Solomon's final column on the WWL

[tyler durden 71351]

Hope this isn't a d_b....figure this should generate some comments.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=solomon_george&id=2816724

 

[Bubbler]

"They might also want to back off the intensity of ESPN's coverage of Michelle Wie, the Yankees and the Red Sox."

What? Less Yankess and Red Sox? But, but, that's as vital as the air I breathe?

 

[heyabbott]

Hope this isn't a d_b....figure this should generate some comments.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=solomon_george&id=2816724

I would suggest ESPN.com do more editing of its Page 2 columnists -- some of whom seem to shoot from the hip for the sole purpose of shooting from the hip. In the same vein, ESPN commentators, including some of the network's biggest stars on TV and radio, might be more thoughtful and less outrageous and loud in their opinions. I've always believed just because someone has the title of commentator or columnist, it doesn't mean he or she should not be held to the same journalistic standards of fairness and accuracy as everyone else on the ESPN team. I also wonder why some commentators believe viewers are interested in their political views? Also, ESPN editors should be more careful of their staffers claiming exclusive stories when these stories are not always exclusive.

 

[KnuteRockne]

Interesting, particularly who he left out of the list of people worthy of praise (Dan Patrick's omission is certainly interesting).

 

[Baltimoreguy]

trying to stop Kornheiser from referring to Queen Elizabeth II as a "babe" and Wilbon from calling his viewers "knuckleheads" proved fruitless. So did having a conversation with Sean Salisbury on how some viewers might misinterpret his inane ramblings, and trying to explain the duties of an ombudsman to a some of the network's biggest stars.

Inane ramblings. Sounds like a new, more accurate intro for what used to be called "Nobody asked me but...."

 

[Mighty_Wingman]

Nice of him to close with "boo-yah!" Really adds to the overall tone of the column.

 

[Frank_Ridgeway]

Obviously, ESPN didn't pay a whole lot of attention to Solomon in the sense of following him. But it's still better to have this kind of thing than a culture that demands everyone mouth the party line.

There are basically two kinds of news-budget meetings in a newsroom, those in which people wait for a cue from the person running the meeting so they can agree with him/her, and those in which people feel free to offer dissenting viewpoints and even argue passionately. No coincidence that the latter usually put out better products. I have no idea what kind of culture exists in ESPN's newsroom, but having an ombud at least shatters a perception that those running the place believe their judgment is infallible. That's better than nothing.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

Of course, this is the best GS column of his tenure, with 95% of it being dead-on.

Just wish he'd pushed more of this stuff forward, far earlier in his run. It was all true then, too.

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

He's really been pushing for a media writer. I bet that's the only thing that comes out of his tenure.

 

[Shaggy]

How about stop jamming NFL stuff down our throat? Particularly in the, uh, offseason.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

He's really been pushing for a media writer. I bet that's the only thing that comes out of his tenure.

You're overly optimistic... The only thing ESPN got out of having an ombundsman was being able to say they have an ombundsman...

It would have been a good idea if anyone there actually ever cared about his opinion...

It's unfortunate, because Solomon was a very well-respected SE, but he was completely wasted at ESPN and I'm guessing he picked up on that and that's why he left...

The biggest crime at ESPN is not being inaccurate or doing something that's unprofessional. The biggest crime at ESPN, as Tony Kornheiser, Jason Whitlock, TJ Simers and countless others have found out is criticizing ESPN...

 

[leo1]

Interesting, particularly who he left out of the list of people worthy of praise (Dan Patrick's omission is certainly interesting).

and what about stark?

 

[fishwrapper]

He's really been pushing for a media writer. I bet that's the only thing that comes out of his tenure.

You're overly optimistic... The only thing ESPN got out of having an ombudsman was being able to say they have an ombudsman...

It would have been a good idea if anyone there actually ever cared about his opinion...

It's unfortunate, because Solomon was a very well-respected SE, but he was completely wasted at ESPN and I'm guessing he picked up on that and that's why he left...

The biggest crime at ESPN is not being inaccurate or doing something that's unprofessional. The biggest crime at ESPN, as Tony Kornheiser, Jason Whitlock, TJ Simers and countless others have found out is criticizing ESPN...

Missou,
You might be a little off base here. I know George Solomon had one ear, and that's Vince Doria. If you're going to have one ear on the news side, that's the one.
George and Vince go back decades. Those private conversations are where changes are made -- granted, if any -- not the ramblings of an ombud's column.

Calling George's work a "waste" may be a gross overstatement, too. Everytime he posted a column, it was a thread here -- sometimes multiple threads -- and on other journalism sites, too. People noticed and read because it was George. Maybe a little too inside for the general reader. But, his work was hardly a "waste."

 

[heyabbott]

He's really been pushing for a media writer. I bet that's the only thing that comes out of his tenure.

You're overly optimistic... The only thing ESPN got out of having an ombudsman was being able to say they have an ombudsman...

It would have been a good idea if anyone there actually ever cared about his opinion...

It's unfortunate, because Solomon was a very well-respected SE, but he was completely wasted at ESPN and I'm guessing he picked up on that and that's why he left...

The biggest crime at ESPN is not being inaccurate or doing something that's unprofessional. The biggest crime at ESPN, as Tony Kornheiser, Jason Whitlock, TJ Simers and countless others have found out is criticizing ESPN...

Missou,
You might be a little off base here. I know George Solomon had one ear, and that's Vince Doria. If you're going to have one ear on the news side, that's the one.
George and Vince go back decades. Those private conversations are where changes are made -- granted, if any -- not the ramblings of an ombud's column.

Calling George's work a "waste" may be a gross overstatement, too. Everytime he posted a column, it was a thread here -- sometimes multiple threads -- and on other journalism sites, too. People noticed and read because it was George. Maybe a little too inside for the general reader. But, his work was hardly a "waste."

There are other journalism sites? blasphemer

 

[Mighty_Wingman]

You're overly optimistic... The only thing ESPN got out of having an ombundsman was being able to say they have an ombundsman...

Clearly it didn't raise awareness of the spelling of ombudsman.

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

He was actually an ombundtsman, in charge of making cakes in the commissary. I realize he was probably thought of as a nuisance by the "talent" and nothing he said was ever overtly dealt with, but I agree he was there for a reason. And one reason he left is that his contract was probably up; ombudsmen usually only stick around a certain period of time, a year or two, for very good reasons, much like Daniel Okrent at the Times.

Since I don't think they ever replaced Darren Rovell, they should have a joint business/media reporter like Richard Sandomir.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

The "talent" there were told to ignore his column...

If you think he made such an impact, I would like one example of how ESPN has improved journalistically in the last 21 months...

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

I said he was there for a reason, not that he had any impact.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I said he was there for a reason, not that he had any impact.

OK, we're in agreement then...

 

[fishwrapper]

The "talent" there were told to ignore his column...

If you think he made such an impact, I would like one example of how ESPN has improved journalistically in the last 21 months...

Really? Did I say he "made such an impact?"
But, to discount him is another matter, isn't it? It is George Solomon.