"They're trying to kill me before I'm dead," The Canadian Press quotes Burns as telling TSN columnist Bob McKenzie.
Yes, Burns is ill. But he's not dead yet.
Other victims of premature obituaries include Ronald Reagan and Bob Hope.
Many news media have prepared obituaries of important people for use when the time comes. And to hockey fans, Pat Burns is an important guy.
Today, with retweeting and other methods of instantly circulating information whether it is right or wrong, it is more important than ever to obey Rule No. 1 in journalism.
Get it first, but first get it right.
