Sorry, Bo Jackson. I am for real
First, I'll paraphrase my version, because the actual text is dry as sawdust.
"Hey, sports legend Bo Jackson, remember that article we published over two years ago where we said you were an abuser of anabolic steroids? You know, where we quoted that woman who said, "Bo Jackson lost his hip because of anabolic abuse," but we didn't have any actual evidence to back that up? Remember how you sued us and we issued a retraction and apologized about two weeks later. Well, we'd just like to say today, randomly, on June 2, 2007 that we're still really sorry."
Here is the full text. While I usually don't quote the entire article, this is more of a notice of apology and I am sure your friends at he California Newspapers Partnership, MediaNews Group, Inc., and MediaNews Interactive, Inc. will appreciate my assistance in further disseminating it.
Public Apology to Bo Jackson
The article quoted a speaker who stated that "Bo Jackson lost his hip because of anabolic abuse." Because the reporter did not obtain corroborating evidence to support the statement, we fully retract this quote and deeply regret and apologize for any distress this may have caused to Mr. Jackson, his family, or friends. Mr. Jackson is one of the finest athletes of the past two decades, and we apologize if the article served in any way to call into question his athletic accomplishments throughout his career.
Now what could be going on here? The background is simple enough. The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, a small local California newspaper ran the story referenced above. They said Bo knows steroids. Bo said no, but I do know a lawyer. Lawsuit. Retraction. ESPN has the details:
Report alleges steroid use ended Jackson's career (ESPN.com, 4/6/2005)Paper apologizes 'without reservations' (ESPN.com, 4/11/2005)
Just from the dates, you can see it did not take long for your friends at he California Newspapers Partnership, MediaNews Group, Inc., and MediaNews Interactive, Inc. to realize they were in deep trouble. Complete retraction and apology. But what interest us today is not their 2005 apology, but this seemingly out of the blue 2007 apology. What is up with that?
A clue, from the second ESPN article above:
Jackson's defamation suit would continue, his attorney Dan Biederman said Sunday, adding that he had no comment on the newspaper's retraction.
"The
statement released today is the first step towards a resolution of this
matter," Jackson's attorney Dan Biederman said in a statement to ESPN.
"The statement confirms what we knew all along — Bo Jackson never used
steroids. The statement does not change the fact that this reporter
printed a reckless lie and must be held accountable. Professional
journalistic standards demand that there be controls in place that
prevent such a reckless statement to be published across this nation
over the internet. Perhaps this reporter and the editors of the
newspaper can explain how you un-ring a bell." (ESPN.com)
(Okay, I do care — the lawsuit was later dismissed on jurisdictional grounds. Don't say I never looked anything up for you.)
... it is safe to say that your friends at the California Newspapers Partnership, MediaNews Group, Inc., and MediaNews Interactive, Inc. realized that there was nothing to prevent Bo Jackson from suing them again in the proper venue and, most likely, hitting a homerun/scoring a touchdown victory in the courtroom.
So my guess is that some kind of settlement was reached. And that as part of that settlement, your friends at the California Newspapers Partnership, MediaNews Group, Inc., and MediaNews Interactive, Inc. agreed to apologize to Bo Jackson again and again. Perhaps for the rest of his natural life. Perhaps Bo also gets to smack the author of the offending article with a foam bat once a year at a time and place of his choosing. And/or throw a football at him. I have no idea.
But when I read that Public Apology to Bo Jackson quoted above, I smell lawyers. Don't you?
DATE OF (RE)APOLOGY: June 2, 2007
APOLOGIZER: The California Newspapers Partnership, MediaNews Group, Inc., and MediaNews Interactive, Inc.
APOLOGIZEE: Mr. Bo Jackson
FOR: Artcle titled "Forum Tackles the Dangers of Steroid Use" that appeared in both the print and online versions of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin on March 24, 2005; any distress this may have caused to Mr. Bo Jackson, his family, or friends; potentially calling into question his athletic accomplishments throughout his career
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