Ron Borges - Plagiarist?

Notes packages can have some value. I mean, why click on 10-12 sites when you can get a bunch of good notes in one place?

 

I think they have their place, but I think those who have been in the business for 20 years or longer need to think often about giving the reader something they can't get elsewhere. Hard, yes, but a good way to think heading into the next 10-20 years.

 

Ah, OK. Then consider my explanation an answer to Billy Pritchard, who asked for a definition a few posts up.

 

Well, any reporter should make it a priority to come up with as much original stuff as possible. Sure, I'll click on 10-12 sites sometimes, but not for sports notes.

 

I don't think people necessarily click on 10-12 sites looking for sports notes. I think they probably go to 10-12 sites looking for sports news, and while they're there they might also read the notes. Maybe the notes in another paper are gleaned from the main stories of these sites.

The way notes networks work, the local paper has it a day or two later. The sports fan that does what I described probably thinks, "I've read this before."

 

The real shame in this is that Ron is a GREAT writer. How can he look at that note and, before hitting the paste button, not think "I can write that item so much better myself"? I started reading his boxing stuff years back when he was the only one to pick Holyfield over Tyson in Royce Feour's legendary R-J writer's poll.

 

(Psst....I was making a porn joke)

 

Dang. I'm taking things too seriously since I became management.

Provably, demonstrably.

 

maybe it's because ron's a friend i know well, but i can see how he might get lazy with a note like this. his notes are probably the longest around. maybe he was pressed for time on this particular day. i really don't know.

i'm not apologizing for him. but his extensive body of excellent work factors in for me, in terms of the punishment. a relative novice does this, maybe it should cost him a job. if i'm the globe, and know his body of work and talent of loooongstanding, i'm not cutting off my nose to spite my face.

 

Here's a question - if Borges led his "notes' with Sando's stuff - wasn't that an indication that maybe he had nothing to contribute that week? This was almost literally mailing it in. As a boss - what's worse - an employee who claims others work as his own or an employee that is too lazy to do his job? The Globe could have had an intern put together a better "notes" column. Not only did Borges steal information but he stole a paycheck because he obviously didn't do any work on this notes column.

Also - not to be the wet blanket here but I've read the Globe sports section all my life and not once did I ever say to myself "Oh I can't wait to see what Ron Borges has to say today." I can't recall a single column of his that left me thinking "Wow - that's great writing." Shaughnessy can be a jerk but every once in a while he writes something that really leaves you thinking "Why doesn't he write stuff like this more often!" (His recent piece on Dom DiMaggio comes to mind.)

I really don't see where Borges' rep as a good writer comes from. He just seems like an angry guy with an agenda.

 

McDonough couldn't stand that guy.