Give Us Real Sports Journalism and More Facts

I want to take a moment to get away from sports cards and talk about the lack of journalism in sports.   It seems that gossip and lack of information is more important than what is really happening. 

This weekend Dwyane Wade said the following, "We're going to be wearing a bullseye. But that's what you play for," Wade said. "We enjoy the bullseye. Plus, there's going to be times when we lose 2-3 games in a row, and it seems like the world has crashed down. You all are going to make it seem like the World Trade is coming down again, but it's not going to be nothing but a couple basketball games."

A big deal was made about it and it is really a non-story.  All he was doing is saying that people will make a big deal when the Heat lose a few games and they shouldn't.  He made it more dramatic to make his point but to accuse him of insensitivity because he used the World Trade Center is nonsense.  I live in New York and I grew up here.  I spent a lot of time in that area and still do and in no way was I offended.   This is really a non-issue.  Wouldn't a better story be one where a true investigation is done to see how and when the 3 stars of James, Bosh and Wade came together to make their union and how they truly affected the other franchises by holding them at bay until the last second?  Cleveland for example had no chance to make an attempt for a free agent of quality because Lebron James kept them waiting.

Another story this past week that bothered me was the George Steinbrenner passing.  Every article I read seemed to be about what a great guy George was and all he did for the less fortunate.  Now it is true that Mr. Steinbrenner did some wonderful things as can be seen in the story of Ray Negron a young man who was caught by Mr. Steinbrenner putting grafitti on Yankee Stadium and gave him a place as a Yankee bat boy.  A wonderful story and there are many more.  That said why were stories about Mr. Steinbrenner pleading guilty to illegal campaign contibutions to Richard Nixon and being suspended from baseball for 2 years by Bowie Kuhn almost non-existent?  What about his giving Howie Spira $40,000 to dig up dirt on Dave Winfield and leading to another suspension?  Why only the good and none of the bad?  When it comes to journalism it should be more than just saying nice things about someone who has passed.  We as citizens of a free nation need freedom of speech and all the information. 

A great story on Mr. Steinbrenner might be how he could have gone all those years and never known that steroids existed in his clubhouse.  How about his big cable deal that gives no more than 20 games a year on free TV not allowing people who can't afford the YES network to have the Yankee experience.  How many people can take their kids to a baseball game now that Mr. Steinbrenner gave so much money to free agents making tickets out of reach for parents who are middle class or poor?

Instead of all the gossip in sports maybe its time for real journalism like Red Smith and Dave Anderson used to give us in their columns.  So much time was spent on who would Lebron James sign with but little was spent on how it really affects the economy.   Little mentions but no details. 

Give us more sports news and less lackluster information.