Bad Write-up or Dumb Move?

You caught that too?

 

I have been checking in on Greensborosports for about a year now. Andy has tried to do something positive by recognizing the good in high school sports in our area, but I definitely agree that there have been times when he has crossed the line and has not been a good representation of journalism.

What I find interesting and mostly sad is that in the past year the posts that have garnered the most attention are the negative ones. There was one about football transfers at Page and Grimsley, one about an 'infraction' of baseball players at a local high school, the one that is posted here and now another one about the inappropriate actions of a player/fans at a recent baseball game.

Anytime that there is a post about how well a team or student did...there are very few... if any comments left.

My son was on a basketball team this past year that was not very good, however they were a tremendous group of young men who had and were achieving great academic success. The coach tried to get the media to publish the good things also, but they refused. Instead they chose to report on not just our teams losses, but they glorified other schools athletic abilities whose athletes were barely getting by academically and had faced discipline trouble.

Do the majority of readers only have enough passion to comment when they are critical of someone? Are our priorities so messed up that we revel in others failures?

I don't know the answers, just know that it is frustrating and although I in no way approve of some of Andy's messages on Greensborosports, those that I don't approve of are those who garner the most interest.

 

So sad

Unfortunately this is the real fault of basic human nature.

 

I'm glad that you brought this up Sportsmom because it gives me a chance to explain what we try to do.

It would be so easy to post a thread like this:

Did you hear about Coach X getting fired at Rippowan High School? What happened?

The replies would go on for days and it would send the views through the roof. But I tell people all the time there are otherplaces they can go in post about that, but not here.

I'll trade the number of views for a post about a player or a profile anyday...and do you know why? Because the player and his family will fill with pride to read the positive responses about their son. That's what makes it worthwhile and I won't trade that feeling for anything.

I've said from the beginning that this board is about promoting the players. Now people have taken that to mean promoting players for the scouts...and that is not true. When we started this board there were no scouts; only parents, a few coaches and the players. What I mean about "promoting" the players is for any member to post about a player that achieved success in a particular game...and I've done this for one selfish reason: To play a small role in making a player and his family feel pride in reading about their son's accomplishment---even if it was for one night only.

The biggest compliment I have ever received was from a family that was so excited about reading a story we did about their son (they had no idea), that they sent the link from the story to the grandparents in Minnesota.

That's the benefit I receive and I know the other moderators feel the same way. We don't make any money doing this. We do it for the love of the players and the game they play.


Good night!

 

Great post Braves

Pick up a paper. What is the headline that day? Something positive? Is it ever positive? No, gloom and doom and controversy sells. Whats the scoop? Did you hear about Bobby? This site is about positives not negatives. This is the place you go to hear about the good not the bad. There are plenty of places you can go to hear about the negative stuff. There are plenty of places you can go to read about the negative. I enjoy hearing about positive things going on with players and teams. I understand that there are some negatives. But I would rather spend my time focusing on the positives. This imo is the place to do that.

 

After reading the thread again, I think everyone has been positive.

 

I pulled this off another forum, but it makes my point: It is from a father discussing his daughter.

"I'd also like to thank all those parents, coaches and opposing parents that have complimented my DD. There is nothing and I mean NOTHING like having someone else, say great things about your kid. I'd like to thank those people as well. THANK YOU, THANK YOU! You always make my day."

 

Thanks Kenny for all you do at TBR and for HS baseball.

 

just my....

two cents let him play where he wants to play if not for me fine wish him well wherever!I guess the point is to BE "happy" regardless right! Can t blame anyone for that!