Give Credit Where Credit Is Due, Dude!

In the blog world, you don’t just take—you take and give credit where it’s due. It’s an unspoken rule, a common courtesy among writers. That’s why it’s frustrating when that standard is ignored, especially when it comes to something original.

Anyone following Bleeding Yankee Blue knows that we were the first to suggest Anthony Rizzo could transition into a Player-Coach role with the Yankees in his most recent situation of still not being signed. It was a fresh idea, not a rehashed take. With Rizzo still unsigned and seemingly nearing the end of his playing career, we put the concept out there in our piece, COULD RIZZO EVOLVE INTO A PLAYER-COACH ROLE WITH THE YANKEES? We took a stance, published it, and moved forward. The recognition we received from Newsweek was significant—bigger than many publications out there.

Then, as expected, others started picking up the idea, linking to our post and giving us credit. That’s how it should be done. But not Fansided, and not Joseph Kallan. They simply took the idea, ran with it, and pretended they were the first to come up with it.

A simple search will confirm where this idea originated. So why not acknowledge it? Why publish the line: “While Rizzo may never return to the All-Star form that helped the Chicago Cubs win the 2016 World Series, his future in baseball might not be over. A different path could lead him back to the Yankees—not as a player, but as a coach.” without any attribution? The right thing to do is hyperlink it, give the original source credit, and allow readers to see where the concept came from. But Fansided knew that and chose not to do it. My opinion.

So, we’re not playing nice anymore with Joe Kallan and Fansided. No more attribution for you. Ideas float around in this space, but when someone pioneers something new and thought-provoking, it’s special. We did that at Bleeding Yankee Blue, and we did it originally. Not only did we write about it first, but we also acknowledged Newsweek when they gave us credit after the fact, because that’s what your do. We even revisited the topic in another piece that generated even more readership than our initial article. That’s when Fansided decided to jump in—because they had missed the boat.

In this industry, there’s one thing you always do: acknowledge your sources. A shoutout, a link back to the original piece—basic blogging etiquette. Fansided failed to do that, and now, they’re on our list. Plain and simple. We may not have the biggest readership, but we have a fiercely loyal Bleeding Yankee Blue/Yankee fanbase. For 15 years, we’ve built something special, without big corporate backing—just dedication and passion. And that speaks volumes.

And so what’s the message? Don’t be a bully. I don’t care if you are a Hofstra Grad or went to a Community College. You messed up. You now have your chance to do the right thing. Make it right.

Like This? READ THIS:

RIZZO, WE HAVE YOUR OFFER RIGHT HERE

COULD RIZZO EVOLVE INTO A PLAYER-COACH ROLE WITH THE YANKEES?