Verducci/Torre and journalism ethics

The fact the verb "hope" is used is exactly why it a fucking problem.

 

Wait a second... how do you know that?

 

BRAV-FUCKING-O!

 

If any of them did tip toward a buddy-buddy relationship with someone they covered, their take on that player would have been out of step with the other guys on the beat, and I don't remember anything like that popping up. Can I guarantee that it hasn't? No. That's why I wrote "I've never seen it" instead of "it hasn't happened."

Different story on the broadcast side in that town, by the way, which probably isn't all that unusual ...

 

To me, it doesn't matter if the journalist is the most trustworthy guy in the world and you know for a fact he/she won't let this affect him/her. It's the appearance of impropriety that bothers me. The public thinks we have absolutely no ethics. We hear it all the time. How is this going to appear to them?

This reminds me of last year's APSE contest, when they someone from MLB.com judging the entries and everyone was vouching for him. Last I heard, Robert Gibbs isn't judging the Pulitzers this year.

I don't understand why we consider ethical breeches acceptable in sports that would never ever fly in business or political reporting.

 

See above.

 

I think the questions directed towards Verducci are completely appropriate. I have been studying sports journalism and I am finding that the public is in need for good journalists.

Journalists cannot get caught up in relationships that could affect the integrity of their work. Tim Verducci is in a business relationship with a major player in the business that he gets paid to cover.

In my opinion, that would be a similar situation as an athlete being seen with a known steroids distributor. For an athlete to be seen with a known steroids distributor that would probably raise character questions about that athlete and whether there is use of PED’s.

For Verducci, I think his business relationship with Joe Torre should be more of a story in itself. Joe Torre is still coaching. The line of business and profession in this case is unclear.

Verducci is a good journalist. While he may be “soft”, and less inclined to oppose big personalities in sports he is still a good journalist. Nevertheless, I think his work should be looked at closely. There should be criticism if there is any favoritism.

 

Tim?

 

Middle name, maybe?

 

This...this will not end well.

 

Torre was on a Letterman replay tonight, which was why I figured this thread was bumped.