TJ Simers on changes in Los Angeles Times sports section going into effect Monday

[Preacher Roe]

I think it is pretty obvious -- based on the effusive praise for the hire -- that the now-USC AD is a Friend of the National College Football Media. Which plays into who breaks this (and who will break things moving forward).

That said: Not having Cohen on the candidates list a few hours earlier is a bit of a black eye.

 

[SixToe]

That said: Not having Cohen on the candidates list a few hours earlier is a bit of a black eye.

I think it was noted earlier that "The LA Times reporter offers no benefit to a source."


(definitely is a black eye, and pretty abysmal)

 

[dixiehack]

Are we saying the LA Times wasn't "national media" back in the salad days?

 

[Alma]

Not like we have today, no.

These folks - and I respect many of them - basically live on their phone, on X and in studio spots. The person who broke the Cohen to USC news also broke the "ODU names starting QB" news. Citing "sources." A store like that benefits ODU more than it does in any reading audience.

 

[MileHigh]

The LAT cited many sources in their Sunday story about the AD search -- and Jennifer Cohen was not named once.

That is, yes, a black eye and a major credibility hit. What were those sources saying yesterday morning?

 

[Alma]

That is, yes, a black eye and a major credibility hit.

It is, I suppose. I actually think the LAT tried. Just...whiffed on the candidate. 15 years ago, there's probably hell to pay for a whiff like that, but not now.

 

[MileHigh]

It is, I suppose. I actually think the LAT tried. Just...whiffed on the candidate. 15 years ago, there's probably hell to pay for a whiff like that, but not now.

You suppose?

They "tried?"

They did a (alleged) deep dive into the search, and less than 24 hours earlier. USC names someone that none -- NONE -- of their multiple sources brought up.

This ain't AYSO and orange slices. Good job, good effort.

That is major failure. I'm not saying heads should roll but WTF on the reporting of this.

Of course. there won't be hell to pay since anything that happens after 3 p.m. doesn't get into the newspaper. And if there isn't hell to pay for such a major whiff, then the LAT sports section should go the way of the NYT sports section.

 

[Della9250]

If you put out a top five candidates list the day before a hire is made and the choice isn't on it, that's really, really bad. Like maybe someone new needs to be on the beat bad

 

[Alma]

You suppose?

They "tried?"

They did a (alleged) deep dive into the search, and less than 24 hours later, USC names someone that none -- NONE -- of their multiple sources brought up.

This ain't AYSO and orange slices. Good job, good effort.

That is major failure. I'm not saying heads should roll but WTF on the reporting of this.

I can agree - and do - with everything you're writing and simultaneously tell you that it doesn't surprise me they missed.

 

[Alma]

If you put out a top five candidates list the day before a hire is made and the choice isn't on it, that's really, really bad. Like maybe someone new needs to be on the beat bad

IMO, that's not going to happen.

Whether or not it should be, the perceived currency for a newspaper beat writer is no longer breaking this kind of news. I know it happened with UT/OU going to to the SEC, and USC/UCLA going to the Big Ten, but neither situation was a hire. IMO, the agents own and control the flow of that news. They don't seek out the local papers.

The perceived currency now, IMO, generally revolves around enterprise features that win awards and are recognized by peers. Beat writers are rarely producing for the reading public. Simers comes from an older school to which few now belong. Folks on a beat barely compete at this point. Everybody's buddies.

 

[MileHigh]

I can agree - and do - with everything you're writing and simultaneously tell you that it doesn't surprise me they missed.

That's the problem. It SHOULD be a major surprise they missed. On many levels. From the top down. It's the darn World Champion. In their backyard. With reporters supposedly on the ground.

But it's clear the LAT sports section has gone the way of the horse and buggy.

 

[Della9250]

IMO, that's not going to happen.

Whether or not it should be, the perceived currency for a newspaper beat writer is no longer breaking this kind of news. I know it happened with UT/OU going to to the SEC, and USC/UCLA going to the Big Ten, but neither situation was a hire. IMO, the agents own and control the flow of that news. They don't seek out the local papers.

The perceived currency now, IMO, generally revolves around enterprise features that win awards and are recognized by peers. Beat writers are rarely producing for the reading public. Simers comes from an older school to which few now belong. Folks on a beat barely compete at this point. Everybody's buddies.

I'm not saying that it's going to happen.

I'm also not saying they should have had the hire before anyone else. I get that they can feed it to some national pundit or talking head. My point was that if you can't even have her in the candidate pool, that's a pretty big problem about how plugged in the reporter is.