Who cares about Keith Olbermann…really?

September 8, 2009

Ahh, thinking back on the fond days in newspaper life (the scene fading into black). I can remember when a managing editor would give someone he/she a scolding when ideas were offered up in the daily news meeting which were played out or just simply out of touch. 

Right about this time you could tell who was worth their weight in the profession and who was just simply lazy or resting on their laurels to get by. For instance, the state fair may be rolling into town and the lazy reporter may offer up an idea to cover the food vendors  The editor would look over with a scolding eyebrow and explain how that was a boring angle that any reporter in numerous years has covered. But to the guy or gal offering it up, may have seemed like a good idea because the food vendors were always accesible and people love food. Maybe something like Keith Olbermann being on the cover story yet again, might have gotten the same scolding from a good managing editor.

Tuning into MLBlogs I am once more graced with the face of Keith Olbermann and something this man has to say is sure to be worthwhile reading. Not that he hasn’t been focused on enough throughout the season since he became a blogger, but this post should guarantee yet another rousing piece. Now, this is in no way an attack on the writing of Olbermann or what he brings to MLBlogs. Some of his pieces are well worth the posting and he like everyone else in this community is more than welcome to share his views. That’s what makes this place a roundtable of so many great ideas. But somehow I’m still left feeling like someone is asleep on their watch.

It’s not like there aren’t other interesting people who blog that may have an even greater piece of writing, but unfortunately they don’t have primetime television audiences and aren’t recognizable enough to bring in advertising revenue to MLBlogs. Because let’s face it ladies and gentlemen, this site has a bottom line and someone has to answer to keeping it profitable. Don’t ever assume this is only an altruistic endeavour by Major League Baseball to give the fans a voice. You have a voice but you better be the one who’s name gets brought up in casual conversation to impress another, aka namedropping.

So let’s name drop. Who can be a big enough name, willing enough to write on MLBlogs and be worthy of making the front cover with hopefully some form of insightful and interesting writing?

Hmm, wait that’s not our job as writers. That’s the job of those in power positions within this organization. The editors and producers, if you will, of this online site. Surely there has to be someone “worthy” of making the front page and who can add to this dialogue? But we don’t have the rolodexes or blackberries filled with people on a national basis who could make for an interesting read. Nope, we are just left to scratch our heads at one may perceive as the ineptness or apathy of management to make the tough phone calls or reach out to new sources of baseball and not just rest on the fact “there’s always Keith Olbermann.” It’s played out and tired.

Fine, get your ego boosted and your advertising revenue met with big names, but with any luck it will be from new and different voices who can really bring a fresh voice. Pound the pavement and make the calls or send the emails.  Do the research and earn the paycheck before putting out another all too familiar voice on the subject. 

Otherwise it won’t surprise me to dream up such headlines as “Olbermann sees Yankees as top contender” or Olbermann talks about new Yankee Stadium in it’s first postseason” during the month or so left of baseball. Mix it up or give it up. Didn’t somebody say “change is good.” Maybe that can be hard to see in a proverbial ivory tower where everyone says “Sure thing boss. Great idea” but for the rest of us please try..

Written by mlblogsrockymountainway Posted in Dailies