Sounds a lot like how Washington D.C. operates. If you critize, your press credentials are stricken and you are relegated to non-journalist, or hack status.

When the subject of the story is allowed to dictate what journalists can say and cannot say … it’s no longer an independent paper. It’s a propaganda rag that contains no truth.

It’s sad to see Browns fans supporting the gutting of the fifth estate.

Look I am very happy that we have a football team but that is the extent of our relationship with Art. After he sold the Ravens to Maryland native Steve Biscotti there is no real need for any of us to take up his cause. Glad he got us team but his part was basically a business transaction.
And as for 12 years of seeing those horse thieves in Indy telling us to get over it , that the NFL is a business and the owner is allowed to take the team records, logo.

Well business is business and I couldn’t care whether he is in the Hall or not .

He can get in right after Bob Irsay.

You can talk a lot of things about the Browns but you can’t say anything bad about their winning history. Yes- the franchise has been irrelevant for the past 25 years, But they have a rich a winning history. Wiki it. but things do change. Just ask the Aints, um I mean Saints, the Patriots (they used to be woeful) even the Lions are starting to turn around.

If any one of us did something comparable in our jobs to jeopardize our working relationships or drag our companies through the mud we’d all be fired before the end of the day.

===================================

But are you a journalist, tim? That argument doesn’t work because of that distinction, which is fundamental.

I hope I don’t have to explain that any further.

When a reporter attacks a person in charge of an organization publicly – and without any documentation – how can a reader expect that the reporter is giving him/her a fair assessment when he covers the persons business?

This is basic journalism, and is not superficial – it goes directly to the issue of whether the organization the person is working for has journalistic integrity.

Futhermore, Grossi has established for years that at best he is an average reporter. His articles on the Browns do not bring any insight to the reader that has not already been brought up in dozens of media places. He long ago grew bored with his job, and has been mailing it in for years.

As one poster to the PD noted – he has a business, and if one of his people that dealt with one of his biggest customers went on the Internet and personally insulted the Owner of the business with no collaborating information – he sure as heck would re-assign the employee.

I am tired of this “Tony Grossi made a mistake, so what” argument. A society can only exist if it has standards, and among those standards is to adhere to common decency when discussing others publicly. America is no longer a civil country – people have little, if any, respect for the rights of their neighbors, their institutions, or their government. And the story above argues that this lack of civility should continue.

Friedrich Nietzsche one said (correctly) that the difference between freedom and anarchy is self-discipline. The Cleveland Plain Dealer has the right to impose discipline on those that work for it. Mr. Grossi is becoming some sort of martyr, when in fact he has proven himself to be a bumbling reporter that thinks little of others (see the sarcastic, condescending remarks he has been making for years as he answers readers questions about the Browns once a week). There is a pattern of poor professional behavior and poor productivity – but just like we have in an America that is falling apart – we have to read articles on why uncivil behavior is acceptable. Yet nowhere do we read why Mr. Lerner had to have his reputation sullied around the world, and what rights he has.

And for heavens sake – MR. GROSSI WAS NOT FIRED!

Media isn’t special.

Not to mention that Belichick resigned, not fired, which happened when the team was in Baltimore, not Cleveland, and Kosar (with an “s”) went on to play in 18 more games between the Cowboys and Dolphins.

Other than that, it was all correct.

Absolutely correct. Living here, not even the people that despise Holmgren and Lerner can muster up the energy to bemoan Grossi’s departure (and they’ll use almost anything as ammo). He’d plainly been suffering in his role for years, bitter, petty… the PD probably did the guy a favor by moving him to a new assignment.

The truth is that Grossi has been gradually losing traction with the Browns for years and over the past several the insider information, the strength of a beat writer, has been coming from the national not local media.

So a new reporter has an opportunity to build trust and mutual respect and get some real ‘off the record’ information worth reporting.

Also, its apparent from the comments of the readers that Grossi is far from universally embraced. He is a writer, not a columist. So the large number of people with negative vibes on his writing is not good for him, the PD, or the team.

For Grossi, its a chance to rekindle a journalistic career that has gone stale. Most Northeast Ohio readers are not familar with the teams he will be covering on his new beat. And the Afghani Soccer League, Indian Amatuer Cricket League, and Bulgarian Women’s Wrestling Federation all need more public exposure.

Go get ‘em Tony Tiger!

If any one of us did something comparable in our jobs to jeopardize our working relationships or drag our companies through the mud we’d all be fired before the end of the day.

Quit trying to finagle your words to defend Tony Grossi who sucked at his job anyway.

Believe me, the ONLY thing good about Tony Grossi was keeping that lowlife blood sucker Fart Modell out of the Hall of Fame.

Ted – Looks like you got hung out to dry by the higher ups who dont know the policies of what is permisible in what type of format..

Hopefully you are not one of the employees walking on eggshells at the PD. Must be a tough place to work right now.