Evan Woodbery

[JWShewmake 78]

Evan Woodbery

My wife and i were in Chattanooga this weekend when both my daughters sent me a text asking if I had seen anything about the shooting incident in Auburn. I replied that I had not, but immediately started searching the net using my iPhone until I found several references to the shooting with accompanying articles.

Over the past month, I have come across several posts to AUFamily and other sites complaining about Evan Woodbery, Auburn's assigned beat writer for the Birmingham News, Huntsville Times and Mobile Press Register. The complaints generally are that he is an Alabama graduate and makes no effort to cover his bias by taking every opportunity to take shots at Auburn. While his job is to cover Auburn Football, and I guess he does that in a credible manner, he constantly tosses in the negative comments to the point that some AU fans would like to see him removed as the AU beat writer and sent to Tuscaloosa. Of course the problem is that most of the sportswriters in the state are Alabama graduates and the sports departments are run and controlled by Alabama graduates. That is why there is bias toward Alabama in every newspaper in the state.

In checking for stories about the shootings in Auburn, I ran across a short article by Mr. Woodbery early on Sunday morning about the shootings that confirmed they had occurred and indicated that details were very sketchy. He said that the Auburn Police Department would hold a press conference later in the day on Sunday. After saying this, he also wrote that it appeared the shootings were the result of a drug deal gone bad. I couldn't believe what I was reading. Here in the article he said that details were sketchy and unconfirmed and that the Auburn Police Department would have a press conference later in the day and Woodbery is already suggesting that this was drug related. Had the shootings not involved two former and one current Auburn Football player I would have passed over the statements by Woodbery and not given them a second thought. However, after seeing a number of references to Woodbery's bammer homer attitude and constant jabs at Auburn, it flew all over me. The nerve of this sportswriter to tarnish the memory of the current and of the two former players and Auburn University football with a reference to drugs when every other respectible news outlet was reporting the fight started over a girl. So this morning I started looking for the orginal posting and could not find any in which Woodbery made the statement about the shooting being drug related. This means that the media types in charge of AL.com removed these references because they could see how bad it made them look. Did anyone else see this article with the drug reference?

I think it is time in this state for the sportswriters to come clean and let their readership know their college affiliation. Many of these so called unbias writers are taking their shots at Auburn while hiding under the cloak of being unbias members of the press. Is it possible to create a list of sportswriters around the state with their college affiliations? It would be an interesting list and provide better insight for informed readers to understand the biases that here-to-for have been hidden from us. I thought the references about wanting Woodbery fired were a little harsh until I came across this situation. I now will add my voice to those Auburn folks who think he should be removed from covering Auburn Football.

[jared52 4,354]

There is a reason newspapers in the this state and all over the country are going bankrupt. There are no more journalists, they are all "agenda-ists". Thayer Evans at the NYT is a prime example of this as well. The object for these people is not to report news, but to create web hits, truth be damned. There is no way they will ever come clean about it because it would end their careers. They will simply continue to write articles that generate hits, because that's all that matters. Being controversial over the last few years has probably made these people more money than being honest. Until some of these people are successfully sued for slander, they will continue to push their agenda, regardless of the effect it has on the subject.

[McWeagle 4]

JWShewmake, thanks for not posting a link to the article in question. It would only serve the author's intent, as jared52 pointed out.

[stoic-one 1,549]

JWShewmake, thanks for not posting a link to the article in question. It would only serve the author's intent, as jared52 pointed out.

Part of his point was that the article isn't there anymore, it was taken down.

The fact it was ever posted online is another story.

[McWeagle 4]

JWShewmake, thanks for not posting a link to the article in question. It would only serve the author's intent, as jared52 pointed out.

Part of his point was that the article isn't there anymore, it was taken down.

The fact it was ever posted online is another story.

Doh... thx

[Sandstone 0]

There is a reason newspapers in the this state and all over the country are going bankrupt. There are no more journalists, they are all "agenda-ists". Thayer Evans at the NYT is a prime example of this as well. The object for these people is not to report news, but to create web hits, truth be damned. There is no way they will ever come clean about it because it would end their careers. They will simply continue to write articles that generate hits, because that's all that matters. Being controversial over the last few years has probably made these people more money than being honest. Until some of these people are successfully sued for slander, they will continue to push their agenda, regardless of the effect it has on the subject.

^^^^this, exactly...media these days is all about 'web hits' to sell ads, so the more controversial the better. Cancelling subscriptions and refusing to even open their articles is really the only way to make them take notice. I saw so many posts about Thamel's NYT article that I had to go see what it was all about, but I REALLY had a hard time clicking on the link because I knew that was exactly his/their goal when the wrote that piece of trash. Regardless of their college affiliation, the vast majority of "journalists" (used very loosely) are strictly about driving traffic and not about reporting facts.

[jared52 4,354]

JWShewmake, thanks for not posting a link to the article in question. It would only serve the author's intent, as jared52 pointed out.

Part of his point was that the article isn't there anymore, it was taken down.

The fact it was ever posted online is another story.

They took it down? That's good news. Hopefully the authors are getting some kind of repremand.

[stoic-one 1,549]

JWShewmake, thanks for not posting a link to the article in question. It would only serve the author's intent, as jared52 pointed out.

Part of his point was that the article isn't there anymore, it was taken down.

The fact it was ever posted online is another story.

They took it down? That's good news. Hopefully the authors are getting some kind of repremand.

End of 3rd paragraph above:

So this morning I started looking for the orginal posting and could not find any in which Woodbury made the statement about the shooting being drug related. This means that the media types in charge of AL.com removed these references because they could see how bad it made them look. Did anyone else see this article with the drug reference?

I just tried to find it, and didn't see the original article he is referring to.

JWShoemake is referring to an article that was pulled due to incorrect/offensive content, most likely never to see the light of day again...

[AURaptor 1,128]

If he really DID post / print that the shootings were drug related , and there's nothing to suggest that to be the case , he should be banned from covering AU until replaced.

[AURaptor 1,128]

Just got this tweet , asking if he ever said the shooting was connected to a drug deal gone bad...

@auburnbeat: A: absolutely not. never happened. that post is 100 percent made up.

So I guess Evan is calling you a liar?

[RunInRed 16,497]

Woodbery responds...

@AUFAMILY that post is 100 percent fiction. never wrote anything remotely like that.

https://twitter.com/...299983611899904

[JWShewmake 78]

Below is the article in which I found Woodbury's reference to a drug deal gone bad. You will note that the reference to a drug deal gone bad has been removed. I got texts from my daughters in Chattanooga about 7:30 a.m. ET which meant I looked at this article at about 6:30 a.m. Central on Sunday morning about 22 minutes after Woodbury posted it. The article was posted at 6:08 a.m. Central time. Either Woodbury thought better of what he had written and made the change, or when his bosses read it they made him change it. My guess is that he would not admit that the article ever contined any reference to a drug deal. Wish I had been where I could have printed it. I was going to send Woodbury an e-mail calling him out on this, but AL.com no longer publishes the e-mail address of the author. If I had his e-mail address I would call him to task about this. If anyone knows his e-mail address please post it and I will question him about this.

At scene of Auburn apartment shooting, students somber and concerned, but few details available (gallery)

Published: Sunday, June 10, 2012, 2:51 AM Updated: Sunday, June 10, 2012, 6:08 AM

By Evan Woodbery/Auburn Bureau, The Birmingham News, Press-Register, and The Huntsville Timesal.com

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Enlarge Charles Goldberg/Auburn Bureau, The Birmingham News, Press-Register, and The Huntsville TimesPolice stand guard as day breaks at the University Heights Apartments in Auburn, Ala., where police are investigating a shooting that happened at the West Longleaf Drive complex in early Sunday June 10, 2012. Police have said there were multiple victims involved in the shooting and would hold a press conference later in the day. (Charales Goldberg/Auburn Bureau) Auburn Shooting At University Heights Apartments gallery (19 photos)

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AUBURN, Alabama -- Detectives were still gathering evidence this morning as steady rain began to fall at the scene of a shooting at an apartment complex in a popular student neighborhood.

Auburn police issued no official statement, but confirmed there was a shooting with multiple victims at the University Heights apartment complex at 202 West Longleaf Drive.

[Earlier: Shooting at Auburn apartment complex reported]

Dozens of police cars, ambulances and fire trucks descended on the front of the complex late Saturday. One onlooker said he said a saw a body covered by police. Officers later put a tent around the crime scene to shield the view and protect the scene from rain. Evidence markers were placed throughout the parking lot.

The shooting appeared to take place directly in front of the apartment's office or clubhouse. Detectives combed through bushes and parking lots looking for evidence, aided by bright lights brought in by the fire department.

For several hours, even residents of the complex weren't allowed to enter. Eventually, police directed residents to park at a retail lot near College Street and walk to the apartments. They were escorted into the gates by police after their IDs were checked.

Many curious onlookers gathered to watch from the sidewalk. Some were apparent witnesses. Police took down statements and information from several people.

One man who seemed intoxicated was arrested at about 2 a.m., but it did not appear to be related to the shooting.

Police are expected to release an official statement later this morning. Police chief Tommy Dawson was at the crime scene. He has not confirmed the names of any victims nor given any information about a possible suspect.

[JWShewmake 78]

I note that Woodbury is calling what I said 100% fiction and obviously calling me a liar. I am sixty one years old. My wife and I and both my daughters graduated from Auburn. I am a firm administrator for a law firm and have been in this business for twenty seven years. I do not know Evan Woodbury and I certainly don't spend my time writing fiction. I know what I read and now it is not part of the article. I stand by what I read and what I saw.

Evan, what college did you attend?

[RunInRed 16,497]

ewoodbery@press-register.com

http://www.press-reg...mail-directory/

[WarTiger 3,924]

I note that Woodbury is calling what I said 100% fiction and obviously calling me a liar. I am sixty one years old. My wife and I and both my daughters graduated from Auburn. I am a firm administrator for a law firm and have been in this business for twenty seven years. I do not know Evan Woodbury and I certainly don't spend my time writing fiction. I know what I read and now it is not part of the article. I stand by what I read and what I saw.

Evan, what college did you attend?

may take quite a bit of work and more than you want to do, but you may find the original article in your internet cache. I have no doubt he originally said it and now that its removed he can play dumb and pretend he didn't. typical uat mentality.

[AURaptor 1,128]

JW - Any chance you read a post from the comments section & got it mixed up with the story? They did have to edit out some updyke remarks ( not made by Woodbammer ), so might that be what ya saw?

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Regardless of this discussion about Woodberry's reporting on the shooting, he is a pathetic escuse for an Auburn beat writer. He always manages to put Auburn in a negative light.

[Mikey 16,751]

If I had to put my money on somebody being correct, I take our poster JW.. Woodberry would have loved for it to have been Auburn players involved in a drug situation. He'd have had crap to smear us with for months to come.

[Tigerguy 1]

I note that Woodbury is calling what I said 100% fiction and obviously calling me a liar. I am sixty one years old. My wife and I and both my daughters graduated from Auburn. I am a firm administrator for a law firm and have been in this business for twenty seven years. I do not know Evan Woodbury and I certainly don't spend my time writing fiction. I know what I read and now it is not part of the article. I stand by what I read and what I saw.

Evan, what college did you attend?

may take quite a bit of work and more than you want to do, but you may find the original article in your internet cache. I have no doubt he originally said it and now that its removed he can play dumb and pretend he didn't. typical uat mentality.

I think there is a "Lexus/Nexus" (not totally sure if the name is correct) that people like Rush Linbaugh use to find articles that get posted and then removed. The story never really goes away. It just gets removed from the posting/owning website. Lexus/Nexus saves EVERYTHING.

[GreenEyedGirl 6]

Lexis/Nexis....I think you have to have an account with them to use their services. Anyone here have an acct with them?

[rtftiger 40]

I think that I am one of the very few Auburn fans who actually appreciates what Woodbury writes. It's not always fun, but everything is not always roses. I think that our biggest problem is that everything always appears to be roses across the state, but I digress.

It would be very surprising to me if Woodbury included the particular language JW cites. Woodbury has never been wild with his reporting, even when others were. Using the drug deal language would be extremely wild. Further, his complete denial of this appears sincere to me. The article can be found. He knows that. If he made a 22 minute error in judgment based on speculation, he could simply admit that error.

If the article is found, then Woodbury has many questions to answer. If not, I'm going to consider this a reader error. Sorry, JW.

[Mikey 16,751]

I think that I am one of the very few Auburn fans who actually appreciates what Woodbury writes. It's not always fun, but everything is not always roses. I think that our biggest problem is that everything always appears to be roses across the state, but I digress.

I agree that everything is not always roses: However, there is no need in putting a negative slant on everything either, and that's what EW does. Look at his recent article about Harry Adams. Instead of writing what should have been a positive story about Adams's transition from football to a national track success, EW went out of his way to try to show a split between AU athletic programs and shed bad light on AU football.

That guy does what his bamzo bosses pay him to do and that's report on Auburn while influencing public opinion toward AU in a negative way. I'd like for him to be gone from the AU scene, but as long as he's being so successful in doing what he's being paid to do, and that's dissing Auburn, he'll be kept on board.

[autigeremt 6,719]

EW is trash. Enough said.

[tgr4lfe 220]

I think that I am one of the very few Auburn fans who actually appreciates what Woodbury writes. It's not always fun, but everything is not always roses. I think that our biggest problem is that everything always appears to be roses across the state, but I digress.

It would be very surprising to me if Woodbury included the particular language JW cites. Woodbury has never been wild with his reporting, even when others were. Using the drug deal language would be extremely wild. Further, his complete denial of this appears sincere to me. The article can be found. He knows that. If he made a 22 minute error in judgment based on speculation, he could simply admit that error.

If the article is found, then Woodbury has many questions to answer. If not, I'm going to consider this a reader error. Sorry, JW.

How the hell can you know if he is being sincere?!?! He has typed it out on freaking Tweeter!!!