Here’s our last press release post of the year. I have a release which discusses the stories SI broke in 2009. And there’s a lot of good stuff there and there are links as well so you can look back or look for the first time. Here’s the release:
Sports Illustrated Group—The Source For Breaking The Top Sports Stories of 2009New York, NY (Dec. 31) – In 2009 the most talked about stories in sports were broken by the journalists from the Sports Illustrated Group. It was a year of journalistic coups for the award-winning staff at SI and SI.com, which reach a combined 32MM weekly through its literary platforms.On February 7, 2009, SI Senior Writer Selena Roberts and David Epstein revealed that baseball icon Alex Rodriguez had tested positive for steroids in 2003, in an expose described at the “Watergate of Sports,” which ultimately led to Rodriguez’s admission that he used performance enhancing drugs. The momentum of breaking news continued throughout the year with a flurry of news in December including Senior Writer Ian Thompson’s report that NBA Commissioner David Stern envisioned a time when women played in the NBA and also had Stern declaring his openness to legalized betting on NBA games. SI was also the first to report that University of Florida Coach Urban Meyer was coaching with an arachnoid cyst on his brain, which clearly impacted his recent decision to take a leave of absence from coaching. And on December 22, 2009 the Securities and Exchange Commission took action against Triton Financial Inc., the firm that co-sponsors the Heisman Trophy, for fraud involving NFL players, which was first reported by Staff Writer Pablo Torre on March 18, 2009. In fact, the SEC cited the story in its press release announcing its lawsuit against Triton.The constant drumbeat of breaking news from the SI Group also included an eye-opening expose from Epstein about the dangerous world of supplements that shook the $20 billion industry. SI’s Andy Staples was the first to write about an Ohio school district that cancelled all extra curricular activities, including all sports programs.The summer of 2009 was filled with breaking news from Sports Illustrated. In June, Thompson broke the news that Mikhail Prokhorov was interested in buying the New Jersey Nets and in July SI’s Don Banks was first with the news that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and then-suspended quarterback Michael Vick had met personally for the first time since Vick’s release from prison. Then in August, SI Senior Writer Grant Wahl was first to report that U.S. soccer star Landon Donovan had tested positive for the H1N1 flu virus. And in September, Senior Writer Jon Wertheim and Andrew Lawrence were first to report that the father of 17-year-old U.S. Open stand out Melanie Oudin had alleged in divorce proceedings that his wife had an affair with their daughter’s coach.In 2009, SI Senior Writer Jon Heyman was first with more than two dozen major stories including the recent thee-team, five player trade that brought Ron Halladay to the Philadelphia Phillies. Melissa Segura’s exclusive reports on the corrupt baseball recruiting practices at play in the Dominican Republic led to shake ups at MLB and the Washington Nationals front office. And it was SI.com staff writer Jimmy Traina who broke the news that The Who would perform at halftime of Super Bowl XLIV on the site’s “Extra Mustard” blog.SI.com’s Richard Deitsch broke major sports media news in 2009 including that President Obama would be interviewed by Fox Sports during its coverage of the 2009 All-Star Game. He also broke the story that Fox Sports had hired White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen to serve as a pregame and postgame analyst for the network’s World Series Coverage and was the first to report that ESPN hired famed British soccer announcer Martin Tyler to be their lead play-by-play announcer for the 2010 World Cup.Throughout the year, SI continued to be the choice of book publishers to deliver the hard hitting excerpts of soon-to-be-released works. SI was the place where we first read Joe Torre’s comments on the surprising rift with Yankees GM Brian Cashman; Landon Donovan’s startling opinions of his teammate David Beckham and Andre Agassi’s admission of using crystal meth and Isaiah Thompson’s controversial remarks about Magic Johnson.The following is a list of some of the major newsbreaks from Sports Illustrated and SI.com this year.– Torre recounts his bitter final day as Yankees manager and a surprising rift with GM Cashman, January 26, 2009– Sources tell SI Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003, Selena Roberts and David Epstein; February 7, 2009– Nationals prospect falsified identity, Melissa Segura; February 17, 2009– When signing a Dominican prospect, it’s buyer beware, Melissa Segura; March 2, 2009– The story behind Triton Financial, Pablo S. Torre; March 18, 2009– What You Don’t Know Might Kill You, David Epstein, May 18, 2009– Latest all-star list affirms proximity to recruits translates to success, Andy Staples, May 22, 2009– Weekly countdown: Are the Nets for sale?, Ian Thomsen; June 26, 2009– Obama to join Fox broadcast booth for All-Star Game, Richard Deitsch; July 12, 2009– Sources: Goodell, Vick met in New Jersey on Wednesday, Don Banks; July 23, 2009– Landon Donovan Has H1N1 Flu Virus, Grant Wahl; August 13, 2009– John Oudin’s divorce filing cites daughter Melanie’s coach, Jon Wertheim and Andrew Lawrence; September 9, 2009– The impact of an Ohio school district’s decision to cut sports, Andy Staples, September 17, 2009– Tyler tabbed by ESPN for 2010 World Cup announcing position; Richard Deitsch, October 18, 2009– Fox Sports adds Guillen to booth, Richard Deitsch; October 21, 2009– Isiah blasts Magic Johnson over criticisms in forthcoming book, Ian Thompson; October 22, 2009– First to report Andre Agassi says he used crystal meth; October 30, 2009– The Who to perform at halftime of Superbowl XLIV, Jimmy Traina; November 12, 2009– A Women’s Place Could Soon Be in the NBA, Ian Thompson; December 4, 2009– Stern Open to Legalized Betting, Ian Thompson; December 11, 2009– Phils reach three-team deal to get Halladay, send Lee to M’s, Jon Heyman, December 14, 2009
Good stuff. And feel free to click on the stories above.
