“Insider” reporting has become a critical component of our modern sports media world.
But in the wake of Adrian Wojnarowski’s shock retirement, some of those insiders are having some honest conversations about how the sausage is made and whether or not it’s worthwhile.
One of the defining features of insiderdom is the notion of being first. Woj essentially built his entire career on “Woj Bombs” that beat everyone else to the punch, at least until Shams Charania caught up.
On the NFL side, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport are locked in a never-ending battle to see who can tweet first about the Pittsburgh Steelers signing a backup tight end.
When it comes to MLB, insiders like ESPN’s Jeff Passan, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman are among those fighting for literal seconds to ensure who gets to break news before the other one, sometimes with absurd or comical results.
Associated Press writer Joe Reedy spoke with several insiders about Wojnarowski’s decision to step away from the often-brutal existence of insider reporting. While it’s well-known the toll that the profession can take on your life, it’s no less sobering to hear their anecdotes about the ways it intrudes on all aspects of your day.
In particular, Rosenthal offered a perspective that he’s tried to insert into the profession.
“The immediacy gave many of us more exposure and advanced our careers. Woj was the extreme example of that. But being first to a transaction by one minute, two minutes, five minutes is not the reason I entered the business. Nor is it really journalism,” Rosenthal told Reedy. “In the last few years, I’ve tried to place more emphasis on writing stories, actual stories, that included news in some form, but could not be confirmed within minutes. … Not worrying quite as much about breaking every transaction helps. I’m fortunate to work at an outlet that places less value on such ‘scoops,’ understanding they are not all that meaningful.”
Fox NFL insider Jay Glazer also added that since the role didn’t come with boundaries, he had to create them for himself.
“The job doesn’t have boundaries. So I guess the thing is, for my own happiness, I have put up my own boundaries,” Glazer said. “Not only were Fox with it, they suggested it. Because they cared about my mental health more than anything. I’ll still have my home runs, and people respect me enough that it won’t get stolen.”
Earlier in the week, Schefter appeared on ESPN alongside Passan and college football insider Pete Thamel to discuss Wojnarowski. The way he discussed the intensity of that lifestyle, you’d be remiss if you thought Shefter was speaking about his own mental state instead of Woj’s.
“He wanted his life back,” Schefter told NBA Today host Malika Andrews. “He didn’t want to have to work on holidays. He didn’t want to be away from more family gatherings. He didn’t want to have to…take a shower with your phone up against the shower door so you can see a text that’s coming in or take your phone with you to the urinal and hold it in one hand while you take care of your business in the other. That’s the life that we live. And that was the life that we chose not to do any longer because it takes over your life.”
