Nebraska fan puts out false story about OU players

SoonerManiac · 07-10-2008, 10:42 PM

And is going to hurt for it.

Quote:

Story about OU QB's drug bust a hoaxBy Berry Tramel
Staff Writer
James W. Conradt, a Nebraska football fan living in arsetin, Texas, says he didn’t mean to hurt Oklahoma quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Landry Jones with his Internet hoax.
So what was Conradt thinking Wednesday when he lifted a template off The Oklahoman’s web site, newsok.com, wrote and pasted a bogus story about the Sooner pair’s arrest on cocaine distribution charges, then posted it on a message board?
The 36-year-old Conradt says he wasn’t thinking.
“I want to express my deepest apologies to the families,” Conradt said Wednesday night, after his story was reported as fact by at least two Texas radio stations. “That’s the thing I’m regretful about. I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”
An apology might not be enough to sooth this over.
“I’m going to prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law,” said Kevin Jones, Landry’s father. “I’ve got deep enough pockets to do it.”
Oklahoman publisher David Thompson said, “When this was brought to our attention, we took immediate action. Through our technology and news teams, we tracked him down and told him to cease and desist. We take this very seriously and will consider legal action.”
OU associate athletic director Kenny Mossman said the hoax is just the latest in a disturbing trend.
“We feel it’s real unfortunate how many things have germinated from an anonymous starting point that are unfounded, untrue and, as this story proves, hurtful,” Mossman said.
“Coaches and players are berated, and nobody attaches a name to it. The Internet has enabled a lot of this kind of thing to happen, and it’s really disappointing.”
Conradt said he was on a Nebraska message board when some OU fans began writing smack.
“I just wanted to get ‘em all riled up, I guess,” Conradt said.
He googled Sooner sports and came across the newsok.com template and says he didn’t even realize it was The Oklahoman’s web site.
“It was a bad decision,” Conradt said. “When I got home, I got on my computer, one of the moderators on the Oklahoma site emailed me and said some Oklahoma people are upset about this. That’s when I took it down.”
Kevin Jones said he received a couple of frantic calls after the hoax spread across the Internet.
“I knew it was a prank thing right away,” Jones said. “Anybody that knows Sam or knows Landry knows the story wasn’t true to begin with. But when radio stations down in Houston and arsetin report it, it’s very hurtful.
“Why would somebody be so malicious about it? Don’t know why someone would trample two kids like this. I was just dumbfounded. People need to learn from this.”
Kelly Dyer Fry, vice president of news and information for OPUBCO Communications Group, said users can determine if a story comes from the newsok.com server by the URL. If numbers precede “newsok.com,” the link originated elsewhere.

Let me point out that Keith Jones is likely to get a very cheap lawyer in OKC(his family has been in the process of moving here all summer). Not to mention if the Daily Oklahoman get involved. They are owned by a family many of you in SEC country will recognize...the Gaylords. The Gaylords also have their name on the Oklahoma Sooner Stadium. "Gaylord Family" Memorial Stadium.

This Husker fan has done this several times. What got him caught was two big Texas radio stations ran the story as fact. One in Houston and one in Austin. Also the Sporting News had an article on it.

timNem · 07-10-2008, 10:56 PM

He will need a good lawyer, fo sho

SeanVol · 07-11-2008, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoonerManiac

This Husker fan has done this several times. What got him caught was two big Texas radio stations ran the story as fact. One in Houston and one in Austin. Also the Sporting News had an article on it.

I guess he won't be posting stuff like that anymore.

SoonerManiac · 07-11-2008, 05:02 PM

Normally he would only write it out and post it on the boards. Sometimes I'll even admit that the stories were comical so long as you knew they were fake.

The problem he gets into was using the Oklahoman's template for its website.

Also, he is the manager at the IT department for the University of Texas.

07-11-2008, 05:02 PM		#4 (permalink)
	SoonerManiac Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 360 High Fived: 24 in 19 posts Given High Fives: 0 Rep Power: 33
Normally he would only write it out and post it on the boards. Sometimes I'll even admit that the stories were comical so long as you knew they were fake. The problem he gets into was using the Oklahoman's template for its website. Also, he is the manager at the IT department for the University of Texas.
Congratulations Florida

07-11-2008, 06:20 PM		#5 (permalink)
	Tennessee Ted Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Chicago Age: 39 Posts: 5,493 High Fived: 1,332 in 755 posts Given High Fives: 1,418 Rep Power: 1937
When you start giving up 76 points on defense it is time for new tactics.
sig by Sabanocchio Read my travel column: http://www.examiner.com/x-10429-Chic...ravel-Examiner

07-11-2008, 07:02 PM		#7 (permalink)
	D^3 Banned Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Athens, GA Age: 24 Posts: 18,698 High Fived: 3,481 in 2,103 posts Given High Fives: 1,418 Rep Power: 0
Why sue the guy? It seem to me he's learned his lesson. We're talking about a big football fan here who got carried away making fun of their rival (who here hasn't?). Is there really a need to try and ruin the guys life over this? I'm quite confident that NEITHER of the Oklahoma players lives are ruined because of this... an eye for an eye... the negative publicity and public shame this guy is getting over this is more than enough punishment, IMO.

07-11-2008, 07:51 PM		#9 (permalink)
	Bburton86 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Bonnaroo Age: 23 Posts: 3,428 High Fived: 458 in 292 posts Given High Fives: 139 Rep Power: 1056
Don't worry, he's just predicting the future.

07-11-2008, 08:20 PM		#11 (permalink)
	Cianne Oct. 2005 Poster of the Month Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oxford, MS Age: 26 Posts: 10,358 High Fived: 1,194 in 719 posts Given High Fives: 8 Rep Power: 2203
Gotta wonder though on a defamation of character case. I'm sure the Nebraska guy could make a cause out of Sam Bradford and Landry Jones being public figures the way that college football is these days. Then there'd have to be a showing of actual malice and I don't know they can show it. The Oklahoman will be able to secure an injunction against the guy but that won't mean much. I'm sure they'll look for some sort of damages based on loss of credibility but it'll be interesting to see what they can prove.

07-11-2008, 11:29 PM		#12 (permalink)
	SoonerManiac Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 360 High Fived: 24 in 19 posts Given High Fives: 0 Rep Power: 33
I understand. I sometimes wonder if their goal isn't to just hurt him in legal fees. Both parties suing him have deep pockets. So it will hurt him a lot more.
Congratulations Florida

07-13-2008, 01:48 AM		#14 (permalink)
	azamugg IDIOTS! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chocolate Factory Posts: 11,208 High Fived: 3,747 in 1,861 posts Given High Fives: 3,465 Rep Power: 13336
I say sue the f'k out of the falsifier.................public figure technicalities or not....its BS defamation...............sue and get paid mofo other than that..........why should we give a schitt here about this? Im drunk

07-13-2008, 02:56 AM		#15 (permalink)
	the Paradox Join Date: Aug 2006 Age: 41 Posts: 4,166 High Fived: 1,627 in 780 posts Given High Fives: 1,993 Rep Power: 6614
Outside of where it floods one day and farts the dust the next, who cares? RTR

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