News is Dead

Atop ESPN.com's breaking news column (typically short AP reports) for most of today :

Report: Favre Sends Text-Message to Packer's GM Thompson

Really?

The "report" does not contain any information about said text message, only that there may have been a reply indicating that Mr. Thompson was out of town, then goes on to rehash the last week's rumors about Favre's retirement/unretirement.

Leaving aside my shock that it was not in fact, Peter King who broke this "report" - I'm tragically appalled that this counts as news in any way shape or form - even as frivolous as most sports news is, even with the never ending rumor mills and need for instant discussion that blows minor controversies out of proportion, even if it actually happened.

That's it, apparently. The end of news.

*UPDATE*

Brett's text is still in the top slot on the ESPN sidebar, currently at #10?

"Women in S&M orgy with Mosley deny Nazi link"

Now that's news! Was that so hard?