Sportsfrog.com

First, my apologies for this post not being a timely rebuttal to the post concerning the other side of this issue. I digress…

Sportsfrog.com used to have the tagline, “dissecting sports and media while battling a dirty gambling habit.” Trust me, I have the t-shirt. I guess it is now my turn to jump into the media dissection pool.

Not only has TMZ not made inroads into “sports coverage,” they are not “covering sports” at all. They are taking the elements of what makes gossip appealing to their audience and widening the net of people who fall into that arena.

The two stories Brontoburglar cited that TMZ reported ahead of the mainstream media were the death of Angels’ pitcher Nick Adenhart and the Tiger Woods car accident. However, both stories involve the “sin” aspects that make news or gossip, respectively. In Adenhart’s case, it is his death, as evidenced particularly well by the newsroom cliché “if it bleeds, it leads,” and in Woods’ case, sex (just like how Alex Rodriguez previously made gossip sheets for being spotted with a woman who was not his wife). If Woods had been in the exact same car accident without the prior reports of his infidelity, would TMZ have been beating down doors to get information? I think not.

Saying TMZ is showing “legitimate newsgathering chops” loses all credibility when, in the next paragraph, it is cited that TMZ pays for scoops. People who know they will not be named as sources have no reason to be honest. Think about this for a second. If some gossip outlet came to you, asked if you had any information about a person you did not actually know (or maybe even knew, but did not like) and offered a substantial amount of money for that information plus a guarantee of anonymity, what reason would you have to not make something up? Before you say, “well, I wouldn’t do that, I have no reason to lie,” you should probably consider if that is true when there is a check made out to you valued at $10,000 ready to be put in your hand. How about $25,000? $50,000? Really? No one knows you’re the person making these statements. You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. Think about the current state of the human race for a little while if you still think honesty matters in the face of money.

I also have a different answer to this question and answer posed in the other post:

“Was the reluctance to use TMZ information in newspaper stories more related to fears that it wasn’t factually correct, or the fact that it came from TMZ? I lean strongly towards the latter.”

Reluctance to use TMZ information in a newspaper story is due to fears that it is factually incorrect because it came from TMZ. TMZ is a source for gossip, not news. A newspaper that reports false information risks losing the trust of its readership, not to mention the threat of lawsuit. The reporting of “facts” without confirmation is a huge sin in the world of news reporting. It is called independent confirmation.

I doubt readers care about how the information is gathered or who reports it as long as the outlet reporting the news is trustworthy. Then again, looking at the political climate in our country, maybe this is not the case.

The Tiger Woods Thing marks the second time that TMZ has absolutely destroyed mainstream media outlets when it comes to a major off the field incident (car crash) with an athlete.

Think that the MSM is happy about that?

While TMZ isn’t infallible, they’ve got a pretty impressive string of exclusives before other gossip magazines/sites/mainstream outlets have gotten them, (Rihanna immediately comes to mind) and has definitely become more influential than Deadspin when it comes to actual news that includes athletes off of the field.

While Deadspin specializes in who’s doing and drinking with whom, something that TMZ is very good at as well when it comes to the Hollywood set, TMZ has shown legitimate newsgathering chops when it comes to both Nick Adenhart and Tiger Woods. (Was the reluctance to use TMZ information in newspaper stories more related to fears that it wasn’t factually correct, or the fact that it came from TMZ? I lean strongly towards the latter)

Of course, that has everything to do with how TMZ gets its information. It’s a well known secret that TMZ pays for scoops, and that’s a definite no-no in the mainstream media world. The money puts TMZ at an obvious advantage, because why tell your information for free when you can tell your information for pay?

And do readers actually care about how their news outlets receive their information, as long as the information is getting out as soon as possible, and to a lesser extent, factually correct?

I’m not suggesting that mainstream media outlets need to start paying sources for information, because I think that opens a giant can of worms, and at the very least, would decrease the number of free information sources available to the general public. However, given the way that TMZ has beaten down the MSM with their scoops in regards to these two stories, the celebrity gossip site has definitely asserted itself as a force to be reckoned with when athletes make news off of the playing field.

Is TMZ really changing sports coverage? Let us know in the Swamp.

(This post assumes that TMZ’s coverage of the Tiger Woods situation has been accurate. If it isn’t, I reserve every right to retract my post.)

Leave it to TMZ to find the “huh” angle. And, given no alcohol reportedly involved, and the time of the incident, it does make some sense:

Tiger has yet to be formally interviewed by the Florida Highway Patrol — that should happen this afternoon. But we’re told Tiger had a conversation Friday — with a non-law enforcement type — detailing what went down before his Escalade hit a fire hydrant.

We’re told he said his wife had confronted him about reports that he was seeing another woman. The argument got heated and, according to our source, she scratched his face up. We’re told it was then Woods beat a hasty retreat for his SUV — but according to our source, Woods says his wife followed behind with a golf club. As Tiger drove away, she struck the vehicle several times with the club.

Like I said, that version of the incident has the luxury of making some sense.

Looks like some time for the Woods’ on the Dr. Phil Mickelson couch is in order.

Not that Y.E. Yang would do it, but, one would think, that eventually Tiger Woods would get caught on a Sunday of a major that he led after 54 holes (Woods now 14 for 15 in such situations). That time came yesterday, when, finally, the player walking the course in the last group with Tiger did not blink. A steady 70 from heretofore relative unknown Y.E. Yang including a Tiger-esque chip-in eagle on 14 to seize the lead for good was good enough to beat Woods, whose putter betrayed him all weekend.

And, no, Mike Greenburg, please stop trying to make this into the “greatest upset ever” regardless of sport, or even in golf. If I were to have beat Woods (or Yang) yesterday, with my 54 handicap, THAT would be a great upset. Probably ever. As for an actual professional golfer being better than Tiger Woods over the course of a tournament, even a major one? An upset, perhaps, but NOT the greatest ever.

Oh, wait, Greenburg is being joined by Gary Van Sickle of si.com in trying to categorize the upset in the “greatest ever” debates. Okay, fine. Have at it. But this knee-jerk need to make something that just occurred the “best” or “greatest” ever gets old.

A funny thing happened on the way to Woods’ 15th major yesterday, instead of placing his foot on the fields neck and applying pressure, Woods helped the field up, brushed them off, and gave them a light neck massage. It certainly feels like a less daunting task than it was 24 hours ago. It helps the drama that one of the two golfers at -6 is Padraig Harrington, the one golfer who has consistently embraced challenging Woods, and a multiple major winner himself.

Plenty of reason to tune in today as Woods tries to make it 15 for 15 when leading in a major heading into the final round…

A quick scan of the major sites show a general consensus as to the 91st PGA: It’s Tiger’s. (si.com “All but over“, foxsports.com “he won’t lose“)

With him four up heading into the weekend, and with a career 8-0 mark when leading in majors after two rounds, it’s, ah, “looking good”.

And, here’s the thing, the ratings will be elevated all weekend, no matter how big the lead might get (and there’s a chance it could get real big), because it is Woods.

Shoots a bogey-free 67 that is the low round in the clubhouse by one with a few groups still on the course.

What worked for him on the day? Everything. Driver. Irons. Putter. It was all good. Only 29 putts needed.

One more day like that and the tournament would be damn near on ice.

Forget whatever other story lines that are being peddled as the PGA gets underway. Even though Woods has been the best player on the tour this year, for this to be a truly successful Woods year, he has to win a major. Or, at the least, not bury himself on Thursday/Friday and leave himself with effectively no chance. Or cut. Gary Van Sickle at si.com with a good live blog here for those of you who cannot watch it live. And in the meantime, since, for reasons that make no sense, live coverage on TNT doesn’t kick in until 1:00, when Woods’ round will almost be done. Just show the whole fuckin’ thing live, geniuses. People want to watch. Golf’s overlords are flat-line stupid sometimes.

The tournament really begins when he approaches the first tee.

I think he gets his 2009 major when we get to Sunday night.

The Swamp will be kicking around the tournament here. Drop by with a thought or two.

The PGA is expected to fine Tiger Woods for his taking up for playing partner Padraig Harrington on Sunday when both he and Harrington were placed “on the clock” for slow play as the 16th hole unfolded. It was Harrington who imploded on 16, and Woods thinks part of that was that Harrington rushed a few of the shots on the way to posting an eight on the hole. The Sporting News picks up the thread a few days later:

Tiger Woods will be fined by the PGA Tour for his public criticism of a rules official after winning the Bridgestone Invitational, a tour official said Monday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the tour does not publicize fines….Section VI-D in the PGA Tour’s player handbook says, “It is an obligation of membership to refrain from comments to the news media that unreasonably attack or disparage tournaments, sponsors, fellow members, players, or PGA Tour.“

Considering that there is a shot Tiger Woods could just flat out buy the whole damn thing and rename it the Tiger Woods tour, I suspect the fine will have little effect on curbing any tendencies Woods might be developing to speak his mind. And, given that articulated thoughts are so interesting in general, I hope Woods continues to expound when he feels like it. He’s friends with Charles Barkley, right? Take a lead from Barkley, Tiger. The world is more interesting for who he is.

Yet another win right ahead of a major, this time back to back wins after grinding Padraig Harrington under his heel at what amounts to his own personal course at the Bridgestone Invitational. Seven career wins there in ten outings now, and never out of the top five in the three times he has not won.

So that’s good and stuff. So are the 70 career victories he now also has.

With five wins on the season, and no one else on the tour with more than two, he’s probably the Player of the Year again. But, really, it being Woods, he needs to go ahead and win a major for the year to be a true success. Last chance is this weekend at the PGA, located at Hazeltine. I am guessing he gets his major. He sure looks dialed in at the moment.