Social media is a double edged sword for sports fans and sports journalists. On the plus side fans are no longer dependent on the whims and agenda’s of network, PR offices, and newspaper editors. On the negative side, every Tom, Dick and Harry has his (or her) chance of taking a stab at 15 minutes of fame.
- Case in point, Mike and Maurkice Pouncey.
Early Saturday afternoon word got out that the Pouncey’s were in the news for the wrong reasons again (OK, that was this site’s head line.) A man and a woman, whose instagram video and photos made it clear had been assaulted, claimed it had been the Pouncey’s. Behind the Steel Curtain published a story about it, but wisely stuck close to the facts, which were thin.
- No other major outlet ran the story on Saturday, and the Pittsburgh Tribune Review did a short summary the following day. The Post-Gazette remained silent, as did ESPN.
On Monday, Mark Kabloy of the Tribune Review informed readers that the Pouncey’s were not named in the initial police report and did not seem to be suspects. Today a staff report on the Trib reveals that the police have not even talked to the accusers.
By Tuesday the news surfaced that the individuals in question were suing the Pouncey’s. This prompted Dale Lolley to call them out as gold diggers (although he did not use expression itself) and there it appears the story will and should die.
Quick Kesiel Update
As Steelers training camp approaches, the BIG question is will the Steelers resign Brett Keisel. Steel Curtain Rising has invested a lot in the debate on Keisel’s return and the Watch Tower has delved into the coverage.
- And the only thing that is clear is that no one can agree on what the Steelers plans are.
Jim Wexell took to Twitter to answer a question from fans, sharing this:
@TonyD_12 I’ve written a couple of times that they’re going to see what they have with the young DL at camp. Re-visit the situation late Aug
— James C Wexell (@jimwexell) July 15, 2014
Further on in the exchange, he doubled down:
@TonyD_12 the other half of the equation is how well Cam Thomas plays. I can’t see them bringing Keisel back as a reserve.
— James C Wexell (@jimwexell) July 15, 2014
Dale Lolley casts the story very, very differently. Talking about the Steelers additional personnel priorities, Lolley offers this:
No. 1 on that list would be defensive end Brett Keisel. Make no mistake about this. IF the Steelers bring Keisel back, it would not be to start. In fact, he would be, at best, a 10-snap-per-game player as a situational pass rusher.
This is truly an amazing story. Other writers, such as the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac, a reporter whose sources guide him to the story, have insisted that the Steelers will not bring Keisel back.
Lolley does add one interesting twist to the story, however. Keisel’s locker on the South Side has not been cleaned out. That would seem to imply that at least Keisel is planning on returning.
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