Jeff Jacobs ...

[BoatShow]

That would be EJ Harrison, Mr. Samuels.

I'll just see myself out...

 

[Fishy]

Nobody wants white washed journalism. What we want are the facts minus some blowhards opinion of what the situation is.

So....you're mad that an opinion column contains opinions.

Newspapers might not be for you. I recommend warning labels and street signs - they tend to stick to the facts without the fussiness of independent thought.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Despite being one of those called out by name, I don't mind Jacobs. Don't always agree with him, but I don't think he's the evil devil that some here believe to be true.

My general rule on this board is to take the complete opposite position that weyuo takes. When he posts an opinion that completely contradicts mine, I know I'm solid position.

 

[CL82]

The Courant is owned by Tribune Publishing, a private corporation with no official ties to the State or the University. To expect that a guy like Jacobs should be a cheerleader for our sports teams 100% of the time is disingenuous. So what if he's critical of the program at times? Even if many of you may want completely whitewashed coverage of UCONN athletics, it's very unlikely that it will happen outside of a state/university-run media source.

Being critical at times and being a dick is a bit different. While Calhoun was at the helm he went out of his way to shit all over the university. That generated well earned animousity. I think he a decent writer who let his (largely imagined) personal crap obscure his vision and it cost him credibility. The Sticks and Jazz Howard incidents were not journalism or a difference of opinion. They were mean spirited assaults on the intergrity of two young men who deserved better.

As I said, he's better now but those two incidents are tough to forget or forgive, absent an acknowlegement, a retraction and an apology.

 

[ZooCougar]

I don't live in CT, but I read the Courant often. I'm wondering about everyone's opinions on Jacobs. I read the NY, Boston, and Dallas papers semi-regularly. From what I've read on this site, I bet most of you are more down on Jacobs than I am. Here are my thoughts:

1) I agree with Jacobs 95% of the time. The other 5% of the time, I think he takes his "media attack dog" role too seriously and he goes too far. In those cases, he may just be playing devil's advocate or he may really believe what he writes; I don't know.

2) It's not his job to be a cheerleader for UConn. If he writes a negative column, he usually has a good reason for it. Occasionally he throws us under the bus for no good reason or blows up a negative situation beyond its true importance.

3) He is a good writer. I think there may be more sophistication from the NY writers, but that may be partially due to the market they cover. Jacobs is essentially as good as anyone in Boston or Dallas.

What say you?

I don't always agree with him, but I often do. I generally like him because he sees through a bunch of the hype and BS. He was one of the first writers to say that the emperor had no clothes with Pasqualoni.

Not too many other writers in the state are as engaging.

 

[ZooCougar]

Nobody wants white washed journalism. What we want are the facts minus some blowhards opinion of what the situation is.

This guy (above) doesn't understand what a "column" is. Hint: Columnists are paid to write opinions, draw conclusions and make qualitative judgements on things.

 

[mikedog10]

Jacobs can be abrasive by as stated earlier, controversy creates demand and sells papers (or generates hits, I guess). I have definitely been disappointed with the way he has covered certain Uconn stories, but he is a journalist not a university employee. At least he is still one of the better writers in the state.

Randy Smith was my favorite, Jacobs wrote a nice tribute when he passed and I've always liked Jacobs more for it.

 

[pnow15]

Jeff who?