Ace sports anchor Harvey was fair, balanced

It was surprising and disconcerting to learn last week that Bangor television station WLBZ 2 will not be renewing the contract of sports director Wayne Harvey.

Harvey has earned a reputation as a hardworking solid journalist over the last several years for his efforts on television and radio. That’s not surprising, given his Aroostook County roots.

Bangor Daily News reporters returning from various events would often comment on Harvey’s professionalism and ability to be at as many local events as possible.

He showed the same professionalism on the air, and always seemed to do his best to deliver local sports news, which is becoming more difficult for demanding viewers who also like to see a heavy dose of national sports news.

Harvey reported on lots of local sports stories even though it seemed he wasn’t allocated as many minutes as his counterparts at WABI 5 and WVII 7.

His reporting was fair, balanced and accurate.

Apparently, these traits of journalism were not enough for the folks at WLBZ.

“We have a couple different ideas on what we’d like to do with sports specifically, and since Wayne’s contract was up about the same time, we decided it was a good time to make that change,” WLBZ general manager Judy Horan said in a NEWS story. “Wayne is a good sports anchor and we certainly wish him the best. We’re all parting as friends, but we thought that given the changes we’re talking about, it would be best to do it with someone else.”

It will be interesting to see what those changes will be and how far they will go from the strong reporting base Harvey displayed. The world of sports journalism is taking on an uglier sub-par look these days as some media outlets lean toward those who are great entertainers – but poor reporters.

When that happens, it’s wise to either turn off your TV or change the channel – maybe Wayne Harvey will show up on that other channel.

– . –

OK, it was a poor decision by Boston Red Sox manager Grady Little to leave in tired ace Pedro Martinez in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees – a game the Red Sox went on to lose. OK, Little should have taken a harder line with pampered superstars Martinez and Manny Ramirez.

And OK, I can even understand the Red Sox owners’ reasons for firing Little on Monday, though I don’t agree with the decision.

However, please stop with the Grady “Gump” references. Please don’t try to convince me that Grady Little doesn’t know baseball. Don’t try to equate a southern accent with a lack of intelligence of the game.

Yes, sometimes Grady Little would use a double negative or say “good” when he should have said “well.” Maybe he could not articulate his baseball strategy as well he might have to an always-impatient media.

This, however, isn’t due to a lack of intelligence when it comes to the game of baseball. Little’s two seasons with Boston produced 188 victories and a trip to the American League Championship Series.

Before that, he was Boston’s bench coach for 1997-1999 before doing the same job in Cleveland in 2000-2001. It’s Little’s record in the minors, however, that shows the man knows his baseball.

In 16 seasons as a minor-league manager with the Orioles, Blue Jays and Braves, Little’s teams went 1,054-903. Those teams qualified for the playoffs eight times and won four league championships.

Little didn’t go to college after graduating from Garinger High School in Charlotte, N.C., in 1968. Instead, he served time with the Marine Reserves and toiled for six years as a minor-league ballplayer before entering the coaching profession.

At age 53, his managerial career in the major leagues is just beginning. He showed he could be a success in one of the most pressure-packed franchises in baseball, and he will certainly be offered a job managing another team.

The man does know baseball.

Sports editor Joe McLaughlin may be reached at 990-8229 or jmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net