PAUL VALENCIA: We're willing to explain why we do what we do

I received an e-mail the other day from a reader who went straight to the point, questioning my integrity and accusing me of being unethical.

That was fun.

Sarcasm aside, this is, sadly, the norm in our society these days. Upset with a decision that someone makes? Go straight to the name-calling or character assassination. That is a lot easier than asking for an explanation, a lot simpler than initiating a conversation.

Don’t take this wrong. We want feedback. We improve our product based on feedback. And we want to have conversations or e-mail exchanges with our readers. In fact, members of The Columbian Sports department will explain any decision we make in this business. Our phone numbers are published; our e-mails are easy to find.

Our work is to serve you, the reader. We will listen to your calls, read your e-mails. And, most likely, you will get a response.

There have been many instances when a reader has called to complain and by the end of the conversation, I would agree that I could have done better. Other times, I explain my thought process and the reader comes to understand my point of view. And sometimes, we agree to disagree, but regardless, both parties state their cases with respect.

And then there are e-mails like the one I got regarding our coverage of the Union softball team. The reader asked if I was related to the Dawson family from Union. Or if I was a fan of Union’s. She also wished other schools got as much press as Union.

So, to answer, no I am not related to the Dawson family. But after covering, extensively, the 4A and 3A softball districts, the 3A bi-district, and 4A and 3A state tournaments the past three weeks, all of those games came down to one final matchup, for third place in the 3A tournament between two Clark County schools.

The final score? 2-0, Union over Prairie. The pitcher who struck out 16 in a three-hit shutout? Mariah Dawson. The person who drove in the only runs of the game? Mariah Dawson. I’m guessing my bosses would have been upset with me if I had failed to mention her.

I also noted the two senior starters on that Union team. Plus, I mentioned players from Prairie. Had Prairie won the game, my guess is pitcher Jessi Duncan would have been featured. After all, she gave up zero earned runs in that third-place game. Or, if Mountain View had made it to the trophy game in the 4A tournament, the Thunder would have received more coverage in Sunday’s paper.

When it comes to coverage from the various state tournaments, we generally focus on the top finishers.

Trust me, if I had the power to determine the outcomes of these games, David Douglas in Portland would have won the past 20 Oregon state football titles.

The reader is correct that Union is getting a lot of press. After finishing second in the state in football, the No. 1 high school sport in terms of reader interest, then seventh in boys basketball, No. 2 in readership, the Titans have earned that coverage. Then this weekend, they had a couple of state champions in track and field, finished second in girls tennis — an event that took place in Vancouver — and placed third in softball, the best finish of four county teams at the 4A and 3A tournaments.

But the reader is wrong that other schools, other athletes, are neglected. Our features and columns this spring touched base with 11 schools.

It is all cyclical, too.

A longtime football coach from Vancouver who has seen great years and average years relayed to me a story from years ago, when a parent told him that she was a little embarrassed by how much coverage their team was getting. They were the best team in the area at the time, and The Columbian was constantly getting that team in the paper.

The coach smiled and told the mom, "Don’t be embarrassed. Enjoy it. Because there will be times, when our team isn’t as strong, when we won’t get as much coverage."

That is true for all sports, all programs. Union is on a roll right now in a lot of sports. And come next football season, it will be favored again. But my guess is Skyview is hoping to hand Union its first regular-season loss since 2007. And Camas and Columbia River will be trying to beat the Titans in league play.

We should be at those games. Don’t know who will win. Really, it doesn’t matter much to us. I just know we will report the results.

And we will explain our coverage to anyone willing to ask. We would all be much better off if our politicians were as open as we are.

Paul Valencia covers high school sports for The Columbian. He can be reached at 360-735-4557 or e-mail at paul.valencia@columbian.com.