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Ole Miss AD Bjork expresses discontent with Treadwell photo in letter to editor

Brad Crawford

By Brad Crawford

Published:

Ole Miss Director of Athletics Ross Bjork has expressed discontent with the Opelika-Auburn News and the way the newspaper handled their coverage of the Rebels’ loss to Auburn, displaying a graphic image of Laquon Treadwell’s gruesome injury on its front page.

RELATED: Newspaper defends Treadwell photo as ‘newsworthy’

Here’s his recent letter to the editor in its entirety via OAnow.com:

After careful thought and consideration, I feel compelled to express my disappointment in the way you reported the outcome of the Auburn vs. Ole Miss game. Specifically, the way you sensationalized a moment with a grossly depicted image that affects a young man’s life. Furthermore, your response to criticism from readers could be described as nothing short of digging your heels in. Quite simply and most disappointing, you showed no signs of remorse for the incredible lapse of judgment.

We run our athletics department with a well-defined purpose, and we operate daily using seven core values to guide us. Together, those core values comprise our “line in the sand,” and we will defend them when attacked. It is our belief that your actions are at odds with those of those core values: Student-Athlete Welfare and Social Responsibility. So, it is for that reason that I have written to you.

In closing, we know of no other newspaper that has used such a graphic image of a student-athlete’s injury in such a sensationalist way and sincerely hope you have not created a precedent for this type of crass journalism.

Ross Bjork

Director of Athletics, University of Mississippi

Bjork has been active on Twitter this season, interacting with SEC fans almost daily.

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