Ashworth, Inghram, and Ferris Return to Hill for Mainers

The Sanford Mainers didn't end last season the way they would have liked to, but this season a few players will return to write a new script for the green and yellow.

Among the returners are pitchers EJ Ashworth, Jason Inghram, and Jerry Ferris. The three claimed the top of the Mainers pitching staff last year with stellar numbers.

Ashworth hails from Fairfield University where he is completing his second year with the Stags. Last year, he completed the Mainers season with a 2-1 record and a 2.93 earned run average in 30.2 innings of work. Ashworth's two best performances came against the New Bedford Bay Sox, pitching 7 innings each and allowing only 2 runs.

This year for the Stags he tops their pitching staff, leading them with a 3.11 ERA in 63.1 innings of work. He is also second in strikeouts, fanning 28 batters in 10 games.

Mainers coach, Aaron Izaryk says Ashworth is the type of pitcher the squad needs for the upcoming season. "[He's] a fiery competitor who is willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win.  EJ was one of our first commitments back in Sanford. He stands for everything we want in a Sanford Mainers player," he said.

Joining Ashworth is right hander, Jason Inghram out of the College of William and Mary. Inghram left the Mainers last year with an injury, but in his time with the Moose, he went 1-1 with a 3.11 ERA in 26 innings.

Since his injury, he recovered and has become one of the best pitchers the Tribe has to offer. In 11 games for William and Mary, Ingrham has posted a 6-4 record with a third best 2.70 ERA in 73.1 innings of work. In that time he has retired 76 hitters by way of the K.

These numbers led to Inghram receiving Louisville Slugger's National Player of the Week for the week of April 22.

Izaryk says Ingrham's attitude on the mound will serve well for the Mainers this season. "Jason understands the rigors and demands of summer baseball, and we're happy to have him back," he said.

Rounding out the returners on the hill is Jerry Ferris from Spring Arbor University. Ferris became the number one starter after joining the Mainers late last season. In 20 innings of work Ferris put up a 2-1 record and a 2.70 ERA. He struck out 15 batters while only walking 3.

For the Cougars, Ferris leads the pitching staff with an 8-2 record in 76.1 innings, posting a 4.36 ERA. In 11 games started, Ferris has completed 7 of them.

Since Ferris joined the Mainers last last summer, Izaryk says he can't wait to see what an entire season can do. "Jerry joined us mid-season in 2012 and certainly showed the he belonged," he said. "We're excited to see what Jerry can do over the course of an entire summer."

For more information on the 2013 Sanford Mainers roster please visit www.sanfordmainers.com.

Second Half Surge Powers Friars Onto NIT Elite Eight

PROVIDENCE R.I. -- The Providence College Friars walked into the Dunkin Donuts Center on Monday with one win already under their belt. After beating Charlotte back on Wednesday, the Friars had home court advantage as they took on the Robert Morris University Colonials.

Though Providence was the favorite, the Colonials were coming off a big win of its own against top-seeded Kentucky. However, the Friars held on to the favoritism to defeat Robert Morris 77-68.

Courtesy rmucolonials.com

The nine point difference did not paint the picture of the performance between these two teams. If it wasn't for strong defense, key offensive plays, and determination by the home town heroes in the last four minutes of the game, the Colonials might have walked off the court with a victory.

Robert Morris quickly made their mark by jumping out to an early lead that would hold until the Friars went on a 6-0 tear to bring themselves within two. LaDontae Henton was crucial in the first half, slamming down a couple of buckets when the opportunity presented itself.

From that point forward the score remained tight. It looked as if the Colonials would head to the locker room at the half with the lead, but not until Friars' senior Vincent Council drained a three from downtown to beat the buzzer tying the game at 34.

That three-point shot proved to be the momentum changer going into the second half. Although, defense on both sides kept the second half score at 2-2 for the first three minutes.

With just about four minutes into the half, the Friars picked up their largest lead of the game. After a three point shot by Bryce Cotton, Providence led by four. Cotton would extend the lead even more with another three-point basket immediately after a time out.

It seemed as if Providence was running away with the game until Robert Morris fought back. Colonials' Karvel Anderson brought his point total to ten when he drained a shot from outside the arc bringing his team within three.

Providence extended their lead again, this time by seven points, but that didn't discourage the Colonials' play on the court. After Robert Morris inched their way back, Russell Johnson hit his third three of the game to put the Colonials back up by one.

Robert Morris held that narrow lead for the next minute and a half, but Providence regained the lead even after starting forward, Kadeem Batts, fouled out of the game.

Courtesy AP Photo via Yahoo! Sports

The lead remained in the Friars' hands for the rest of the game. Dramatic shots by Lee Goldsbrough and Cotton fueled the already motivated fan base in the arena even more. Immediately after the game Friars' head coach, Ed Cooley addressed the fans saying, "We are one of the toughest teams in America to play and it's because of you."

After the game Robert Morris's head coach, Andrew Toole, said that Providence had more precision in the game of basketball than his team. "I don't think we were detailed enough to come into this building and beat a Big East team," he said.

After being asked if his team had any fear in playing a team like the Friars, Toole said, "If you're going to step on the floor with fear, you can't play."

Cooley stated that Council was the reason for the dramatic finish, crediting his leadership and senior mentality as reasons that pushed his team through the final minutes of the game.

Cooley is proud of where his team has gotten and says, "These guys have come a long way, a long way."

The Friars will now head to Waco, Texas to face second-seeded Baylor in the NIT Elite Eight. The game is set for 9 p.m. eastern time on Thursday and can be watched on ESPN2.

A Week in Review: Baltimore Orioles (3/10-3/16)

A look back at the previous week in Spring Training for the Baltimore Orioles.

Courtesy Greg Flume/Getty Images

• Left-handed pitcher Brian Matusz is continuing to show his ability as a top starter for the O's for the upcoming season. As the 2013 regular season is rapidly approaching, Baltimore's manager, Buck Showalter is still looking for his fifth starter. After striking out seven and not allowing a run in Wednesday's outing against the Minnesota Twins, Matusz is looking to continue to improve upon his pitches and his approach to the strike zone. "It was great results," Matusz said. "I kept the ball down today, attacked the zone and worked really well with [catcher Taylor Teagarden.]" Showalter still has a lot to consider, including the possible placement of Matusz in the bullpen (a role he thrived in at the end of last season). "You never know what a stint in the bullpen might do for him. We'll do what's best for the club. We still got a long time to make that decision. I'm not going to make it here tonight," said Showalter. Matusz will continue to make scheduled starts throughout the remainder of spring training. A decision on his placement will be made in the next two weeks.

• Baltimore's top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy was optioned to Double-A Bowie prior to Saturday's game. Bundy appeared in four games for the Orioles this spring, starting only one of them. In eight innings the right-hander accumulated a 1.13 earned run average, going 1-1 while striking out five and walking six. Showalter says time with the Double-A affiliate will be the perfect set-up for Bundy to improve. "It's time for him to get stretched out a little bit more, and [innings] aren't here for him," Showalter said. "He's going to start the year in Bowie and go ahead and get that mentality, mindset, adjustment made as soon as possible." Bundy was the fourth pick overall in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. Showalter has confidence that Bundy will reach the level to compete in the bigs saying, "He's going to be a good one."

Courtesy Getty Images

• Adam Jones rejoined his teammates in Sarasota, Florida on Sunday after Team USA was eliminated from the World Baseball Classic on Friday night. Jones reenters camp with more plate appearances than any other Oriole. Showalter said he isn't rushing to put Jones back in the line-up because of this aspect; however, he is expected to be back in the line-up on Wednesday against the Toronto Blue Jays. The center fielder played in six games for Team USA, hitting only .182 (4-for-22). Showalter spoke to Jones saying, "He was up early, boy. He is looking forward to getting back to Sarasota, let's put it that way." With Jones returning, only two players remain away from camp. Reliever Pedro Strop of the Dominican Republic and infield prospect Jonathan Schoop of the Netherlands are still with their respective teams in the WBC.

• On the injury front, Nick Markakis has been out of the Orioles line-up since March 3rd after being diagnosed with a small herniated disk in his neck. On Tuesday there was speculations that Markakis might miss the Orioles' home opener against the Tampa Bay Rays, but as of right now he is expected to be out at least another week. In a more positive injury development, veteran second baseman Brian Roberts is expected to be healthy for the start of the regular season.  So far at camp, Roberts has appeared in ten games hitting .333 in 30 at bats. In recent years, he has battled concussions that have kept him out of the line-up for a major part of the season.

• Boston fans will be getting another taste of Flacco. The New England Patriots were defeated by Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship back in January. However, New Englanders won't be seeing "Joe Cool" from the Ravens, but rather his brother Michael. On Friday the Red Sox traded cash to the Orioles for the young first baseman. Flacco hit .214 in 107 games between High-Class A and Double-A last season. 

Staying Active a Staple in Cross Country Runner's Everyday Life

Most athletes take the off season to relax and enjoy life without the everyday intense workouts, practices, and games, but for one Emerson College cross country star, the activity never stops.

Lauren Cortizo, a senior marketing major and journalism minor at Emerson, has made it a point to stay active and in shape even when her cross country uniform is put away in between seasons. However, this lifestyle has taught her much more than what it feels to be physically fit.

“For me athletics has taught me a lot about myself as a leader,” Cortizo said. “All through high school I did sports and it kind of taught me that no matter what you think your limit is, you can always surpass that, and that is something that I’ve held with me forever in all different aspects of life.”

Her athletic journey is not one that most would expect. As a sophomore at Canton High School in Canton, Massachusetts, Cortizo was a member of the wrestling team being one of the only females to step onto the mat in her district. Being a girl in a typically male dominated sport wasn’t always easy for the twenty-one year old.

“I initially joined [the wresting team] as a joke because I was a dancer and I thought it would be funny to tell my mom I went to wrestling practice, but I actually fell in love with it,” Cortizo stated while laughing.

The difficulties of being a female wrestler stemmed from the added pressure of being “the girl playing a boys sport.” The constant attention that was brought to Cortizo made her realize she needed to do more than prove to herself that she could win.

“While I obviously wanted to win matches and learn skills, I also had to prove to my coaches and to my teammates that I was there to wrestle, because there are a lot of females who join boys’ teams strictly for attention,” she said.

Cortizo stated that wrestling was her main sport in high school, but this is where her days as a cross country runner began. At first she only joined the high school’s cross country team after the direction to play a fall sport by her wrestling coach. 

“I actually hated [cross country] all through high school,” she said, “because even though I could run the ‘5k’ in a decent time, I was never going to win, and as a competitive person it stunk knowing I was never going to win.”

Cortizo admitted that the only reason she ran cross country outside of her coach’s advice was strictly to stay in shape; however, it wasn’t until her move to Boston after entering college when her attitude toward running changed.

“I think it’s because the Esplanade is so gorgeous during the spring time,” she said. “Running is also a time for me to be alone, and at the time I was living in a triple and I loved my roommates, but I very much needed to be alone sometimes so having that hour and a half of alone time is where I learned to love it.”

Although she became one of the captains for the Emerson College cross country team, she said her proudest moment in her athletic career came during her junior and senior years in high school as a wrestler.

“We used to get these wrestling magazines every month because my coach used to write for them and it had highlights of the best high school athletes and All-Americans,” she stated, “and they had a section for the Girls Wrestling Association and they always had the top twelve ranked girls in the nation and the first time I saw that I said, ‘I want to be in this.’”

It was at that moment that Cortizo made it her goal to become one of the best female wrestlers in the nation and it didn’t take long.

“I told myself that I would be ranked in the nation before I graduated and then during my junior year I was finally ranked,” she said.

After ranking tenth in her weight class her junior year, Cortizo sat at seventh in the nation her senior year for the United States Girls Wrestling Association. She also went on to place fifth in the national tournament along side her fellow female teammate Christie Keough who finished ninth.  

It has been four years since that moment, but in a little over a month, Cortizo will have another proud moment to add to her athletic career. On April 15th she will take part in the 117th Annual Boston Marathon, but she’s not just doing it for herself, she’s doing it for a cause.

Currently holding a position as co-chair for Emerald Empowerment through her sorority, Kappa Gamma Chi, Cortizo and the rest of the members have been raising money and awareness for Casa Myrna, an organization that delivers solutions to end domestic and dating violence.

After scanning Casa Myrna’s website for more information, she found that there was a number left through their organization to run the Marathon. She applied for the spot back in January, but was accepted only after a spot opened up following another runner getting the number ahead of her.

Courtesy of Emerson College Athletics

“I always wanted to run the Boston Marathon, so I was going to do it this year anyway, but I was probably going to run it as a bandit, because I really didn’t think about the amount of money I needed to raise,” she said, “but it worked out perfectly because I was already training and I was able to get a number.”

In order to run the Boston Marathon, training and fitness is crucial, but for Cortizo she says staying active in college can be difficult, but there are are many ways to keep it part of your everyday life.

“It’s definitely tough when you’re in college,” she said, “but for me it’s literally all about having to put it in my agenda and that I need to make time to run, because it just gets so busy that it’s hard to stick with it.”

Another way she has found time to keep exercise in her every day life is heading off events for the Active Living learning community in the Piano Row residence halls on Emerson’s campus.

As the Active Living Resident Assistant for the building, she serves as the guide to help promote an active lifestyle for the Emerson community. Through social media and e-mail, she helps spread the word of various activities and health options around the city for residents to explore.

Active Living has even developed an hour and half sports night in the building where she and the help of her colleagues put on mini-sporting events for anyone to join in on. 

Keeping a consistent and persistent effort to stay healthy through exercise and daily activity is difficult for most people, but Cortizo says it’s up to the individual to stay active.

“I think the key is to just find the motivation for yourself,” she said, “because most people fall out of it in just a couple of weeks, but after three (weeks) it almost becomes a routine.”

She went on to say that in the most simple thing people have to do is, “Find a reason to love it” and that, “If it becomes a chore, you’ll set yourself up to fall out of it.”

For now, the quick-witted runner will continue living her active lifestyle, but plans to head off to Los Angeles to work as a marketing associate for Disney Studios. She says that even with the new job the nice California weather always makes it easier to stay active.

Broadcasting: The Painting of Words

Anyone can sit down and tell a story to an audience. Whether they can tell it affectively is the big question. In sports the art of broadcasting takes a whole new direction in the way stories are told. Radio broadcasters have the tougher job in that painting the picture with their words is the key to the entire broadcast. Some may say that over describing the scene is the most successful. From the color of the jerseys, to the pattern of the grass on the field are all part of painting the picture for listeners.

On the other hand, broadcasters for television may not have to describe as much detail because the event is occurring right in front of them, and fans and viewers back home can see most of it, but keeping them engaged is still extremely important. Although engaging fans may seem like a simple task at first, it involves a lot of preparation and knowledge behind the teams, its players, and the sport.

Courtesy of NESN

One pair of broadcasters that have no problem engaging the viewers and put themselves right into the game is Jack Edwards and Andy Brickley of the New England Sports Network (NESN) and the Boston Bruins. This duo step into the booth game after game and provide fast paced, clear, and understandable commentary.

The two were first paired up in the 2005-2006 NHL season calling games together on the road. Starting in 2007 the two took over the duties of calling every game that was broadcasted on NESN. Brickley was a former hockey player, playing in the NHL, AHL, and IHL in a span of sixteen years, as well as three seasons at the University of New Hampshire. Edwards has been broadcasting since the early 1980s, starting his career as a play-by-play announcer for the University of New Hampshire at the same time Brickley was on the ice for the wildcats.

I’ve always enjoyed listening to them when the Bruins play and would rather listen to them every game unless treated with the voice of Mike Emrick of NBC Sports. Last night when the Bruins took on the Winnipeg Jets I focused on the dialogue between Edwards and Brickley and thought about what exactly it was that made it so affective.

Too often we hear structured broadcasts in that the play-by-play announcer calls exactly what he sees while the color commentator will follow up on bigger plays with analysis. What works well for Edwards and Brickley is their constant banter and conversation. Instead of having that structured broadcast style they take the time to talk about what is happening on the ice, offering insight to different players and style of play. This “table tennis” style of broadcasting as I like to call it will always be, in my opinion, the most desired as the game isn’t just being told to you, it’s putting you in it.

Edwards has always been accused of being a “Bruins Homer” in the sense that his style of broadcasting is extremely bias toward Boston. A pure example of this can be seen in the video below (specifically at 3:22). However, many find this style appealing because of the passion that is driven behind it. Though accusations say he’s too biased he still treats the opponent with respect which allows him to still paint that picture for viewers.

Despite all these qualities the most important thing to remember is how the story of the game is told. Word choice is key in getting the message across. Using complex words that most listeners may not understand could cause for the lack of interest in the game in which the remote will soon be picked up to change the channel. 

Edwards is known for his unique choice of words. Some of them may be considered complex, but what makes it easy to understand is the description of the play surrounding the word(s) he uses. While I was watching last night’s game with my brother and my neighbor this exact thing was pointed out. While Edwards was using his “Edwardisms” my neighbor says, “Jack Edwards uses the most interesting words.”

In the end it really is determined by the listener or the viewer on whether a broadcaster is affective or not. The majority almost always wins and if the majority disapproves, then the broadcaster will most likely see his way out the door. It boils down to one point: affectively painting the picture with words.

Play the Game Not the Dollar

In today's society it's all about the cost of something. How much something is worth is one aspect that almost every person has on their mind whether it be a menu item at a restaurant or an antique at an auction. This same situation applies to Major League Baseball and the salaries the boys of summer get year after year. The issue that has come to light lately is, how much is a player worth?

One problem the MLB has today is that it has taken away the idea of baseball as a sport. Baseball as we know it now, is simply a giant business. Every team is its own franchise that feeds money back to the main head quarters where commissioner Bud Selig sits in his office and over looks the money flow. The additional problem is (if sticking with the business idea behind all of this) instead of the players being treated as employees of these franchises, they're treated as assets. How much one team pays a certain player helps determine how much a team, as a whole, is worth.

Every ball club wants to be the best in its division and furthermore hopes to be the best in the entire league. What it comes down to is buying talent and buying wins. General Managers will now go to great lengths to get what it takes to make their team, "the team to beat."

Courtesy of Jeff Gross/Getty Images via Bleacher Report

For example, last year the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim added a huge contract to their team, signing former St. Louis Cardinal, Albert Pujols to a ten year, $240 million contract. At the age of 33, Pujols will collect an average of $24 million a year until he turns 43 years old. With that pay it can almost be assumed that the Angels believe he’ll be as valuable in their line-up ten years from now.

In the first ten years with the Cardinals his lowest batting average was .312 which came during the tenth season. It was followed by a .299 average the year after. When landing in LA he ended his first season with the Angels hitting a career low .285 - a number certainly not worthy of a $24 million paycheck.

Stepping aside from sports, lets look at the average yearly salary of a neurosurgeon. According to a 2012 Medical Group Management Association Physician Compensation Report, the average neurosurgeon earned just over $775,000 in one year. To the average citizen that number is still significantly higher than what they're earning in a given year, but given the circumstances of the job, you're dealing with a human who is paid based on handling a human's life. 

Referring back to Pujols's contract, the slugger is paid just over 30 times more a year than the surgeon. The reason behind this? A hitter such as Pujols is considered a successful athlete even if he fails to get a hit during 70 percent of his at bats. On the flip side, a surgeon becomes distrusted even if he succeeds at over 90 percent of his operations. Look at what is at stake between the two, it seems quite obvious as to what the problem is.

To further back up this point, on February 1st, Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal, published a story about New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira and his understanding of the limits he faces as an aging athlete. Since age has been a topic of discussion here, Barbarisi begins his article saying, "In absolute terms, 33 is not old. But for a baseball player, 33 has long been the beginning of the end." In most cases in an athlete's life in a sport, they've already hit their prime. Though they may still be a good player, they are likely to be on the down slope their career.

Courtesy of Getty Images via Wall Street Journal

The article continues on talking about Teixeira and his understanding that he's, "on the backside of his career" and how he, "isn't going to play ten more years." However, isn't he worth the $22.5 million a year the Bronx Bombers pay him? Teixeira doesn't think so stating, "I have no problem with anybody in New York, any fan, saying, ‘you're overpaid.’ Because I am. We all are." He later goes on to state that by the time a player reaches the salary mark of $20 million, the value (s)he once held is not the same as it used to be.

Being overpaid is an understatement if there ever was one. To think that once upon a time as a child on a team in a local little league program the love of the game was the real reason why kids showed up to play. There was no dollar value or thought about whether Little Billy was going to be as good the next three years as he was in his first. To say that professional athletes play the game solely on the basis of passion for the sport is almost unheard of. Sure these player's agents have a lot to do with how much they get paid because they want a big cut of the deal, but has there ever been one player that says he doesn't care what he makes as long as he's playing the game? 

No matter the case, there needs to be some reevaluating in figuring out how much someone is worth. It raises an interesting question on whether players in Major League Baseball would take the game seriously if their pay was significantly cut to a more "acceptable" number. Would the true value of the game be displayed if money wasn't the focus? The ideology behind the sport needs to stray away from a business mentality where athletes are treated as assets and restored to a sense of pride and passion for the game.

Who said it best? It's up to the reader

Almost every sports fan has their one source of media that they turn to in order to get the recap of their favorite team's most recent game. If they weren't able to catch the game, the most important details in the article sought for are the highlights; major moments in the game. Although, if fans consistently turn to one source time after time, will it really matter how the article is written? If the score is included, as well as being accompanied by a few details on how it got to be that way, and a few quotes from coaches or players, will the reader ever consider their source's recap, "poorly written?"

Regardless of how a recap is written, the writers of these articles tend to have their own way of telling the story. Some keep it generic by listing the events in the game in chronological order. Others may focus on one key moment in the contest and lay out the details as to why it formed the final score. The question still remains on whether the style of a given recap tells the story better than another.

Now that the NHL is back in full swing after being locked out for a little over four months, the media has turned a lot of its attention toward the fast-paced sport. More specifically, the Boston Bruins have been in the spot light with their hot 6-1-1 start to the current season. The notable names to start are the improved goalie Tuukka Rask, rookie Dougie Hamilton, and the son of former Bruin Ray Bourque, Chris Bourque. Between Hamilton's quick success on offense, Rask's lights out performance in goal, and Bourque's reputation lying in the hands his father's, Boston's sports writers have had plenty to talk about.

In the most recent game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Bruins were able to capitalize and hold the Leafs scoreless in a 1-0 victory. The owner of the B's lone goal? Chris Bourque. To the average fan, this doesn't seem like a big deal, however, what most don't realize is Bourque hasn't scored a goal in the NHL in almost four years.

Photo courtesy of AP via Boston Herald.

ESPN's recap of the game focused mainly on Bourque and the reaction of his team. Most players would be in the spotlight if they were in the same spot as the Bruins' left wing, however what made him different was doing it with a team his father once played for. It only seemed appropriate that this became the main focus. Sure both goalies worked the crease to perfection, and Lane MacDermid proved himself as a fighter, but Bourque's goal was not only the eventual game winner, it was the most talked about moment.

Boston Herald's Stephen Harris took the most standard approach with his take on the game. From start to finish, Harris recaps the game using multiple highlights and statistics from the match-up. At one point he even talks about the killing of all three of the Leaf's power plays. His inclusion of quotes about defense, offense, and specific plays pull the article together to one complete recap.

CBS Sports' blogger Adam Gretz geared his view on the game in a completely different direction. Pre-game notes often included the sluggish start by the Leaf's Phil Kessel and how the trade that sent him from Boston to Toronto included the draft picks that brought both Tyler Seguin and Hamilton to Beantown. Gretz focused on nothing else but Toronto's right-wing, providing an overall analysis on Kessel's performance. He even mentions that, "it takes a ridiculous amount of bad luck for a player with Kessel's ability to go 30 shots without scoring a goal."

Each of these articles were relevant and proved its place on their respective sites, however Gretz's post seemed to stray away from the true definition of a recap. Although, being a blogger for CBS Sports, he has the ability to do that. The fact that these recaps offered such vast styles of writing gives the fan an opportunity to pick and choose what he or she wants to read. It also appeals to the fan in a way that their reading doesn't become redundant, receiving new bits of information in each one.

The overall consensus remains that no matter the style of writing, reporters, beat writers, and bloggers will always have an audience. It is up to the reader to determine what audience they fit into.

Survival of the Fittest: Be good or go home

ESPN has developed a reputation for being the top sports news source in not just the United States, but the entire world. Known for its most popular program, SportsCenter, ESPN has established an audience that is made up of people who love sports and competition. Since this major sports source has such a vast audience, it has created many programs to acclimate every fan out there. However, one issue that has caused a stir in the journalism world is whether a program is considered "good journalism" or "bad journalism." 

One program on ESPN called "Around The Horn," offers sports journalism to the "T." Host, Tony Reali, mediates four sports journalist from across the country from major media outlets. Common appearances are made by Woody Paige of the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, Colorado and Jackie MacMullan who hails from right here in Boston and writes for ESPN.com and ESPNBoston.com. Though they are just a couple of the many who get to make a statement on this show, it raises the question on whether this debate style sports program is considered "good journalism." 

The problem discovered in a lot of debate style programming, whatever the topic or subject may be, is that many points derived during the argument are mostly opinion based. Opinions do have their strong points in which it displays a sense of being openminded; however more often than not opinions hurt the argument because there is no statement of fact. One's opinion may offer a chance for those listening to the argument to pause and agree or disagree, but unless an opinion is supported with facts, the argument is bound to fail.

"Around The Horn" has become a show that helps separate the good and the bad when it comes to sports journalism. Reali has control of the levers that either add or deduct points to the day's panelist. These points determine how well arguments are developed on various topics throughout the program. If a comment is made that strays away from the topic at hand or is that of a poorly phrased statement, you best believe Reali is pulling down on the lever in front of him. 

This show proves that research needs to be done when arguing on either side of an issue. Even the best journalist in the country have their days where their arguments are simply not strong enough to prove a point. If you have to focus on one thing when watching a show of this nature, it's the aspect of how to survive in the business if you're a journalist. If these panelist can't make their arguments strong enough, they're done for the day. It's a natural "survival of the fittest" and if you can't be the best, you're going to be shown the door.

Sure these journalist aren't in jeopardy of losing their jobs if they don't come out on top, but it serves as a small reminder to those who have trouble finding the line between good and bad journalism.