ESPN and Pat Tillman

[Adam]

I think you're being a bit harsh.  Yes, ESPN is sports journalism, but the author of this piece is a two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee in public service and investigative reporting.  I think he counts as a real journalist.  And Pat Tillman's sacrifice is a compelling story, but not to the exclusion of the other events that took place.  If the government - up to the president - knowingly lied to exploit his death, then that is a story, too.  And it would be nice if "news" outlets as you call them would step up and cover the story, but just because they don't doesn't mean ESPN shouldn't either.

 

I'm just starting as a news reporter at a major daily.  I went through the same thing deciding whether sports journalism should be a full-time thing, and I came to the same conclusion.  But when the writers at ESPN try to step beyond the narrow focus of sports, do they deserve to be criticized for it?

 

Finally, if you wre reading this in the New York Times or Wall St. Journal, how would you critique the piece?

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I didn't read it- the headline was enough to turn me off.

 

The ESPN people should be criticized- they criticize everyone else! Imagine publishing a website accusing Stewart Scott of using his catch phrases to cover up the fact that he continually chokes during broadcasts. Or listing how much everyone at ESPN makes per year.

 

And how do we know that he deserved either pulitzer?