True journalist at work

Stepping away from baseball a moment, let me tell you about Jon Pessah, my former editor at The Hartford Courant.

Jon taught me and so many others so much about being a good reporter with the emphasis on professionalism and the honoring of the craft. He still does teach, and lead by example; witness the outstanding work Jon and a staff of writers did last fall in an eye-opening series on the roots of the steroid scandal in baseball published last fall in ESPN, The Magazine.

Now Jon is doing the reporting, on the allegations of rape at Duke and the scandals ramifications for the university and the surrounding community, for ESPN, The Magazine, and ESPN.com.

It's a story that has everything, and will eventually go a long way in narrating America's next chapters on race, class, privilege and the media's approach to sensational stories.

If you want to see it interpreted well, check out Jon's work, beginning with his article on ex-Duke lacrosse player Matt Zash of the Philadelphia Barrage. I did - because I will always want to continue to see one of the good guys - and great journalist - do this job the right way.