A Few Thoughts on "Sources"

I wanted to explain the frustration a sports reporter has sometimes with so-called sources, that share information with you that may turn out to be either too early to report or just plain inaccurate.

First of all, I am a beat reporter, being currently paid by Morris Communications, to report both on local sports in my area, and the Savannah Sand Gnats in particular. I also contribute to www.scout.com, who have printed some of my prospect reports in the past.

It's a tough call when someone, who has credentials, tells you something is going to happen. I had a case last year were someone close to a Mets pitcher told me that the player was trying to pitch through pain. I decided not to break the story, and sure enough, the player bombed out in his next couple of outings and had to be put on the shelf. Should I have reported it? Well, since I'm nowhere near what I call a "real reporter", I chose to keep quiet and respect the player. I lost the story and life moved on.

The Oliver Perez info I have posted came from someone well known in the sports industry. It was from someone who has told me information before that has proved out to be correct. Some of you that follow me at www.flushinguniversity.com know I have been quite accurate when I have posted info like that in the past, some of which was from the same source.

I felt quite comfortable writing what didn't make much sense to me... how can someone say a player will be signed by the next weekend?... if that's true, why not sign them now?... but, I chose to do it and, as of right now, nothing has been signed.

One of you suggested I might be trying to beef up my "hit count" on this site. Well, for the record, I have never made a penny doing this. I once earned $400 total when I was hosted by Joe McDonald at www.nysd.com, but I gave all that money back when I chose to discontinue my blogging at that time.

Mike McGann, over at Flushing University told me once that all you can do is report what you hear, especially if the source is reputable. I have talked to that same person today, and I could waste your time telling you why that person said no signing has been done yet, but I've entered the "boy who cried wolf" stage of this non-story, so I will move on and get back to posting only my Mack Attacks and my prospect pieces.

I'm not apologizing for my actions, but I do promise to police things better in the future.

Mack