In the space of an hour today, I saw a series of posts from various ESPN journalists on Twitter that really had me scratching my head this morning. Check these out…
Those are just Marchand and Olney, there were more. Law decides to rank the Mets farm system 22nd (a total cheap shot), Rubin took an unfair knock at MetsBlog referring to it as an SNY owned venture rather than by it’s name.
It’s like ESPN’s CEO and President handed all their minions marching orders to trash on the Mets…
I don’t really get all this hate toward the Mets, seriously I don’t…
I mean when when exactly did ESPN lose its journalistic integrity? Does objectivity matter anymore? What about facts, do facts matter anymore?
On that note I thought I’d respond like this:
Next topic of discussion…
A couple of days ago a real online melee ensued after renowned Mets fan and well known journalist Howard Megdal had his credential revoked by the Mets because they did not like his reporting. Whether you agree or disagree with that is a matter of semantics, but I would argue this:
If Adam Rubin had authored “Wilpon’s Folly”, would he have been as staunchly defended as Megdal was throughout the Mets blogosphere without one post even giving the Mets an iota of the benefit of the doubt?
This isn’t about whether or not you agree with what the Mets did, it comes down to being fair and objective. I got a word of thanks from the Mets yesterday, although they didn’t need to thank me because on Metsmerized we always present both sides to a story regardless of what the story is. That’s how we roll. As a fan site all opinions are fairly represented here whether I agree with them or not. Sure it leads to some heated debates that sometimes go over the top, but I would rather have this than the alternative which is a site that takes on the monotone personality and philosophy of the one running it.
After this fiasco, I’d say the Mets would be well within their rights to revoke access to all Mets bloggers. Now I can certainly see why MLB Advanced Media and all of the 30 MLB teams were so reluctant to give independent bloggers and freelance writers a press credential for so many, many years. Too many loose cannons, too little accountability, and hardly any benefit for the teams.
I’m not a writer and I don’t pretend to be one. I’m exactly what I’ve always said I was – a die-hard Met fan with a never ending thirst to talk about the Mets. As I’ve told so many and as it states in my bio – I started this site to feed my addiction to the Mets. That doesn’t mean I’m not critical of the moves they make or don’t make, or some of the things they do. Those who read MMO know fully well how critical I am – almost to a fault. But that’s why I’m glad I have about two dozen or so other writers on board to counter my occasional outbursts. And unlike me, they are writers, journalists, former beat writers and even a member of the BBWAA.
Anyway, regarding this whole Wilpon/Madoff/Picard mess. Let me urge you not to rush to judgement on either side – as difficult as that might be. There is an agenda-driven army of media types who seek to lead you away from free thinking and onto their agenda-driven path. Don’t be a sucker. Don’t take the bait.
More importantly, don’t let your dissatisfaction for how this team has performed, turn you into something that you’re not. Don’t let it blur the difference between a pastime and real life for you. Don’t let it effect the way you view this legal matter.
Don’t wish ill will on a family who has done so much good for the team and this city and for veterans just because Omar Minaya signed Jason Bay or Steve Phillips traded for Mo Vaughn. Let’s use some common sense and know that there is a difference between this legal matter and the operational choices the current Mets owners have made. It’s a vast difference, and one should have nothing to do with the other.
I have my opinion on all of this. I posted repeatedly not to believe all this bankruptcy stuff everyone is circulating, and that the demise of the Wilpons has been greatly exaggerated. I’ve said again and again that it was all just wishful thinking. I couldn’t care less that it put me in the minority and on the firing block, I blog for my benefit not yours. So let me close this out in the form that some of you will find somewhat familiar – a Haiku:
Justice will vindicate.
It was all folly.
You’ll see the rising son.
******
We broke a traffic record here yesterday, thanks to those of you who joined in especially the spiders. Coincidentally, we also got our Google Page Rank 5 back today. So the rumors of our own demise were greatly exaggerated as well. 😉
