Ohio University Post
Andrew Alexander, who joined Ohio University as a visiting prof after stepping down as Washington Post ombudsman, calls threats to student journalists over their coverage of OSU Coach Jim Tressel “a very common fan reaction — they think that the news organization is somehow there to back the home team.” He tells Wesley Lowery:
It’s hard for me to believe that people can get worked up about college football to that extent. Now, that being said, I know that passions run deep around college sports, especially surrounding stories on programs like Ohio State — both of my parents grew up in Columbus and went to Ohio State, and as a kid, I accompanied my dad to Ohio State games. I’ve always been an Ohio State fan, so I’ve come to know how much Ohio State football is part of the culture of Ohio.
When I was the ombudsman of The Washington Post, I got some very, very vitriolic mail from people upset about sports coverage over the silliest of things. Many people live for this.
> WSJ.com: Muckraking in college can be an uncomfortable proposition
