#Wojbomb -

[3inthekeon]

Great find Thead.

I personally prefer the Woj method that includes opinions rather than just the "ticker" presentation of facts. Other writers may sometimes get the scoop first, must once the info is out, their writing offers no value (so basically be first or worthless). Woj is often first, but even when he isn't he offers his insight on the ramifications and frames the context. Long live the #WojBomb

Sorry, I have to disagree. If I want opinion, give me Zach Lowe any day of the week. If the Woj story is accurate, his "opinion" may be accurate or may be a vindictive hatchet job. Don't make me have to figure it out.

[Axel]

Sorry, I have to disagree. If I want opinion, give me Zach Lowe any day of the week. If the Woj story is accurate, his "opinion" may be accurate or may be a vindictive hatchet job. Don't make me have to figure it out.

I don't see a difference between what Woj and Lowe are doing though. Both are writing opinion pieces about basketball. Lowe tends to be more analytical while Woj tends to be more news-breaker; but both are just writing pieces for readers to take what they will.

I don't think Woj has ever really tried to present his stuff in a deceptive manner. I prefer Lowe's work myself, but that's because I like the analytical side but I don't think it's a one or the other type of deal.

[3inthekeon]

I don't see a difference between what Woj and Lowe are doing though. Both are writing opinion pieces about basketball. Lowe tends to be more analytical while Woj tends to be more news-breaker; but both are just writing pieces for readers to take what they will.

I don't think Woj has ever really tried to present his stuff in a deceptive manner. I prefer Lowe's work myself, but that's because I like the analytical side but I don't think it's a one or the other type of deal.

Between 2008 and 2012, Wojnarowski didn’t write a negative piece about Dumars or the Pistons, despite the fact that they had transformed from a perennial contender to an also-ran. Instead, Wojnarowski penned several sympathetic profiles of Dumars, including ones that covered his completion of his college degree and another wholly about his defensive skills as a player in the 1980s.

By 2012, Wojnarowski could no longer ignore how poorly Dumars was performing, so he wrote a piece on the Pistons’ rebuilding. It included heavy participation from Dumars and unearned optimism like “Slowly, surely, Dumars is regenerating the Pistons again.”

[stooley]

I don't see a difference between what Woj and Lowe are doing though. Both are writing opinion pieces about basketball. Lowe tends to be more analytical while Woj tends to be more news-breaker; but both are just writing pieces for readers to take what they will.

I don't think Woj has ever really tried to present his stuff in a deceptive manner. I prefer Lowe's work myself, but that's because I like the analytical side but I don't think it's a one or the other type of deal.

I think that the point of that article though was that his "opinions" supposedly aren't really his opinions and are more a tool he uses to ensure his sources 'keep in line'.

Now I'm not sure how accurate that is, if I believe it, or how frequently he uses 'blackmail', but that's what the article was trying to say.

[3inthekeon]

I think that the point of that article though was that his "opinions" supposedly aren't really his opinions and are more a tool he uses to ensure his sources 'keep in line'.

Now I'm not sure how accurate that is, if I believe it, or how frequently he uses 'blackmail', but that's what the article was trying to say.

I think it's not so much blackmail as "you scratch my back...." type shit. Write positive stories about friends (AKA sources), negative about those who cross him or won't play ball.

[KeonClark]

I think it's not so much blackmail as "you scratch my back...." type shit. Write positive stories about friends (AKA sources), negative about those who cross him or won't play ball.

What youre describing sounds a lot like bribery and blackmail, lol

[stooley]

I think it's not so much blackmail as "you scratch my back...." type shit. Write positive stories about friends (AKA sources), negative about those who cross him or won't play ball.

What youre describing sounds a lot like bribery and blackmail, lol

Keon's gone a little schizo since that DUI

[KeonClark]

Keon's gone a little schizo since that DUI

I agree to disagree. No i dont. Pipe down.

[S.R.]

I think it's a fun article, mostly because it's cleverly written, has a few things I didn't know, yet, is still completely identical to the very behaviour its trying to call out. Reading between the lines I see a guy like Woj, who is no saint, but who also cannot stand the big brother style of manipulating a sport he grew up loving. There is a strong reason he hates ESPN, a lot of us here feel it too but we don't really see the connection until now.

Where the Big Brother corp is constantly manipulating the public, telling them who to love, telling them who to watch in order to cultivate massive profits from advertising and cable interests, Woj simply manipulates stories here and there to stir the pot enough that his sources remain productive. Some people don't like this, they look at his treatment of deandre or Lebron and they only see it as some personal vendetta, while other, myself included, see it a sa guy who calls out people for reasons he see's fit. Woj is a a throw back in many ways, from back when the beat writer was all ya had. Piss him off he reported one way, keep him happy, he id it another, but when the chips were down, you could be damn sure he'd keep people honest.

I wonder hos the writer of that article failed to see the evil of the alternative ESPN provides. A monopoly of pageantry and ass kissing. Manipulating the facts and truths, building fake hero's or stars to promote what i feel is a borderline illegal partnership with sponsors to help keep the public buying. Its one thing to provide news, another altogether to use that promotion to change the news to suit your financial needs.

I complain a lot about ESPN..... people speak of tinfoil hats etc and I get that. But fellas, there is a big world out there, and there are things happening you may not have thought of yet. Public perception of an event or of a person is very important to people who's job it is to make money selling. I'm not ever trying to tear down people's heros, more, just want them to love them for the right reasons. When in todays society who got the W is all people remember, its important how they got it, and important that it remains a "game", unaffected by business, unaffected by corruption or anything close to it. That big machine is real. ESPN, CBS, SI, they are all VERY real, and they aren't doing you any favors. If the writer of this article had the balls to write THAT story, i'd be all ears, but taking on the little guy, the little guy fighting that iant everyday and winning, well that just shows me one thing.... he's part of the machine.

Fuck this article.

Exaaaaaactly. The great irony here is that ESPN's conflict of interest as an entertainment company vs. a pseudo-journalistic news source for sports is far, far greater than Woj's grooming of individual NBA sources. Are we going to talk about the BILLIONS of dollars at steak when ESPN partners with major professional sports leagues as a broadcaster? You think after signing a FIFTEEN BILLION DOLLAR broadcasting contract with the NFL there's going to be any "real" reporting about said league coming out of ESPN? Did anyone notice when ESPN pulled out of the "League of Denial" documentary partnership with PBS at the last minute because the film cast the NFL in too negative of a light? These editorial judgment calls are being made by suits at ESPN/ABC/Disney way, way above the ground floor level of sports journalists and columnists. Ultimately these writers and reporters are either in line with the corporation's interests (promoting the sports they broadcast in order to increase viewership/revenues) or out of a job.

What Woj is doing as an individual is a raindrop - ESPN is freaking Niagara Falls.

[3inthekeon]

Exaaaaaactly. The great irony here is that ESPN's conflict of interest as an entertainment company vs. a pseudo-journalistic news source for sports is far, far greater than Woj's grooming of individual NBA sources. Are we going to talk about the BILLIONS of dollars at steak when ESPN partners with major professional sports leagues as a broadcaster? You think after signing a FIFTEEN BILLION DOLLAR broadcasting contract with the NFL there's going to be any "real" reporting about said league coming out of ESPN? Did anyone notice when ESPN pulled out of the "League of Denial" documentary partnership with PBS at the last minute because the film cast the NFL in too negative of a light? These editorial judgment calls are being made by suits at ESPN/ABC/Disney way, way above the ground floor level of sports journalists and columnists. Ultimately these writers and reporters are either in line with the corporation's interests (promoting the sports they broadcast in order to increase viewership/revenues) or out of a job.

What Woj is doing as an individual is a raindrop - ESPN is freaking Niagara Falls.

Strawman. What the fuck does ESPN have to do with whether or not Woj is objective in his writing? Dudes got an agenda. If it's OK with you, fine. Just don't try to convince me he doesn't.

BTW - Has ESPN done a hatchet job on "League of Denial" ? Would Woj have?

[Nilanka]

Strawman. What the fuck does ESPN have to do with whether or not Woj is objective in his writing? Dudes got an agenda. If it's OK with you, fine. Just don't try to convince me he doesn't.

BTW - Has ESPN done a hatchet job on "League of Denial" ? Would Woj have?

I think the point he was making is that everybody has an agenda (if you're willing to look hard enough).

[3inthekeon]

I think the point he was making is that everybody has an agenda (if you're willing to look hard enough).

What's Zach Lowe's agenda?

And yeah, if ESPN starts writing stories that concussion really aren't as bad as they're made out to be, then I'll agree they're far worse than one solitary writer spreading misinformation as fact.

[S.R.]

Strawman. What the fuck does ESPN have to do with whether or not Woj is objective in his writing? Dudes got an agenda. If it's OK with you, fine. Just don't try to convince me he doesn't.

BTW - Has ESPN done a hatchet job on "League of Denial" ? Would Woj have?

Not sure how you're missing the connection.

Also I didn't comment on Woj one way or the other - just saying ESPN's conflict of interest is much bigger and more influential.

I'm not sure why you'd suggest ESPN needs to write a hatchet column about League of Denial to show conflict of interest - we're talking about a for-profit corporation, not an individual columnist. They did what a corporation would do, pulled their $$$ out and ended their collaboration with Frontline due to pressure from NFL executives (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/sp...l?pagewanted=1). Again $15 billion dollars are at steak, as well as the sports coverage of the largest pro league in America by the largest sports broadcaster in America. An individual hatchet column is small potatoes compared to what actually transpired.

Also, I'm no logic major but "strawman" hardly applies here. I didn't even discuss the original Woj article, let alone fallaciously misrepresent it - I didn't even say if I agree or disagree with it. I'm talking about ESPN and raising a couple new points along the same vein of conflict of interest in sports "journalism."

Finally, take your meds - you need to calm down.

[Axel]

Between 2008 and 2012, Wojnarowski didn’t write a negative piece about Dumars or the Pistons, despite the fact that they had transformed from a perennial contender to an also-ran. Instead, Wojnarowski penned several sympathetic profiles of Dumars, including ones that covered his completion of his college degree and another wholly about his defensive skills as a player in the 1980s.

By 2012, Wojnarowski could no longer ignore how poorly Dumars was performing, so he wrote a piece on the Pistons’ rebuilding. It included heavy participation from Dumars and unearned optimism like “Slowly, surely, Dumars is regenerating the Pistons again.”

Yeah I read the article. I just don't care. So he has allowed bias into his writing, who hasn't? If it allows him better access (which would mean a better product for his readers) then no biggie. Just be smart enough to ignore his "blind spots". Same as any article, I'll read and choose to agree or disagree. Same as any forum post for that matter.

[3inthekeon]

Woj is hardly a raindrop in the world of basketball reporting,

Yes, ESPN is prostituting itself and yes they a conglomerate and deserve scorn also.