Post by RamapoValley on Aug 24, 2006 8:55:19 GMT -5
This is the letter that was sent to the Bergen Record, that did not make the newspaper.
Dear Darren,
>
> While I had never met you before you seemed to be a fair and reasonable
> person when I spoke with you. What I have trouble reconciling now is
> your article seemed to have a direction it wanted to take and the facts
> were placed to support that point without presenting the information in
> a balanced fashion. It appeared to me the purpose of the article was to
> tear things apart and not give an objective point of view. A few
> examples should suffice.
>
> You mentioned the lights were turned on late I assume to suggest that
> the league had no organization. Why else would you have put in such a
> trivial fact. You failed to mention the lights only needed to be turned
> on at about 7 PM because a thundershower moved in and it got dark out. I
> think it took all of 5 minutes to get a volunteer down to turn the
> lights on. Of course it would not have served your purposes to point
> that out. You also failed to mention that the games were played on an
> exceptionally fine field that was manicured to perfection. Again, such a
> comment would not have supported your conclusion so why put that in?
>
> You then complained about the attendance at the tournament for the few
> games you attended. Of course you would not want to point out that the
> average temperature for the tournament was about 100 degrees and only
> players or coaches or very devoted friends or family members would ever
> attend under such circumstance. But again, pointing that out would not
> have supported your story of amateur baseball in collapse. Moreover,
> does it really matter if people attend a game to watch. What does that
> have to do with the quality of the game? I hardly think amateur baseball
> is the only thing that has suffered in this age of constant and diverse
> forms of entertainment. But again, why point that out, it would not
> support you point.
>
> The next item you pull out of your bag of tricks is in the "a picture is
> worth a thousand words" category. The picture you show of the tournament
> was choreographed to convey the impression you wanted. Instead of
> showing one of the many nice plays in the tournament or the fine
> facilities you fond the most unflattering picture you could and showed
> that in the article. Again, to convey the message you wanted? Why not
> mention the fine play and the exciting nature of most of the games. Why
> not mention the fact that Ramapo Valley and Cresskill fought it out in
> two very well played and exciting games for the championship. Watching
> the games it did not seem to me that they cared if anyone was watching
> or that the temperature was 90 degrees plus.
>
> Also, you describe Hackensack as the most respected and decorated
> franchise in the league. While I respect their team and history you seem
> to ignore the fact that Cresskill and Ridgwood have been in the league
> for over 20 years. In addition Ramapo Valley has been in for over 10
> years. All these teams have won numerous league, state and regional
> championships. They are still here. Between Cresskill, Ridgewood and
> North Haledon you have over 60 total years of amateur play. But again,
> why would you want to mention that impressive statistic?
>
> Finally, you fail to mention that your papers coverage of any amateur
> baseball, at any age group, during the summer has evaporated for the
> last 5 years or so. Your paper instead spends time diagramming golf
> holes, writing about catfish and poker.
>
> Is amateur baseball the same as it was. No. Does that mean it is bad.
> No. Instead of trying to tear something down maybe just once it might be
> nice for your paper to give some kudos to people who have spent there
> lives volunteering to keep amateur baseball going under many difficult
> circumstances. Maybe some day you will do an article that looks at that
> instead of what you turned out.
>
> In sum it is sad that a paper that produced the well researched and
> stellar articles on the Ford contamination in Ringwood should fail so
> miserably on a simple story on amateur baseball. I hope I am wrong but I
> do not think these words will ever see the light of day in an unedited
> from in your paper. But again, that would serve what I assume is your
> purpose.
>
> Angelo Cifaldi
>
> North Haledon Reds
Dear Darren,
>
> While I had never met you before you seemed to be a fair and reasonable
> person when I spoke with you. What I have trouble reconciling now is
> your article seemed to have a direction it wanted to take and the facts
> were placed to support that point without presenting the information in
> a balanced fashion. It appeared to me the purpose of the article was to
> tear things apart and not give an objective point of view. A few
> examples should suffice.
>
> You mentioned the lights were turned on late I assume to suggest that
> the league had no organization. Why else would you have put in such a
> trivial fact. You failed to mention the lights only needed to be turned
> on at about 7 PM because a thundershower moved in and it got dark out. I
> think it took all of 5 minutes to get a volunteer down to turn the
> lights on. Of course it would not have served your purposes to point
> that out. You also failed to mention that the games were played on an
> exceptionally fine field that was manicured to perfection. Again, such a
> comment would not have supported your conclusion so why put that in?
>
> You then complained about the attendance at the tournament for the few
> games you attended. Of course you would not want to point out that the
> average temperature for the tournament was about 100 degrees and only
> players or coaches or very devoted friends or family members would ever
> attend under such circumstance. But again, pointing that out would not
> have supported your story of amateur baseball in collapse. Moreover,
> does it really matter if people attend a game to watch. What does that
> have to do with the quality of the game? I hardly think amateur baseball
> is the only thing that has suffered in this age of constant and diverse
> forms of entertainment. But again, why point that out, it would not
> support you point.
>
> The next item you pull out of your bag of tricks is in the "a picture is
> worth a thousand words" category. The picture you show of the tournament
> was choreographed to convey the impression you wanted. Instead of
> showing one of the many nice plays in the tournament or the fine
> facilities you fond the most unflattering picture you could and showed
> that in the article. Again, to convey the message you wanted? Why not
> mention the fine play and the exciting nature of most of the games. Why
> not mention the fact that Ramapo Valley and Cresskill fought it out in
> two very well played and exciting games for the championship. Watching
> the games it did not seem to me that they cared if anyone was watching
> or that the temperature was 90 degrees plus.
>
> Also, you describe Hackensack as the most respected and decorated
> franchise in the league. While I respect their team and history you seem
> to ignore the fact that Cresskill and Ridgwood have been in the league
> for over 20 years. In addition Ramapo Valley has been in for over 10
> years. All these teams have won numerous league, state and regional
> championships. They are still here. Between Cresskill, Ridgewood and
> North Haledon you have over 60 total years of amateur play. But again,
> why would you want to mention that impressive statistic?
>
> Finally, you fail to mention that your papers coverage of any amateur
> baseball, at any age group, during the summer has evaporated for the
> last 5 years or so. Your paper instead spends time diagramming golf
> holes, writing about catfish and poker.
>
> Is amateur baseball the same as it was. No. Does that mean it is bad.
> No. Instead of trying to tear something down maybe just once it might be
> nice for your paper to give some kudos to people who have spent there
> lives volunteering to keep amateur baseball going under many difficult
> circumstances. Maybe some day you will do an article that looks at that
> instead of what you turned out.
>
> In sum it is sad that a paper that produced the well researched and
> stellar articles on the Ford contamination in Ringwood should fail so
> miserably on a simple story on amateur baseball. I hope I am wrong but I
> do not think these words will ever see the light of day in an unedited
> from in your paper. But again, that would serve what I assume is your
> purpose.
>
> Angelo Cifaldi
>
> North Haledon Reds
