And we wonder why...

[In Exile]

So later today I have to briefly speak on radio about the upcoming season for the Local Big League team, and want to know which of the three or four players on the bubble made the team. I think I know, but want to make sureSince the roster was just finalized yesterday, one would think it would be relatively easy to find that out, right? It is not on the team website, so I turn to several local and regional daily papers that cover the team. IN VAIN. Oh, they have stories about the guy who pops the popcorn, and about a couple roster moves, and twitters and blogs galore that mention the roster, and link to their podcasts in which they discuss the roster moves as they try to re-invent themselves in this new age, and bells and whistles and little toy cars that go zoom zoom and beep beep and all sorts of other useless crap, but NOT A SINGLE ONE has a list of the ******* roster itself so I knew who actually made the damn team.

But I found it. On a fan blog. Several actually. And now I know why a couple of those papers are teetering on the precipice.

 

[SF_Express]

I.E. -- I know you're making a point about newspapers doing all the peripheral things and not the basics, but unless they're all out of date, I found rosters for every team on three of the major sports websites and the four team sites I checked.

That doesn't diminish your point whatsoever, but they seem to be out there at places other than fan blogs -- unless, again, all the rosters I'm looking at are out of date.

 

[In Exile]

Good for you. But as I said, I checked the team website: not posted yet, and roster was announced yesterday.

 

[Howard Sprague]

I bet that radio audience will feel awfully fortunate having someone as plugged in as you pontificating about their Local Big League team.

Seems to me you are scrambling to make sure you don't sound dumb on the air, so when you couldn't educate yourself at the snap of your fingers you decided to ***** about it.

 

[SF_Express]

Good for you.

Um, OK.

 

[EE94]

Uhh, did you think of picking up a phone and calling the team?

as Sprague points out, what exactly are you going to tell the radio audience that they likely don't already know.

 

[In Exile]

I bet that radio audience will feel awfully fortunate having someone as plugged in as you pontificating about their Local Big League team.

Seems to me you are scrambling to make sure you don't sound dumb on the air, so when you couldn't educate yourself at the snap of your fingers you decided to ***** about it.

Gee, aren't we testy this morning? Exactly, I wanted to make sure who the last reliever was so I didn't look stupid in case I was asked about him, and at 6:00 am there is no one to call. That is called educating myself. There is nothing wrong with that - and alot right with it. Might even be why I have sold enough books about that team to build my house, Howie.

I was just trying to make the point that basic information which news outlets used to provide now seem to be overlooked, and in an industry that is struggling to keep itself relevant, that might be a significant point. I apologize for being so presumptuous.

So on that note, that's it for me guys. It's been fun, but crap like this is what drives people away, and I'm getting on that highway. Once upon a time people came on this sight to learn and exchange information. Now, not so much. Have fun wowing 'em in Mayberry.

Adios.

 

[SF_Express]

I bet that radio audience will feel awfully fortunate having someone as plugged in as you pontificating about their Local Big League team.

Seems to me you are scrambling to make sure you don't sound dumb on the air, so when you couldn't educate yourself at the snap of your fingers you decided to ***** about it.

Gee, aren't we testy this morning? Exactly, I wanted to make sure who the last reliever was so I didn't look stupid in case I was asked about him, and at 6:00 am there is no one to call. That is called educating myself. There is nothing wrong with that - and alot right with it. Might even be why I have sold enough books about that team to build my house, Howie.

I was just trying to make the point that basic information which news outlets used to provide now seem to be overlooked, and in an industry that is struggling to keep itself relevant, that might be a significant point. I apologize for being so presumptuous.

So on that note, that's it for me guys. It's been fun, but crap like this is what drives people away, and I'm getting on that highway. Once upon a time people came on this sight to learn and exchange information. Now, not so much. Have fun wowing 'em in Mayberry.

Adios.

Well, sorry to see anybody leave. Don't know about the others -- I just couldn't figure out why finding a roster was so hard, newspapers or no.

I guess your user name fits now, though.

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

I bet that radio audience will feel awfully fortunate having someone as plugged in as you pontificating about their Local Big League team.

Seems to me you are scrambling to make sure you don't sound dumb on the air, so when you couldn't educate yourself at the snap of your fingers you decided to ***** about it.

Gee, aren't we testy this morning? Exactly, I wanted to make sure who the last reliever was so I didn't look stupid in case I was asked about him, and at 6:00 am there is no one to call. That is called educating myself. There is nothing wrong with that - and alot right with it. Might even be why I have sold enough books about that team to build my house, Howie.

I was just trying to make the point that basic information which news outlets used to provide now seem to be overlooked, and in an industry that is struggling to keep itself relevant, that might be a significant point. I apologize for being so presumptuous.

So on that note, that's it for me guys. It's been fun, but crap like this is what drives people away, and I'm getting on that highway. Once upon a time people came on this sight to learn and exchange information. Now, not so much. Have fun wowing 'em in Mayberry.

Adios.

Well, sorry to see anybody leave. Don't know about the others -- I just couldn't figure out why finding a roster was so hard, newspapers or no.

I guess your user name fits now, though.

When he said "big league".... I think he meant 14-year-olds.

 

[Barsuk]

Personally, I never go to a newspaper site looking for a roster. I always go to Yahoo or ESPN.com, because I already know they're there and know where to find them.

 

[fishwrapper]

The team announced the roster and it wasn't available by release or website?
If one of the players on one of our teams gives $9 to "Alpacas with Psoriasis" my inbox is flooded with releases proclaiming him the next Mother of Calcutta.

 

[Howard Sprague]

Hey, big-timer. Testy? You're the one who started our day with a rant about the laziness and lack of focus in today's journalism, while basically declaring blogs as the place to turn for news.

"Once upon a time people came on this sight (sic) to learn and exchange information. Now, not so much."

Exactly what kind of "information" were you imparting? The only thing I "learned" is that you were upset that your morning papers didn't deliver a cheat sheet for your radio appearance -- for which you were no doubt paid, being a big-time author and all.

 

[spaceman]

sigh.

 

[JackReacher]

If you've written enough books about the team to build a new house, you should be plugged in enough with sources to give you that kind of info. Shouldn't have to look on a blog to get the roster.

Wow.

 

[JakeandElwood]

What sight did people go to exchange information again?

 

[dog428]

I was just trying to make the point that basic information which news outlets used to provide now seem to be overlooked, and in an industry that is struggling to keep itself relevant, that might be a significant point. I apologize for being so presumptuous.

So on that note, that's it for me guys. It's been fun, but crap like this is what drives people away, and I'm getting on that highway. Once upon a time people came on this sight to learn and exchange information. Now, not so much. Have fun wowing 'em in Mayberry.

Adios.

Actually, the point you were making -- quite unintentionally -- was that by failing to charge for online content the last several years, the news industry has created an atmosphere in which people actually expect information to not only be absolutely free but also readily available and easy to find. And when it's not, you all ***** as though your rights have been violated and try to convince us this is why we're failing as an industry.

Pardon me, but go to hell.

The reason you likely couldn't find that info is because the beat guy for that team, who's probably working the beat by himself after two others were laid off in the offseason, is probably on furlough this week. Or the experienced online guy who used to post that stuff got let go in a round of layoffs and some jackoff whose working part time while going to school is posting info when he "gets around to it." Or the new "cost saving" manager in charge of the newsroom places value on many areas, such as saving energy, cutting overtime and doing more with less, but doesn't see much value in reporting news.

I'll agree with you that the info should have been there for you to find. After you paid a subscription fee that compensated the reporter for busting his ass, the online guy for posting it and the newspaper itself for hosting the site.

 

[Ace]

I'd be madder at the team's websight for not having an updated roster.

 

[budcrew08]

Hey, big-timer. Testy? You're the one who started our day with a rant about the laziness and lack of focus in today's journalism, while basically declaring blogs as the place to turn for news.

"Once upon a time people came on this sight (sic) to learn and exchange information. Now, not so much."

Exactly what kind of "information" were you imparting? The only thing I "learned" is that you were upset that your morning papers didn't deliver a cheat sheet for your radio appearance -- for which you were no doubt paid, being a big-time author and all.

Newb, fetch me a beer. Christ. He vented to us, just like a bunch of us do on here. Why is that a stoneable offense to you?

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

I think everyone is raw right now. Fuses are short. Tempers are easily triggered. I think he could have made his point a lot better than he did, and I think he overreacted when called out, but I think a lot of people are piling on and missed the underlying point. Yep, missed it because his anger at not having the information for his benefit colored his post, but if we can all step back from the pissed-off-ed-ness to see the larger point -- yeah, the industry has put itself in a position where it isn't able to do what should be considered some of the essentials.

Deep breath, everyone. I don't think he meant it as anything more than a snapshot of where we are, but being caught without the latest info at 6 a.m. put a spin on his post that I'm sure he regrets or will regret.

We're all on the same side here. Let's not forget that.

 

[sporting_guista]

This place is getting brutal. Sheesh.