And yet, here you are, bemoaning the fact that Deadspin, Splinter, ThinkProgress, et. al. have gone belly up. Or been shuttered, take your pick. But then you tear down ‘liberal intellectuals’ because we somehow manage to keep a roof over our heads.

When I got into journalism 40+ years ago, I wanted to cover my local sports teams. Then, an editor suggested I write for the Editorial page, since my sports columns were popular. So, that’s how I ended up writing spots like I do on here (and earlier on another blog site). I never got into the profession to make money or become rich or famous. I’ve achieved some notoriety, which I’m fine with, but mostly for my athletic success and the fact that I’ve been able to keep my life in order even with a lifelong disability.

So, be careful when pigeon-holing us into some warped version of Woodward & Bernstein. We’re not. They were ‘crime beat’ reporters in 1972. That’s what they uncovered in their reporting. A crime. Good reporters are detectives. We almost have to be.

Consolidation has made it difficult, if not next to impossible, for young reporters to gather ‘facts’ and present the “best attainable version of the truth,” as Bernstein puts it. That is where we are at today.