It just seems to me like American traditional sports media has become so confrontational recently, and they almost always need to include what basically amounts to a hatchet piece in the paper. Remember the newspaper media vs. Jacksonville? That was shameful. Imagine what they’d say about Jo’berg.

I have very mixed emotions about South Africa and the Cup. Glad to see the big event in Africa, afraid the conditions will make it a nightmarish trip for travelers. The points made by several posts on your blog say it best. The focus on articles will be on the action on the field. I don’t think a free trip combined with a little food and drink compromise a blogger anymore than “professional” journalists covering major sports with the perks that come with the territory.

I’m with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s Black Soccer Coaches Committee and we’d like to go the South Africa next summer and I would be there to cover our efforts there and of course games. Regardless of how the trip is funded, there has to be some lattitude to make observations and comments on conditions.

I generally like Goff and used him as a source in my book but he’s way off base here. In fact one of the points in my book was about how soccer people seem intent on acting in their own selfish interest instead of working to build the game.

Wish you could have gone to SA. Would have loved to seen first hand accounts. Who knows, maybe we’ll both get to go next summer.

#1. Im an amateur blogger like you are and there is no ethical issue in our case. A lot of readers would be interested in reading about the Confederations Cup from a first hand perspective

#2. South Africa is hosting the World Cup for the first time and needs all the support it can get. As idealistic as this may sound, isnt the world cup about the world coming together? I see no shame in promoting South Africa by means of media coverage

#3. It would be a #$%load of fun

Also, here’s a thought that I haven’t heard a single person point out. Everyone wants to praise Goff for his so-called journalistic integrity but how much journalistic integrity do you need when you’ve got the cushiest gig in the game? The Washington Post sends Goff everywhere so when exactly is he standing up for journalistic integrity? Ah, right, the Confed Cup junket, but the Post’s own rules kept Goff from going to that, so how do people know Goff wouldn’t have taken the trip if it were up to him?

Maybe, just maybe, the day will come when the Post folds and Goff has to saddle up his high horse and try to go it alone. Let’s see how his integrity holds up then.

“Predictably, he regretted the Post would not allow him to come on such a trip, but he was also very helpful in recommending the names of other bloggers whom he thought I might approach with more success. He even gave me their e-mail addresses.”

If this account is true, then yes, hiss entire rant is completely out of line for more than one reason.

For the record, I’ve made my full living (if you can call it that) from soccer writing for about seven years now. I make zero from my blog, don’t even try to. I was not asked, I would not have accepted and I certainly would not have attempted to shame colleagues that did. In fact, I make it a personal policy not to criticize or even vehemently disagree with other writers’ works.

This is a hot-button issue in the world of food blogging. Check out Chicago’s very own Sky Full of Bacon; Michael Gebert often discusses the responsibilities of the new media (independent bloggers) to follow the old rules of traditional journalistic integrity. http://skyfullofbacon.com/blog/?p=219 This post in particular takes on the issue in a rather idiosyncratic manner.

Personally, I think that a blogger has much more leeway than a traditional newspaper journalist. The blogger creates his own name by writing interesting work – if his work is good enough and popular enough to warrant a comped trip, then he’s already proven his integrity. A newspaperman, however, assumes the integrity of the publication for which he writes.

In the old world of newspaper monopolies, consumers had only two or three options for where to get their news, and the writers’ code was important to maintaining the authority of the newspaper. Now, however, if a blogger sells out, and his opinion is increasingly tarnished by the industry he is covering, readers have a simple option of clicking to someone else’s blog. Also, new competition to an established presence in the ‘net is much easier to develop – publication costs are essentially zero.

This difference, and the inabliilty of the established media to recognize its development, is just one of many reasons why newspapers are quickly becoming redundant.

MCP

(Incidentally, I should at least say that I’m a huge proponent of newspapers; they just seem hopelessly stuck in a world that no longer exists.)