Chris McCoskey is on FIRE @ Hoopsworld

I'm of the opinion that a reporter should be challanged by his readers... his lazy-non-scooping-company-line-pooping-speel was getting old... he has since stepped up with some informative pieces (followed the Rose signings closely)... anyone can change a reputation by improving work habits... that should come from self motivation.
All I ask for is to get more inside information that you can't find in the ass press or nba.com.
An example of good reporting while still having your head mandated up the companies ass is Langlois... you just get the sense that he's digging harder for new stuff.

Or simply drag it where you want the text to go.

I'm working feverishly to find some stuff McCoskey wrote as a pimple-faced sophomore in high school to use against him. Stay tuned. If he ripped the varsity basketball coach, dammit I'll find it because I know that opinion was "set in stone" just as his opinion of Dumars should be.

I'm not a huge McCoskey fan but I like to see the guy spreading his wings a little. And as a former newspaperman, I can say definitively there are certain rules you have to live under when you're writing for a big metro. As far as him ripping Dumars, Dumars probably shoulda been ripped AT THE TIME. I'm sure McCoskey knows he jumped the gun.

That was a helluva good piece.

Unfortunately, McCosky's email at Hoopsworld isn't working. My comments on his 'No Tolerance' article keep getting REJECTED.

LOL -- Hobbs must have the infamous ITA on his desktop. I know I do...

Anyways, IMO McCosky is truly a twerp. Truth is probably that Taylor, McHale and Saunders deserve each other -- each seem clueless in their own ways. No matter how you look at it, it's another exmaple of Flip failing to figure out what makes a player tick.

Back to McCosky:

1. McCosky's Rasho logic is pretty flawed -- Rasho failing under Pops doesn't mean Flip's approach was better. Many people things we think would be good for us, yet fail in doing so. McCosky's argument is akin to saying that if you tried to quit smoking and couldn't, then the obvious conclusion is that you should be a lifelong smoker.

2. Amusing to see him use the phrase ``revisionist history''. This is the guy who published Flip's quote that ``to beat Shaq you need a scoring center.'' He's also the same guy who saw the team he covers beat Shaq twice in a row in the playoffs with Ben. If he's doing his job properly, that Flip BS doesn't get in the paper. IMO, he's not a shill, he's just not very good at being skeptical.

3. QUESTION: Since the infamous ITA, howmany times has McCosky trashed the org? Does he still do it, or maybe that was the incident that triggered a ``loyalty program''?

Find the ITA here: MAJOR blast from the past [Archive] - MotownSports.com Message Board

What's the no tolerance bit?

I recall McCosky losing me at the "Jordan's a professional and Joe's not" part of that story and the "losing stature among league execs" bit. And I never bought into the lazy/ part-timer accusation. It just didn't make any sense given what we knew. Memories fail, but I also don't remember being so down on Joe at the time. I think the first time I was truly disappointed in Joe was February. I forgave him for giving us a line about resigning both Okur and Sheed. Until Flip won this summer's beauty contest I was sure Joe was immortal.

"Darko Milicic spends most of his time frowning and loping around without much spirit backing up Howard in Orlando. No wonder the Magic didn't offer him an extension. He'll probably return to Europe."
-Chicago beat writier

"Word out of Orlando is that Darko Milicic is pouting because the team is starting Tony Battie over him. ... I think the Magic made a good move in not giving him an extension before the season... He is going to have a great career in Italy or someplace."
-McCosky

Dare I say it, PLAGIARISM!!!!!

Where is he burning. Tell me and I will go and add more firewood the pyre to make sure he frys good.

That's my point, roscoe -- he said he could resign both, and, really, we knew it wasn't going to happen. I was hoping for at least a sign-and-trade. Taking back Arroyo and a pick or something woulda worked, IIRC.

Sure we all had our suspicions and knew what the odds were, but this doesn't negate the possibility that Okur or Wallace could have set aside egos for a MLE paycheck. Was it improbable? Yes, but it could have still happened.

Sorry man but this is weak weak weak...
Is he saying that he doesn't have access to players, coaches & GM's... none of these guys are available after games/practice/personal requests?
I guess he can't listen to the questions being asked by the networks huh?
And this is why the Associated press and New York writers get the scoop before him... not buying it... there's time to talk... plane rides... hotels... phone etc.
His works getting better... just don't give us these lame excuses for not having access.

Merc...there's nothing weak about McCosky's article IMO. He's finally expressing the truth about the marketing/manipulation of the game via demigod Stern after having his mouth held shut by NBA corporate. IMO his last few articles have been amongst the best he has written.

`` I guess he can't listen to the questions being asked by the networks huh?''

That's like hiring a blind man for a chauffeur. I would nevereverever depend on a TV report for information. TV reporters are stupid. They are interested in visuals and dramatic adjectives. They ask vague and useless questions like ``How did it feel when you dunked on Zo?'' or ``Was it nice to have a big game in front of your hometown fans?'' This doesn't help anybody. McCosky's not brilliant, but even a mediocre reporter has to put far mroe thought into it than a TV clown.