Jason Cole has been breaking stories about the NFL for a few weeks and apparently a few coaches are not happy with the Yahoo reporter. First it was Bill Parcells who to umbrage with a story that Jason Taylor and the Dolphins were parting ways, and now it's Denver Coach Mike Shanhan who's pissed.....

The story added the security personnel were hired because "Broncos coach Mike Shanahan had been hiring spies to videotape Chargers practices." The story also said the NFL had been aware of the videotaping, that a league official had seen one of the tapes and no action was taken because the NFL had considered the matter "a team issue."

In a letter addressed to Yahoo senior NFL writer Jason Cole and sent to the company's corporate headquarters in Sunnyvale,

Calif., Shanahan's attorney, Harvey Steinberg, of Denver, called the paragraph regarding Shanahan in the original story "completely untrue and without foundation."

Copies of the letter also were sent to Yahoo CEO Jerry Wang, president Susan Decker, co- founder David Filo and executive vice president and general counsel Michael J. Callahan.

The letter goes on to say "Coach Shanahan has never engaged in any such practice, let alone even discussed the possibility of any such activities. As a result, this article is defamatory and libelous."

I don't know Jason Cole so I don't have any reason to think he's making stuff up, and he seems to be sticking by his sources and stories which is good.

The ass kissing that reporters have to do at times to break stories amazes me and if Cole is going to disregard that practice to give us the facts, he may have just gained a reader. Plus getting a sued is one of my goals, so I need tips.

Shanahan denies spying allegation (Rocky Mountain News)
Parcells Disputes Yahoo! Claim (Phin Phanatic)

One of the most well-known and respected Business magazine, Fast Company took a look into some of the work that Yahoo! has done to re-brand itself in the Sports World. The whole thing is a pretty good read but the best part is the quotes from those involved.....

The contrasts between Yahoo Sports and ESPN.com give it all the trappings of a classic rivalry. ESPN has only taken baby steps into the blogosphere and lags in fantasy sports, but overall has an enormous built-in advantage: It televises the games themselves, both on its nine U.S. TV networks and online. "We don't see ourselves as simply a Web site, but as a network that goes across digital," says ESPN's John Kosner, senior VP and GM of digital media. "I don't think there's much question among sports fans who offers the best content."

Yahoo Sports may never rival ESPN in terms of scope. But it doesn't have to as long as it feeds the larger Yahoo effort to reinvent itself. Pitaro says he speaks to Jerry Yang regularly, and the CEO believes that sports is a bellwether of what's possible if major categories such as news, finance, travel, and music are also category leaders. More people starting their day at Yahoo means more ads--and higher rates.

Yahoo Sports' team is taking it one game at a time. But sometimes they can't help but think big. "The vibe here is not timid," Silver says. "We're here to bust down the door and smack some people around."

Booyah! What's up now ESPN??? Michael Silver's coming for your ass!!! In all seriousness I don't really read either publication, but I think both are doing a great job of increasing their viewers. By the time ESPN realizes how to market their online game offerings though it could be a blowout.

All things considered it's pretty amazing the reversal of fortune that Yahoo! has achieved, and like I always say....more sources are better than just one.

Yahoo's Rally Cry (Fast Company)