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New Media Continues To Take A Hit After Kaepernick Report

Courtesy of USA Today Sports

Remember yesterday when we indicated that it might be time to take a step back and get all the facts prior to jumping to conclusions about TMZ’s report that Colin Kaepernick was being investigated for sexual assault? Well, maybe TMZ should have actually taken a couple hours before verifying its report. 

Unfortunately, two things called accountability and reliability seems to be missing from new media these days.

In the report titled “Colin Kaepernick Investigated for Sexual Assault,” TMZ actually goes out there and contradicts themselves…

While cops only described the situation as a “suspicious incident” — it’s clear they are investigating an alleged sex crime, due to the fact the case was referred to the Special Victim’s Office, which handles sex crimes.

In a statement released by the Miami PD just a couple hours later, its spokesperson seemed to put the gossip site on blast, via San Jose Mercury News. 

There’s no evidence of a crime or a sexual assault…This report is simply an incident report taken at the woman’s request.

The spokesperson went on to indicate that TMZ “took the report out of context.”

What we do know is that Kaepernick along with Quinton Patton and Ricardo Lockette put themselves in an unenviable position the night that this went down. Alcohol and marijuana were likely involved in the night at question. That’s not good for anyone involved, especially with NFL’s stringent substance abuse program. The old saying goes, if you don’t put yourself in a position for bad things to happen, they’re most likely not going to happen.

At the very least, these three players are guilty of bad decision making. For Kaepernick, as the face of the 49ers franchise, he needs to put himself in better situations moving forward. I am not simply speaking about him being a role model to youngsters, because that opens up an entirely different can of warms. Instead, I am talking about him representing the franchise and the city to the best of his ability off the field.

No charges have been filed. There is no evidence that a crime was committed. These are two important things to look at moving forward as this process likely draws to a close. Despite what mainstream media, which is controlled by middle-aged white men, might want you to believe, Kaepernick has only been guilty of wearing his hat in a way that makes some uncomfortable. He’s only been guilty of sporting tattoos that make others uncomfortable. He’s never had a run-in with the law, and this most recent circumstance cannot be defined as such unless other information comes out.

It’s the “new media,” those on the Internet, those who rely on page clicks and those who simply are out there to make a name for themselves that jumped on this. Where is TMZ’s retraction? What about all the mainstream sites, Bleacher Report and SB Nation included, that took TMZ’s word? Maybe they should too post a retraction.

Remember, we waited until more information came out to post any information. We weren’t going to go off the word of a gossip site when it comes to something this serious. Sportsnaut might specialize in being unfiltered with some hot takes, but we also know how to act responsibly. Maybe that’s something that others can pick up on. After all, the readers and athletes deserve better than page-click jockeying when it comes to something this serious.

It’s not who is first, it’s who is right.

That’s my UNFILTERED take.

Photo: Kelley L. Cox, USA Today

 

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