Kickboxer (46) loses fight for life after 'gangland-style' shooting overnight

Red Pepper · 14-02-2014 12:35PM #1

This newspaper heading from the Indo (online) really annoys me.

Why mention the word "kickboxer"? Why not "Father of 4 children" or "46 year old man". What has "kickboxer" got to do with it? Was he kickboxing at the time?

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/kickboxer-46-loses-fight-for-life-after-ganglandstyle-shooting-overnight-30008823.html

"The victim was named locally as 46-year-old James Talbot, who is believed to have been involved in the sport of kickboxing, and in boxing as a younger man."

What!? Now it's boxers. Was his boxing as a youth contributory? Do boxers generally get involved in gang crime? Do they deserve to be shot more?
Did our boxers not do us proud at the Olympics?

Chips Lovell · 14-02-2014 12:39PM

If someone is well known for something, it's generally mentioned in reporting. For example, when the rugby player in Limerick was murdered, a lot of the reporting described him as "Garryowen rugby player".

It isn't meant to infer that boxing or rugby makes you more likely to be murdered

Notus · 14-02-2014 12:39PM

Red Pepper wrote: »

This newspaper heading from the Indo (online) really annoys me.

Why mention the word "kickboxer"? Why not "Father of 4 children" or "46 year old man". What has "kickboxer" got to do with it? Was he kickboxing at the time?

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/kickboxer-46-loses-fight-for-life-after-ganglandstyle-shooting-overnight-30008823.html

"The victim was named locally as 46-year-old James Talbot, who is believed to have been involved in the sport of kickboxing, and in boxing as a younger man."

What!? Now it's boxers. Was his boxing as a youth contributory? Do boxers generally get involved in gang crime? Do they deserve to be shot more?
Did our boxers not do us proud at the Olympics?

Guess who didn't get a valentines card this morning :P

Valetta · 14-02-2014 12:41PM

Red Pepper wrote: »

This newspaper heading from the Indo (online) really annoys me.

Why mention the word "kickboxer"? Why not "Father of 4 children" or "46 year old man". What has "kickboxer" got to do with it? Was he kickboxing at the time?

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/kickboxer-46-loses-fight-for-life-after-ganglandstyle-shooting-overnight-30008823.html

"The victim was named locally as 46-year-old James Talbot, who is believed to have been involved in the sport of kickboxing, and in boxing as a younger man."

What!? Now it's boxers. Was his boxing as a youth contributory? Do boxers generally get involved in gang crime? Do they deserve to be shot more?
Did our boxers not do us proud at the Olympics?

It's perfectly normal to mention someones occupation when reporting deaths.

"35 year old lorry driver killed...."

"19 year old apprentice plumber shot...."

"41 year old hairdresser murdered..."

Not real examples, but you get my drift.

Methinks you are looking for a conspiracy theory that isn't there.

Dave H · 14-02-2014 12:52PM

The man was murdered and the injustice you see is that he was referred to a kickboxer?

Red Pepper · 14-02-2014 01:32PM

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

If someone is well known for something, it's generally mentioned in reporting. For example, when the rugby player in Limerick was murdered, a lot of the reporting described him as "Garryowen rugby player".

It isn't meant to infer that boxing or rugby makes you more likely to be murdered

well known for it??

"who is believed to have been involved in the sport of kickboxing"

It is irrelevant in my opinion.

Chips Lovell · 14-02-2014 01:44PM

You obviously want to be offended by this, so I guess there's no point trying to explain it again.

anncoates · 14-02-2014 01:46PM

Good of the Indo to let us know the Gardai are "treating the case as murder" seeing as they kicked down his door and shot him dead.

Red Pepper · 14-02-2014 02:22PM

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

You obviously want to be offended by this, so I guess there's no point trying to explain it again.

Don't be so pompous. If you know your rugby, you will know that Garryowen is a very well-to-do club. There was a message in that reference as there is a message in the kickboxing reference. If you don't see it, fair enough.

Chips Lovell · 14-02-2014 02:29PM

So now there's a hidden meaning in all references to sporting involvement? Boxing - bad, Rugby - good. What about GAA?

Should the papers not mention that Kenny Egan is a former boxer when he runs in the local elections next year?

Red Pepper · 14-02-2014 02:35PM

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

So now there's a hidden meaning in all references to sporting involvement? Boxing - bad, Rugby - good. What about GAA?

Should the papers not mention that Kenny Egan is a former boxer when he runs in the local elections next year?

You are missing the point. What does 'kickboxer' add or imply to the murder story?

mikom · 14-02-2014 02:37PM

Red Pepper wrote: »

You are missing the point. What does 'kickboxer' add or imply to the murder story?

Van Dammed if I know.

SEPT 23 1989 · 14-02-2014 02:39PM

Red Pepper wrote: »

You are missing the point. What does 'kickboxer' add or imply to the murder story?

he was a man of violence?

Red Pepper · 14-02-2014 03:04PM

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

So now there's a hidden meaning in all references to sporting involvement? Boxing - bad, Rugby - good. What about GAA?

Should the papers not mention that Kenny Egan is a former boxer when he runs in the local elections next year?

Let me break it down for Vlad who seems to have impaled himself in the head.

Kickboxer implies...this guy is only a scumbag, nothing to see here for our Indo readers.
Garryowen implies...not your usual Stab City scumbag here...this guy could be well be an Indo reader or a professional person. Keep reading, we cannot allow this.
Boxer Kenny Egan (not murdered)...implies Olympic medallist...you all know him and love him...acceptable

Birroc · 14-02-2014 03:06PM

OP is right but it is the Irish Independent so I am surprised he is only seeing this now. It is sloppy/lazy media and the quality of media in Ireland has been deteriorating for some years now.

Valetta · 14-02-2014 03:09PM

Red Pepper wrote: »

Let me break it down for Vlad who seems to have impaled himself in the head.

Kickboxer implies...this guy is only a scumbag, nothing to see here for our Indo readers.
Garryowen implies...not your usual Stab City scumbag here...this guy could be well be an Indo reader or a professional person. Keep reading, we cannot allow this.
Boxer Kenny Egan (not murdered)...implies Olympic medallist...you all know him and love him...acceptable

That says an awful lot about your perceptions and is quite frankly insulting large groups of people without any justification.

Ste- · 14-02-2014 03:16PM

Never saw the headline about Kenny Egan not being murdered for being a boxer.

daRobot · 14-02-2014 03:16PM

Red Pepper wrote: »

Let me break it down for Vlad who seems to have impaled himself in the head.

Kickboxer implies...this guy is only a scumbag, nothing to see here for our Indo readers.
Garryowen implies...not your usual Stab City scumbag here...this guy could be well be an Indo reader or a professional person. Keep reading, we cannot allow this.
Boxer Kenny Egan (not murdered)...implies Olympic medallist...you all know him and love him...acceptable

Totally agree. It's a not so subtle "he's not like you or I, dear cultured Indo reader"

For what it's worth, I've done Kickboxing in the past, and it wouldn't offend me whatsoever however they'd like to try and present it. The Indo is a rag, and will look to be sensationalist wherever they can.

Chips Lovell · 14-02-2014 03:26PM

Help us out here OP. Could you provide us with a list of which sports imply you're a scumbag and which imply you're a nice middle class person?

I wouldn't want to go taking up the wrong thing, lest people start thinking I'm some kind of lowlife.

Birroc · 14-02-2014 03:31PM

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

Help us out here OP. Could you provide us with a list of which sports imply you're a scumbag and which imply you're a nice middle class person?

I wouldn't want to go taking up the wrong thing, lest people start thinking I'm some kind of lowlife.

I think the Indo is doing that for you. They foster the association/perception with headlines like this. I agree that it should just read 'Man shot dead etc...'

Riskymove · 14-02-2014 03:31PM

daRobot wrote: »

"he's not like you or I, dear cultured Indo reader"

cultured Indo readers???:pac:

Valetta · 14-02-2014 03:35PM

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/former-boxer-dies-after-gangland-style-shooting-1.1691042

Headline from The Irish Times.

Are they a rag as well?

scopper · 14-02-2014 03:35PM

Wait, you associate kickboxing with scumbags? That's your own prejudice there my friend. All reports include some information about the subject of the story. Likely they rang around and found out he was known for being a boxer. That's it.

Dr Turk Turkelton · 14-02-2014 03:35PM

So if I'm reading this thread right-Kenny Egan was murdered because he is a boxer?
Am I getting close as I'm very confused.

Holsten · 14-02-2014 03:41PM

Crazy stuff.

It's almost impossible to stop this too. If someone wants to smash your door in and gun you down there isn't much you can do. Sitting ducks.

pickarooney · 14-02-2014 04:01PM

Dr Turk Turkelton wrote: »

So if I'm reading this thread right-Kenny Egan was murdered because he is a boxer?
Am I getting close as I'm very confused.

Yeah, John Hamm is lined up to play him in the biopic.

TheShizz · 14-02-2014 04:05PM

anncoates wrote: »

Good of the Indo to let us know the Gardai are "treating the case as murder" seeing as they kicked down his door and shot him dead.

They're supposed to include every possible bit of information into the story, regardless how obvious it may seem.

feargale · 14-02-2014 04:17PM

Red Pepper wrote: »

This newspaper heading from the Indo (online) really annoys me.
Why mention the word "kickboxer"? Why not "Father of 4 children" or "46 year old man". What has "kickboxer" got to do with it? Was he kickboxing at the time?
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/kickboxer-46-loses-fight-for-life-after-ganglandstyle-shooting-overnight-30008823.html
"The victim was named locally as 46-year-old James Talbot, who is believed to have been involved in the sport of kickboxing, and in boxing as a younger man."
What!? Now it's boxers. Was his boxing as a youth contributory? Do boxers generally get involved in gang crime? Do they deserve to be shot more?
Did our boxers not do us proud at the Olympics?

Agreed. They shouldn't mention shooting either. It could give clay pigeon shooters a bad name. Ditto Lucan. Ditto "man." That could cause gender prejudice. "46 year old"? No. That's ageist. Proposed headline : " Human Being Terminated."

Donkey Oaty · 14-02-2014 07:03PM

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

Help us out here OP. Could you provide us with a list of which sports imply you're a scumbag and which imply you're a nice middle class person?

I wouldn't want to go taking up the wrong thing, lest people start thinking I'm some kind of lowlife.

Quick guide for you Vlad:

Posh sports: billiards, archery, fox hunting.

Scumbag sports: pool, darts, cock-fighting.

Scumbags sometimes have an "obsession" with their activities, while the good guys are "keen" and "enthusiastic" or "dedicated" about theirs.

Also, the baddies sometimes go on drug and alcohol-fuelled binges - which is a bad thing, and completely different to "enjoying partying with friends into the night" (I think they said that about Katy French).

Arthur Beesley · 14-02-2014 07:16PM

No smoke without fire.

MadsL · 14-02-2014 07:19PM

Holsten wrote: »

Crazy stuff.

It's almost impossible to stop this too. If someone wants to smash your door in and gun you down there isn't much you can do. Sitting ducks.

Must.not.....say.....have.bigger.gun.yourself....agggghhhhh

I'm trying AH, I'm trying....

Kickboxer (46) loses fight for life after 'gangland-style' shooting overnight

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