Rob Parker "Sticks The Knife In," Just Like He Was Taught

Former Detroit News journalist Rob Parker knows that this Rod Marinelli/resignation situation looks bad, but that's not the case at all. He's just a newspaper man, doing what newspaper men do.

Parker went back on the offense yesterday, to explain why he no longer works at the News and to stand up for his unique brand of journalism. His resignation was actually a buyout that he asked for, and was granted, and truth be told, he was just getting out while the getting is good. (He's right on that one. The News is in trouble and everyone knows it.)

But when asked about the Rod Marinelli situation—again, he asked the former Lions coach at a press conference if he wished his daughter had married a better defensive coordinator—Rob simply explained that this is the nature of his business. That's the way you report the news, when you do it old school:

"I went to Columbia Journalism School," Parker said. "And I can still remember the day I got called into the office and my professor ... thought I was a good reporter but she wanted more out of me. You know what she told me? And I'll never forget these words. She said. 'Robert, I want you to stick the knife in, turn it and draw blood. That is the way you have to be a reporter. You've got to get the information, you've got to go after it. You can't be soft on it.' And that's my approach, and that's the only way I know how to do that job.

And when that doesn't work, you can always just insult their family.

Rob Parker: Journalists Should 'Stick the Knife in, Turn it and Draw Blood' [Rob Parker]

Send an email to Dashiell Bennett, the author of this post, at dashiell@deadspin.com.

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