At Gawker Media, you'll lose way more points for being scooped on a story you had in your hands.

This was the ending of a missive from Gawker Media head, Nick Denton. It went to the heads of all the blogs under the Gawker aegis. Now, if you're here for some other reason? Let me explain why this is important.



This is Steve Phillips seen with production assistant Brooke Hundley. And it seems as if he was engaging in the strange with Miss Hundley. And while the vagaries and the mishagoes of this affair have been well hewn? Here is the important fact to the tale I'm trying to tell.

The editor of Deadspin had it first. And he sat on it.

And I quote A.J. himself...

"On September 9, we received a tip. Subject: 'S. Phillips.' The contents? 'Rumor winding it's way around the hallowed halls of the WWL is that Steve Phillips is getting canned tomorrow for an offense on par with Harold Reynold's misdeed.'

After a call to ESPN public relations department asking about the 'rumor' I was told that 'I would be wrong' to print that story because it was inaccurate. Fine. I would have been. But natural follow-up question to these types of rumors, as per give-and-take protocol, is well, what's the real story then? Was there an incident with Phillips that Baseball Tonight people are concerned about? However I was summarily nothing-to-see-here-please-dispersed."

He sat on a scoop! And after his publisher specifically told him not to!

We should publish anyway, making clear what we know to be true and what remains up in the air...We can always update. We can always write a second post when we've established more of the facts.-Nick Denton

So can we figure that in the most English way possible, young Mister Daulerio got chewed out from his boss?

Yes.

So, this leaves you with two schools of thought, either A.J. acted unprofessionally because he was burned by ESPN after making a cursory phone call? Or A.J. acted unprofessionally because he was only following orders.

Either way? This is what we're going to see from Deadspin. A lot more hearsay and conjecture, and a downward spiral in quality. A sports TMZ is our new leader.

Rock.

UPDATE: I did e-mail AJ Daulerio and ask him for a comment. He was nice enough to respond.

"I was pissed that espn played the semantic game on that particular story and then proceeded to dick around on it today."

Read the complete text of the memo at The Awl

Hat Tip: Brian

Deadspin...

I know it's hip to try and punch upward at a blog that's bigger than yours. But I have to ask. Since when is emulating thedirty.com something that we should be proud of?

I'm not saying this to be all why isn't Will Leitch ever going to come back? Because I don't blame Daulerio for the sins of Gawker media. He isn't the gay Englishman who sets out to insult our intelligence on a daily basis. But when the news your site breaks is something along the lines of an "OH MY GOD JOSH HAMILTON GOT DRUNK NO WAY!"

That's lame. That's a news aggregator. That's a news aggregator with an occasional piece of interest by Margary. There used to be a real community at Deadspin. You could find stuff that was interesting among the smaller blogs along with some actual quality writing. But now? It's basically salacious and yellow. They have the power to be something great and they use it to grab photos of drunk athletes and other stupid crap.

Blogging was never going to be a meritocracy. Media groups started buying blog sites. Independent blogs need to be damned spectacular if they're going to gain any traction. In fact, if I was going to talk to 2007 me about starting a blog? I'd say don't bother. You're not going to get readers fast enough.

I'm not going to say that Deadspin is alone in this sin. But Nick Denton's blogs are the standard bearers. You and I are just shmucks trying to grab scraps. I know I like to win as much as the next guy, but I'm not going to try and play the Deadspin game to get there.

Underdogs, interesting stuff, analysis. That's my stride. Move along from this.

In regards to Raul Ibanez...

He has an absolute right to be angry. PED is the scarlet acronym of baseball. And just because he went from a strong pitchers park on a crappy team to a bandbox on a great team doesn't mean he did anything untoward to get there.

But it doesn't mean it doesn't. Especially in this day and age. You cannot implicitly trust that a superstar is not or has not cheated to win. It seems silly, but even hot starts have been tied to a new steroid cycle. Remember, Brian Roberts was named in the Mitchell Report.

And it's not as if the Mainstream media hasn't participated in the idle speculation game either. The mere existence of Barry Bonds would touch off a 5 minute debate on steroids on the Worldwide Leader. Hell, Outside the Lines during 2006-2007 had 75% of its episodes be about steroids in Baseball.

But that's where our story really begins. For it seems, there are blogs that exist that I don't write for. And Jerod Morris, one of the folks behind Midwest Sports Fan decided he wanted to try and prove Raul Ibanez's innocence. And like me, and many people, he said that the speculation was premature. But there was a definite problem. And it was major league baseball's fault.

And Jerod Morris unfairly gets blamed for the culture that people like John Gonzalez and Ken Rosenthal helped to perpetuate.

Moving on...More later, or tomorrow.

In which I bother a blogger with more skill than me to denigrate Joe Mauer.

Sometimes, when I'm bored, I hit up the ol' GTalk and chat with more famous bloggers than me. Why? Because it's an easy way to get posts. And today, Mister One More Dying Quail Himself gets bothered. Why? Because he is a friend of blog.

me: Hmm
Joe Mauer has to be cheating
OMDQ: why?
because he's a machine?
me: because he goes from Placido Polanco to Ted Williams
OMDQ: he's always been a good average hitter
me: but this is Brian Roberts 2006 April sort of stuff
OMDQ: how dare you accuse Joe Mauer of such atrocities against the game?
don't you know he's an All-American boy
as pure as apple pie?
me: Apple Pie has high fructose corn syrup!
OMDQ: not a banned substance
yet
Sent at 1:41 PM on Monday
me: But baseball players got rich off of morally unethical yet legal substances
OMDQ: not really legal
me: He is cheating
My god
How can he hit like that?
OMDQ: because he has been blessed by the hand of almighty God himself
me: No one hits like that
Not even Dale Murphy in his prime
OMDQ: how dare you disparage Dale Murphy?
me: NO NO NO
I am saying that Joe Mauer is making all-american hero's like Dale Murphy look bad
also Rik Smits was in Coming to America
OMDQ: poor Joe Mauer
me: why
he cheated
nobody can go deep off of the combined forces of Manny Parra, Braden Looper AND Dave Bush
OMDQ: this could happen
as remarkable as it seems, it could happen
me: The odds of that are so astronomical
So infinitesimal
As to suggest dirty pool
without submission to a battery of tests
Sent at 1:48 PM on Monday
me: And I take your silence as an agreement
You know I'm right
OMDQ: no, I just don't care

Yeah. This is what I do. I take conversations and use them as posts. But maybe...

But maybe I just wanted to throw out an accustaion against a player who had a good series. And this is the only way I could recover from being Ice Burned by Joe Mauer.

Fucking Mauer.

The Ten Principles...

I have decided that it's time to reassess this blog. It's time to decide what this blog is and what this blog is isn't. I would call it the five by five project? But fuck that. It's too Glenn Beck. And I can't make fun of someone who clearly loves America so much.

1. I will not blog snarky.

This is something I am deeply passionate about. It is hard to hate with style and creativity. This is why when someone hits it even one in ten times? It's a good deal. Me? I don't think I can take it down on that level. So unless I am dead serious that my take does not suck? I will avoid the hate.


2. I will try to look for things under the radar.

When we have been at our best? Is when we find our way into the under the radar. Curtis Granderson's ill-fated run for 100 extra base hits turning into the quad twenties? Ramses Barden? This is when we have been at our most beautiful. So you know what? If you've got talent under the radar? E-mail us. We'll hype that.


3. I will not go crazy with the list posts.

I will do one on occasion. But I make an effort to keep them away from you. The reader who only looks for Kim Kardashian's ass. And Bianca Beauchamp.


4. I am remiss to take tips.

I do not have enthusiasm to be on an e-mail list serv of tips from a blog. I am not big enough to generate hits for you on your blog. And because of that? I usually link to stories I find on my own. I apologize, but it must be said.


5. I will leave my political passions alone.

Everything else is fair game, but let's be honest. Most of our takes suck in terms of politics. It doesn't matter if you leave a World Net Daily or a Talking Points Memo on your blogroll. But being arch in liberalism or conservatism is a way to lose readers. Also, it's lame in many instances.


6. If readers have questions?

andrewrosin@gmail.com

I like answering questions.


7. This is what I like.

I don't think I could blog about Hockey. I have no issue with hockey. But I would not have much of a non-lame take about it. It's sports. Less other stuff then there used to be. My tag team partner was spectacular at that. But he's getting out of the game.


8. If I miss a day?

It's not me being lazy. I do not have an angle. I do not have a non-sucky take. Sure, maybe a tip or two would help me out here? But I am what I am. Even if I have to be the guy who misses a day or two because I have nothing. I want to bring my fastball. Not my weak ass circle-change.


9. Occasionally, I will give a paean to a dude whom enjoys partying

Like this!




10. No April Fools Day Jokes.

Because you're not funny. Fuck you.

Okay, I know. Personal and bloggy, right? But I feel a need to put this on the table. I am going to be doing it the best I can and leaning on nobody but me.

Saying it from where I stand?

Nothing comes easy.

DREW!

You know what?

I have been downright bitchy toward KSK. But that's just me. I have an ego. It gets me into trouble.

But that being said? Men With Balls is spectacular. It's got the swagger of the classic Big Daddy Drew posts, but if you feared that he had no chance of carrying the momentum through a 288 page book? Don't. He knocked this shit out of the park.

I hate to say this. I wanted to believe that I was the best blogger in sports as well as have a target to punch up at. But the fact of the matter? He wrote an awesome book.

So awesome that I would deign to call him Blogging's Lester Bangs. But Lester Bangs would rather call himself a "White Nigger" than work in advertising. So that wouldn't work.

The Conferences I have left to finish.

Colonial Athletic (6 teams)
Horizon (8 teams)
Ivy League (7 teams)
Metro Atlantic Athletic (7 teams)
Mid-American (12 teams)
Mid-Eastern (9 teams)
Northeast (9 teams)
Ohio Valley (8 teams)

66 teams. I will get this preview done in time for Midnight Madness. This is my solemn vow.

Update: Down to 50. And 6 conferences.

Hey Blogfrica?

I've got a question for you. Let's be honest. I know my part in the community has been lackluster as of late. But I'll have to ask.

Why are we listening to Chris Mortensen as a valid source of NFL Reporting? You know what he's reported correctly of any consequence in recent memory? Brett Favre has an itch to play football again. That's it.

You know how hard that is to parse? And that was even after he said that it was a lock that Favre was done for cripes sake. But you know what? You all are reporting on what he says like it's gospel. And guess what? If seemingly reputable sources on these here internets keep taking their cues from Chris Mortensen, he will keep making shit up.

Hell, I could make up a better rumor than he could. Watch.

Sources close to the Grand National Championships in the Oakland Bureau say that this year Zach Miller has a real chance to become Oakland's #1 receiving option with Drew Carter's injury and Javon Walker's general incompetence. The coaching staff is expecting Miller to be targeted around 150 times during the season.

Really. No idea if this is true. For all I know Ronald Curry is tearing his achilles for a third time at the anticipation of finally being the #1 receiver. But in those 30 seconds? I just outplayed Chris Mortensen.

This is why I am asking you, my Blogfrican brethren. Stop. Stop reporting on Chris Mortensen's fucking around. Stop treating him like he's the Mortensen of the early 90's where you learned more in the three minute segments of Inside the Huddle than you would in an entire hour of an NFL Studio Show.

His "breaking news" is nothing more than yellow journalism that you would find on page six of a dirt sheet like the New York Post. And we need to have a moratorium on reporting on him.

He's just awful.

20 Things I Believe...with no empirical reason to do so.

I'm bored. You bored? Yeah. It is a slow news day. So you know what? I am going to list 100 things that are true...that I can't prove. So, conspiracies, gossip, rumors, half-truths? Welcome. This is where you will live.

1. You know how the Bush administration paid columnists like Armstrong Williams to hype their talking points? Well they did. But they did not catch them all. Yes, I'm looking at Elizabeth from The View. She's a phony!
2. The other player to be named later in the Adam Dunn deal? Chad Tracy. He'll go back to his super-utility role.
3. Video Games are the greatest bane to productivity. Ask a dude who's still working on his Madden 2006 Dynasty. OMG JOSH GOINS NO WAY!
4. Ramon Sessions is going to be the reason Scott Skiles gets fired. (And I'll talk about the trade soon.)
5. Ben Gordon is in that weird place. He's overrated and underrated at the same time. He's got Eric Gordon style skills. And yet? The Bulls have seemingly no use for that scorer.
6. If Ben Gordon goes, any comparison of him with Josh Childress will be moot. It's subjective. You want intelligent versatility or an ability to put the biscuit in the basket? You can't really prove one better.
7. But it will be Josh Childress. I like the afro.
8. People I inexplicably like if you're playing fantasy football the first? J.T. O'Sullivan.
9. Paul Byrd is made of desperate plug-in. Hold on D-Rays.
10. The Tampa Bay Rays should bring American Hero Aubrey Huff. He could fill one of the holes cheapishly.
11. Jose Calderon is my least favorite player in the NBA. Not because he hates Asians...but because he's a hack. Next he'll tell you he likes Flied Lice. GET IT?!?!
12. The XBox 360 ruined the works of Brian Michael Bendis.
13. Dan Didio is bad for comics.
14. Joel Zumaya is about to become nothing more than Nick Neugebauer. (Big power arm who just can't stay healthy.)
15. And Gary Sheffield has ran himself out of another city. Milwaukee, San Diego, Florida, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and New York.
16. Rush Limbaugh is built to say outrageous things to trip up our shit. He's useless, and his listeners are useless. They don't want to be better, they just want to wallow in their own crapulence.
17. The Democratic Congress has been just as bad as its Republican counterparts.
18. The Dark Knight is this generations The Godfather.
19. John C. Reilley will win a best supporting actor Oscar, when he and Ferrell stop fucking around and start getting serious.
20. Dairy Queen's tie in to The Dark Knight has pieces of Heath in it...

Think about that last one...

Drew

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Ears!

I am doing the Iron Ref Competition over at another fine sportsblog called Hugging Harold Reynolds, and quite frankly, I am getting my ass kicked. I wish to make this competition interesting. For the children.

So, if you all could please come here...

http://huggingharoldreynolds.blogspot.com/2008/08/game-on-iron-ref-round-6-ugly-play.html

And vote for Andrew because I had Jonathan Broxton take a spinning piledriver for your amusement. You don't need a blogger account. You don't even need an open ID. All you need to do is make the comment that you liked mine best.

I have my rally cap on, I believe in those who came over to read Blogspot Grand National Championships. Vote for me.

Please.

NOTE: About 100 Anonymous People rolled out and voted for Brian Bassett. I present this without comment.

The Search for Inspirado...

I never should have installed the sitemeter. The sitemeter means desperation. The sitemeter means you know what you had at WordPress. And it was a lot of people googling Kim Kardashian...



Yeah, the wordpress readers are a bunch of traitors.

I'm just saying. It's hot. I'm cranky. I have a nascent idea of how Murderball is proof positive that Juno is hack. I have a zygote of a premise on why ESPN is killing me because Brett Favre can't hit Ted Thompson on the two way.

But I can't even connect the dots with a confusing Bob Harris style. But if you want a chuckle? Google Tony Armas and Hello Kitty.

If I'm free, I'll liveblog the Sabathia debut. It is the greatest thing of all time in Wisconsin's history. And I may just watch as a fan.

All that needs to be said about Will Leitch...

Has been said. He's never done me or my erstwhile tag team partner any injustices, real or otherwise. And we've had streaks of the asshole coarsing through our veins.

Anyway. I may talk more about C.C. Sabathia tonight. Apparently the Brewers are still the favorites.

Crazy, but that's how it goes, amirite?