Comments on: Murray Chass and the shaky ethics of the sports section http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/ Media, Baseball, Boston, the Red Sox, Music, Literature, and Mnookins Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:28:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Wow. at The Feeding the Monster Blog — In which the author discusses Boston, the Red Sox, the media, and very occasionally popular music. http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-643524 Wow. at The Feeding the Monster Blog — In which the author discusses Boston, the Red Sox, the media, and very occasionally popular music. Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:44:23 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-643524 [...] of Feeding the Monster’s faithful readers actually beat me to the punch, as noted in the comment (#8) he made on yesterday’s [...] [...] of Feeding the Monster’s faithful readers actually beat me to the punch, as noted in the comment (#8) he made on yesterday’s [...]

]]> By: travisbickle http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-4148 travisbickle Wed, 20 Dec 2006 13:40:32 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-4148 If I counted all the cash I`ve made betting against "homer" fans of all sports I might find I should have invested better. When I read these posts of dittoheads all agreeing with Seth, I only wish my book could post odds on things like tampering. In the real world $ rule everything and when all facts are considered, the idea that the Sox didn`t tamper is quite remote. But "fans" only want to think of thier team in a positive light. Please... do any of you also think those guys flew back to Japan to thank them again for selling the rights to Dice K? And you can bet that Boras had assurance from Boston that if Drew opted out he could do better. If I counted all the cash I`ve made betting against “homer” fans of all sports I might find I should have invested better.
When I read these posts of dittoheads all agreeing with Seth, I only wish my book could post odds on things like tampering.
In the real world $ rule everything and when all facts are considered, the idea that the Sox didn`t tamper is quite remote. But “fans” only want to think of thier team in a positive light. Please… do any of you also think those guys flew back to Japan to thank them again for selling the rights to Dice K? And you can bet that Boras had assurance from Boston that if Drew opted out he could do better.

]]> By: overdone http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-4050 overdone Tue, 19 Dec 2006 06:58:15 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-4050 Ai ai ai. This... "Ask anybody in the business, and he will tell you my reporting is always correct..." ...makes my skin crawl. "My reporting is always correct"? When's the last time anyone you know had a flawless career? I mean, who says that? A president who has God whispering in his ear? I don't think four-letter words are the culture on this site, but che cazzata! Reading Chass makes me sort of sad, like talking with my Alzheimered grandfather. I wish them both peace and they should both stay off the road. Ai ai ai.

This…

“Ask anybody in the business, and he will tell you my reporting is always correct…”

…makes my skin crawl.

“My reporting is always correct”? When’s the last time anyone you know had a flawless career? I mean, who says that? A president who has God whispering in his ear? I don’t think four-letter words are the culture on this site, but che cazzata!

Reading Chass makes me sort of sad, like talking with my Alzheimered grandfather. I wish them both peace and they should both stay off the road.

]]> By: Brian M. http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-4035 Brian M. Tue, 19 Dec 2006 01:29:42 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-4035 Great minds think alike, I guess. I e-mailed Mr. Chass over the weekend about his ridiculous blurb. Our exchange: ME: Could you please just admit that you invented this entire Sox-Drew tampering rumor and be done with it? Your report that the Dodgers even considered filing such charges has been discredited by no less an authority than the LA Times, and you have yet to cite a single on-the-record source to support your invented claims. A drunken aside made at the Winter Meetings by some "old-time" baseball executive while he was grousing about the amount of attention Theo Epstein gets does not a properly-sourced quote make. Further, your reliance on unnamed sources for as innocuous a statement as "other GMs urged the Dodgers to complain" suggests that you are a rumor-monger rather than a reporter. For shame. HIM: I will base my reputation of nearly 40 years at the Times against anything the LA Times reported. Ask anybody in the business, and he will tell you my reporting is always correct, whether I'm quoting people by name or not. You don't have to believe what I have reported, but that's your problem, not mine. Murray Chass Great minds think alike, I guess. I e-mailed Mr. Chass over the weekend about his ridiculous blurb. Our exchange:

ME:

Could you please just admit that you invented this entire Sox-Drew tampering rumor and be done with it? Your report that the Dodgers even considered filing such charges has been discredited by no less an authority than the LA Times, and you have yet to cite a single on-the-record source to support your invented claims. A drunken aside made at the Winter Meetings by some “old-time” baseball executive while he was grousing about the amount of attention Theo Epstein gets does not a properly-sourced quote make.

Further, your reliance on unnamed sources for as innocuous a statement as “other GMs urged the Dodgers to complain” suggests that you are a rumor-monger rather than a reporter.

For shame.

HIM:

I will base my reputation of nearly 40 years at the Times against anything the LA Times reported. Ask anybody in the business, and he will tell you my reporting is always correct, whether I’m quoting people by name or not. You don’t have to believe what I have reported, but that’s your problem, not mine.

Murray Chass

]]> By: SwankyMode http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-4031 SwankyMode Mon, 18 Dec 2006 22:22:27 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-4031 Im glad youve pointed out some of Murray's recent shortcomings. Ive always liked his Sunday columns (he's no gammons, but he's good) but I read that article about the injuries comparison when it was in the paper. That was right before the 5-game massacre at Fenway where he totally called out Theo for the Sox's sucking. He was right, but unnessasarily vidictive towards Theo. What is this old man's obsession with bringing Theo down? Thats the scoop I want to read about. Im glad youve pointed out some of Murray’s recent shortcomings. Ive always liked his Sunday columns (he’s no gammons, but he’s good) but I read that article about the injuries comparison when it was in the paper. That was right before the 5-game massacre at Fenway where he totally called out Theo for the Sox’s sucking. He was right, but unnessasarily vidictive towards Theo. What is this old man’s obsession with bringing Theo down? Thats the scoop I want to read about.

]]> By: V06 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-4021 V06 Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:50:23 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-4021 "I can't quit you, baby... but I'm gonna have to put you down for a while." Ok, sports is generally considered a form of diversion or entertainment for the hoi polloi rather than a serious business. As such, sports writing (vs sports journalism) is likely held to journalistic standards below writing about art or food; but higher than other forms of entertainment like celeb gossip columns or grocery store tabloid publications. Some people prefer to read fiction while others prefer non-fiction. And some people can't tell the difference. It's evident that some members in sports media write journalism and some write sports gossip columns. Either way, it's still entertainment for the masses. However, I'd much rather be entertained with the truth than with bullshit no matter what the topic. “I can’t quit you, baby… but I’m gonna have to put you down for a while.”

Ok, sports is generally considered a form of diversion or entertainment for the hoi polloi rather than a serious business. As such, sports writing (vs sports journalism) is likely held to journalistic standards below writing about art or food; but higher than other forms of entertainment like celeb gossip columns or grocery store tabloid publications.

Some people prefer to read fiction while others prefer non-fiction. And some people can’t tell the difference.

It’s evident that some members in sports media write journalism and some write sports gossip columns. Either way, it’s still entertainment for the masses. However, I’d much rather be entertained with the truth than with bullshit no matter what the topic.

]]> By: Jenny http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-4019 Jenny Mon, 18 Dec 2006 18:36:53 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/12/18/murray-chass-and-the-shaky-ethics-of-the-sports-section/#comment-4019 I'm not a lawyer, so I may be grasping at straws here, but if Chass continues to imply that the Red Sox tampered and they in fact did not, couldn't that be grounds for a lawsuit? The claim is false and damaging to their professional reputation. This seems like the definition of a defamation suit. Along those same lines, I feel like Theo could sue Dan Shaughnessy for that false version of the Colorado trade he published that made Theo look like a weaselly little coward (I haven't seen a correction on that one yet, either). But, again, I'm not a lawyer. I’m not a lawyer, so I may be grasping at straws here, but if Chass continues to imply that the Red Sox tampered and they in fact did not, couldn’t that be grounds for a lawsuit? The claim is false and damaging to their professional reputation. This seems like the definition of a defamation suit. Along those same lines, I feel like Theo could sue Dan Shaughnessy for that false version of the Colorado trade he published that made Theo look like a weaselly little coward (I haven’t seen a correction on that one yet, either). But, again, I’m not a lawyer.

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