Ron Rivera to coach the Steelers anyone?

We've had discussions about coaching searches, but the events of the last 24 hours with regards to the Steelers job make you really wonder what the hell some people are thinking in this business.

First Michael Silver claims the next coach will be Mike Tomlin. The Chris Mortensen and John Clayton say that's completely false. Both Pittsburgh papers apparently took the day off because only one even made an effort to prove or deny the report online during the day. Then, a little later, Chris Mortensen changes his tune and says it is Tomlin according to league sources. Then, late last night, one of the Pittsburgh papers said his sources confirm it will be Russ Grimm and the other paper comes back with Steelers deny both reports.......and now Mortensen said on NFL game day that his sources still say it will be Tomlin, but now he's not quite as certain.

So I ask again, how the hell does this happen? Are some people guessing? Hedging their bets? Why is there such a rush to be first? This is why coaching searches are hell -- because I'm sure all of them have editors pushing them to squeeze information out of a stone. And finally, who do you believe?

 

it's indeed a mess. the latest example of the rush to be first leaving everyone in a heaving sweat, with little regard for their reputations. money changes everything, it seems, with the mort's of the world under so much pressure to be first -- or at least not too far behind whoever might beat him.

no doubt, mort and silver are sweating bullets. mort especially, 'cause he's had a very rough season. very un-mort-like.

 

Shockey is right. As a veteran, I can tell you why this happens: not even the so-called "insiders" really know what is going on. Even an agent, the pipeline, doesn't have access to the pillow talk between a candidate and his spouse. The "latest" can change at any minute.

I don't think the reporters are being sloppy, lazy or irresponsible. They can only report what information they have. I know what you're saying, Zagoshe, but I wouldn't be too hard on the Pittsburgh papers, because (1) there really might not have been anything to report and (2) I don't think it's exactly their jobs to shoot down other reports.

It's like these guys, especially the TV people, carry a little scorecard with them. The only thing is, nobody else gives a shit what's on the scorecard. Most of us just want reliable information, not exclusives.

 

I'd rather be beaten than be wrong...

 

It is messy, and since we're in an anonymous source era, all these guys are sticking their own neck out on this.

As Mizzou said, I'd rather be beaten than be wrong.

 

And more thsan anything else, I'm curious to see who was wrong here. Just a mess, really.

 

Great point. If there's no story, why write one? And just because someone else throws something out there, why do I have to write something to tell you he's wrong, if there's no news to report?