About Jack Harry and Distorting what Jack Said!

Wonder if 41's Jack Harry might subscribe to what a TV GM told me once... "doesn't matter what they say about you, so long as they get the call letters right."

Two bloggers misquoting and making hay out of something Jack Harry DIDN'T say about Denver's Shanahan maybe getting picked for the Chiefs.

First blogger BOTTOM LINE malpractices:

BOTTOM LINE: KSHB-TV41 Sports Director Jack Harry has put his reputation on the line by all-but-predicting that Mike Shanahan will be the next head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Other sources are strongly denying the story and saying that no one from the Chiefs has spoken to the former Denver Bronco coach. 01-22-2009
Mike Shanahan Could be Next Chiefs Head Coach
Reported by: Jack Harry, KSHB-TV41
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - NBC Action Sports has learned that the Chiefs are getting very close to naming their new head coach. While we can't confirm it, we're hearing that it sounds like Mike Shanahan could be the replacement for Herm Edwards. We should find out by Friday.
Shanahan spent 14 years in Denver but was fired after this past season. That's when the Broncos failed to make the playoffs after blowing a three game lead with three games to play.
The 56-year-old Shanahan was known as a "mastermind" after leading Denver to back-to-back Super Bowl victories in 1998 and 1999. But it's been a different story since John Elway retired. He only has one playoff victory since that happened.

His teams went 24-24 the last three seasons. Shanahan had total control in Denver. If he comes to Kansas City, that won't be the case since Scott Pioli is in charge of football operations.

(Radioman added the bolded orange)


And then Tony of T&A fame, takes 'all but predicted' and turns it into "made a prediction'. Doesn't that remind you of the schoolgame of 'gossip'?

WHEN JACK HARRY MADE A PREDICTION REGARDING HERM'S CAREER AND THE POSSIBILITY OF FORMER DENVER COACH MIKE SHANAHAN COMING TO KANSAS CITY . . . HE EXPERTLY INSERTED HIMSELF (HEHE) INTO THE BIGGEST SPORTS STORY KANSAS CITY HAS SEEN IN MORE THAN A YEAR!!!

-0-

Tony's story was right on about Jack in all respects but the MAIN ONE. Harry got a piece of the story with his report and I'm not sure it was genius, but TV people are supposed to tell people things they want to know. BUT......but he did NOT predict it was gonna be Shanahan...at least not in the quote on Bottom Line I republished above.

Trust me on this... don't depend on BOTTOM LINE for correctly analyzing much of anything 'media' in this town. And Tony... he repeats or misquotes everything he likes, without ever engaging his brain. These are people who never let the facts get in the way of a good story, to cop somebody else's phrase.

I finally read the Bottom Line commentary about Jack's report that Shanahan might come to KC. It wasn't JACK who stuck his reputation on the line... according to Bottom Line's quote, Jack said sources were whispering this to HIM, and he put two CAVEATS of doubt in the story, (which for illustration, I highlighted above in this bright orange.)

Jacks completely covered. Jack did what journalists should do, say what they're hearing and remind readers it wont be truth til and unless it's announced, maybe Friday.

It's BOTTOM LINE who stuck his neck out by saying Jack has IN FACT "stuck his career" and rep on the line by this. I don't see it at ALL!

And this from a 'media consultant' who supposedly makes his living teaching corporate execs how to dance when they give talking head? He's misrepresented the Harvesters a few months back too. Similar sin... What we have here are a couple bloggers who want some media mileage at JACK'S expense?