After a great dunk over Serge Ibaka and Kevin Durant, Metta World Peace skipped back down court pounding his breast in triumph. James Harden, who plays for the Thunder, was coming up court and brushed against MWP and slightly impeded the path MWP was taking and directly following the chest pounding MWP cocked back and threw a big elbow which landed firmly in the back of Harden's head sending him plummeting to the ground. It was later discovered that Harden received a concussion. From the video you can see the whole incident play out, but its not what you can see that is in question here. Its what you can't see that has everyone up in arms-
Intent.
In a sports age where the line between analyst and reporter has been blurred and nearly erased, this is a perfect opportunity to show where a news story and an editorial both differ and relate to each other. In one aspect you have the news story of what happened and the game as a whole. Very factual and straight to the point. Highlights of the amazing double overtime game between two great teams full of superstars, emphasis on the return of Derek Fisher to Staples, and the elbow and ejection of Metta World Peace. This type of sports journalism is the backbone. This is pure journalism. There is an event, and the facts of that event are displayed. When you watch this, you know what happened. But now what?
Well now is everyone's favorite part, now we get to say what we feel about this. We get to come up with implications and answer those questions of the unseen. We get to become experts and psychologists and doctors and judges. We make sides and then choose which one we are on. All in the name of objectivity, fairness, and balance, of course. After all we are honest journalists. So we find evidence to support our theory and debunk the other "side". In this story we make our editorial about how Metta World Peace went back to his Ron Artest days where he has been suspended 13 times in his career and has a knack to end up on the giving end of violence. Or we talk about how he hasn't been suspended in nearly 4 years, recently won the citizenship award, auctioned his championship ring to earn money for high risk youth with mental health issues, and yes changed his name to Metta World Peace (metta meaning "goodwill or nonviolence)
Editorials are important don't get me wrong. If News stories are the backbone, editorials are the meat and flesh. This is where we start to "see" beyond just the obvious facts. This is where we delve into the world of "why's". Opinions are great but what makes an editorial more than just opinions are reasons. They aren't just blind assumptions, they are derived from facts. Carefully done editorials can give a story more life and explain to laymen why something is significant or important. Improperly done, editorials are where a journalist will lose all of his or her credibility. If people disagree that is fine as long as you have reason to defend your points, if you are just off base and don't have valid reasons no one will want to listen to you or trust you.
In this story editorials have gone wild. Below is a great example of what I feel is a form of editorial on this same subject. Although not a traditional editorial, the video holds an example of what editorials do. And you get both "sides" presented all in one show. A perfect example of how people can watch the same thing and see two different outcomes. Did MWP mean to hurt Harden? Did he deserve a more or less severe punishment? The only person who really knows is Metta World Peace. Intent like anything else can be interpreted in many ways and none are fully right or wrong. Credibility doesn't get achieved by merely stating facts alone, it can also be achieved by sound opinions and educated guesses. Editorials go beyond the facts and get inside the story. And often raise more questions than they answer.
Interpreting intent - your guess is as good as mine... but do you have as many reasons to back yours up as I do?
ESPN First Take Does Punishment fit the Crime for Metta World Peace
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