Two developments coming out of the Boston Globe sports department, courtesy of Adam Reilly.
In the non-surprise department, Amalie Benjamin succeeds Gordon Edes, now with Yahoo Sports, as the Globe’s Red Sox beat reporter. Interesting and good that the Globe would put a woman in that high-profile slot. Even better, it represents a long-overdue generational shift. If this Wikipedia bio is accurate, Benjamin is 26 years old.
In the big-surprise department, the Boston Herald’s Tony Massarotti is leaving One Herald Square to join a beefed-up Boston.com sports operation. Massarotti is a leading reason to read the Herald, so this is a huge, huge loss. It also tells me that Globe sports editor Joe Sullivan is at least as concerned about competing with the newly ascendant WEEI.com as he is with the Herald. (Sullivan is also promoting part-time copy editor Chad Finn to a new job as a sports reporter for Boston.com.)
Unless the Globe loosens its WEEI ban [see tweak below] , it also means one of the station’s most recognizable voices will no longer be heard. Of course, now Massarotti can appear on New England Sports Network, a corporate cousin to the Globe.
The best news about all of this is that job creation continues at 135 Morrissey Boulevard, shifting from the print edition to the Web site.
Friday tweak: According to the Joan Vennochi column I linked to last night, as well as to a piece I wrote in April 2001, I glossed over the ban just a bit too glibly. Former Globe editor Matt Storin banned his people from appearing on “The Big Show,” in the afternoon, and later extended it to “Dennis & Callahan” as well. WEEI retaliated by announcing that Globe writers had been banned from all of its programs. So it’s kind of a mutual ban.
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mike_b1
The loss of Tony Massarotti means one less local “name,” but from a talent perspective, he’s past his peak. He’s more or less an unknown nationally, and as a columnist not that hard to replace.Further, after “co-writing” a bio with Ortiz — thus establishing a direct financial relationship — and then continuing to cover him (!) makes Maz ethically challenged in my book. Come to think of it, working alongside Shaughnessy will be a perfect place for him.
Rich
Massarotti jumped the shark with his “Pats fans are big stupid idiots” column. I wish nothing but the worst to him and it’ll be great to have him and his whiny little girl voice off WEEI.Agree with mike_b1 — Massarotti’s Sox coverage is ethically tainted.And him being a “leading reason to read the Herald“? You’re out of your freakin’ mind. That said, it is another significant loss to the Herald‘s sportsdesk.
Prospecticus
Wow that wasn’t very nice. I like Tony but the way all these columnists are seeking out the multi-media gigs, I take everything that’s said with a grain of salt. It’s all about career. But I think it’s fair to say that the day of the franchise sports columnist is over.
mike_b1
prospecticus: You should read Joe Posnanski (aka Joe Pos) of the Kansas City Star sometime. He fits that bill and then some. I know some sportswriters who won’t go a day without reading him. That hasn’t happened since Gammons was in form.