeing as you like to go in cirlces, I'll say it again: I WAS A BRONCO FAN LONG BEFORE I WAS A RADIO PERSONALITY. This blog is not endorsed by Golden West Radio or the Broncos. My thoughts on this article would be the same regardless of my day job.
Let me rephrase something here. I'm sure you did "talk" to some fans. Spending five days in town even the most socially awkward people would need human interaction. You didn't quote anyone for your story. For all I know, you spent the day getting to know as many people as you could, then went to the Shack with your fur hat and sang 'Rasputin' on karaoke night. From the perspective of the reader, which is the most important perspective here, you ignored us, then attacked us.
I like how you closed you last comment;"Like I say, many more speak well of me than speak ill. That's not true in Swift Current, but given the town's sorry track record of mistaking winners for losers, I can live with it."
Well, back in December we did mistake you for an honest, credible reporter so I guess you got us there.
R$
ryanswitzer@hotmail.com
The website of Ryan Switzer, a Southwest Saskatchewan based social media consultant and content creator who is on Swift Current City Council
4 comments:
I have watched this story develop for the last week in shock, awe, and anger. The response to Gare has turned nasty and personal, beyond a level that is appropriate or fair. I have attempted to post two comments before on one of the blogs, and I cannot speak for Gare, but my comments never showed up. The level of vitriolic speech used toward Gare is at a level of worse than the words used towards Graham James. This is getting out of control, and people are losing sight of what matters. Every time Gare responds to a blog another line of questioning is thrown back at him. This is never going to end. Several people from SC mentioned that they thought more should have been done at the game and in the museum, he wasn't the only one. The focus should stop being on personal attacks, and focus on getting a better memorial for the victims and for doing everything possible so that a hockey coach can never do what Graham did to countless boys ever again.
Thanks for your anonymous support of Gare Joyce.
I don't think I've gotten personal (unless you consider the reference to Gare's hat offside).
If your comments didn't show up it may be because not everyone posts "anonymous" comments. As I said before, the only comments I've left out were personal attacks against Gare Attacks which I don't think he deserves either, but certainly nothing "Graham James-esque" as you insinuate.
"The focus should stop being on personal attacks, and focus on getting a better memorial for the victims and for doing everything possible so that a hockey coach can never do what Graham did to countless boys ever again."
I agree. From a Bronco standpoint our museum sucks. I said it. I agree. I hope we as a city do improve it.
No one victimized "countless boys". We only know of two. People will always speculate more. If it was only two, that's still two too many.
To be fair, visit other blogs to see Gare getting pretty personal himself. No one has said anything about Gare that were worse than things he's said to and about Jon Keen.
If Gare had been objective and fair to everyone he covered and been honest to those he interviewed, there would be no lines of questioning thrown at him at all. There are things about this article I haven't even gotten into yet that were wrong.
Could you quote some of the awful things that have been said about Gare that are "worse than the words used towards Graham James"? Please show me where you found them as well, and provide a name (or at very least an internet handle) of who said it?
R$
Most people , if not all, in Swift Current agree there should be more done to honor the four Broncos. That part of his article isn't in question. What the people in western Canada take offense to is the attacks on the character and integrity of the people of Swift Current. They are unfounded and not fully researched. He gained full access to the team under false pretenses and didn't talk to hardly any real fans of the team. The people of this small city deserve more then the unprofessional article this guy produced, in my opinion.
The article about the Broncos, written by Gare Joyce, is so erronious and misleading in its portrayal of the Bronco Hockey club and its supporters that it virtually defies a dignified rebuttal.
John Rittinger, Past President, Bronco hockey Club
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