Bill Conlin update

[jgmacg]

No excuse for what Conlin wrote. But he thinks he's writing a nasty private note to someone he's arguing with. He's not responding to a questionnaire for a public interview.

How much differently do we all behave when we know what we're saying is going to made part of the public record?

 

[poindexter]

"with the social security check my wife and I receive, I'm making ballplayer money for two columns a week"

That's a pretty funny line, whether it was intentional or not.

He's clearly in the "**** you" stage of being an old man.

 

[jgmacg]

Too bad the ballplayer to whom he's referring is Clem Labine.

 

[black dude with pompano]

Gee, when I want my comments public on someone's blog, I submit a comment. When I want to communicate with the person writing the blog, presumably someone with some degree of professionalism, I send the writer an e-mail. And tend to assume that it won't be made public unless I OK it.

Maybe that's a dinosaur approach, but really, what's wrong with functioning that way? It would serve bloggers to be able to maintain some professional communication with more mainstream journalists, without waving every last syllable around in public.

Just because they can doesn't mean they should.

We can't have it both ways.

Let's say you (as a reporter) are corresponding with the CEO of a local business, or a coach or athlete, or a city councilman and he/she says something inflammatory, offensive, patently absurd or ridiculous.

You're going to consider the e-mail conversation sacrosanct? I wouldn't. And I wouldn't expect a reader (or blogger) to do so either.

 

[Ace]

Too bad the ballplayer to whom he's referring is Clem Labine.

I think Clem had to work in the insurance racket in the offseason to afford the Florida condo.

 

[jgmacg]

We can't have it both ways.

Let's say you (as a reporter) are corresponding with the CEO of a local business, or a coach or athlete, or a city councilman and he/she says something inflammatory, offensive, patently absurd or ridiculous.

You're going to consider the e-mail conversation sacrosanct? I wouldn't. And I wouldn't expect a reader (or blogger) to do so either.

Are you doing a story on them? On something else? Are you simply arranging to do a story on them? Are you interviewing them? Are they on or off the record?

I think each case has a different answer.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Conlin pulled a huge thorn out of my paw in 1992 at the Albertville Olympics, when I was going it alone, sleeping on floors, etc.

Tossed me the keys to his huge corner suite when he decided to leave a weekend early, said "have fun."

Gets a lifetime pass from me.

I'd still like to grow up to be him, for that matter.

A free suite in Provence?
And you didn't call the rest of us?
Damn you, HH.

 

[black dude with pompano]

We can't have it both ways.

Let's say you (as a reporter) are corresponding with the CEO of a local business, or a coach or athlete, or a city councilman and he/she says something inflammatory, offensive, patently absurd or ridiculous.

You're going to consider the e-mail conversation sacrosanct? I wouldn't. And I wouldn't expect a reader (or blogger) to do so either.

Are you doing a story on them? On something else? Are you simply arranging to do a story on them? Are you interviewing them? Are they on or off the record?

I think each case has a different answer.

See, I have the same answer each time (except maybe "off the record," although that would be difficult to do via e-mail):

Print it!

 

[Editude]

No correspondence should be mean or bullying, regardless of whether it might be for public consumption. Lowering the 'tude quotient is worthwhile on its own merits (and slows more hair loss).

 

[Smasher_Sloan]

From deadspin:
sharply reduced travel and a mandate to write mostly commentary.

Yep...nothing at all like a blogger there Bill.

Assuming the blogger has 40 years of daily coverage in his background and can get the GM of a team to take his calls, yes.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

It's very simple.
Throw rocks.
If the target complains, however bizarrely, humiliate him "for a laugh."
I love the New Media.

 

[lono]

From deadspin:
sharply reduced travel and a mandate to write mostly commentary.

Yep...nothing at all like a blogger there Bill.

Assuming the blogger has 40 years of daily coverage in his background and can get the GM of a team to take his calls, yes.

He shoots, he scores!

 

[poindexter]

From deadspin:
sharply reduced travel and a mandate to write mostly commentary.

Yep...nothing at all like a blogger there Bill.

Assuming the blogger has 40 years of daily coverage in his background and can get the GM of a team to take his calls, yes.

I think some of you guys severely overestimate the access privileges of mainstream media versus bloggers. A fanboy site called angelswin.com had an interview with Tony Reagins, the new Angels GM, this month. The guy who did the interview sells insurance, I think.

I really don't think old dinosaurs like Conlin are the only ones with access to teams. Just my opinion.

 

[poindexter]

It's very simple.
Throw rocks.
If the target complains, however bizarrely, humiliate him "for a laugh."
I love the New Media.

Throw rocks.
If the target complains, however bizarrely, humiliate him "for a laugh."

It's been your modus operandi on sportsjournalists.com for six years.
I guess it's okay if you do it.

Is there a difference between "Crashburn Alley" and "Fenian *******"? I don't see it. I'm guessing you will, though.

 

[wickedwritah]

From deadspin:
sharply reduced travel and a mandate to write mostly commentary.

Yep...nothing at all like a blogger there Bill.

Assuming the blogger has 40 years of daily coverage in his background and can get the GM of a team to take his calls, yes.

I think some of you guys severely overestimate the access privileges of mainstream media versus bloggers. A fanboy site called angelswin.com had an interview with Tony Reagins, the new Angels GM, this month. The guy who did the interview sells insurance, I think.

I really don't think old dinosaurs like Conlin are the only ones with access to teams. Just my opinion.

I'm guessing angelswin.com's access is predicated on it being a fanboy blog, so of course Mr. angelswin.com isn't going to write anything nasty or testy, and Mr. GM won't have to worry about what he may say, since fanboy never would publish anything even approaching the Mendoza line of controversy.

 

[black dude with pompano]

From deadspin:
sharply reduced travel and a mandate to write mostly commentary.

Yep...nothing at all like a blogger there Bill.

Assuming the blogger has 40 years of daily coverage in his background and can get the GM of a team to take his calls, yes.

I think some of you guys severely overestimate the access privileges of mainstream media versus bloggers. A fanboy site called angelswin.com had an interview with Tony Reagins, the new Angels GM, this month. The guy who did the interview sells insurance, I think.

I really don't think old dinosaurs like Conlin are the only ones with access to teams. Just my opinion.

I'm guessing angelswin.com's access is predicated on it being a fanboy blog, so of course Mr. angelswin.com isn't going to write anything nasty or testy, and Mr. GM won't have to worry about what he may say, since fanboy never would publish anything even approaching the Mendoza line of controversy.

There are a LOT of great MLB blogs. Some of them are fanboy blogs, but many are very sophisticated -- and critical.

 

[goalmouth]

Conlin's diatribe was better than anything he ever said on Sports Reporters.

 

[wickedwritah]

There are a LOT of great MLB blogs. Some of them are fanboy blogs, but many are very sophisticated -- and critical.

Not saying that, but the example poin used -- a blog called "angelswin.com" -- doesn't scream impartiality.

 

[poindexter]

There are a LOT of great MLB blogs. Some of them are fanboy blogs, but many are very sophisticated -- and critical.

Not saying that, but the example poin used -- a blog called "angelswin.com" -- doesn't scream impartiality.

The example, angelswin.com, was given, in response to a post that suggested a Bill Conlin-types are special because he has access to a club GM. You can check out and decide for yourself the impartiality of the site. The point is, that dinosaurs are not the only one with access to clubs. Fanboy sites, bloggers, ect have access to the teams as well. Tim Mead, the Angels' VP of communications, spends a significant time dealing with bloggers. I doubt it's different with other professional franchises. The days of the Conlin's of the world holding sway over a Phillies franchise are long-gone.

Black dude with a pompano (best name on this site) understands. A friend sent me this from a great blog, Dodger Thoughts.

http://dodgerthoughts.baseballtoaster.com/archives/865947.html

Better written, more critically thought-out piece than anyone on the LA Times staff could dream of writing, in my opinion. I don't care if this person wrote it from his mom's basement, while wearing just his underwear. I see more concise, direct baseball analysis from blogs than newspapers, day-in and day out. Just my opinion.

 

[wickedwritah]

A GM will give access to a blogger more readily than to an established print type.

Why? Bloggers, who often have no journalistic background and no basic principles of journalism tenets, will play by the GM's rules much more readily.