Sports

Deadspin Falls For A Fake Story (Again)

Alex Griswold Media Reporter
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Gawker-owned sports blog Deadspin has once again royally screwed up a story, this time falling for a satirical article claiming the Olympics was adding 3-on-3 basketball.

“The IOC has officially added a new half-court 3-on-3 basketball event to the competitions to be held in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro,” read the original lede to the piece by reporter Kyle Walsh, “This rules.” (RELATED: Deadspin Editor Not Being Bro-ish About All-Bro Work Zone)

Needless to say, Wagner was the victim of satirical website “The Betoota Advocate.” There were more than a few clues throughout the original article that should have tipped him off, including the fact that the IOC was calling the sport “Streetball,” suggesting it be played in Rio De Janeiro’s ghetto, and that “lighting will be complimented by the headlights on spectator vehicles that are to be surrounding the arena.”

Eventually the headline and piece were updated with a mea culpa. “UPDATE: Nah, this isn’t happening,” the first line now reads. “I wrote a post based on a satire website, which is just about the dumbest way to f*** up. Sorry. F*** me. Woulda been cool though.” (RELATED: NYT Issues Pseudo-Correction For Scrubbed Quote In Charlie Hebdo Story)

Deadspin received a great deal of media attention for its story during the 2014 election that Colorado Republican Senate candidate Cory Gardner was lying about having played high school football. But Gardner tweeted out photographic proof that he had played football, and Deadspin was required to issue an embarrassing retraction. (RELATED: Deadspin Badly Fumbles Hit Piece On Republican Candidate)

Somewhat ironically, Deadspin reporter Kevin Draper recently had a (100 percent accurate) post making fun of liberal “wonk” blog Vox for its enormous number of screw-ups and corrections.

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