Is an ESPN Columnist Scamming People on the Internet? (from Deadspin)

Sarah Phillips Admits She “Concealed” Her Identity and Made “Poor Choices with Who to Trust” (from Deadspin)

Former ESPN Columnist Exposed (from Nilsen Report)

So here we are.  It’s a new dawn where the memernet is collapsing around us and we don’t know who to trust.  I’ve actually been dying to write about this so I figured the Morning Hardwood would be a hot place to drop some knowledge.

The problem with the development of this story is we are focusing way too much on who Sarah Phillips is and what she’s about.  I know that sounds odd, because this is what the story is all about, but stick with me.  Shouldn’t we really be destroying ESPN here?  They hired someone from a shady website, with questions about her background and didn’t meet this person face to face (that we know of).  Really?  We are suppose to be surprised she’s a scammer?  Her hiring at ESPN gave her instant credibility and ESPN should own their role in duping the public.

Why isn’t anyone demanding that ESPN does some explaining, beyond just firing her (which was a really easy move)?  Instead, everyone on the internet is busy making Sarah Philips and meme jokes and once again turning their head from ESPN.  I actually have a theory on this that I will share later.

Now on to the bloggers/Twitter bros/Facebook dudes who got “ripped off.”  I have a really hard time sympathizing.  They all gave in to the wills of Sarah Phillips for different reasons, but there is one common thread: they wanted to get big, quick.  Look, I run a site (you’re currently on it) and I want to get big and internet famous too.  BUT DUDES BE SO THIRSTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would never turn over control of my site/Twitter, and I  look at the people who did as whores.  How about you get big on your own?  How about you further your blogging career on your own merits?  I honestly also believe this is why people don’t attack ESPN over this whole thing; because everyone wants to work for ESPN someday and you don’t want to piss them off.  Fuck that.  If ESPN ever comes calling for IGHN (spoiler: they won’t), I can honestly tell myself that I did things my way and didn’t hold anything back.  I guess I just don’t get why people are that obsessed with getting “signed” anyway.  Why not take pride in the small, cool thing that you do?  Also, as a note, none of these sites/twitters (Sarah Phillips included) are funny.  They are all shitty, hokey humor and I lose confidence in the human race that this shit actually drives traffic.

So in closing, I just don’t get this whole fucking thing.  At this point I am tired of who Sarah Phillips is, and I just want to know more about how she got into the position she did at ESPN.  How did they find her? Whose idea was it to hire her?  How did the interview take place?

The fact is that ESPN is suppose to be the “World Wide Leader” and a reputable sports journalism institution and stories like this aren’t helping.