About the FAKE Clinton Portis Hoax (1 Viewer)

At about 8:30 am this morning, Shiggy Shaol posted the fake Portis Injury story in the Shark Pool. He posted it perfectly, not trying to Fool anyone, but as a Heads up to all the Sharks with a comment that it could be fun to fool your friends. Very classy in the way he did it. He didn't try and screw with the Pool. Now, I had some free time today, and I've been working on an Article for the site, so I started watching the Pool very closely expecting to have to delete "Marshall Faulk Ball Cancer" type stories all day. It didn't happen. Not one single time. Everyone in the Pool was above board, and Excellent to each other all day. It was amazing. However, I started watching another well known Fantasy Football board as well, and I can tell you, it's been a Cluster over there all day. It started about a half hour after the Story was posted in the Shark Pool, and the posts over there were not Excellent to each other. Every jerk of the lowest denominator found it funny, and tried to continue to present it as a real story. All day long it has been a mess over there, and whoever is moderating the board must have deleted 15 some threads so far. Then, to add icing to the Cake, CBS Sportsline picked up the fake story, and ran it as real on their front page, going so far as to create Player notes on for the Hosted Leagues about Portis and Betts. I saw them inside my League's Webpage. Hilarious. The best part was how their resident "Expert" made sure to plaster his by-line all over the story so it looked like he had a scoop. I haven't heard it personally, but from Message boards all over the FF landscape, Posters are reporting hearing the story on the TV and Radio. This Hoax has gone so far that Portis' Agent has had to release an official statement. It's growing out of Control. And the best part is that it was posted as a Hoax in the Shark Pool multiple hours before it got started, and the Sharks have been privy to it all day. Not one single FBG member was a Jerk, and no one did anything on FBGs except laugh at the whole thing with each other. It was just a group of Buddies with a funny joke, laughing at everyone that fell for it. Maybe this will seem pretty dumb to you, but this has actually moved me today. I was all set and expecting to play babysitter, and you guys were today above board, acted like one big group of Friends, and had a ball with it. Adults, all the way around. I'm just amazed, and freaking blown away. You guys rock! Anderson

All I can say is THANK GOODNESS this was just a hoax! I saw the blurb about Portis on my CBS Sportsline site, and immediately called my hubby to freak the heck out. Now I'm laughing my butt off at myself for reacting that way, but damn, Clinton is my STUD. I'm just so happy he's alright!!

We'll Shick did have to ban someone. But other than that Where all footballguys here.We know whats up Nice Post

So then, you're saying dropping him was probably a mistake?

CBS Sportsline got taken too!!!I have a screen shot of their website with the followingBREAKING NEWSStar Redskins Runningback Clinton Portis will miss eight - 12 weeks because of an injury suffered in the weightroom, CBS NFL Insider Bill Devaney Reports.It was taken down before I showed many people, but I'm saving the screen shot!!! CBS taken by a HOAX!!!

We'll Shick did have to ban someone. But other than that Where all footballguys here.We know whats up Nice Post

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There was misunderstanding. Problem solved. That account is still active.

Ok, I was going to PM you and tell you the story, As I was like "what did he do wrong" He just thought it was real and posted it.But I dont not want to put my head in others business.Thats cool.

That is f'n hilarious.

I'll try to do better next time DR.

First off, the story was absolutely hillarious. Whoever did the story did an awesome job because obviously it fooled many people. The thing that is amazing is that people are so fast to react and try to get the scoop first that they outsmart themselves at times.This board is a class act. My hats off to everyone! Most of you guys do an excellent job of finding the story quick and verifying before jumping into the fire.

Speaking of CBS and bad info, what time does the game start tonite?

Unfortunately, I don't have access to the net all day. So, I get out of my training, back to the hotel (dial-up) room and go to verify all my lineups are valid before beginning my research project. What do I see at my Sportsline league? Yeah...the player notes. I tried checking here to see what the deal was, but I couldn't get the pages to load from FBG, so I jumped on Betts in that league (at the expense of Morris). If only I could have read FBG at the time, I would be looking to drop Morris for an FA and not Betts.Be glad when I get home and have full-time access to the net again...

This just made my day with all the fish out there. :rotflmao:

So - which FBGer was the one who actually designed this hoax and fooled a nation of FFers? :rotflmao:

i come from message boards where hoaxes and photoshoppage is the norm, so i always find myself checking URLs or google searching "news" to double check. The hoax was well done, and amusing, and i dont feel bad in the least for people getting tricked because you should never really believe anything you see on the internet, legit site or not.corroborate or learn the hard wayand the "journalist" in question who tagged the story as "his" will hopefully be a laughing stock for some time after this incident. :rotflmao:

So - which FBGer was the one who actually designed this hoax and fooled a nation of FFers? :rotflmao:

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Don't know, but I do know that Bill Beal is king of the hoax. All others pale in comparison.

So - which FBGer was the one who actually designed this hoax and fooled a nation of FFers? :rotflmao:

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Don't know, but I do know that Bill Beal is king of the hoax. All others pale in comparison.

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Me thinks blackeyedjoe.com may end up being the smoking gun.

Sportsline at least admits, and apoligizes for the mistake:

Clinton Portis, RB WASNews: Contrary to earlier reports, Clinton Portis has not suffered a significant injury and will not miss playing time. Analysis: Our apologizes for the error. This news brings a sign of relief for Fantasy Football owners who have Portis on their roster.

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Portis not injured, as reported by CBS SportsLine.com Sept. 9, 2004By Mark SwansonSportsLine.com Managing Editor Contrary to a CBS SportsLine.com breaking news bulletin from CBS Sports insider Billy Devaney, Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis will not miss significant time this season with an injury. CBS Sports, Devaney and SportsLine.com regret the error, which was prominently displayed on CBS SportsLine's home page for about 5 minutes late Thursday afternoon. It was egregious and, frankly, unforgivable, and we apologize to our readers, Portis and to the Redskins for publishing the misinformation. Accurate information is a user and reader commodity we take very seriously, and this story did not meet those standards. Again, please accept our apology :rotflmao:

It was egregious and, frankly, unforgivable, and we apologize to our readers, Portis and to the Redskins for publishing the misinformation. Accurate information is a user and reader commodity we take very seriously, and this story did not meet those standards. Again, please accept our apology

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:rotflmao: good times

I listen to ESPN radio and or the Jim Rome show almost all day every day and they discussed it on a couple shows on ESPN. I was surprised at how many message boards I frequent also were whipped into a frenzy over it, Pretty funny stuff.

CBS Sportsline got taken too!!!I have a screen shot of their website with the followingBREAKING NEWSStar Redskins Runningback Clinton Portis will miss eight - 12 weeks because of an injury suffered in the weightroom, CBS NFL Insider Bill Devaney Reports.It was taken down before I showed many people, but I'm saving the screen shot!!! CBS taken by a HOAX!!!

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I heard that shortly after CBS Sportsline posted the story, someone called there offices and yelled BABABOOEEY HOWARDSTERN BABABOOEEY HOWARDSTERN BABABOOEEY HOWARDSTERN BABABOOEEY HOWARDSTERN BABABOOEEY HOWARDSTERN :iseestheoj:

Comcast Sportsnet just reported he's out too! Hysterical!

CBS Sportsline got taken too!!!I have a screen shot of their website with the followingBREAKING NEWSStar Redskins Runningback Clinton Portis will miss eight - 12 weeks because of an injury suffered in the weightroom, CBS NFL Insider Bill Devaney Reports.It was taken down before I showed many people, but I'm saving the screen shot!!! CBS taken by a HOAX!!!

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CBS Sportsline =

It was taken down before I showed many people, but I'm saving the screen shot!!! CBS taken by a HOAX!!!

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Please post. Sounds like a collector's item.

It was just a group of Buddies with a funny joke, laughing at everyone that fell for it. Maybe this will seem pretty dumb to you, but this has actually moved me today. I was all set and expecting to play babysitter, and you guys were today above board, acted like one big group of Friends, and had a ball with it.

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All's right with the world. Or at least this little part of it.

Yahoo blurb on Portis hoaxWashington Post article on Portis hoax

Portis Subject of False Internet ReportBy Jason La CanforaWashington Post Staff WriterThursday, September 9, 2004; 6:16 PMClinton Portis was the subject of some internet hijinx yesterday when someone created a web page, made to look like those on the NFL.com site, reporting that the running back was out for up to three months because of an injury suffered lifting weights.CBS Sportsline posted a short item on its home page reporting the injury under the headline: Breaking News. It said Portis would be sidelined eight to 12 weeks.Sporting News Radio began feverishly calling other media outlets to check the validity of the report and news quickly spread to Redskins Park.While all of this was going on Portis was already home. He practiced yesterday after holding a news conference. He did not lift weights yesterday -- "It's not even his day to lift," backup running back Ladell Betts said when asked about the report -- and team officials were baffled as to the orgin of the story as calls began to pour into the media relations office. The team quickly posted a story on its site letting fans know the Portis story was false.Portis's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, was informed of the story and quickly checked in with Portis. "There's absolutely no truth to that," Rosenhaus said.A similar hoax apparently was done on Dallas offensive lineman Larry Allen on Wednesday. The NFL is investigating the false internet story, league sources said.

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Good stuff.

Worth mentioning, even if this story were presented as legit from the get go, a dozen people would have smelled the stink immediately. I ALWAYS look at the URL.Me thinks the CBS cash cow just had one of her #### ripped off.

Here are some of the screens I was able to get:

http://home.comcast.net/~ianfitzy/sportsline.JPG

http://home.comcast.net/~ianfitzy/da.JPG

Looks like we have a new winner in the fake headline contest.

I heard it on ESPN 1000 in Chicago (4:30) and I was totally burned. Ifigured info from ESPN to be accurate. I just got home from class and went here to get the scoop and it is a HOAX. Funny as hell. I was ready to make an offer to the Portis owner. I'm still laughing.

I ALWAYS look at the URL.

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Ditto. It only took 1 second to tell that the story was a fake.

In all seriousness, I hope CBS Sports "insider" Billy Devaney goes down in flames over this.It's quite clear that all he did was read the hoax report on a message board somewhere and breathlessly report it, with no verification, as a "scoop". I don't see how he can defend it.People have lost their jobs over less.

Hey Guys,

I know folks were having fun with this, but just want to be clear - we never want false reports like this where the intent is trying to fool people. The comedy fake updates clearly labeled as fake are one thing, trying to trick people is something else.

Please don't do this. Thanks.

J