A board favorite gets ripped by the ombudsman

[tyler durden 71351]

Amazing he didn't lose his job over this.....

http://www.startribune.com/161/story/947956.html

 

[Double Down]

Good ol' Sid represents almost everything that I don't ever want to become while I'm still in this business.

Is he really as beloved by the people in Minny as he thinks he is? Every time something like this comes up, every time someone calls him on something, his response is always the same: People love me, I am awesome, so I will do whatever the **** I want. Screw you, I am not sorry.

 

[Norman Stansfield]

Good ol' Sid represents almost everything that I don't ever want to become while I'm still in this business.

Is he really as beloved by the people in Minny as he thinks he is? Every time something like this comes up, every time someone calls him on something, his response is always the same: People love me, I am awesome, so I will do whatever the **** I want. Screw you, I am not sorry.

Sid's been a douchebag from the word go.

The old ******* should retire.

 

[Ace]

Why don't they just can him?

 

[andyouare?]

"I'll make you a bet you get 100 calls in my favor for every one you get in your favor," Hartman told me.

That's my favorite part of the story.

"We are what we seem to be," some philosopher wrote. Hartman seems like a total ass.

 

[21]

"I'll make you a bet you get 100 calls in my favor for every one you get in your favor," Hartman told me.

That's my favorite part of the story.

We need 100 volunteers, asap.

 

[zeke12]

Sid sucks so ****ing bad...

 

[Rough Mix]

www.startribune.com/sidcast

 

[Alma]

In other news, the Tribune Co. owns the Cubs.

If you wanna go after Hartman, go after him. This article is just dumb.

 

[Mighty_Wingman]

Just what (a trio of Star-Tribune higher-ups) decided is unknown because the three are following their policy of not talking about personnel matters. While that's respectful of Hartman as an employee, it leaves other staffers unclear about whether there are consequences for flouting the rules or a double standard for Hartman.

I'm happy to clear this up: There's a double standard.

Glad I could help.

 

[Eagleboy]

Is he really as beloved by the people in Minny as he thinks he is?

Yes. Girlfriend and her parents just moved from Minnesota a couple of years ago and they absolutely worship him. In their eyes, he can do nothing wrong. We were watching the Glen Mason press conference online and they got all excited upon hearing him ask a question and then seeing him chase the AD out of the room after the conference was over.

Oh, and they keep telling me to read his Minnesota sports history book as well too. Not saying that I'm not interested, as I am, but that says something right there about their view of him and his view of his city.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

He is a beloved icon...

He's also everything that is wrong about journalism...

 

[micropolitan guy]

What he did was clearly wrong, and clearly a conflict of interest. And he is an egotistical old cur.

But it's also nice to see him basically tell management to GFY.

 

[zeke12]

No, it's not.

No one else would get away with it.

**** Sid.

 

[micropolitan guy]

No one else would get away with it.

That's because Sid sells newspapers, and the MST realizes this. Fire him, and the ensuing ****storm would dwarf any Minnesota blizzard. You may not like him; few in our profession do because he does things the way they used to be done back in the day, not the way we've been taught. He has disdain for most younger reporters (anyone under 60) and is used to getting his way.

But he's an employee with some actual juice, some cache, and he's not afraid to use it. He's old enough not to care one little bit about what some bean-counting suit thinks. The paper needs him, not vice-versa. And while he has slowed down considerably, he still generates news and gets some news items no one else can because there's a certain faction out there that trusts him implicitly.

Having an ombudsman or a "public editor" is a wonderful concept. Many of such columns I've read, however, they never back the reporter/edutor/photographer and basically (CLICHE ALERT!) throw them under the bus.

 

[slappy4428]

He is a beloved icon...

He's also everything that is wrong about journalism...

If by beloved you mean left outside to rot, wither and turn to dust, yes...

But management needs to do something to him... he's still an employee.
And as I said on a previous thread: **** Sid. **** Sid. **** him. **** Sid.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

Apparently ethics, integrity, and rules only apply up there when it sounds good and is convenient. When it's not, eh, he's just good ole Sid.

 

[SF_Express]

Having an ombudsman or a "public editor" is a wonderful concept. Many of such columns I've read, however, they never back the reporter/edutor/photographer and basically (CLICHE ALERT!) throw them under the bus.

Well, MG, strictly from the standpoint of what an ombudsman is supposed to do -- aside from the unique situation with Sid -- that's exactly what should be happening here.

 

[MileHigh]

The ombud has spanked Sid before.

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/27409/

 

[SF_Express]

I can't imagine there's an ombudsman in the country who has had to grin and bear it with an usual, frustrating situation more than the Star-Tribune's has.