If I Were An Insider

 I would talk to people in the business and try to get inside information as I do almost every day. That's how you build a relationship. Common sense.


I would try to make people confide in me that the information was good and accurate and that they would not be identified. That's how most confidential information gets out, that's how I broke the Drew Remenda story.


People that engage with me, for the most part, are trustworthy. They know I will not publish their name if they ask for anonymity. On the other hand, I always ask, always, if a source would go on the record. Of course, most do not because their could be consequences, like retribution or punishment or outright termination.


Insiders gather notes and information and get this, actually report. They are not beholden to the team, its PR staff, its sponsors, its affiliates --sure, some information is liable to rattle a few feathers but if it involves something profound or note/newsworthy then it should be published. Key word, should. Not necessarily could be published.


Insiders are supposed to be unique and creative. They gather up information and report. There's a lot of hard work and drudgery involved--it's not very sexy and it requires vigorous labor beyond the idea of appearing on Jeopardy as a contestant and wearing sun glasses in the Press Box.


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Has Andy Baggarly Ever Reported Anything of Substance About The Giants on Comcast? You Could Square Lunch and a Twenty

 I'll buy lunch and throw in a 20 dollar bill.


Yeah, I know he did well on Jeopardy and wears sunglasses in the Press Box, but other than those sundries, what does he do?

Some would say he's nothing more than a Larry Baer mouthpiece. That's kind of drastic. True also.


Cynics would argue that Andy Baggarly is doing precisely what Comcast and the Giants want him to do: write fluffy pieces-- essentially booster club material and be nice. Of course it would be refreshing if Baggs were to provide his consumers some real, honest-to-goodness news, you know, Insider news that only Insiders have access to, but apparently dear old, loyal-to-the-core Andy didn't get the memo.




We don't begrudge the Bagster one bit but are nevertheless amused by those who still think he's out to provide cogent, insightful news about arguably the most popular sports franchise in the Bay Area after the SF 49ers.


We maintain that the Insider acumen at Comcast is merely a PR-enhancement for the local teams. Nothing, not a thing even remotely deemed controversial, will make it past the Comcast business model, not here nor in any other market where the company is in bed with its clients, the sports teams
that make up 99.999 percent of Comcast's programming, which is fine if not altogether transparent.


Nobody expects Woodward and Bernstein to infiltrate the studios and offices down there on Third Street. It is, after all, the toy department. But we would also crave something more pithy than updates on Angel Pagan's back and mindlessly innocuous live stand-up shots from the ballpark. We don't expect Deep Throat but we'd appreciate a heck of a lot more than some guy with a relentless smile and a dishonest toothy grin.


C'mon, Baggs, you can do it. We have the utmost confidence in you and besides, you have a major advantage too--you're not Henry Schulman.



CONTEST RULES:

Winner needs to provide proof of far-ranging Exclusive reported by Baggarly. Winner gets 20 bucks and lunch at Tommy's Joynt.






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