Trib Shocker! Rays on Page A1 Again!

When I heard the Tampa Sports Authority was merely mentioning the topic of a baseball stadium, I knew where I could go for more information, no matter how trivial: Page A1 of the Tampa Tribune. Sure enough, the area's biggest new-stadium cheerleader had the story on its cover this morning.

It's not that a stadium contingency plan in Hillsborough County isn't news...it's that the Trib insists on sensationalizing stories like this.

The St. Pete Times covered the story too, but placed it in their "Tampa Bay" metro section. Why? Because it simply wasn't big news. The Times writes:

Mention of a new baseball stadium in the report is simply a nod to the ongoing discussion, not a bid, he said.

"People are trying to make more of it and connect dots that aren't there," Hart said. "We're not promoting that in any way."

Thank goodness for perspective in the Times, because it was desperately lacking in the Trib.

And adding to the embarrassment of their article, it's clear Michael Sasso's article, posted online Tuesday afternoon, went straight on the newspaper's front page Wednesday without passing through a single editor:

In the meantime, across the Bay, talks are under way on starting a Pinellas sports authority.

Pinellas County's Charter Review Commission is reviewing the county's charter with the state, which sets out rules of governance. The commission will discuss a sports authority at a meeting tonight.

The problem is the meeting was Tuesday evening. And the committee quickly shot down the idea of a sports authority. So not only did the paper print a blatant inaccuracy on its front page, but it didn't even bother to change "tonight" to "yesterday" for its Wednesday copy.

Little wonder why Tribune subscriptions are plummeting.