Orlando

There is no "perhaps" about it.

BTW, the evidence of the conflict of interest is "in black and white."

 

Obviously you disagree.

But that doesn't concern me. Or the editor who approved the work.

 

Fine, but you say that it is in "no way" a conflict of interest and I say that lots would disagree with you. And I don't really understand how you can say that's not a conflict but having a story in an LPGA guide is.

 

The editor approved it.

Thus, it is not a conflict of interest.

That simple.

 

Wait a minute. I don't know the particulars, but it seems like both stories were conflicts of interest. Both reporters were paid by the people they cover for writing stories, even if they weren't done on company time.

One, apparently, got permission from his editor first, and the other didn't follow procedure, wittingly or unwittingly. I don't really think that makes the first better than the second, or proper.

I know it's hard to say no to some of these sweet freelance deals, but I really don't think it's a good idea to work for people you're paid to cover.

 

I agree that if you have the approval of your editor, you are good to go.

I just don't agree that means it's not a conflict of interest.

 

I agree with that.

Still, even though Dave covers the Dolphins, if I were that editor, I wouldn't consider a Super Bowl a conflict in the same zip code a large local advertiser which sponsors a golf tournament.

What truly determines a conflict to me, though, is whether the person you need to run freelance by believes there to be a conflict.

 

The Big Point: Orlando was one of the truly fine sports sections under Van McKenzie, and the minute he's gone, weird shit happens.

The Sentinel should put some serious effort into trying to emulate what Van was -- and was not -- and endeavor to live up to that every day.

Heroes fade if you don't endeavor to stand up for everything they worked so hard for.

Van McKenzie's legacy should never fade away. Sadly, from what I've seen already, the people in Orlando seem to want to stand on his big big shoulders, then regress to something lesser and more in tune with the corporate line -- Van McKenzie would laugh at that -- and then spit these words: "I worked with Van McKenzie. You can trust me."

Van would kick your ass, hard and long.

Corporate bullshit is going on in Orlando, and everywhere else. Van McKenzie would not have stood for it, and now they're happy they can do things the way they would have preferred all along.

Soulless bastards, those guys in The Big Suits.

That's just my take. Discuss at will. My personal take is that they'll rip anyone's life -- career, whatever -- hard and deep if it means they still get their bonus checks at Christmas. God love those bonus checks, ehh?