Controversy calls blog's credibility into question

Long before the current controversy raging on this site ignited, the following conversation took place between the Trailboss and his cub reporter. The reporter had alleged in a news story that no Alexandria boys basketball team had made it to state since the 1950s. He wrote to the boss:

Checking with Mr. Harris during the mall walk today (March 13) - Harris said the boys basketball team had been to the state tournament 2 or 3 times recently. In fact, he specifically referenced the game when Blake Strouth made a free throw with no time left. Heck, I was there, it was in 2002 against Little Falls played at the St. Cloud Apollo gym. The very next game we played that year was against Mpls. Patrick Henry - at the St. Cloud Apollo high school gym and I was there too! Dave said that was a state tournament game - checking the MSHSL website, he was technically correct. But I'm sorry, playing in a high school gym in St. Cloud is not THE STATE TOURNAMENT. I suspect the noted "state" tournament appearances in 1997 and 2000 were similar in nature - and that really the last time Alex made it to an honest-to-goodness state tournament game IN THE TWIN CITIES was 1950.

The Trailboss, wishing to support his staffer, responded thusly:

Subject: I think it may be a matter of semantics . . .

Cub:
Our story stands. We don’t bow to semantics when it involves a correction and our credibility. It violates our free expression and is against blog policy. We are free to be wrong and if you don’t like it just remember what happened to Mr. Schalow.
Trailboss

Now comes the assertion by Mr. Novotny, aided and abetted by John Herdan, that, in fact, the boys have been to state numerous times (see posting below). Undismayed, undeterred, unbowed, unapologetic, the cub reporter submitted the following note to his boss today:

Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2006 1:45 PM
Subject: Re: I think it may be a matter of semantics . . .

Trailboss: Our rebuttal to Mr. Herdan and Mr. Novotny stands. OK, except for 1997 - and I wasn't here then and it surprisingly didn't register with the people who were! Oh, and please make sure the fact checkers are aware that we discussed this before their blogsite missive!

Cub Reporter

Consider it done. The story stands. TB