Why message boards have to be moderated:

[RedandBlackATTACK]

Late last nighta first time poster on the UL Scout Board using the moniker"kftbaby" posted the following:
Ex- Cardinal football player Shane Bailey was shot 12 times and killed. He was at SELU playing defensive end and tackle,last season he recorded 15 sacks. In an interview two weeks prior he said that he was in the best shape in his life and was ready to take his game to the next level. R.I.P. Shane Bailey 1985-2006

Numerous posters than expressed thier shock,sadness, well wishes to family etc. A few posters to thier credit asked for verification and or links. A couple posters went to the South East La. State University web site and found that Bailey was not even listed on the teams roster.

This afternoon this was posted on the same UL Site:

THIS MESSAGE GOES TO WHO EVER WROTE THIS COMMENT, THIS IS SHANE BAILEY I AM ALIVE AND WELL!!! I DON'T EVEN GO TO SELU, I AM PLAYING AT TEXAS COLLEGE IN TYLER, TX. LAST YEAR I DIDN'T PLAY BALL DUE TO SET BACKS B/C OF HURRICANE KATRINA. I WAS JUST MARRIED ON JULY 22, 2006 TO ANITA WINTERS-DIXON FORMER CARD TRACK RUNNER WHO WAS TEXTED BY HARRY DOUGLAS TO CHECK ON ME AND HER AND I WAS TOLD OF THIS MESSAGE. TO ANYONE WHO READS THIS I AM ALIVE AND WELL. PLAYING BALL WITH 3YEARS LEFT TO PLAY @ TEXAS COLLEGE. ANY CONFIRMATION NEEDED MY E-MAIL IS SHANEBAILEY49@YAHOO.COM. GOODLUCK TO ALL CARDS THIS SEASON I STILL SUPPORT.

Rick

C-Bus

[poodoo]

Thanks for sharing, R&B. That's unreal. :(

Too, far too often we fans automatically believe what we read on message boards. Untruths are sometimes posted about athletes, coaches, etc. and are repeated and believed. Although they may not be as drastic as thatparticular example(and, thankfully, it was not true), they can still be hurtful to HUMAN BEINGS, human beings who have family and friends and a life outside athletics.

Again, thanks for the reminder. Too, our message board is excellently moderated. Yet, untruths that sound like the truthcan still slip through the cracks, evenwith moderators with the best of intentions.

[Bogey1964]

Sounds like the two NBA "Eddie Johnson's" that got switched when one was arrested for rape, and papers had the INNOCENT one's picture and stats listed.

[RedandBlackATTACK]

Well, I think in that case, it was a matter of extremely bad journalism or as they call it in the trade, "copy" work where copy editors who are charged with checking the work, including photo's simply failed to do thier job. Although, inexcusable it was a mistake.

In the Scout Board UL case, a sicko got his (her) kicks by intentionally reporting the false death of a member of the UL family. I use the term family, because Shane, who will be a very good player, was forced to transfer as result of family issues. He simply needed to be closer to home. He remains family in the eyes of the UL fans.

Supposedly both Rivals and Scout are attempting to determine where the post originated from and the original sender. I doubt any laws have been broken but I would not doubt for a minute, if the above can be confirmed, that the information somehow does not makes it to a Board.

Rick

C-Bus