1. Mark Cuban is planning a huge development — offices, homes, ball fields, an indoor sports facility — in east Oak Cliff. If it comes off, it’ll be a bold move in a part of town that needs it.
2. In today’s Wall Street Journal, our own Willard Spiegelman, who writes the “Good Professor” column for the “print product” each month, has a piece on the artwork at Cowboys Stadium. Willard took a tour of the joint recently and came away quite impressed.
3. Channel 8 last night did the drunk Jerry Jones story in its early broadcasts, which Dale Hansen thought was the wrong decision. So you know what he did? He went “unplugged” on the 10 o’clock newscast and absolutely blasted station management. This is one of the reasons I love the guy. No one else in town has stones that compare to Hansen’s. I sent him an e-mail after the newscast, asking whether station management knew what he was going to say. They did, though they said they’d rather he not do it (and kudos to them for allowing the video to be posted). Hansen also wrote about 30 minutes after they’d signed off: “About 40 emails so far from viewers. Every one saying they agree with me. But then why do TMZ, Inside Edition, Extra and all that other crap do so well??”
Update: Uncle Barky breaks down how the other local stations handled the story last night (or didn’t). Good analysis of Hansen, too.
34 comments
He had an aside remark about news anchors partying with Cowboy players. Does anyone know who he was referring to?
@Barbara: Gloria Campos made a comment about how that was “ancient history.” I think whatever it was he was talking about happened awhile back.
He sure has gotten wise over the years. Way to go, Dale. Good job!
Dale is as big a blow hard as there is, but he nailed it on this one.
I’ve often thought that Dale was past his prime and was pretty much wheels-off 90% of the time. But …
/Stands
//Claps
#1) I think Mr. Cuban’s planned development will be the perfect place to step off the Championship Parade. Oh, wait. Nevermind! I didn’t say that. Nobody ever said that. Just move along, everybody.
LOVE it, Dale!
WFAA knows well that Hansen’s blistering makes for good TV – they’re taking a bullet from him to boost ratings.
I miss Chip Moody.
He’s the best sportscaster in Dallas. Always love his commentaries regarding the Cowboys. Keep it up, Dale! Totally behind you on this one.
Actually, i think what Hansen did here is the reason for the decline of journalism. A lot of people are tired of the Dale Hansens of the world deciding for them what is and isn’t news. Does anybody really want to go back to the days when all we had was three networks and a few major papers telling us their idea of the news? I don’t, i’ll take all those cheeto munchers on the intertubes over Hansen and his ilk thanks.
No, Doug…actually Hansen isn’t the reason for the decline of journalism. “If it leads, it bleeds” took over at papers, magazines, and television BEFORE the rise of cable news and “new” media.
Dale has pretty consistent in these “unleashed” segments. No other local guy, except maybe Gordon Keith could get away with it.
Sure, if we want to augment “news” with blogs that’s one thing, but I’ll pass on Cheeto muchers for commentary. Thanks.
I must have missed Jerry Jones bleeding in that video, i just saw the owner of the Cowboys admitting that the only reason he hired Parcells was because he needed a big name to get his stadium built. Hansen for whatever reason would prefer you didn’t know that, i think you should and whoever the cheeto muncher who took that video was thought so too, and i’ll side with him.
@Amanda: Radio is different. There’s more leeway when you’re dealing with, say, four hours of morning show. But you’re still wrong. If Gordon slammed Cumulus management on the air, he’d get some serious blowback. Hansen is the only TV broadcaster in town who has the power to criticize his bosses like that and get away with it. And Ed Bark is right: once Hansen is gone, that sort of thing will never happen again.
Agreed…but I think Gordon could carefully do it on his own blog…that’s what I was referring to… But, getting on the air and trashing the media co…means tear up your contract.
Hansen’s commentary was a gut check, and he is truly the ONLY one who can do it… It has some pretty interesting considerations.
I think Hansen is funny and smart. I enjoy his jaunts into commentary, and thought the piece he wrote of D about the SMU football scandal was incredible. What I take issue with is the comment that Hansen IS to blame for the decline in journalism. I take issue with that. Hansen has delivered unique, even stunning content in a fairly buttoned up town for 20+ years.
I’ve come full circle on the “public figure” arguement, especially after a couple of wackos got ahold of me…
People don’t want to go back to only 3 networks on rabbit ears with film processing deadlines. I don’t believe that is the issue here.
@ Doug
You make a good point but at some point, a person hits the saturation point with the Blogs and countless sources of information. Everything that is old may very well be new again. I can see where we may come back to the Dale Hansen’s, Edward R. Murrow’s, Walter Cronkite’s, and none of this silly infotainment like they do on Fox and CNN. I think we will eventually come back to a credible and respected news giver, who stands out amongst all the B.S.
The Jones audio/video is funny, but it’s not news. Then again, neither are daily segments from the “Money-Saving Mom.”
Dale is right, and while you may not always agree with him, it’s great that he’s allowed to go “Unplugged.” Too bad he’s the last person at WFAA with that privilege.
Oh my, check out the top post on Deadspin.com.
I’d link to it but it won’t pass the word filters on here.
“Too bad he’s the last person at WFAA with that privilege.”
Who knows. The same privilege could one day be extended to John and/or Gloria. There was probably a good 15-year gap between the last “Perspective” with Tracy Rowlett and Hansen’s first “Unplugged”.
The thing about Dale is that he can come across the tube as a blustery, bafoonish roaring jocko. BUT, when he’s unplugged he hits the moral target dead center time after time.
When it comes to wisdom, give me a over-the-hill sportscaster over some creep skulking around a bar with a digital recorder any old time.
@Brandon: When new managers (the same ones Dale mentioned in his piece) came to the newsroom several years ago, Dale was exempted from many changes, including the requirement that all men wear ties on the air. Extending it to others would be nice, but don’t hold your breath.
How is it not news? Jerry has repeatedly hired “Yes Men” as his coaches. By his own admission, albeit drunken, the one time he didn’t hire a “Yes Man” (Parcells) had nothing to do with on the field performance but with manipulating voters into funding a new stadium. In regards to the future of the Dallas Cowboys that is news.
Sigh. Tim has asked me to comment, because he knows Dale drives me nuts. I’d go into why, but it boils down to the fact that all I ever see his him making a story about himself and his reactions to it, all while saying he’s trying to take up for integrity and truth. It’s a wonderful invincibility cloak he wraps himself in. And there’s a lot of that here. Not sure where to begin:
Actually, let’s start here: I AGREE with him on one point. I don’t think this is news. I think it’s dumb that Channel 8 ran this story, because it’s an INTERNET and RADIO story. It’s the sort of fun thing you pass around to friends and watch, and then discuss with them or listen to your favorite talk show hosts discuss. To present it as NEWS because he’s drunk is absurd.
Now, I DISAGREE that it’s harmful or shameless or whatever. It’s actually harmless. A rich playboy wildcatting man who basically owns the town gets drinky and shoot the sh%$ with guys at a bar — that’s effing cool is what it is. I hope he never stops doing that.
I also disagree that there is no sports value. Jerry says he hired Bill Parcells to shut up his critics, and that Parcells didn’t do much. That’s not news? He says Tebow will never get on the field as a pro. That’s not news? (Actually, not to me, but apparently to Peter King.) You’re saying it’s because he’s drunk that you can’t take it seriously? Listen, D Magazine paid the Richards Group to conduct a brand study, one part of which was to get influential people to tell the Richards Group what they thought of D Magazine. You know what the Richards Group did to ensure they got honest answers? GOT EM DRUNK! At a wine party in a fancy house, but still!
No, on to the commentary itself: A few highlights:
1. The comment about the fat kid eating Cheetos in his mother’s basement, typing on his blog: Dale, I know you still determine a journalist’s worth by his or her admission into a secret society while wearing a press badge, but the world is a much better place now that articles are, in effect, crowdsourced and a sportswriter’s opinion and reporting must compete with people across the nation, from professionals at ESPN.com to local folks who happen to love sports and be really smart. As for the characterization — how old ARE you, Dale? Seriously? My grandmother’s doesn’t act that old, and she is 88 with Alzheimer’s. (P.s.: you can look up “crowdsourcing” on Wikipedia.)
2. The author of the video is a “creep” who tried to sell it, you say. I don’t like that the video was shot. I would never do that. I think it’s pretty crappy. Maybe he’s a creep. As for trying to sell it: how do you know that? According to Deadspin’s editor, A.J. Daluerio, the video was not offered for sale to them. His email to me:
“We did receive the video from a long-time Deadspin source. It was passed along to us. We didn’t pay for it, nor did this person ask for any compensation for it. I’m not aware of anyone trying to sell it. So Dale Hansen and Mortensen have different information than I do. Not
saying they’re wrong but…”
3. So you’re worried about the state of journalism, and the idea that ratings drive decisions? Quick quote from Dale Hansen when he was fired from Channel 4:
“I honestly believe I was a team player. I gave it a helluva shot with what I had to work with. The station has the pure-and-simple philosophy to promote and get the ratings. Given what I was given to work with, I tried to put on something that would make people tune in. I believe I did. Say what you will, but the ratings were there …. I look at my job as a little more entertainment than some people in the business. I’m always looking at it with humor in mind. I don’t get hung up with that word ‘journalist.’ I have more fun. Sports fans just get so pissed off when they hear this. I’m very comfortable sliding into the entertainment side of my three to four minutes, and that drives the hard-cores crazy.”
Protector of journalism. IJS.
4. Let’s talk about that “team player” thing. I have no doubts you made your concerns known. (I have huge doubts as to the real source of those concerns, but I’ll take you at your word.) But then you think you should come on and make yourself and your reaction the story? Question, Dale: What would you say if Terrell Owens came out and said, “My coach made a decision that I tremendously disagree with, and I think the plays he called are examples of what is wrong with football, and I feel I needed to say to the media”? I think you would say about him what you said when he was released: “You couldn’t spell team if I spotted you the t and the e and the a.” Here’s what a “team player” does. He rails behind the scenes. He makes sure the offending story is not in his sportscast, but in in the news section of the broadcast (which it was). Then he goes out and does the best job he can, and never says a word of it on the air. He doesn’t undercut his station’s reputation. As soon as the broadcast is over, you back to yelling, or cajoling, or pleading, and you go do it every day until you effect change. And if it’s THAT bad, then you quit. You don’t go out there and make the story about you. But like you said about Owens, “It’s ALWAYS about him.”
5. And WTF was this wild digression into trying to say that because Channel 8 doesn’t air stories about its well-known anchors, that makes us hypocrites? Again, let me try to get your point: you say journalism was better back in the day, but because your TV station ignored a suicide decades ago (even though the DMN reported it), that proves … WHAT exactly? Do you think this is akin to a well-known news anchor committing suicide? IT’S JERRY DRUNK IN A BAR TALKIN FOOTBALL!
6. Random question: Does it hurt to dismount from a high horse?
7. I’m so angry at Tim for tricking me into wasting my time on this.
Question to the group: after reading the above comment from Eric Celeste, which way did the over-under move on his return to journalism?
Eric is awe. some. As always.
Journalism is going to suffer as long as the people doing the work can’t make a living wage and we rely the occasion rant from a sportscaster to right the wrongs of the industry. IJS.
Question: If loose consensus has it that JJ’s maunderings are not news, then why in Hell is a sportscaster saying JJ’s maunderings aren’t news, news?
I happen to agree with Hansen on this one, but whether he’s talented or nay (I happen to find him an insufferable flab-basket filled with false puffery), he may as well get used to things he finds unseemly issuing forth from a blogosphere that sniggers at his potbelly.
Its funny how the DFW media both radio and print are trying to cast Jerry as the victim. This is a Cowboys town the Stars, Mavericks, and Rangers are just side shows until football season starts. It’s nice to see that Dale still wears his knee pads.
Wait. I’m influential. Why wasn’t I invited to the Richards Group house party/focus group? *sniff*
Dear Dale Hansen:
http://dallasprogress.blogspot.com/2010/04/dear-dale-hansen.html
There are 100 million opinions, and very few entities producing factual information… Sorry Cheeto eating bloggers, but he has a very good point.
@ Michael…I’m pretty shocked that you would compare Dallas Progress to the level of discourse on deadspin… To me, that diminishes your blog and message.
Hansen had some valid points.
amanda – it wasn’t about comparing my blog to others, it was more about some established media types like Hansen still looking down at their noses at blogs and bloggers as a third-rate media when in fact blogs break news.
Even in this town blogs in general were scoffed at in 2005-06, and now every last paper has blogs and require most of their news people do blog as well.
^ forgive the typos … I was busy eating my cheetos in Mommy’s basement
Actually semi off topic but not really: Blogs were good at some point and many still have genuine merit. As a new age alternative media yadayada, they’ve had a good run & given no few media types a run for their money. But like chat rooms and built in car phones, the newness played out as the lackluster one-dimensional bloggers ran out of gas. Then the overkill of everyone being a blogger with often baseless opinions shared as casually as ‘facts’ are at any bar after a few beers? The egocentric pattern became dull-clear so the interest blurred.
If everyone was smart (i.e. Michael Davis, Bethany Anderson, Ed Bark, even Gordon Keith…etc.), educated, intellectually curious and seasoned in analytical information sorting with a work ethic and sufficient character to not re-distribute ‘that’s how I feel’ with fact and deliver the above with style and wit, I’d still say that blogs are the new kid in town to still be celebrated. But really, like the dot-com bubble, it’s fast becoming yesterday’s news source. A lot of people got bored reading suspect information with anonymous posted comments that were infantile and redundant. At some point it became a waste of time percent to total. My friends of all ages…20s, 30s, 40s, 50s on have said essentially the same thing.
Bottom line: I got tired of blogs. That is not a good sign because I was very excited by them two years ago.