When Bad Things Happen To The Media

Bob Parks: Blaack & Right ^ | 6/13/08 | Bob Parks

[bocopar]

I know this may come off as callous and insensitive to some, but it has to be said.

While I have no animus against Tim Russert, I am again in amazement how thoroughly the news world has been turned on its head because of the death of one journalist. One of them.

[blackbart.223]

"Yup. I think that's what killed Hank Gathers, basketball player at Loyola in 1993."

I'm not familiar with that case. Can you post a link?

[blackbart.223]

"Thanks for the prayers. She’s doing well. No cancer recurrence in the past seven years, and her only issue with her heart is fatigue."

I'm glad to hear that. Tell her to hang tough.

[cubreporter]

Was there another earthquake???

[goodnesswins]

I always that he looked LIKE he was going to HAVE a heart attack......I did not realize he weighed that much. And, as I said hours ago.....Prayers for his family.

[buccaneer81]

Eric "Hank" Gathers (February 11, 1967, in Philadelphia – March 4, 1990 in Los Angeles) was an American college basketball star at Loyola Marymount University who collapsed and died during a game. He originally played at the University of Southern California, but transferred with teammate Bo Kimble to LMU after his freshman year.

Gathers' first sign of trouble came on Saturday, December 9, 1989, when he collapsed during an LMU home game against UCSB. He was found to have an abnormal heartbeat (exercise-induced ventricular tachycardia), and was prescribed a beta blocker. However, the school coaches felt that the medication adversely affected his play, and they soon cut back on his dosage. Gathers was under the care of only the school doctors. On Sunday, March 4, 1990, he collapsed again with 13:34 left in the first half of a West Coast Conference tournament semifinal game against Portland, just after scoring on an alley-oop dunk that put the Lions up 25-13. This time, he never got up. He was declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital at the age of only 23. An autopsy found that he suffered from a heart-muscle disorder, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Following his death, Gathers's parents eventually sued LMU for $32.5 million. The school settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

[cubreporter]

yes, can’t remember exactly what it was but he would not stop until he got his answer. hilllereee was maaaad.

[AZLiberty]

In the four hours since the original 6.8 earthquake, Eastern Honshu has had 10 aftershocks of magnitude 4.6 or greater. Quite a rumbler.

[blackbart.223]

"exercise-induced ventricular tachycardia.

Ventricular tachycardia is one of the lethal arrhythmia's. Was there any other under lying causes?

[AZLiberty]

Russert was a good man. Fifty percent of the media people lauding him — including Sean Hannity — want his job.

[FredZarguna]

The excessive media over Tim Russert — a genuinely good guy, Dad, and hard-working man should be taken like the joke about the pope and the lawyer who show up simultaneously in heaven. The pope is quite put-off by the enthusiastic welcome afforded the lawyer, while he is virtually ignored; but St. Peter admonishes him: “this place is full of Popes but we've never seen a lawyer before.” Whatever you may think of Nixon, his assessment of the press was succinct and correct: “they're a bunch of sh!ts.” Time Russert was a rarity. He was not one. RIP.

[maine-iac7]

That said, he was going to give Obama the best examination of all the "moderators" this election season

,,,tiny thought flitted across my mind on this today - he wouldn't be the first one to suffer a sudden 'heart attack' unexpectedly and conveniently

[BIGLOOK]

You've got a point, Bob; we've heard lots of stories about other journalists and media people who've met tragic ends or suffered injuries, lots more than the common man or soldier cut down in their youth or prime. Those who survived have had air time to describe their travails after wards and are held up as heroes of their profession. But then, life ain't fair.

Tim Russert's sudden demise touched the media stars' own sense of mortality. It was a shock. His position at the top, his relative youth, his workaday ethic ended suddenly, finally. Tim Russert was the only reason to watch NBC (unless there's a football game), he was their sole redeeming factor, their icon.

On our side of the street, away from the lights and cameras, Tim Russert was a good guy. a good son and a good father. The son of a common man who always remembered his roots. Something the elite media is having difficulties dealing with as well.

He died with his boots on.

Godspeed Tim Russert.

[buccaneer81]

An autopsy found that he suffered from a heart-muscle disorder, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

I guess that's as much of an underlying cause as they found. I remember the footage the networks showed. It was awful.

[proudmilitarymrs]

Mr. Parks, I agree with the “overblown”. “They” (media)even accused Mr. Russert of being soft on certain candidates.

I believe him to have been one of the most even handed of the left.

I shudder to think who will replace him on “Meet the Depressed”. Are you up for TV?

Just my honest opinion

mrs

[buccaneer81]

FReeper “American In Tokyo” had quite a descriptive firsthand post of the quake. Said that the authorities issued a warning a full two minutes before it struck.

[proudmilitarymrs]

Was Tim on the Clinton’s “Enemies List”?

mrs

[blackbart.223]

"I guess that's as much of an underlying cause as they found. I remember the footage the networks showed. It was awful."

I assume there was film of his death involved here. I can understand that as I've seen too much of that first hand.

[Dick Vomer]

He was one of a kind.

'rilly, one of a kind..... puhleeze. We're ALL "one of a kind" but none of us is irreplaceable.

close your eyes and think about the day that (insert male liberal journalist) dies.... any of them.....

Walter Leland Cronkite will result in a bell tolling for 24 hours on CBS

Geraldo.... will result in a 60's rehash of "greatest" ever, most aggressive etc....

Andy Rooney... the "greatest generation" will lose it's greatest whatever....

and on and on....

we all die. Only one guy got out of this alive and he was crucified. So it's not like we let him off easy.

He was a liberal, journalist that died doing what he loved. His son had graduated from college and he had spent time with his family.

Lucky him.

As far as "prayers up" or "Praying for his family".... that's a nice sentiment, I guess. If it makes you feel good or are trying to show lurkers that we're just a praying bunch of "good guys".... go for it. I didn't know him, didn't know what he was all about, and have no idea if he would even care if I prayed. In other words, he's just a guy that died to me.

I would just as likely "pray" for his family as I would the Navy pilot killed over Nevada today..... or the Sgt. Merlin German that recently died in San Antonio.

does anybody think that Sgt German or the Navy pilot were both a "great" guy, family man, good Christian, "one of a kind". Let's find all the interviews about their lives, what they laughed at, how they cherished their families.

Where is the former speaker of the house, all the pundits, all the talking heads to mourn the loss of these real heroes, instead of a media talking head.

go to the obit section of the newspaper (online of course) and look at the list.

Like the saying goes, "live each day like it's going to be your last. Cause one of these days, you're going to be right."

[blackbart.223]

"Was Tim on the Clinton’s “Enemies List”?"

He did go after Hillary.