Myron Medcalf re: Tubby is a big help.

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I don't really think it opens up any rumors. It just speaks more to the reality of the situation. Teams will try and entice Tubby away. It is the way it is. I just can't see any other future than Tubby retiring here as FOT has said numerous times.
 

That is the way I see it too, as Tubby seems to be enjoying coaching again like he has not enjoyed in many years. Thanks guys.
 

I like the idea dating the prettiest girl at the Prom, as long as she isn't slut. Tubby is no slut.
 


I know this sounds mean, but I think just about all of us on this board could do a better job than Myron. From what I've read, I don't really respect is insight and knowledge toward the gophers program. He also seems like a naysayer, which I never like.
 

Myron is trying his hand at being "provocative" and "insightful" here. That way, he can pat himself on the back by saying "I told you so" if Tubby leaves. The choice of timing for this article is more than bogus. The team just had a big win over Illinois and people are excited about the direction of the program.

What better way to rain on everybody's parade and be as "provocative" as possible than to run this the day after a big win? Tubby addressed this issue earlier in the week and the strib said little about it. Now, after a big win, they decide it's time to fuel the flames of "he's outta here."

My level of respect for that rag has been declining sharply. And it appears Myron is trying to set himself up as some kind of "hard-hitting" journalist. He obviously still needs to work on it.
 

I think everyone here should give him the business and comment negatively on the article. The world is too small for one Reusse as it is.
 

While I'm not a huge fan of Myron's, I guess I don't see what he's done that's all that wrong. He's a reporter and he's reporting what Tubby said at the press conference, what openings exist now and what openings may exist. All of that identical to what many of us have discussed both recently and last fall.

The one thing that Myron has done is attribute some possible interest in moving to two other programs to anonymous sources ("according to some close to him"). How is that any different than FoT claiming Tubby's going to retire here when FoT says he sees Tubby twice a year?

I frankly think you're confusing the messenger with the message. Complain about things Myron doesn't cover ... or when he gets all tripped up on his verbiage ... but complaining about this story is goofy. And, blaming Myron for "starting the rumors" all over again is truly bizarre ... neither he (nor us) can stop fans/supporters at Georgia, Alabama or other schools from saying that they want Tubby to come there. And that's how rumors get started ... all Myron is doing is reporting it.

[/soapbox]
 



The problem is that Myron has continuously used non-existent sources, just like his Westbrook transfer story last March. He just makes stuff up.
 


From the Barn said:
The problem is that Myron has continuously used non-existent sources, just like his Westbrook transfer story last March. He just makes stuff up.
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Exactly. If Myron wanted to, he could have also easily quoted several sources close to Tubby who have said the head coach won't leave. I know there are those types out there. Myron chose to simply quote just the "sensational" side of of the story.
 

Oh How Lucky We Are !!

We have one of the best coaches alive! No one respects Minnesota basketball so naturally any open job will cause Tubby's name to jump to the top of the list. Williams isnt leaving NC and Coach K isnt leaving Duke. Next in line is Tubby and why would anyone ever think he would want to stay in Minnesota? Well, no one ever thought he would go to Minnesota to begin with and I for one agree with FOT. Tubby is loved here. He can win here. He can enjoy life here. I am thrilled we have a coach almost everyone else wants!

If Tubby needs his sidewalk shoveled or his car warmed up, he can just call me! Give him a lifetime contract and build a skyway from his condo to Williams Areana!
 



That says it, Section 201. Myron's article didn't inflame rumors IMHO, it simply stated them. We will all have to live with the fact that he is and will be at the top of coaching lists. Yes, it makes us nervous, but at the same time, we are SOOO lucky to have a coach like Tubby. We should all line up with you to shovel his sidewalk and warm his car. Or write letters and emails. The best we can do as everyday fans is to let him know just how we appreciate and admire him and hope he feels the love.
 

My bigger concern is that they already ran three articles in the strib about how he isn't going anywhere. and others about the rumors. Then Myron has to fill his 500 word quota just starts inventing sources and rehashing old reporting in a way that proved sequels are always worse than the original. Maybe I just expect more from people who are payed to write and actually have infrastructure of a major newspaper to work with. I could have written the same article, and the closest I get to Tubby Smith is when he wanders near the student section after games.

And guys, there are these things called condos. He doesn't have a sidewalk or need his car warmed up. Now if you wanted to build him a heated walk walk between Bierman and Williams...
 

As Gopher fanatics we are all hungry for news about the Gophers. Considering the access he has to the team and that he is paid to be a reporter he presents us with very little new information. Myron generally prints stuff we already know. I learn more from Johnny Gopher.
 


I agree with From the Barn. I think Tubby made a public statement and Myron should respect it. He has not.
 


TruthTeller said:
take it easy folks.
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We are a little touchy over this for one simple reason: Everybody out there other than Gopher fans seems to think the "U" is some kind of temporary stop for just about any coach. As a diehard Gopher backer, it gets really tiresome and at a certain level, is insulting.

I'm also growing weary of everybody bringing up Tubby's name every time there's a job opening somewhere. If he bolts, that's his decision. But if we're going to keep seeing posts and articles about every single big school job that opens, it's going to get really negative around the board.

He says he's not a candidate for any other jobs. But some folks are still force-feeding us this spiel of so-and-so southern school or whatever is going to make a serious run at him. Until I know otherwise, I'm sticking by the coach's own word on this topic.

But other folks will relentlessly bring this up time and again, which is really frustrating, thus the severe reaction by some us (myself included!!!:p)
 

From the Barn said:
Then Myron ... just starts inventing sources ... I could have written the same article, and the closest I get to Tubby Smith is when he wanders near the student section after games.
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Pretty serious accusation to make about any reporter. Exactly what factual information do you have that he's inventing sources? I know you've speculated about this in the past (especially in regard to the Westbrook rumors last year) but you're now saying he's making things up. That's a serious breach of journalistic ethics and can result in termination so I'd think you must have some factual basis for the statement rather than simply speculating.

There's a lot of confusion on this board between the messenger and the message. One G'holer writes that he believes FoT -- but it really sounds like he wants to believe in FoT's assurances that Tubby will retire here. (For the record, I'd like to beiieve in that assurance as well.) But all we know about FoT -- and whether he has true insight into Tubby's thinking -- is what FoT tells us. Many are quick to accept FoT's word as gospel and I can't help but think it's because that's what people want to think as it supports what they want to see happen.

Of course this puts From the Barn in an awkward position -- he's not a huge FoT fan but finds himself in the "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" conundrum when it comes to Myron and FoT. ;)
 



From the Barn said:
If he had a source he would name him or her.
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I suspect you know better than that. Reporters attribute statements to "people close to the program" or other un-named sources frequently -- in sports, politics, business, etc. Doesn't mean the source is necessarily fictitious ... the source may have refused to go public or or that it may be pieced together from some/many different sources. And it may be manufactured. The reader is free to conclude as (s)he wishes.

But to state without equivocation -- as you did -- that the source was invented is wrong to do. And apparently pure speculation on your part.
 

The point I was trying to make when I started this thread, was that Myron opened up a whole new can of worms about rumors that had been dispelled by Tubby himself, 2 or 3 days after everything Myron alluded to had been discussed at great length in many places. I just felt his article was uncalled for, untimely, and poorly written. If Myron has some NEW info to share, then it would have been interesting news, but the new can of worms just contained old worms.
 

MNSnowman said:
I suspect you know better than that. Reporters attribute statements to "people close to the program" or other un-named sources frequently -- in sports, politics, business, etc. Doesn't mean the source is fictitious but might mean either that the source refused to go public or that it was a manufactured quote or that it was pieced together from many different sources. But to state without equivocation -- as you did -- that the source was invented is wrong to do. And apparently pure speculation on your part.
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Snowman is right, but I wonder how common it is for reporters to do that? Heck, you could make a whole career out of it and nobody could prove you wrong.
 

Real journalists only use anonymous sources when necessary. Per the NY Times
“We resist granting sources anonymity except as a last resort to obtain information that we believe to be newsworthy and reliable.” The policy requires that at least one editor know the identity of every source. Anonymous sources cannot be used when on-the-record sources are readily available. They must have direct knowledge of the information they are imparting; they cannot use the cloak of anonymity for personal or partisan attack; they cannot be used for trivial comment or to make an unremarkable comment seem more important than it is.
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How do any of Myron's uses of anonymous sources satisfy any of these standards?

My guess is that if these sources are real, they are in no way credible and as such can not be named because it would reveal how bad Myron is at his job, again.
 

TheDinkytowner said:
Snowman is right, but I wonder how common it is for reporters to do that? Heck, you could make a whole career out of it and nobody could prove you wrong.
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That's what an editor is s'posed to do. While I know the Strib is a shadow of its former self, this goes to the heart of journalism. If Myron is manufacturing sources, I'm confident he'd that his editor(s) are testing whether there are sources or not and if there aren't any, Myron would be out on his ear.

But if anyone has any factual data that Myron is manufacturing sources and quotes, they should provide it to the STrib's sports editor. That would be the fastest and easiest way to resolve the problems folks have with Myron.
 

Newspaper coverage in general weak

An observation: I used to look forward to the articles after games to get some insightful analysis, but I'm not finding that in either paper. Fuller is the better writer. Myron is not a strong writer or analyst, IMO (I could cut and paste things that would be highlighted as problematic in a freshman english class), and so his work often has a feeling of stretching the facts thin because he just doesn't have that much to say.
Suffice to say that I find more interesting tidbits and observations here.
 

Moonlight, YOU, my friend, are right on the money. Or as we say at the Old Folks Home....BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

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