Who Should Succeed Ron Borges?

[Mike the Brit]

I assume that the Globe is going to have another Chief Football Reporter. Of course, they may reduce their football coverage even more and just leave it all in the hands of Mike Reiss.

Mike has been -- is -- great, but I think his talent is as a really thorough and committed reporter with an excellent ability to see things from the "fans-eye-view", not someone with exceptional football insight.

But, assuming that the Globe does the right thing, who should get the job? Being football reporter "at large" on what was once an excellent paper (and is still, in my opinion, a pretty good one) and reporting on the most successful franchise in the league should still be a dream job.

I don't know too much about the reporters on regional papers around the country, although I admire what I've seen of Rick Gosselin, Terry Pluto and Jason Whitlock. I can't think of any national reporters I would like to see here except Tom Curran. Tom would be an excellent choice -- another step up for an honest and open-minded reporter.

But the person I would most want is the marvellous Vic Ketchman of Jacksonville.com. He is a hard-working and very professional reporter who always has an interesting and original perspective. Being a smart and open-minded man, he admires the Patriots organization -- which, of course, would make a nice change for us readers!

If the Globe were to hire Vic Ketchman I'd think that we'd had a dream off-season.

 

[Fixit]

A chimp with a keyboard?

 

[PatsRI]

A chimp with a keyboard?

First thing that came to mind was an old episode of the Simpsons where Homer works from home and has one of those nodding toy birds punching the keyboard to do his job for him.

 

[JoeSixPat]

First thing that came to mind was an old episode of the Simpsons where Homer works from home and has one of those nodding toy birds punching the keyboard to do his job for him.

Actually Homer came to mind for me as well - the episode where the newspaper fires the Food Editor who was WAY too negative about everything and hires Homer in his place:

Newspaper editor: 'We're looking for a new food critic, someone who doesn't immediately pooh-pooh everything he eats.'

Homer: 'Nah, it usually takes me a few hours.'

 

[Pats726]

Curran would be a natural as he has so many years covering the league in relative obscurity..(Projo) and has always been outstanding. Ketchum might be as well..he has written some great pieces...Hmmm might it depend on what.where the Globe sees it's future??
I can NOT in anyway compare what newspapers are now to what they were years ago..the G;lobe Sports has slowly gone into the tank..pushing baseball ignoring and being negative towards football and..to me, showing in the larger picture how un-objective a sports page can be. Reiss is great and the real bright spot of that paper. Even Ryan who I grew up loving has faded when he's talked about foorball; not his game. And McMullen and DanShaun are not football writers either... SO?? A big void is there...and??

 

[PonyExpress]

IMO the best sports columnist in Boston for some time has been Gerry Callahan, whatever one thinks of his politics. As a writer he is provocative original and excellent. The Globe PTB (Powers That Be) would do well to hire him, although I doubt they will have the sack to make such a controversial move, considering their opposing political allegiance.

 

[fair catch fryar]

I would like it if Tom Curran was writing for the Globe.

 

[Pats726]

I would like it if Tom Curran was writing for the Globe.

I think in the old days...this would have been a no brainer..but I'm not sure the Globe REALLY wishes to have a solid writer to take his place..Given the Sox slant...they may want to have another Mr negative around to continue with their bias of reporting. I really find it a shame that the Globe has fallen to this low..

 

[fair catch fryar]

I think in the old days...this would have been a no brainer..but I'm not sure the Globe REALLY wishes to have a solid writer to take his place..Given the Sox slant...they may want to have another Mr negative around to continue with their bias of reporting. I really find it a shame that the Globe has fallen to this low..

Curran is one of the only guys I can stomach listening to whenever I watch New England Sports Tonight on Fox. The rest of 'em are just using up perfectly good oxygen!

 

[smg93]

Bring back that guy who went to Houston. I know he was from there which is why he left, but he might be persuaded to come back.

 

[marty]

Curran is smart and he got out of town to go national, didn't he? Sometimes I think the prevailing negative vibe of so many of our Boston media hounds has taken such a choke hold, that we'll never see plain old good reporting in this town anymore. When the Kraft's and BB basically shut down the mole system inside the locker room, and established the team first, Musketeer muffle that had so many of the writers chewing their knuckles, it was just the first shot in an ongoing battle with the sportswriters(with a few notable exceptions). Does anyone else find it discouraging that during this outstanding championship era, that even people from other cities wonder why the Boston media is so negative?
Frankly, I'd just as soon Wrong is replaced at all.

 

[Rob0729]

I can't see Curran coming back, he gave up his local gig to go national and if he wanted to and/or were allowed to through his contract to write both locally and nationally, I think he would. Like Michael Smith, I think he wants to get out of the local scene and become more national.

Like Mike Reiss, there is a chance that they will grab a guy from a smaller local paper.

The thing is Borges was more of a columnist rather than a reporter. Reiss is a beat writer. Yes, many beat writers get promoted to columnist, but I don't know if the Globe wants to risk losing Reiss' inside sources to promote him from beat writer.

 

[DarrylS]

I would hope for Curran, he is by far the most knowledgeable and a year of national exposure will only give him a better balance, but otoh I do not know the hierarchy of employment is MSNBC a better gig than the Globe?? The other issue if he went back to the Globe he cannot go on WEEI and would not want that. Not sure of the reason, but he could not be a "Big Show" visitor..

 

[Pats726]

I would hope for Curran, he is by far the most knowledgeable and a year of national exposure will only give him a better balance, but otoh I do not know the hierarchy of employment is MSNBC a better gig than the Globe?? The other issue if he went back to the Globe he cannot go on WEEI and would not want that. Not sure of the reason, but he could not be a "Big Show" visitor..

Just a "dumb" Globe policy...about EEI...funny they are allowed on ESPN Boston..other shows..supposedly the humor et all etc was objectionable..funny I find Felger MORE so..

 

[Tunescribe]

Bring back that guy who went to Houston. I know he was from there which is why he left, but he might be persuaded to come back.

Jerome Solomon? That guy did nothing to distinguish himself, Reiss is better. I see no reason Reiss can't grow into the job and become an insightful football columnist. Just give him a little time. Meanwhile, I see Borges' ouster as a huge example of addition by subtraction. It's mindboggling that he lasted as long as he did with the damage he created. I know I'm not the only one who stopped buying the Globe because of him and the way he set the tone for the paper's overall negative relationship with the Patriots.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Bingo, Rob, Borges was not a reporter, he was a football/boxing columnist. The Globe will likely assign one of the several remaining sports columnists to the football beat (Cafardo, Guregian, McMullen, Ryan, Shank) or look to re-up a guy like Solomon or Michael Smith. Problem with Smith is ESPN, which underutilizes him, probably pays a lot more that the Globe would...so unless they gave him free hand to persue other media opportunities including remaining with ESPN in some way shape or form, I doubt he'd be interested.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

IMO the best sports columnist in Boston for some time has been Gerry Callahan, whatever one thinks of his politics. As a writer he is provocative original and excellent. The Globe PTB (Powers That Be) would do well to hire him, although I doubt they will have the sack to make such a controversial move, considering their opposing political allegiance.

It wouldn't be lack of sack or politics, but self preservation and an air of superiority that's already taken some hits via it's sports desk that would keep a major market paper from knowingly hiring a self absorbed, provocative wack job with no filter like Callahan.

One reason the Globe yanked all their personnel from WEEI several years ago (when Shank and Ryan and Borgie et al were becoming controversial regulars) was because they didn't want the seemy side of sports/talk radio seeping into columns penned in the so called (albeit phony) hallowed halls of Morrisey Way. Callahan nearly got himself booted from WEEI not that long ago. And unless they do boot him there is no way he's giving up the 7 figure income that gig generates.

 

[patchick]

Sometimes I think the prevailing negative vibe of so many of our Boston media hounds has taken such a choke hold, that we'll never see plain old good reporting in this town anymore. When the Kraft's and BB basically shut down the mole system inside the locker room, and established the team first, Musketeer muffle that had so many of the writers chewing their knuckles, it was just the first shot in an ongoing battle with the sportswriters(with a few notable exceptions).

I'm curious about the "anymore" part of your statement, which echoes what a lot of us say here. Are we nostalgic for the old mole-in-the-locker-room days? Will McDonough wasn't about "plain old good reporting"! I actually think that Reiss and Tomase and the blog era give us more and better of the plain-old than we've ever had before.

What the Globe sorely lacks at this point is a football VOICE. We all love what Reiss brings to the table, but can you think of a quotable line he's ever written? What he offers is more like a newswire for the hardcore fan. They have to find their football feature guy, the writer to take on the big interview and the in-depth concept piece in a way that is engrossing and quotable (but not snarky and bitter like Borges). Holley offered pretty middle ground in this regard, as did Curran. Gosselin and Ketchman are two who bring some good personality and analysis to local markets. This is a great opportunity for the Globe to find its signature voice on the Patriots.

 

[Rob0729]

Bingo, Rob, Borges was not a reporter, he was a football/boxing columnist. The Globe will likely assign one of the several remaining sports columnists to the football beat (Cafardo, Guregian, McMullen, Ryan, Shank) or look to re-up a guy like Solomon or Michael Smith. Problem with Smith is ESPN, which underutilizes him, probably pays a lot more that the Globe would...so unless they gave him free hand to persue other media opportunities including remaining with ESPN in some way shape or form, I doubt he'd be interested.

My guess if Cafardo will be back since he has the most experience with the Pats. Ryan and Shank look like good replacements in the grumpy old man aspect of Borges' pieces, but I don't see Shaunessy leaving baseball full time and I don't think Ryan likes writing football. They could rotate people in and not have permanent columnist replace it.

I'm guessing Smith's contract won't allow Smith to do any local writing. ESPN pretty closely controlls where their writers can appear in the media. You see guys like Chris Mortensen, Buster Olney, and Peter Gammons on Felger's radio show over the Big Show or any other WEEI show because Felger is on an ESPN run station. John Clayton and Len Pasquerelli only appear on ESPN radio. ESPN is very proprietary of their talent (in some cases, talent is a term use very loosely).

 

[Flying Fungi]

Actually Homer came to mind for me as well - the episode where the newspaper fires the Food Editor who was WAY too negative about everything and hires Homer in his place:

Newspaper editor: 'We're looking for a new food critic, someone who doesn't immediately pooh-pooh everything he eats.'

Homer: 'Nah, it usually takes me a few hours.'

psghetti and mamatoes