What? Looks like you're giving these guys a lot more power than they actually have. Can you give us an example about how a reporter can tip the balance for an upcoming game?
If a source requests anonymity, you MUST honor that request no matter what (unless it threatens national security). Journalism 101
Thank you Captain Obvious ... if you read through the rest of the thread you'd have realized we are advocating not reporting the information at all if a source won't go on-the-record. There's not nothing unethical about refusing to report a story if a source won't go on-the-record.
Some of the biggest stories in journalism history, as well as in sports history, came from anonymous sources. A reporter who does not use anonymous sources better find another line of work, because he won't be a journalist for long. The problem comes in when they get lazy and don't do the research to find information to back it up. That's what seperates the good journalist from the hack.
Guess this shows how often I come here. Of course there's no documented evidence of a specific incident like you ask. Although one with the Jets may come close. In 1994 Dick Steinberg forced Pete Carroll to hire Ray Sherman as OC when Carroll wanted to promote QB coach Walt Harris. Offense subsequently underperformed trying to run the WCO, and the great tailspin was soon to start. The hire was in response to media pressure as per Jets Confidential. You can also argue that being savaged by the media sent Steinberg to an early grave in 1995. Although these really aren't what you're asking for. I based my comment on the philosophies of coaches like Parcells and Belichick who give the media as little as possible while succeeding on the field. That's all I need to know. Also, the OP seems cool. I now follow him on Twitter. He may be a beat writer for About.com but he also seems like a fan.
Welcome to the board Connor...you have now joined the largest group of Misfit Toys on the entire Internet...the number 1 fact you will learn, if you haven't already, is you aren't going to please remotely HALF of anyone all the time. You come to grips with that and you'll survive. I do agree with the posters, though, that keep in mind 95% of the fans who are reading your stuff are pretty well educated on Football and will appreciate not being talked "down" to or have it assumed that we'll eat up anything written to the page. Welcome to The Gang Green and on behalf of my fellow posters...invest in "Bosley" because you are going to need it before it's all said and done.
I don't know what stories you are referring to but I would think that hard evidence was the key to "a big story" and not the source of the evidence. I can't tell the difference between journalists and gossipers if they merely provide an anonymous source with no evidence to back up whatever they purport to have been informed.
