I don't think NBA sportswriters work as hard as they should

As a journalist I can explain where this is coming from...

most good sports writing has gone done the toilet for two reasons...

one, most sports journalists are sports fans first and journalists second.... there is no balance to this and it affects their abilities. Sometimes they are journalists first and sports fans second.

The Rockets.com writer has balanced this, but he's horribly pro Rockets and shouldn't be considered a journalist. He's a copy writer for their Web site. He's got a lot of integrity considering who signs his pay checks. But take into account that he gets more access to the organization, which allows him to work faster than other people.

Most journalists today, sports or metro reporters, are being governed by a lack of resources. Money and Time.

The money means less traveling and less reporters on staff... this means more work is put on the shoulders of one writer. This causes burn out, cramps up creativity and generally makes life miserable.

The time issue is also a key factor. When you're on deadline and you have more work, you cut corners. We all do in these situations.

The lack of quality in journalism has happened in all fields and unfortunately, the worst has yet to come. Soon more interns will be used who don't know their asses from their pen and more and more real journalists will be sent packing because publications and their budgets are ever thinning as we move forward into the future.