The self-promoted Sports Illustrated piece that was intended to open the flood gates on the Jim Tressel scandal was released last night. With it came an abundance of possible ethics violations on behalf of the stories authors George Dohrmann and David Epstein.
The 6,200 word story can be found here.
Before we begin, I’d like to quickly address my approach to this criticism. As a college journalism student I have taken hours of courses and engaged in countless discussions on the Code of Ethics set forth by the Society of Professional Journalists. In fact, those guidelines are not just a cornerstone of my education, but are a set of guidelines required by most media outlets to be upheld by their journalists.
“The SPJ Code of Ethics is voluntarily embraced by thousands of journalists, regardless of place or platform, and is widely used in newsrooms and classrooms as a guide for ethical behavior. The code is intended not as a set of “rules” but as a resource for ethical decision-making. It is not — nor can it be under the First Amendment — legally enforceable.” –spj.org
If you’d like to read the entire code you can visit
http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp and check it out.
A quick crash course on the SPJ code reveals there are four basic principles that journalists are expected to follow at all times. Number one and the single more important is always seek and report truth. Number two is minimizing harm; this includes “showing compassion for those who may be affected adversely by news coverage.” Violation of this specific standard is typically what causes the negative stigma around journalists among the general public. Third is to act independently; this includes avoiding real or perceived conflicts of interests. For instance, a fan of a certain team ideally should not be covering their team because their fandom can and probably will affect the objectivity in their reporting. That is a primary reason why most blogs are considered to contain no real journalism. Even here on CSB I cannot say it is filled with completely ethical journalism because my fandom often gets in the way whether it’s conscience or subconscious, real or perceived. Lastly, journalists are to be accountable; this includes and I quote, “Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media.”
Now that we’ve covered the four basics of journalism ethics (seek and report truth, minimize harm, act independently and be accountable) I can begin to address the unethical issues with the Sports Illustrated article by George Dohrmann. But, before I begin, in order to prevent myself from being a hypocrite I must admit that whether it’s real or perceived I may have some objectivity issues while writing this because I’m a fan of the team. But, today I will only be addressing facts which Dohrmann spoke on and actual quotes that were written in the article. I will display the unethical decisions but will primarily focus on the poor journalism Dohrmann used.
If you’re unfamiliar, George Dohrmann is a former Pulitzer Prize winning writer. On the contrary, I am a young journalist with a blog that would probably make Dohrmann laugh. Regardless, I am here for one reason and that is to be accountable and to in my interpretation of the code, “Expose unethical practices of journalists and the news media.”
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Let me introduce you to George Dohrmann, a journalist for Sports Illustrated who uncovered an academic fraud scandal within the University of Minnesota men’s basketball program. At SI, his primary beat is investigative projects, but he also covers sports. Investigative projects are not only the primary purpose of journalism as its core fundamental but it’s also my future goal to hold such a position. Corruption fills our world from top to bottom and that includes the world of sports. It’s a journalist’s job to uncover that corruption. It’s making the world and the institution of sports better than it is.
George Dohrmann
Despite a biography that makes me envy Dohrmann I could not help but cringe while reading his most recent article regarding Jim Tressel. Dohrmann’s investigation was as deep and as thorough as I’ve probably ever seen from a sport’s journalists. Despite this, the articles deep investigation findings were spoiled because of independent opinion by the writer, faulty claims and multiple unreliable sources. Dohrmann filled his article with the quotes and words of multiple questionable named and anonymous sources that have both criminal records and axes to grind.
At its core, Dohrmann’s article attempts to expose Jim Tressel based on a long and deep history of alleged NCAA violations and character flaws dating back to his years as an assistant coach for Ohio State in the 1980s. The purpose was to perhaps convince readers that the positive image that’s surrounded Tressel for most of his career is conjured up. The article at times implies Tressel is either the root of all NCAA violations in the Ohio State football program or he is simply ignorant and unfit to lead such a program.
“The Clarett and Baker scandals were further evidence that Tressel was, at best, woefully ignorant of questionable behavior by his players and not aggressive enough in preventing it.” Dohrmann said. “At worst, he was a conduit for improper benefits, as Clarett alleged.”
While the article does a good job of exposing numerous incidents regarding improper benefits, Dohrmann too often places the blame solely on the shoulders of Tressel. The issue with his approach here is that despite the violations occurring over nearly a 30 year period, Dohrmann never once questioned the character or integrity of the players, athletic directors, school presidents or anyone else involved.
Perhaps the loftiest revelation of the piece was when it was revealed that since the fall of 2002, at least 28 Ohio State football players “were either known or alleged to have traded or sold memorabilia in violation of NCAA rules.” Before this piece, only six players were known to have engaged in such activities. But, despite the violations occurring over a nearly 10 year period, Dohrmann never once questioned where or what Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith or Ohio State President Gordon Gee were doing during this period. It’s pretty clear Dohrmann does not hold either man responsible.
While Tressel was perhaps “ignorant” for not realizing what his players were doing, Tressel’s two superiors and those responsible for the entire athletic department and the entire school were both oblivious as well. Even though according to Dohrmann’s story, it was no secret where these players were or what they were doing.
“Ellis (who we’ll touch on shortly) says players went in and out of the tattoo parlor so often that kids carrying paper and pen would bang on the door and front window and shout, ‘Are the Buckeyes here?’ Employees had to shoo them away,” Dohrmann wrote.
If true, how could word not only have not reached Tressel, but no one in the entire athletic department or the school? Dohrmann even states this himself.
“It is a staggering number, a level of wrongdoing that would seem hard to miss for a coach and an entire athletic department — one that includes an NCAA compliance staff of at least six people,” Dohrmann said. “Yet the university trusted the coach, and the coach says he knew nothing before April 2010, when the Columbus lawyer tipped him off in an e-mail. He was ignorant of it all.”
Terrelle Pryor's right forearm tattoo
Yes, Tressel was ignorant of it all, but even Dohrmann admits it himself when he states, “Yet the university trusted the coach,” that the university itself was being “ignorant of it all” as well. But, for some reason Dohrmann again, doesn’t criticize Smith, Gee, the entire athletic depart, or the compliance staff containing at least six people. One sentence Dohrmann states a real issue and in the next he essentially says, it was only Tressel’s fault.
Before I move on, I want to make it clear, this is not about arguing Tressel’s innocence, it’s about exposing a serious problem and all of those responsible and not just blaming one man for the actions of hundreds.
There is the argument that an athletic director and school president do not oversee day-to-day operations of the football program, but as we already touched on, this had been going on for close to decade at Ohio State. Players were getting tattoos and hanging out at a tattoo parlor that “was no secret” according to the article, but still the teams athletic director and school president apparently knew nothing about it either.
“This is isolated to these young men and isolated to this particular instance,” said Gene Smith, in regards to the original six players punished for improper benefits last year by the NCAA.
Apparently Tressel wasn’t the only one fooled or lying. Based on this information, one of two things is happening; either the entire school and not just Tressel was completely obvious and ignorant to something reportedly was “no secret” or the information being provided by the articles sources if false.
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As we touched on earlier, the article is filled with sources both named and anonymous who are criminals or persons with axes to grind and are, in one word, unreliable. The story’s credibility takes a turn for the worst when it becomes instinctively hard to believe the quotes that were written. Perhaps I am in the minority when I say this, but typically I would not trust something to be 100 percent true if it was told to me by a career criminal or drug addict.
“Dustin Halko was an artist at Dudley’z from the fall of 2002 until early ’04, and he says that players regularly visited the shop and handed over signed jerseys, gloves, magazines and other goods in exchange for tattoos,” Dohrmann wrote. “Halko says he personally inked at least 10 Ohio State players — he clearly remembers tattooing guard T.J. Downing, tight end Louis Irizarry and wide receiver Chris Vance — and in return he was given autographed memorabilia.”
What Dohrmann doesn’t mention until later is that in 2005, Halko was found guilty of assault and sentenced to 180 days in jail, in 2008 he was convicted of misdemeanor theft and possession of drug paraphernalia, and in March of this year was sentenced to a year in prison after being convicted of three felonies: attempted burglary, breaking and entering, and domestic violence. His only contact with Sports Illustrated was over the phone while incarcerated in Noble Correctional Institution in Caldwell, Ohio. Halko admits not only does he have criminal issues, but also drug problems.
“He said that in addition to his legal trouble, he has had a drug problem in the past, ‘but I’m not lying. Why should I lie?’” he said.
Here’s the thing, I don’t know anything about Halko other than what Dohrmann wrote in this story, but simply believing a criminal and drug addict who clearly has issues because he said “Why should I lie?” is ridiculous. Whether Halko is telling the truth or lying is irrelevant because as a source his background makes him unreliable and using his quotes to expose Tressel is boarding on unethical.
To his credit, Dohrmann tries to support the opinion of Halko with addition sources that agree with his statements. This is actually an example of good journalism, but just reading the following statement makes my trust alarm go off.
“Two associates of Halko’s who hung out at the shop — they asked not be named because they fear reprisals from Ohio State fans — confirmed Halko’s account that players commonly swapped memorabilia for tattoo work,” said Dohrmann, “One said he saw ‘at least five’ Buckeyes conduct such transactions; the other said ‘at least seven.’”
The first issue is that the two sources used to try and confirm a felon’s statement are both anonymous. Yes, anonymous sources are a part of journalism, but the combination of these three sources combined should certainly raise concerns. Dohrmann doesn’t twist the facts, he only reports what he’s told, but to me, posting such damning information from such questionable sources is a highly dangerous practice and boarders on unethical.
Dohrmann continues this investigation with Darrell Ross who was the owner of the tattoo shop Dudley’z where the majority of the improper tattoo sessions and exchanges took place in the past.
“Darrell (Dudley) Ross, who owned Dudley’z, initially told SI that Halko was lying in saying that Ohio State players were tattooed there and partied there, and that Halko was ‘just trying to get his name in the paper.’,” said Dohrmann. “Ross later acknowledged that he might have tattooed some Buckeyes but said that Halko did not and that the players always paid for the work. Ross said that Halko worked at Dudley’z for “three or four days” and said of himself, “Look, I am a career criminal, but I’ve only been convicted of one felony. I’m not a drug addict like [Halko].”
Wait wait wait… WOAH! Perhaps I’m overreacting here, but Dohrmann went from a drug addict and felon to a career criminal and felon. To make it worse, Ross lied to Dohrmann but then changed his story. First of all, clearly Ross was trying to hide something otherwise he wouldn’t have lied in the first place. Second, who’s to say his second statement isn’t also a lie?
Fine Line Ink in Columbus, Ohio
We’re talking about two men who clearly live a life of crime surrounded by drugs and the pressures of not only jail, but physical harm if they don’t live up to their end of certain deals. Amid the events mentioned in the quotes above, Halko served a sentence and upon release in 2009 ended up at Fine Line Ink. According to the story Dudley’z (the player’s old hangout) closed so they began going to Fine Line instead. But, Halko’s employment didn’t last long.
“On what would be his last day at Fine Line, Halko says Rife (who we’ll touch on shortly) accused him of stealing some cameras, which Halko denied,” said Dohrmann. “He also says that Rife, the man who would become close with many of Ohio State’s best players, then pointed a gun at him and ordered some of his associates to take him outside and beat him. Halko says he ended up in Mount Carmel West Hospital with multiple injuries, a description confirmed by one of Halko’s associates. Rife’s lawyer, Stephen Palmer, told SI that Rife denies pulling a gun on Halko or having him assaulted.”
Alright, so we’ve gone from a story about Jim Tressel and now were watching a soap opera. First of all, as I said before, I didn’t know anything about Halko before and this writing from Dohrmann is starting to confirm my distrust in him as a source. Clearly Halko has some deeply rooted interests in crime and because of that his opinion simply cannot be trusted and shouldn’t have been used in this article. Regardless of what Halko tells a reporter, the fact remains that he lives in a world of crime where if he slips up or says the wrong thing or refuses to lie to a certain reporter he could end up dead. I’m not implying that Halko lied. I just want to make it clear that using him in this story was just irresponsible journalism by Dohrmann which is a surprise to me.
As for Edward Rife, he’s the owner of Fine Line Ink where the infamous Terrelle Pryor tattoos scandal occurred. What’s even more damning is that Rife was the center of a federal investigation surrounding money laundering and drug distribution. Need I remind you, this is the same place where Halko (who is one of Dohrmann’s primary sources) worked before reportedly being held at gun point by Rife. Last Friday, Rife pleaded guilty to money laundering, conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. Those charges carry a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison and a fine of up to $2.5 million.
Err… am I the only one wondering what any of this really has to do with Tressel? Do we honestly believe a coach making $3.5 million dollars a year would be involved with any of this? Regardless, I will continue because apparently the owners of both tattoo shops where the violations took place reportedly were friends.
“In its letter to Ohio State, the Department of Justice linked Rife, 31, to Ross, the Dudley’z owner,” said Dohrmann. “The letter listed transactions between the two involving six pieces of signed memorabilia. There was also a footnote: ‘Ross is a friend of Edward Rife, who deals in sports memorabilia.’ Asked about his relationship with Rife, Ross told SI he knew him but couldn’t comment further.”
At this point in the story, not only do I not know what to believe or who to trust, but this is where I really began to question the ethical value of this piece. Clearly there is something going on here with players receiving tattoo’s in exchange for memorabilia, but instead of talking about the Ohio State football program and the inept leadership of Tressel, Smith and Gee, we’re instead talking about a federal drug and money laundering investigation.
Dohrmann continues his piece by talking about “the ultimate Ohio State-themed man cave” that is housed on the second floor of Fine Line Ink. Dohrmann apparently finds this necessary to talk about because players would go there and relax and the players were catered to.
“‘It was a cool place to hang out,’ says a former Rife employee,” he said. “Everybody could just relax and have a good time. The players were catered to. Eddie would tell people, ‘Go get them some chicken’ or ‘Run to the store and get them something to drink.’ Whatever they wanted.”
Okay, I get that if someone bought these players’ food or drinks at this hangout spot that it’s technically a violation. But, is this really necessary? We’re talking about a story that was promoted to be the end-all-be-all in the exposing of Jim Tressel and now were talking about players getting minor benefits like drinks and food at hang out spots for players. I can guarantee this type of thing happens happens at nearly every single school across the country. It’s food and drinks not drugs and money.
“Like Dudley’z years earlier, Fine Line Ink became the players’ hangout,” said Dohrmann. “They gathered on the second floor, turned on the PlayStation and stayed for hours.”
That gem of insider information about players playing PlayStation was provided by our next anonymous source, Ellis. Ellis is a former employee of Rife who, “agreed to speak to SI on condition that he remain anonymous; he fears that Rife or one of his associates will seek retribution for his disclosures.”
So while Ellis fears retribution from Rife, Halko apparently has no reason to lie, but those who agree with Halko’s statements fear retribution from Ohio State supporters and Ross who is friends with Rife lied to Dohrmann, but then changed his mind and told him something worth quoting. Do you see where I’m going with this?
I understand Dohrmann is a Pulitzer winner and he’s a great journalist, but what he’s constructed in this story feels more like a crime novel with crazy characters instead of a story about the misdeeds of a college football head coach and an entire athletic department.
From left to right: Devier Posey, Dan Herron, Mike Adams, Terrelle Pryor & Soloman Thomas
Ellis, the anonymous source, then goes on to name a list of current and former Ohio State players who he said got tattoos at Fine Line Ink over the course of 20 months. Current players weren’t permitted to respond by the university and former players either couldn’t be reached or flat out denied the alogations.
“Ellis showed SI pictures of players — Pryor, Gibson, Herron and Solomon Thomas — being tattooed or showing off their artwork,” said Dohrmann. “Rife appears in one photo with a player. Ellis also produced a photo of 11 plastic bags filled with what appears to be marijuana; he says the photo was taken at Fine Line Ink.”
Outside Thadeus Gibson I’m not sure why the above statement is relevant in the least. Pryor, Herron and Thomas were already punished by the NCAA for these specific violations. Also, what does Ellis producing a photo of bags of marijuana have to do with anything? Even if it was taken at Fine Line Ink it’s not like the player were holding the bags. That’s like me going to a club where a celebrity has been, then taking a picture of drugs, and then writing a story about how players go to this club where they have drugs. I’m just not sure where if anywhere Dohrmann was going with this.
As for the former players who appeared willing to support these claims, most had a history of being slighted by either Tressel or the team to some extent. This includes Maurice Clarett and Ray Small. Clarett was once the most talented freshman in college football and won the 2002 National Championship with Ohio State before ending up suspended from Ohio State and eventually in prison.
“A year later, after he left the university, Clarett told ESPN that he wasn’t forthcoming with the NCAA because it would have meant ratting on teammates and coaches,” said Clarett. “He alleged that Tressel had ¬arranged cars for him to use and that the coach’s older brother Dick, who was then the Buckeyes’ director of football operations, arranged lucrative no-show jobs for players. (Jim and Dick Tressel have denied the allegations.) Clarett added that coaches connected him with boosters who gave him thousands of dollars.”
The biggest issue here is that Clarett clearly cannot be trust as a source. He had an obvious axe to grind, he’s a convicted felon and as a felon is willing to do things far worse than lie to the press as the right price. He was suspended by the school and it could simply be a case of getting payback. Even if he’s not lying, how can a reader ever trust a source whose hit rock bottom. In the end, the NCAA never sanctioned Ohio State for any of Clarett’s allegations, but that nor Clarett’s clear unreliability as a source didn’t stop Dohrmann from using that information in his story.
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As I’ve maintained throughout this criticism, whether the information provided is true or false is not the issue. The issue is that a Pulitzer winning journalists abandoned conventional means of the SPJ Code of Ethics. Rather than piecing together his information to speak on the inept leadership of Tressel, Smith and Gee, Dohrmann instead force feeds us a 6,200 word story on the drug and crime world in Columbus. It is clear Ohio State has an issue with players getting free tattoos and that was never in question. Apparently Dohrmann didn’t get the memo because the focus of his investigation seems to be on the revelation that instead of six players getting tattoos it was 28. Dohrmann further veered off track by making his holier-than-thou attitude towards Tressel far too noticeable throughout the piece.
“Yet while Tressel’s admirable qualities have been trumpeted, something else essential to his success has gone largely undiscussed: his ignorance,” said Dohrmann. “Professing a lack of awareness isn’t usually the way to get ahead, but it has helped Tressel at key moments in his career.”
The constant accusation of ignorance by Tressel simply got old by the 5,000 word. As a journalist you’re taught to present the facts and let the reader decide their opinion. Dohrmann didn’t do that because he was too preoccupied reminding me how dumb I was for believing Tressel was a trustworthy person.
“For more than a decade, Ohioans have viewed Tressel as a pillar of rectitude, and have disregarded or made excuses for the allegations and scandal that have quietly followed him throughout his career,” said Dohrmann. “His integrity was one of the great myths of college football. Like a disgraced politician who preaches probity but is caught in lies, the Senator was not the person he purported to be.”
Are you sure about that Dohrmann? To me the Senator was exactly the person he purported to be and your 6,200 word attack really didn’t do much other than take the blame off the players and the entire athletic department and instead places it entirely on the shoulders of Tressel. Reading Dohrmann’s story and being force fed how Tressel is the bad guy in all of this is completely unethical and is commentary despite being labeled as news reporting.
Gordon Gee (left), Jim Tressel (center) & Gene Smith (right)
Again, it’s extremely clear there was improper benefits’ going on. I don’t think anyone is denying that, but Dohrmann suggesting that Tressel is the soul man responsible is simply outrageous. The players are first and foremost the ones to blame. They knew they were violating rules and they didn’t care. Also, the entire athletic program should share a huge burden for this. The fact that Gene Smith and Gordon Gee are making Tressel the fall guy because of their combined incompetence is equally disturbing. Last, the criminal tattoo parlor owners are to blame. Manipulating people is what they do as career criminals and that’s what they did to these kids. Dohrmann accusing Tressel of encouraging these athletes to be a part of that is just a disgusting accusation and a perfect example of unethical journalism.
Perhaps the worst part of the piece came when he wrote about how in the mid-80s Tressel would rig raffles in order to provide top recruit athletes with the top end gear from winning raffles. Look, I don’t know how many bridges Tressel burned in the 80s with previous co-workers, but this kind of claim just seems flat out absurd.
“Despite Gene Smith’s insistence to the contrary, the school had a systemic problem and is likely to be hit with heavy sanctions, including the loss of several scholarships,” said Dohrmann.
To make matters worse, Dohrmann writes in the quote above how Gene Smith denied the existence of a systemic problem, but then never once questions his character or calls him ignorant. I’m not sure what Dohrmann has against Tressel, but it’s clear he as well as the entire Ohio State staff is entirely comfortable taking any blame off the athletic department and placing it completely on the shoulders of Tressel.
“For years, Ohio State benefited from Tressel’s choirboy image,” said Dohrmann. “Now, the university is likely to paint him as a huge problem that has been eliminated for the betterment of the athletic department.”
The university isn’t the only one painting him as a huge problem Dohrmann. You sir, clearly seem to be the brush and paint in that equation.
“It is not the noblest of tactics, but it adheres to an axiom of big-time college football, one that Jim Tressel has heeded for years: You do whatever it takes to win,” he said.
If only this closing statement by Dohrmann were true. It’s rare to find an Ohio State player who doesn’t consider Tressel one of the most beloved men in their life. But, due to the words of a few criminals and disgruntled players Dohrmann apparently now feels that winning was the only thing that mattered to Tressel. There’s only one problem, tattoos don’t make you run faster, play better and tackle harder. If anything, this was about providing kids access to luxuries they never had. Saying winning had anything to do with it and closing a 6,200 article that way was just foolish.
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In the end, just like I said in the beginning, this criticism was never about right and wrong, it’s about ethics. Despite Dohrmann being a great journalist with a wonderful past he made some highly questionable decision in this piece. He attacked the wrong people, the wrong institutions and he did it with quotes from the wrong people about the wrong subject.
His story was promoted to make even the most loyal of Tressel supporters’ become opponents and instead it revealed how unjust this entire process is. Tressel is not innocent in all of this, that much is clear, but neither is anyone involved. It’s a shame that so many players and members of the athletic department who are perhaps more at fault than even Tressel will walk away unscathed.
This piece could have been so much more. It could have been a step in the right direction for college football and instead it victimized one man surrounded in a world filled with liars and cheaters. College football is no better off today than it was yesterday. Dohrmann truly had an opportunity to make change and instead crucified one man in a sea of guilty participants and painted a picture that now that problem is solved.
All that remains is sweeping the rest of the secrets under the rug by Gene Smith, Gordon Gee and the rest of the still employed ignorant athletic department that let this mess happen under their watch.
