Ron Borges - Plagiarist?

[SF_Express]

I have no inside knowledge whatsoever, but I'd be willing to bet a lot of money that Borges and Sando are part of the same notes exchange network. And I'm convinced those things are more trouble than they're worth.

I used to be involved in those on a couple of different beats, and I was always amazed by the people who saw them as a license to cut-and-paste. Some people think that running a "Material from other sources, blah, blah, blah" tagline at the end of their notes column absolves them from having to attribute, or even change the damn wording, but it doesn't.

This whole notes exchange thing has been a very slippery slope for a long, long time.

If this isn't way over the line, it certainly pushes it hard.

 

[jgmacg]

off with his head!

but give every jock/coach/boor serial criminal/drug/basic human civility offender a second chance. and third, fourth, fifth, etc.

infinite patience and compassion for those we write about.

but for colleagues...

he's below contempt! put him out on the streets!

the mob is circling - smelling blood.

This may not be the first offense.

http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/Article.php?Page=1307

 

[shockey]

I have no inside knowledge whatsoever, but I'd be willing to bet a lot of money that Borges and Sando are part of the same notes exchange network. And I'm convinced those things are more trouble than they're worth.

I used to be involved in those on a couple of different beats, and I was always amazed by the people who saw them as a license to cut-and-paste. Some people think that running a "Material from other sources, blah, blah, blah" tagline at the end of their notes column absolves them from having to attribute, or even change the damn wording, but it doesn't.

listen, in this day-and-age, you don't even have to be part of a notes network. there are sites that post every nfl story in every paper. so what? you still have to at least write the info in your own words. looks like ron was just pressed for time or something.

again, i am proud to consider ron a friend. but i'm no apologist. it certainly appears that he effed up here.

 

[MileHigh]

This looks really bad and Ron has a lot of explaining to do, it appears.

 

[henryhenry]

sando's article is so mundane - so boilerplate and lacking in insight, humor, wit, inspiration, turn of phrase - lacking in anything that counts for good writing or journalism - that it doesn't even qualify as something that can be stolen - it has virtually zero value - a novice reporter could have written it while doing his tax returns or cutting the lawn - borges could have done it while taking a dump

it's like accusing people of theft who lift empty tin cans out of trash barrels - taking something that is worthless

borges has had a long and honorable career - there simply is no justification to pile on him

 

[Ike Broflovski]

What you seem to be saying, Henry, is that Borges is OK with doing this because (a) the original story wasn't very good and (b) Borges has had a long and honorable career.

Stealing is still stealing, and this was a pretty bad example.

 

[jason_whitlock]

sando's article is so mundane - so boilerplate and lacking in insight, humor, wit, inspiration, turn of phrase - lacking in anything that counts for good writing or journalism - that it doesn't even qualify as something that can be stolen - it has virtually zero value - a novice reporter could have written it while doing his tax returns or cutting the lawn - borges could have done it while taking a dump

if the above is true, then ron committed a far bigger sin -- he punished a second set of readers with tripe.

i like ron. wish him well. and hope he keeps his job.

 

[blondebomber]

off with his head!

but give every jock/coach/boor serial criminal/drug/basic human civility offender a second chance. and third, fourth, fifth, etc.

infinite patience and compassion for those we write about.

but for colleagues...

he's below contempt! put him out on the streets!

the mob is circling - smelling blood.

Never again should any of us take seriously anything you post, nor should we deem it worthy of a response.

 

[write then drink]

sando's article is so mundane - so boilerplate and lacking in insight, humor, wit, inspiration, turn of phrase - lacking in anything that counts for good writing or journalism - that it doesn't even qualify as something that can be stolen - it has virtually zero value - a novice reporter could have written it while doing his tax returns or cutting the lawn - borges could have done it while taking a dump

it's like accusing people of theft who lift empty tin cans out of trash barrels - taking something that is worthless

borges has had a long and honorable career - there simply is no justification to pile on him

ok, so you're saying that something that is written without humor, wit or inspiration can't be stolen.

good lord

 

[SF_Express]

So, HH, I guess it's like that old story, from a story about sports writing.

Baseball writer shows up to a press box, late and drunk. Misses the game.

Turns to the rival beat guy next to him and begs him for his story. Guy protests, but the drunk keeps at it, so finally, the guy says OK.

Guy takes his copy, cranks some paper into the typewriter and starts clacking away.

After a minute, he says, "To think I've been reduced to copying **** like this."

Henry, it's a short cut, one we don't do in this business.

 

[justgldtobehere]

HH,
You would be much more credible if you did not change the basis of you defense of Borges. First, he took only facts. When this claim was dispelled you claimed that uninspired writing can be copied without concern. Give it up.

 

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

There seems to be a consensus that what Borges did was plagiarism.

Should he be treated any different than Kenny Powers who was fired for a similar offense?

 

[BigRed]

I have no inside knowledge whatsoever, but I'd be willing to bet a lot of money that Borges and Sando are part of the same notes exchange network. And I'm convinced those things are more trouble than they're worth.

I used to be involved in those on a couple of different beats, and I was always amazed by the people who saw them as a license to cut-and-paste. Some people think that running a "Material from other sources, blah, blah, blah" tagline at the end of their notes column absolves them from having to attribute, or even change the damn wording, but it doesn't.

I agree. I was involved in one of those on my last beat - used it for my notes column every week because it was more interesting and less time-consuming than sitting on a teleconference for 2 hours every week and sifting through all the BS for 20 inches.
I always just used the quotes and attributed each source by name - as it should be.
If you do less than that, you're playing with fire.

 

[MileHigh]

There seems to be a consensus that what Borges did was plagiarism.

Should he be treated any different than Kenny Powers who was fired for a similar offense?

I don't think he should be treated differently, but I think he will be. I just mentioned to a co-worker that he'll probably get a one-month suspension.

 

[boots]

Ron has been guilty of this before. And in my eyes, he was guilty. He's a good guy but he tends to get sloppy.

 

[Editude]

A fact is saying Jackson is 28. Cut-and-pasting a three-graf primer on his contract status is not a fact, it's lazy and unfair. It's not piling on to note the difference. Was there any reporting here? Why bother to byline anyone-can-find notes in the first place?

 

[Ace]

henry hecht is an unabashed plagiarism apologist.

 

[Boomer7]

He's suspended for two months

http://www.thephoenix.com/medialog/

 

[shockey]

wow. i, for one, couldn't afford two months w/o pay in my paycheck-to-paycheck world. best to ron through this.

 

[henryhenry]

There seems to be a consensus that what Borges did was plagiarism.

Should he be treated any different than Kenny Powers who was fired for a similar offense?

too bad, evil. he wasn't fired.
he keeps his job - pays his bills - supports his family.
must be a bitter pill for you.
ah well, you can come out at the next full moon.