Why do message board fans flip out over sports writers?

It's not just the fans. Tie Domi used to complain that the media wasn't 'getting behind the home team' (or words to that effect). I always wondered why he couldn't understand that that wasn't their job. That's the job of the team marketing department.

 

I know a couple of guys who do investigative stuff, and so when they write about college sports, by nature it's not going to be "positive."

Message board fans go completely nuclear any time their bylines appear, and it's all about the writers of course. They'll dig out background information on them and try to make it seem sordid.

I always wondered, who are these half-breeds anyway? How funny is it that they think reporters like this give even half a crap about which team wins whatever game during whatever season.

 

There's one forum I browse from time to time where readers are particularly harsh towards one of the main writers that was brought on this year. The complaints usually lead to saying the person can't write and why did this place hire this person.

I've posted a couple of blogs there to see what they'd say about someone not under the spotlight. Considering they think it's just a fan blog it's all oo's and ah's, but one comment really got to me. This person said this place should fire the person they complain about and hire me in that person's place, saying that I was much more qualified.

It was supposed to be a compliment, but I took it more like an insult. This writer has years of experience, where I have one. I can't really say whether or not this writer is highly respected in the industry, but I know I'm nowhere near to being as qualified. The type of poster on a board that makes comments like that, or makes other complaints about writers, has no clue what the industry is like. They just disagree on something and choose to constantly attack writers no matter what they write. I'd like to see someone attacking them constantly at their job.

 

jealous -- they're all jealous that we 'sit around and watch games' and get paid for it and they don't.

 

Stop pulling your own chain. NOBODY pays you guys any attention. It's all about the blogs..... baby.

 

Mix vitriol and horse manure, and what do you get?











All caps.

 

One reason why I moved out of news to sports is because at least the bitching is about something fairly inconsequential.

I'll take being shit on by sports fans more than political kool-aid drinkers any day of the week.

 

I was wondering how bad they were, comparitively. I've seen some of the comment threads on stories on some of the big sites. Yikes.

 

College fans are the most passionate and irrational in the country...

 

Fuck college fans with The Gipper's withered, old unit.

 

I wish YOU were DEAD.

 

Some of our local message board people have said they want seven-days-a-week, PR-like coverage of the local university. Of course, when they don't find out about why Big Stud isn't playing, I'm sure they'll say the paper isn't doing it's job. And when the paper does report on Big Stud, they'll complain that the paper is against Big Stud and the university.

I hate people. Really, I do. The general public is full of fuckin' morons.