Recent Locker Room Posts by L.N. Smithee

September 25, 2006

Legit Discussion Shut Down -- Why?:

In the spirit of texasred, who asked 9/18/06 in a Locker Room post what was up when his NASCAR posts were deleted, I am addressing the Michelle Wie issue here.

My post from Friday 9/22/06 entitled "Masters? Michelle Wie Should Master LPGA First, says Female Sportswriter" fit the FPP. Admittedly, it is about Wie and her heretofore futile quest to make a PGA cut, a subject that always sets this forum on fire. But previous discussions have included unfounded accusations that those who are critical of Wie must be 'male chauvinists.' The column I posted was written by longtime San Jose Mercury News columnist Ann Killion, someone whose opinion obviously couldn't be motivated by agreement that a woman's place is barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen. On top of that, Killion cited LPGA pros (including LPGA legend Nancy Lopez) who agree that Wie is disrespectful of female professionals by acting as if the women's tour isn't important.

None of those differentiations seemed to matter when some made note that it was I who posted the column. Immediately, some alleged that I have a hateful, politically motivated anti-Wie "agenda," but there were others who wrote that even if that was the truth (which it isn't), it was not a reason to stop posting legitimate items about Wie.

The burgeoning discussion of both Wie's choices and whether or not people who are annoyed by the topic should ignore it came to a screeching halt when justgary made his first and only post on the thread. He simply wrote "Sorry, been out." Then, it appears, his next act was to shut the thread down with the words "This discussion has been closed by the admins."

Seeing that not only I but others agreed that it was a legitimate post that fit the standards of the FPP, I think I am entitled to an explanation of why closing this thread within hours of its creation wasn't an arbitrary variance of SpoFi policy.

posted by L.N. Smithee to editorial policy at 01:22 AM - 71 comments