First, Chapman's incendiary tweet:
Pretty strong language, right? There wouldn't seem to be much wiggle room in the interpretation of a tweet that includes the hashtag "done deal." But then sources within the Lakers organization strongly refuted Chapman's report:
Next, Calipari himself shot down the rumor, via ESPN's Jeannine Edwards: "No. I'm right [here] at Kentucky. I got the best job. I've got a good group of kids. Love what I'm doing. Speculation? That's there every year I coach."
Since having his "report" refuted by all parties involved, Chapman has done his best to backtrack and qualify.
In an interview on The Dan Patrick Show, Chapman explained: “I treat Twitter like I’m talking to my friends. I'm not a journalist, never pretend to be. I’m not going to just refrain from giving information I hear just because it might upset some people.”
Nobody has ever confused Chapman for a reporter, and it's rare for sports figures to approach social media as honestly has he does. So maybe it's a little silly to jump down Chapman's throat for reporting what he heard from sources he deemed reliable.
At the same time, Chapman's assertion that he was merely repeating what a source told him without necessarily endorsing its veracity—which he does repeatedly in the Patrick interview—comes off as a serious backpedal.
He's relying on semantics, and Patrick, a veteran of the business, offered up some tips for future tweeting: "If you put in a tweet 'I'm hearing done deal,' it's different. ... I think I'm going to have to teach you how to phrase things."
Chapman didn't sound particularly contrite for repeating ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
