There’s a big difference between a journalist and your run-of-the-mill blogger — objectivity. While journalists (generally) abide by an ethical code that’s maintained to keep the integrity of their work, bloggers tend to get emotionally involved with their subject.
Case in point is Dennis Latta, a New Mexico Lobos beat writer for Loboland.com.
According to Latta, he’s been covering New Mexico basketball for more than 30 years, and, according to various reports across the internet he works as a freelancer for Loboland. Well, it seems that Latta may be a bit too emotionally involved with the team — and that would be even if he was a fan, much less someone covering the team.
On Friday Latta posted a column on the website in which he professes that, for the first time in his career, he had expectations for the Lobos. Likewise, it turns out that he’s so disgusted with the team after its 68-62 loss to Harvard that he’s finally calling it quits.
“I’ve been around Lobo basketball for 33 seasons,” wrote Latta. “For 32 of those seasons, I knew that UNM had a team that could fold and lose to anyone at any time. I never got my expectations too high because a collapse was possible anytime they walked out on that floor.”
Throughout the article, Latta alternates every paragraph with the one-liner “I was wrong.” However, it isn’t until the end of the piece that he announces his decision:
But I won’t be wrong again. It was a lot easier to take when expectations were lower. Losing was acceptable because UNM had almost always lost when it really counted. You didn’t have visions of greatness, only to have them dashed. After the pitiful performance UNM put up against a team that doesn’t even offer scholarships, I’ve given up. Having all five starters back next season means nothing on a team that can just disappear like that. I’d be back to wondering when it would collapse, have a terrible game and lose to an inferior team again.
No, I’ve had it. I’ve been to my last Lobo basketball game after covering the team for much of the last 33 years.
Good-bye Lobo basketball.
No word on whether Latta has rethought his decision after some time removed from the loss.
