Last night, Yahoo investigative reporter Charles Robinson blew up the Twitterverse by noting that an obscure sports fitness website featured a page on “The Trent Richardson Workout,” and that this appeared to be an endorsement of the site by Richardson, which would if true, be a violation of NCAA bylaws.
The website, which we won’t link here (we’re not giving them additional traffic), features photos and videos of Richardson working out both in high school and at Alabama, and discusses his workout techniques. The implication is that Trent had given permission to the site to discuss his weighlifting regimen and techniques.
Shortly after Robinson’s Tweet two things happened: the website posted a disclaimer that Richardson did not endorse the site or the products it advertised; and the blogosphere went into full drooling attack mode on Alabama, the website and Robinson himself.
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The relevant NCAA bylaw appears to be 12.5.2.1, which states:
"Subsequent to becoming a student-athlete, an individual shall not be eligible for participation in intercollegiate athletics if the individual:1. Accepts any remuneration for or permits the use of his or her name or picture to advertise, recommend or promote directly the sale or use of a commercial product or service of any kind, or2. Receives remuneration for endorsing a commercial product or service through the individual’s use of such product or service."
Logic would seem to dictate that Richardson did not authorize this usage of his name or likeness, and that the site was implying that he did in order to lend credence to their site. The disclaimer was issued either due to the negative press they were receiving, or perhaps as response to a cease-and-desist from University of Alabama Compliance.
Naturally, rival fans trumpeted the implied relationship as evidence of improper behavior by Alabama and Richardson, and attempted a concerted effort to make a bigger deal of it in hopes of getting Richardson and the university in NCAA trouble.
But the ire of Tide fans was focused on Robinson himself for pointing out the site in the first place. His Twitter log is a wave of Tide fans confronting Robinson for ratting out Alabama, and Robinson defending himself. “You’d rather [the implied endorsement by Richardson] stayed up there?” Robinson Tweets, noting that it was his notice and reporting on the site that inspired the eventual disclaimer.
Other websites have implied Robinson has done Alabama a favor by pointing out the site’s use of Richardson for their own gain. While this is true in result, it’s the method we question. BamaHammer Associate Editor David Wasson told me this morning Robinson “is absolutely one of the best in the business,” and is in the position he’s in because of the work he does in investigating NCAA compliance issues.
That said, let’s not attribute altruistic methods to Robinson. His job, like that of all journalists, is to generate revenue for his employer. Gaining readership is how that is done. When an investigative journalist discovers a potential NCAA infraction by one of its member schools, a quiet phone call to the university’s compliance office to draw their attention to the matter would be the most helpful way to assist the university. But that’s not the best way to generate interest in his own reporting, thus helping his employer.
Posting about it on Twitter might have helped Alabama in the long run, but it helped Charles Robinson even more.