This is an Op-Ed reader submission. The views in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. If you’d like to submit an Op-Ed, send your contribution to alexis@theepregameshow.com.
I was a newspaper reporter in Colorado for 20 years and I understand how writers choose their words. It’s not happenstance because words matter.
So, earlier this year I was taken aback when a Denver sports columnist called Coach Prime a “false prophet” because he said the CU Buffs would be better this fall with the new transfers and new coaches. I pondered if this writer used those words as a dig at Coach Prime’s deep faith.
The definition of a false prophet in religion: a false prophet is a person who falsely claims the gift of prophecy, divine inspiration, or to speak for God, or who makes such claims for evil ends.
Then last weekend, the same publication called people who support Coach Prime and the CU Buffs, “The Cult of Prime.”
Does that mean I am now part of a “cult” because I believe Coach Prime has made an amazing impact on CU and the city of Boulder?
The definition of a cult: a group which is typically led by a charismatic and self-appointed leader, who tightly controls its members, requiring unwavering devotion to a set of beliefs and practices which are considered deviant.
I want Coach Prime and the Buffs to succeed but I had no problem last year when the team was criticized for poor play, including game management. Heck, even Coach Prime labeled some games as hot garbage.
I don’t agree with everything Coach Prime says but I also can’t stand the double standards placed on him, and the personal attacks.
What other head coach in college or professional sports would be called a “false prophet” for believing his team has improved? What other fan base would be labeled as part of a “cult” for supporting the team’s head coach?
Perhaps the writers are trying to get under Coach Prime’s skin by using these words, although I don’t think that will work because Coach Prime is a master at handling the media.
But the choice of these words, which I would call lazy and sophomoric, lead me further and further away from reading my local newspaper and that is sad. This same publication has other good journalists who are getting tarnished by this shock jock kind of writing.
The labels don’t serve any purpose but to expose a personal bias, which is a mortal sin in the world of journalism.
And yes, I chose the words “lazy,” “sophomoric,” and “shock jock,” on purpose because words matter.
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