There are many, many ways the media could have handled the story on the death of Alabama offensive lineman Aaron Douglas.
From doing a straight Associated Press-style report to offering condolences along with the facts to sharing the thoughts of Douglas’ teammates on his untimely passing, there were myriad ways to relay the news in a tasteful, respectful manner.
And then there’s the soulless, asinine tack taken by the college football section of ESPN.com‘s Insider RumorCentral:
(Stay classy, World Wide Leader)
The offensive post was subsequently removed and someone connected to the network issued an “apology” via Twitter.
“Apologies for the Rumor Central post related to Aaron Douglas’ tragic death. It did not meet ESPN editorial standards and was removed asap,” the tweet from Rob King read.
Hard to say what’s sadder, the half-assed apology or the fact that someone thought it was a good idea to post that tripe in the first place.
(Tip O’ the Cap for screen snap: Nastinchka)