Open thread about rumors/credibility

[Jeff]

moving a topic here that originated on a FanPost

Eggcentric wrote the following:

- that this site’s showy headlines of “according to sources” rumors

are for the sole purpose of stimulating us starved-for-excitement

bloggers during this slow news period.  Hey, just keep bringing us

these crazy rumors, Jeff.  Who cares if this site is the

phantom of the hungry poor.  Who cares if your rumors

are true or false?  Only if they are entertaining and create more

hits on this site is what matters.

and then followed up with this:

Roy Hobbs - I intended to respond to your comments on

the JustSayin’ thread (under Fanmail) but it apparently

has been shut down.  Just as well since too much was

made of it in the first place including Jeff’s

re-posting it on another Celt site. 

 

No one accused Jeff Clark of being a liar.  What i did

suggest is that I felt he had headlined/highlighted rumor

after rumor for the purpose of stimulating interest

and discussion on this blog.  Always, of course followed

by his don’t-blame-me disclaimers such as take these

rumors with a grain of salt, I’m not responsible for

them, only reporting them.

 

What has bothered me most about this routine, is that

dozens and dozens of loyal CelticsBlog blogees have

been fooled into rising to the bait - seriously discussing

every half-baked rumor (reprinted from blog to blog)

as though they were gospel.   

 

Perhaps Prof. Hobbs, you and I and Jeff and David Stern

could get together for a beer on Stern’s lawn, not to

look back, but to go forward from our differences  

 

Egg

feel free to discuss

[Roy Hobbs]

My discussion:  I think Egg is way off base.

I also think that she shouldn't get any special treatment.  If she can't follow the rules, I don't think the site should bend over backwards so that she doesn't have hurt feelings.

[Edgar]

edited. for myself

[dark_lord]

personally i hate rumors.  i agree that many bloggers take the rumors as legit rather than taking it as a rumor.

to me, its the same as making up a hypothetic thread/discussion, or trade proposal.  just not my cup of tea on the blog.

[Redz]

So, is the question:

Is talking about talking about rumors talking about rumors?

[wdleehi]

Since I know Jeff always has good sources before he lets us hear of any rumors, I think it's a good thing.



And what is this blog if not to talk about the Celtics, their moves and their rumors. 



We should all be happy that this blog isn't one of those that make up controversial stories to just boost the number of people looking.  (like Foxsports with Charlie Rosen)

[timepiece33]

They create discussion during a boring time of the year.  If a person can't discern based on credibility, then that is their problem.

Personally, I find the discussions often to be more biting of the source than fruitful in nature.   

[celticinorlando]

ITS A FREAKIN BLOG!!! this is why they exist...i come here to discuss what might happen and what might not....if it wasnt this way it would just be another espn.com. you come here to talk about things that are going on with OUR team. many of us don't know or live near fellow celtics fans and this is the only way to interact with like minds. i live in ohio...most the people i know dont talk celtics they talk cavs. when i was in florida it was all magic.

i want to discuss with people the role of the third string PG (gabe pruitt) and have them know what the heck i am talking about. Everything Jeff presents doesn't happen but he bases it upon things that are floating around. This is the role of the blog. discuss things that surround your teams!!! Keep doing what you are doing Jeff. This is my only source of timely celtic news.

in baseball it is called the hot stove league...

[Roy Hobbs]

I definitely support the rumors Jeff throws out there, because I trust his integrity.  Anything he gets comes from a legitimate source, with legitimate connections.

As for other "rumors", I think CROTOR, Deli Guy, etc., are all pretty comical.  Want I don't like is people like CelticsThug, who are obviously liars looking for attention.

[Edgar]

As for other "rumors", I think CROTOR, Deli Guy, etc., are all pretty comical..

I am not comical 

[Fan from VT]

I'm of the feeling that all things basketball are fun to discuss. This means done deals, strong rumors, faint rumors, and pure hypotheticals. That's what makes discussing sports fun.

I just think everything needs to be clearly labelled. As in one source rumors, multiple source rumors, or even "hey, here's an interesting idea I had, what would happen if..."

[Chris]

I definitely support the rumors Jeff throws out there, because I trust his integrity.  Anything he gets comes from a legitimate source, with legitimate connections.

As for other "rumors", I think CROTOR, Deli Guy, etc., are all pretty comical.  Want I don't like is people like CelticsThug, who are obviously liars looking for attention.

I agree with this.  But at the same time, I do like the opportunity to try to judge for myself whether a rumor is reliable or not.  

My only pet peeve is when someone with no track record, and no real identity gives nothing to backup their rumors, but claims its "inside information" (this drove me nuts about Celticsthug).

I think Jeff has always been good about the way he presents his rumors.  I think the problems that egg pointed out comes from the people who are reading them as fact, rather than the way they are presented.

We see it everyday, even with guys from major outlets like ESPN and Yahoo.  Chad Ford will give some inside information, and then speculate on what that could mean, and suddenly its a "trade rumor".  No it's not, it is Chad Ford playing with the trade machine, and an overexcited reader/blogger unable to understand that.

When I look at other sites like RealGM or Hoopshype, I see a major difference in the way Jeff presents these.  On those, they often have misleading headlines, and even articles that take the original source out of context.  Jeff is always very careful about putting things in context, and saying what he thinks about the source.

[Who]

As long as it's called a rumour ... and treated as a rumour as opposed to something which will definitely happen ... then it's all good.

[Birdbrain]

I have had the same feeling about some of the headlines but, I'm a visitor so I'll just leave at that.

[angryguy77]

you mean not every post Jeff puts up will come true? I'm crushed