SheedSoNasty

I'm surprised more people don't have this as their avatar.

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Paxil

Has there EVER been an Oregonion columnist people here liked? I can't recall it. (George Pasero) I don't know what it is... columnist envy... or what... but in general... just about every Blazer fan I know has had a problem with them all. I can understand taking issues with views or columns... but dang... we don't know them personally any more than we know the Blazer players, and I for one am fine with that.

The difference between Hap and Canzano (well... one) is that Canzano did his 4+ years in school studying journalism, did his time as an intern paying is dues, and worked his way up into the position he is in now. Kudos to him... it's the American way... but certainly Hap and we all can disagree with his opinions too. Columnists are easy targets... if he can get 50% to like what he is writing... he is probably doing a stellar job. There will be another 25% that hate everything he writes... probably the people that care the most of about the blazers... you know... the people that hang out here... =)

You have to take it for what it is worth... a perspective. Just one... and one that is biased with his particular leanings. BUT... he is a columnist... he is supposed to have a view, he isn't supposed to just report. I guess our job is to rip everything he says apart... and thus... maintain the balance of the force. =)

Dan

well, if what canzano does is after 4 years of "learning", thats a sad state of affairs.

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A Buddhist walks up to a hot dog vendor and says "Make me one with everything".

when will the loss of life end?

The world respects the power of our example, not an example of our power.

I'd like to say I made this, but I didn't

Masbee

Such a generous and kind assesment.

Sadly, its all for naught.

Some of those that despise Canzano don't do so because he is an overly opinionated hard edged columnist. It is because he is fast and lose with the facts, is a writer who covers sports, yet clearly doesn't love sports - certainly not pro basketball - and allows that ambivilance to corrupt his view, has little interest in putting in the hard work required to understand all that is relevant to what he is writing (example - his lack of comprehension of the CBA), and is an ambitious guy focused as his number one objective on creating "stories" that might earn him recognition or prizes (as opposed to illuminating readers).

Is he a good writer? He can be. But, of what use is "good" writing if you can't really trust the information? Ask Oprah.

Is he sometimes right? Sure. But, again, of what use is that, when you can't know whether he misunderstood something, guessed, or found a genuine nugget?

alext42083

Just wanted to add a note... Canzano never studied journalism in college. He actually got an English degree.
But he's certainly paid his dues, I'll give him that. It's a lot harder than most people think, being in the newspaper business.
Anyway, I agree that Canzano's view is just his perspective or whatever angle he feels will cause the most debate. Amid all the "negative" views he has, he has actually done a few good things that people tend to forget -- sharing the stories of Victoria Roberts (the 8-year-old who had aplastic anemia), Blazer Betty and "JT and his family."
I get the feeling sometimes that his critics are like his columns about the Blazers. Always emphasizing the negative parts, but never given credit when something good was done. Sort of ironic, but oh well.

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barfo

From where?

Yep. Takes a toll on the liver, drinking all day.

Those are fine things to write about, I suppose, but they have nothing whatsoever to do with the Blazers or even sports in general. If he wants to take Steve Duin's sob-story-of-the-day job, fine. Put him in the Living section and hire a real sports columnist.

barfo

zagsfan20

After meeting Canzano personally, he doesn't annoy me as much. Sure, he stirs the pot, but so does just about every other columnist out there. As much as a lot of people say they can't stand him, I'm sure you same people are reading his columns every morning.

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"I condemn remarks that are, in any way, viewed as anti-anything".
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Rodney Stuckey is the future of the league.

tlong

Why is it that you can be critical of Canzano, but I can't be critical of Barrett?

Dan

I'd suggest it's because you're holding MB up to standards that aren't applicable to him. He is not writing for an independant paper that isn't directly associated with a team. He is not a journalist in the purest sense. He does not have a journalism degree. He doesn't write for any publication.

So to be over critical of him (or just your normal self), and try to hold him to standards that aren't fair to him, and also are really pointless to hold him too, is stupid and self serving of fans to do it.

Don't like how he writes more glowing reports? NO problem. Just realize *thats what he's supposed to do*.

he writes for the team, who pays his salary. YOu think Canzano (or Quick, or ANY writer) is going to bite the hands that feeds him? Would you write a scathing report about Nike?

Um..no you wouldn't...because you're not that stupid.

__________________
A Buddhist walks up to a hot dog vendor and says "Make me one with everything".

when will the loss of life end?

The world respects the power of our example, not an example of our power.

I'd like to say I made this, but I didn't

tlong

That is just absolutely ridiculous. What standards are not fair to him or pointless to hold him to? If I see drivel I will call it drivel.

yakbladder

I'd write a scathing report about Nike. So?

Canzano is paid less to be a sports journalist and more to be a sports opinion-page writer. I think people sometimes confuse the two. He's not really reporting facts (as some certainly notice), he's really just formulating opinions. But the Oregonian wouldn't get rid of him. Why would they? On many boards there's a "Canzano sucks" thread just about once a week at least. This guy gets more publicity than a good writer ever would. The more of "Can you believe what crap Crapzano wrote?" the more people will read Oregonlive and the Oregonian to see what happened and viola..the vicious cycle of life is born!

Boob-No-More

BINGO! You hit the nail on the ugly bald head. Canzano isn't paid to be good. He isn't paid to be accurate. He isn't paid to present facts. He's paid to be controversial. Canzano isn't a journalist, he's Rona Barrett without the hair spray (or the hair). He's a rumor mongering muckraker.

The whole reason he's still employed is his bosses at the Oregonian are operating under the premise that controversy sells more papers than truth and accuracy. This is one former customer that begs to differ. Canzano has blurred the line between fact, opinion and personal agenda too many times for my taste and I voted with my wallet. I no longer buy the Oregonian, and won't as long as Canzano still works there. Yes, he's paid to generate controversy. Yes, he's paid to have an opinion. But, when he constantly gets the "facts" he bases his opinions on wrong he losses all credibility. When his only sources are "an unnamed source close to the team", and he continually falls back on, "I know more than I can tell" and expects us to just take his word for it, his opinions ring hollow and his agenda becomes transparent. I refuse to support his lazy, cheap, demeaning brand of "jounalism". I don't mind a columnist with strong opinions, even opinions I disagree with. In fact, I prefer someone with strong opinions - as long as those opinions have some basis in verfiable facts.

Unfortunately, in these days of the internet, excerpts from Canzano's blog and column get picked up by other web sites and passed along as if they are fact. His negativity spreads like wildfire. In spite of all the positive moves the Blazers have made recently, they can't shed the Jailblazers image when Canzano's vitriol continues to spread like a virus. It's very unfortunate, but this hack has way to much influence in shaping the national media's opinion of our team, our players, our management and our town. His petty sniping makes us all look bad, and I don't like it.

BNM

Dan