jason whitlock

Jason Whitlock
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Jason Lee Whitlock (b. 27 April 1967 in Indianapolis, Indiana) is a sportswriter for The Kansas City Star, Fox Sports on MSN, a former writer for AOL Sports, a former contibutor to ESPN and a former radio personality for WHB and KCSP sports stations in the Kansas City area.

Contents
1 College and sports
2 Journalism career
2.1 Don Imus incident
3 References
4 External links



[edit] College and sports
Whitlock played offensive tackle at Warren Central High School in Warren Township in the eastern part of Indianapolis, where he blocked for quarterback Jeff George, who later became the first overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft. He went on to play football at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, lettering as an offensive tackle in 1987 and 1988. He graduated in 1990 with a degree in journalism.


[edit] Journalism career
Whitlock previously worked for the Bloomington Herald Times, The Charlotte Observer and the Ann Arbor News. He has also been published in Vibe Magazine and The Sporting News. He posts regularly on Sportsjournalists.com where, unusually for that message board, he posts under his real name. Whitlock is the celebrity spokesman for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City. Whitlock had guest-hosted several ESPN shows, including Jim Rome Is Burning, and Pardon the Interruption. He also appeared regularly on ESPN's The Sports Reporters until he was fired from ESPN in September 2006.

Whitlock announced the departure of his on-line column from ESPN.com's Page 2 in favor of AOL Sports, but initially expected to continue his television work for ESPN. However, after the announcement, Whitlock was interviewed by sports blog The Big Lead, and in that interview, he disparaged two of his ESPN colleagues. Whitlock labeled Mike Lupica "an insecure, mean-spirited busybody", and referred to Robert "Scoop" Jackson as a "clown", saying that "the publishing of [Jackson's] fake ghetto posturing is an insult to black intelligence." Jackson, like Whitlock, is African-American.

After those comments were made public, Whitlock went noticeably absent from any ESPN television work. He soon announced to The Kansas City Star readers in September 2006 that he was fired altogether from ESPN as a result of his remarks; he wrote that the company doesn't tolerate criticism and acted as they saw fit.[1]

Whitlock's first AOL Sports column was published September 29, 2006. Whitlock's first Fox Sports on MSN column was published August 16, 2007.


[edit] Don Imus incident
On April 11, 2007, Jason wrote a column in the Kansas City Star, in which he weighed in on the Don Imus/Rutgers Women's Basketball controversy. He expressed his belief that while Imus's comments were deplorable, the real focus for the black community should be to minimize the negative impact of pop culture elements such as gangsta rap. Jason expressed a mainly negative opinion of the actions taken against Imus by the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Al Sharpton, saying "It's an opportunity for Stringer, Jackson and Sharpton to step on victim platforms and elevate themselves and their agenda."[2] His comments were also featured on several television networks, including CNN, where he was featured alongside Sharpton and accused Jackson and Sharpton of "exploiting these young people, making [...] the problems much bigger than what they should be."[3]


[edit] References
^ Whitlock, Jason. Freedom to speak has price Kansas City Star, 24 September 2006 (Retrieved 27 November 2006).
^ Imus isn't the real bad guy. Kansas City Star. 11 April 2007.
^ CNN. Aired 13 April 2007. Video available online at CNN.com.
Sunday Kickoff: Missouri Has That Winning Feeling
By Connor Ennis

Tags: alabama, Chase Daniel, Ed Orgeron, Heisman Trophy, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee

Playing on a neutral field with a crowd split practically down the middle proved that Missouri was simply better than Kansas, writes Tom Keegan of the Lawrence Journal-World. Joe Posnanski of the Kansas City Star writes that quarterback Chase Daniel was the difference for Missouri, and his Star colleague Jason Whitlock says the Tigers left no doubt that they are worthy of the No. 1 ranking.
Daniel's performance also made the Heisman race quite interesting, according to Heisman Pundit.
Meanwhile, in Norman, Okla., the Sooners' rout of Oklahoma State proves that they are once again a dangerous team, writes Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman, just in time for next week's Big 12 title game.
One fan in Mississippi told Kyle Veazey of The Clarion-Ledger that the Rebels had become "the Vanderbilt of the SEC of old," necessitating Ed Orgeron's firing.
Elsewhere in the SEC, the Tennessean's David Climer writes that Tennessee has been enjoying its role as an underdog. Meanwhile, Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News writes that Alabama lost to Auburn because the Tide could simply not make plays when it needed to.
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14 comments so far...
1.November 25th,
2007
11:17 am I had an odd mixture of satisfaction and longing at the end of the KU-MU game. Both teams showed their mettle. Still, KU made uncharacteristic mistakes (INTs, missed FGs) early, MU got uncharacteristic penalties, yet there was a ton of accomplished play, as well. MU got in their offensive groove first, and that made all the difference. It would have been a lot of fun to see the fireworks of the fourth quarter from the get-go, because those teams are saturated with play-maker receivers.

Pick up the link w/Joe Posnanski of the KC Star: the whole pillow-fight analogy was apt. Mizzou beats you w/an endless rain of persistent blows, not w/jaw-dropping hammer-to-the-temple stuff (although that Maclin guy is certainly capable of a lethal blow by himself).

― Posted by rmutt1917
2.November 25th,
2007
12:58 pm It will be nice for Missouri to be ranked #1, if only for a week. Unfortunately as we have seen all year long the rating system both among the coaches and the AP writers this years is worthless as an indicator of who the #1 and #2 teams are, but it seems to be a pretty good indicator of who is going down next. Is Missouri Good? Absolutely!, is Kansas Good? Yes, but not that Good, is Oklahoma Good? Absolutely! Are any of them Good enough to be competitive against Ohio State, LSU, Georgia, or Florida? NFW. The Big 12 gets its 15 minutes every year and in many years it is totally underserved (as is the case this year) The Big 12's 15 minutes are up, get off the stage. Or do tehy need to be embarrased by teh likes of Boise State Again?

― Posted by James ASh
3.November 25th,
2007
1:04 pm No doubt that as of Nov 25 Missouri is indeed No. 1 (I say so objectively, I'm