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Columnist: Josh Hamilton lacks mental toughness

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Dick Whitman, Sep 24, 2012.

  1. hondo

    hondo Well-Known Member

    Agreed. I had a sinus infection once. Worst headaches of my life. Hard to breathe. The post-nasal drip in the back of my throat was so bad it was like swallowing razor blades. Took two medications and a week to knock it out.
     
  2. YankeeFan

    YankeeFan Well-Known Member

    Aren't you then doing the team's dirty work?

    We've seen the Red Sox do this over the years.

    And, maybe the Rangers don't want to spend the money it would take to re-sign Hamilton to a new contract.

    But, if a team wants to go the character assassination route, they should have the balls to go on the record (or at least provide an unattributed quote), rather than seek out a media member to do it for them.

    And, if the columnist is getting "info" from the team, and not just going with his own opinion, then he doubly owes it to his audience to at least get the other side, and talk to the player or his agent.
     
  3. cranberry

    cranberry Well-Known Member

    You're probably right. Both processes work the same way. The Red Sox have been masters at this game over the years.

    And YF is right. There's no obligation to do the team's dirty work and, in fact, there is an affirmative obligation to report that the club is conducting a whispering campaign against a popular player they plan not to re-sign, if that's the case.
     
  4. YankeeFan

    YankeeFan Well-Known Member

    One more though:

    Professional media has more competition than ever right now. Opinion is a dime a dozen.

    This guy is a columnist with the local ESPN site. He's not blogging from his mommy's fucking basement. He has access. He can pick up the phone and get a hold of the Ranger's GM or Hamilton's agent.

    Why didn't he?

    Being a columnist doesn't mean you can't also do some reporting.

    What's the added value in this column, and how is it any better than some blogger in his pajamas?
     
  5. doctorquant

    doctorquant Well-Known Member

    Call me naive, but I don't think Nolan Ryan et al. are doing the back-ass/character assassination route. That regime has struck me as fairly straight-shootin' ... They made no bones about what they'd do with Cliff Lee, and they made no bones about what they would (or wouldn't) do with C.J. Wilson. Would seem to be a pretty dramatic change in approach if they took that route with Hamilton.
     
  6. Meatie Pie

    Meatie Pie Member

    He's also an alumnus of ESPN shouting sports writer shows. You don't need to make a point there, either.
     
  7. YankeeFan

    YankeeFan Well-Known Member

    But, God forbid anyone question why Joe Posnanski whiffed on his Joe Paterno book.

    That's not fair.
     
  8. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    YF,

    It doesn't mean they're doing the team's dirty work -- necessarily. They could be, I'm not there to judge. Maybe their opinion is the right one. All I'm saying is: I've been in their shoes before.

    You know something that you can't say...and you need to write. It's an awkward dance.
     
  9. cranberry

    cranberry Well-Known Member

    But you don't know a anything until it's confirmed by credible sources that you can cite in your story, preferably by name.
     
  10. Double Down

    Double Down Well-Known Member

    Please elaborate on this tortured logic, or at least try to represent people like myself -- who stood up for Joe against stupid criticism, not criticism in general -- more accurately.
     
  11. YankeeFan

    YankeeFan Well-Known Member

    There was some speculation regarding how "tough" Poz was, and if he was up to a story as difficult at the Paterno bio turned out to be.

    This was ruled off limits. How dare anyone practice "pop psychology".

    Yet, this jack off has no problem questioning Hamilton's character and toughness.
     
  12. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    No understanding either on what Joe Pos has to do with any of this, but if there is a person in all of sports who has brought the character question on himself, it is Josh Hamilton. I cannot understand the groupthink to just declare him recovered knowing what the slippage rates are.
     
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