Spring Break
The Daily OrangeSchonbrun: Running rampant
Carr rumor shows how Internet blurs line between fact, fiction
By Zach Schonbrun
Posted: 9/30/08, 11:22 PM EST Section: Sports
The Syracuse-centric sports blog Web site, Orange44.blogspot.com, was the first to report online about Carr's apparent sightings based off "three separate and independent sources" on Friday. The post sent off a firestorm of activity on chat rooms and forums around the Internet.
By mid-afternoon, the rumor was on the airwaves. Brent Axe reported on his show "On the Block" on ESPN Radio 1260 that he'd heard rumblings. By 5:30 that evening, Axe felt confident enough, after speaking with several sources, to say Carr was in Syracuse.
"Before I got off the air at 6 p.m., I had eight or nine text messages," Axe said in a telephone conversation. "When I got home and checked my e-mail that night, my e-mail box was flooded. The reaction was out there."
Axe said he was stunned at how quickly the rumor soared through the community, and message boards lit up with theories about why Carr was in town. Posters jumped on the opportunity to reveal their inside info: he's friends with the chancellor; he's here to play golf; he's never seen the university; he's been offered the head coaching job.
Meanwhile, SU athletics officials continue to deny any reports.
Brian Harrison, who runs the Orange44 blog site, is the first to admit he's not a journalist or in the business of regularly breaking news. So he initially had some hesitation before posting hearsay.
"I didn't want to put it out there and have 90 million people leave a comment like 'no, you're an idiot,'" Harrison said. "I really wanted to make sure that it was at least being talked about and something that I thought was pretty valid. So after thinking about it and checking with several people, I went ahead and posted it.
"I didn't even think it was going to blow up like it did on the Syracuse blogs, let alone the Michigan blogs picking it up. I honestly didn't have an idea that would happen. But I guess it was legitimate enough."
Yet like that, Syracuse had its "Deadspin" moment, with a 63-year-old ex-coach acting as the Playboy party crasher. As message boards took the news and ran with it, the truth - however much of it ever existed - became distorted behind a consortium of overzealous self-promotion.
By mid-afternoon, the rumor was on the airwaves. Brent Axe reported on his show "On the Block" on ESPN Radio 1260 that he'd heard rumblings. By 5:30 that evening, Axe felt confident enough, after speaking with several sources, to say Carr was in Syracuse.
"Before I got off the air at 6 p.m., I had eight or nine text messages," Axe said in a telephone conversation. "When I got home and checked my e-mail that night, my e-mail box was flooded. The reaction was out there."
Axe said he was stunned at how quickly the rumor soared through the community, and message boards lit up with theories about why Carr was in town. Posters jumped on the opportunity to reveal their inside info: he's friends with the chancellor; he's here to play golf; he's never seen the university; he's been offered the head coaching job.
Meanwhile, SU athletics officials continue to deny any reports.
Brian Harrison, who runs the Orange44 blog site, is the first to admit he's not a journalist or in the business of regularly breaking news. So he initially had some hesitation before posting hearsay.
"I didn't want to put it out there and have 90 million people leave a comment like 'no, you're an idiot,'" Harrison said. "I really wanted to make sure that it was at least being talked about and something that I thought was pretty valid. So after thinking about it and checking with several people, I went ahead and posted it.
"I didn't even think it was going to blow up like it did on the Syracuse blogs, let alone the Michigan blogs picking it up. I honestly didn't have an idea that would happen. But I guess it was legitimate enough."
Yet like that, Syracuse had its "Deadspin" moment, with a 63-year-old ex-coach acting as the Playboy party crasher. As message boards took the news and ran with it, the truth - however much of it ever existed - became distorted behind a consortium of overzealous self-promotion.
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