Internet Rumors (or... how I KNOW that Chad Johnson is not coming to the Rams)

**AvengerRam** · #1 (**permalink**) -07-03-2008

There has been a decent amount of discussion here today, and quite a bit elsewhere, regarding the latest trade rumor of Torry Holt for Chad Johnson with an exchange of first round picks.

I know for a fact that this rumor is false.

How do I know this?

Well, at about 9:00 a.m. this morning, I decided to conduct a little social experiment. I registered on a couple of Bengals message boards (under names like "CincyCat" and "Stripes4Ever") and posted that I had heard on a local Cincinnati radio station (found on Google) that a trade was bing discussed.

From there, I just waited.

Within 2 hours: The "story" had made it to two additional Bengals message boards.

Within 3 hours: The "story" made it here (amusingly, "WhoDey," the poster who repeated the story here, claimed to have heard the radio report that I made up!)

Within 6 hours: The "story" was being discussed here, on (at least) 3 Bengals forums, on the PD Board, on RealRamsFans, and on the RotoWorld message board.

The point?

Well, quite clearly, it is extremely easy to start an internet rumor. I'm not even saying that people necessarily believed that this trade might actually happen. Many expressed skepticism (particularly in light of the recent made-up Holt/Shepard trade rumor). The point, though, is that people were talking about it!

Between all the threads on all the forums discussing the "story," there were probably between 100-150 people who expressed opinions on whether this was likely to happen, whether it should happen, and which team would make out the best if the trade went through.

So...

The moral of the story is simply this: IGNORE INTERNET RUMORS!

If there is no credible and verifiable source, its almost certainly made up. Actual stories typically can be verified from multiple established news sources within an hour (or shorter). You're not going to get some big scoop from some random blogger or forum poster.

This has been a public service message.

*Mooselini* · #2 (**permalink**) -07-03-2008

You're a genius. CincyCat? haha.

Though I agree with you, having Holt leave would be another mistake this offseason.

*mikhal5569* · #3 (**permalink**) -07-03-2008

I take all of these "rumors" with a grain of salt, but don't be so surprised that people begin to talk about them because they are meant to peak peoples intrest..

**AvengerRam** · #4 (**permalink**) -07-03-2008

The funny thing is that discussions of this "trade rumor" will almost certainly continue on all those other boards for at least a couple of days.

*Tony Banks* · #5 (**permalink**) -07-03-2008

Well played, AvengerRam. I like the names "Stripes4Ever" and "CincyCat"! I don't believe anything unless it's reported by Adam Schefter. A few years ago, he reported that Art Shell would be fired. Al Davis freaked out and insulted him, basically saying he was a hack and didn't know what he was talking about. What happened shortly after that dust up? Art Shell gets the boot! Schefter is the man!

*Yodude* · #6 (**permalink**) -08-03-2008

Actually, John Clayton from ESPN reported about two weeks ago that there is a very good chance that Chad Johnson will not be with the Bengals next season and he mentioned the Rams as one of his most likely landing places. Nothing was mentioned about Holt in the report.

*itsguud* · #7 (**permalink**) -08-03-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yodude

Actually, John Clayton from ESPN reported about two weeks ago that there is a very good chance that Chad Johnson will not be with the Bengals next season and he mentioned the Rams as one of his most likely landing places. Nothing was mentioned about Holt in the report.

Although I enjoyed your little experiment Av. I also seen John Clayton had stated this. So there was some truth to your tale!

*Rambunctious* · #8 (**permalink**) -08-03-2008

Hey AV,

Could you start one about me and Jessica Alba. Nothing to crazy... just a nice weekend romp.

**AvengerRam** · #9 (**permalink**) -08-03-2008

Truth? No, there was not truth to it at all.

Have some (i.e. John Clayton) speculated that the Rams could be a trade partner for Chad Johnson? Sure. That's why I chose this "story." If I had suggested that the Rams were talking with the Patriots about a Marc Bulger/Richard Seymour trade nobody would have paid attention. There has to be a kernal of plausibility to a fake story.

Still, make no mistake... it is 100% fake.

By the way, I posted a "reveal" post on the Bengals boards, and they all think it was pretty funny. They are particularly amused by the Bengals fans (not just WhoDey) who claim to have heard this report on the radio.

**AvengerRam** · #10 (**permalink**) -08-03-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rambunctious

Hey AV,

Could you start one about me and Jessica Alba. Nothing to crazy... just a nice weekend romp.

No problem. I'll even claim to have pictures!

*prof22693* · #11 (**permalink**) -08-03-2008

John Clayton is highly reliable. I (obviously, it was a fake) don't believe the Rams would have Holt for Johnson and swapping the first round picks, but as John Clayton pointed out, he could land here alongside Holt, without having to lose Holt.

*39thebeast* · #12 (**permalink**) -08-03-2008

Bravo AV pure genius LOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*serkicker32* · #13 (**permalink**) -08-03-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by AvengerRam

...By the way, I posted a "reveal" post on the Bengals boards, and they all think it was pretty funny. They are particularly amused by the Bengals fans (not just WhoDey) who claim to have heard this report on the radio.

Wow I figured that a lot of them would be pissed for being duped like that, but hey at least we know that they are good sports over there now.

*mdram* · #14 (**permalink**) -08-03-2008

Were trading holt for Johnson?

: + )

**RamsFanSam** · #15 (**permalink**) -08-03-2008

The sad thing about about all of this is the fact that so many people actually buy into rumors. It reminds me of second grade, when the teacher showed us how a simple statement whispered into a student's ear like "I am the walrus" can be passed on through 30 kids until it comes back as "purple banana monkey fungus".
This time of year is slow when it comes to 'action'. We can't really discuss the next upcoming game, or how we would have changed one or two plays to give us an advantage we could have exploited. Instead, we can only gripe about our moves (or lack thereof) in free agency, speculate on the draft, and grasp at rumors.

I, for one, think Av did a GREAT job of highlighting the problems with grasping at the rumors.