Ashtabula, OH Sports Editor arrested

Don McCormack arrested for sexual imposition. Sports ed for 16 years at the paper for 28.
http://www.starbeacon.com/news/article_25af7bc0-2714-11e4-b801-0019bb2963f4.html

 

I guess he won't be getting the LA Times job.

 

Dammit, he can't work at the Plain Dealer.

 

I worked there a lifetime ago. This is going to tear a little town, and a school district, apart. ... For what it's worth, the SE in question has posted here.

The paper devoted most of A1 to the story in today's edition. Included was a two-column mugshot and a four-column photo of his house with a cutline that listed his town and even the street on which he lives.

 

My guess is, essentially, it wouldn't.

First (totally discounting the alleged sexual misconduct), you would have the inevitable and undoubtedly constant roar of complaints from the readers alleging unfair/preferential coverage of the SE's team, and probably more important, I cannot see how a SE for a 17,500 daily would possibly have enough free time to be a varsity HS coach.

 

There were complaints. It's a conflict of interest. ... I know I wouldn't have time to coach, even if I wanted to do it. Maybe if I never slept and delegated everything at the office. That would probably foster great relationships with the staff.

And as you mentioned, that's without even addressing the other allegations.

 

Coaching a varsity (or for that matter, a JV) team would cause the coach-SE to be out of the office frequently when all the other varsity teams in the area were playing too.

So in addition to allegations of treatment bias, there would be allegations of coverage bias too. Even if the coach-SE overscheduled other staffers to compensate for his own absence. 17,500-circulation dailies do not have large staffs, and if it was established the SE was never available to cover prep softball, it would be hard to prove that would not result in coverage inequities.

It's just not a situation I can really see turning out well.

 

I can't imagine any newspaper giving its SE approval for a second job like this.

 

Uh ... It didn't.

I imagine he made time to make it work. if I was cruising the high schools and junior highs for potential marks, I'd make it work too.
I can't imagine an employer would allow and SE to do this - for a number of reasons, but whatever.

 

This is so typical of journalists. A guy is arrested on charges of "sexual imposition" (whatever the hell that is criminal justice code for) and the bulk of the posters are wondering about the ethical implications of being a coach and a sports journalist.

I get that it does not sound kosher in any way, but there is a much more relevant and bigger issue to discuss here.

Thank you and I'll show myself out.