Columbus Red's Fans

[Tools of Ignorance]

I wrote a letter to the Dispatch about how the editor wrote some disparaging remarks about Columbus Red's fans. He printed the letter below, with his response. However, he edited my letter and printed it without my permission. He deleted some sentences. This included my opinion that Columbus is more of a Red's town than an Indians town. Multiple polls by television stations in the city show that when the Indians are playing great, then the preference is about 50:50. However, when the results are about equal, the Reds are the favorite. In addition, he deleted my sentences that stated that UC basketball is downplayed disproportionately. I stated facts that UC basketball is listed under the "Ohio other" results. This means that UC games are listed after scores such as "Kenyon vs Ohio Northern" in the corner of the back page. This despite the fact that UC has been the best basketball program in the state over the last 15 years. XU has probably been the second best, with OSU third. Lastly, he deleted my references as to the immigrant nature of Columbus. Hardly anyone I know here is actually from Columbus, although almost all are from Ohio or West Virginia. This explains why I think there is a huge interest in other state schools.

The article is below.

http://www.dispatch.com/sports-story...507-E3-00.html

Mr. Stein: You had two passages about Reds fans in the Mailbox (last Sunday). In one, you said there are one or two Reds fans in Columbus. In the other, you implied that you get criticism about favoring the Indians over the Reds.

What initiated these comments? Do Reds fans complain about Tribe preference? Is it your opinion that Columbus is an Indians town? In my opinion, The Dispatch does a pretty good job with both teams initially. However, as the season progresses, you tend to bail if a team is playing poorly with little chance of making the postseason.

I always read The Dispatch with a feeling of "what if?" You often comment about not being able to cover everything due to funds, etc. I think that if you covered at least the Ohio teams well, it could be outstanding. This includes college football and basketball with Cincinnati, Miami, Bowling Green, Kent State, Toledo and OU.

I don’t mean to complain. You guys do a good job. The step to excellence is small. You are a short step to superiority.

— Mark Hogan, Worthington

Mark: Quickly, and in order: Yes, Reds and Indians fans complain regularly that we favor the other. Yes, we bail on losers, at least in terms of story placement. No, we can never cover UC the way The Enquirer does or Toledo the way The Blade does. Lastly, I appreciate your views on where we stand on quality, but remember that one man’s recipe for excellence is another’s recipe for disaster.

[reds1869]

Thank God I don't live in that town any more. If it's not tOSU, they don't care. There is also a sense that "Ohio" translates to Columbus; the rest of us are really not as important as they are. I've lived in all three of Ohio's major cities, and Columbus was easily my least favorite.

[Unassisted]

I read the Dispatch site more than any other Ohio newspaper web site, but it's definitely not on my list of sites to visit for Reds news. You were far too kind in your assessment of the paper's efforts on the Reds. The Clippers get more inches in the Dispatch sports section and Bob Hunter's columns rarely have any unique or provocative insight on the Reds.

If this was Jeopardy, that editor's response would be the answer to the question "When is an answer not an answer?"

[smith288]

Columbus aint a bad town. But some of the OSU fans sometimes think the college football world revolves around Columbus... I love my bucks but some of these fans are insufferable. I do wonder why Cincy is so anti-OSU at times though.

[reds1869]

Columbus aint a bad town. But some of the OSU fans sometimes think the college football world revolves around Columbus... I love my bucks but some of these fans are insufferable. I do wonder why Cincy is so anti-OSU at times though.

I always hear that Cincy is anti-OSU, but I haven't ever had that impression. With the exception of some rabid Bearcat fans, there is pretty much general indifference when it comes to the Buckeyes down here. I think some OSU people confuse lack of interest with dislike.

[RedsMan3203]

Cincinnati just aint as crazy as some of us Columbus Folk over those football Buckeyes...

I mean really - Who drives down at campus at 6 AM and tail gates and parties till the wee hours in the AM for a college football game?

ME!

[KittyDuran]

Jim Massie is the Dispatch Reds beat writer (and from Hamilton, IIRC). The unfortunate thing is that the newspaper's reporting of the Reds is very inconsistent now and is not worth the price of subscription. I can get the articles because my company gets the Sunday paper edition.

[StillFunkyB]

Thank God I don't live in that town any more. If it's not tOSU, they don't care. There is also a sense that "Ohio" translates to Columbus; the rest of us are really not as important as they are. I've lived in all three of Ohio's major cities, and Columbus was easily my least favorite.

I have as well, but Columbus was my favorite.

[RBA]

Maybe if the Reds advertised in the paper they might get more coverage. That's the way the world works.

[smith288]

Whats the Columbus (OH) Day thing the Reds are doing?

[TeamBoone]

Whats the Columbus (OH) Day thing the Reds are doing?

1/2 price tickets for residents of Columbus (and vicinity). I think it's next weekend.

And FWIW, I've never felt that Cincinnati was anti-OSU. They sell their stuff everywhere... I see more OSU stuff in the stores than Reds stuff. And if it didn't sell, I doubt they'd carry it year after year.

[wheels]

I remember when things were better.

I miss Mike Sullivan. Not just as a writer/editor (he was dyed in the wool Cleveland, but I couldn't tell), but he was a very good customer who became a friend.

The sports page hasn't been the same since he died.

[wheels]

1/2 price tickets for residents of Columbus (and vicinity). I think it's next weekend.

And FWIW, I've never felt that Cincinnati was anti-OSU. They sell their stuff everywhere... I see more OSU stuff in the stores than Reds stuff. And if it didn't sell, I doubt they'd carry it year after year.

Smart move.

The Reds need a bigger foothold here.

[DoogMinAmo]

Smart move.

The Reds need a bigger foothold here.

Encouraging for two reasons indeed: Signs of a marketing staff worth a damn, and signs of a desire to rebuild reds nation. I am curious to see what else will happen. Rumors on the media front have cooled since the pre-sale. I feel getting some Reds games(even a handful) on non-cable TV would go a long way.

[Caseyfan21]

I read that letter this morning and remember thinking I'm glad I'm not the only one thinking this. This is my second year going to tOSU and thus my second year reading the Dispatch on a daily basis. Last year wasn't a big deal since the Indians were doing well and the Reds were doing terrible. This year, however, the Dispatch Reds coverage is ridiculous. No, they do not bail on losers if the losers are from Cleveland. The epitomy of their coverage thus far this year was the Reds/Cards game that Arroyo won. I was pumped the next morning when I got my copy of the Dispatch thinking this is finally the day the Indians get stuck on the 4th page while the Reds get a cover story.

The front page had a picture of Arroyo on the top bar with a message that celebrated the win that also said to turn to the first page of the Sports for the story. I turn to the page and there's the Indian's recap about their loss to the White Sox. Sure enough, the Reds are 5 pages back with their big win.

I'm not saying the Dispatch should be a Reds paper, all I ask for is equal coverage. When the Indians consistently have a game recap and a notes article, while the Reds only get a game recap 5 pages back that is not equal coverage. I think their policy should be that if one team wins and the other loses then the winning team gets the front page. If both teams win just do short intro's and split the space. I am just tired of always having the Indians on the front page win or lose while the Reds are actually doing well and getting very little coverage. No wonder there are more Tribe fans in Columbus!