Cote shines light on LeBatard’s moment

By MATTHEW POWELL

If anyone follows the Miami sport’s scene, you are sure to have heard of Dan LeBatard and Greg Cote. Both are long-time sports journalists and columnists who have been writing about the variety things going on in Miami sports for quite some time. The duo are also long-time friends both professionally and personally.

Recently, LeBatard became engaged to his girlfriend during a safari in Africa. This prompted him to tell his close friends and family, including Greg Cote. As the weeks progressed, LeBatard kept the news under lock and key for the public.

That all changed when Cote decided to risk his friendship with LeBatard for clicks on an article for the Miami Herald. Cote decided to publish a story announcing the news, without permission of the newly engaged LeBatard himself. This prompted a hilarious outbreak from LeBatard on his national radio show for ESPN in which he was suddenly flooded with texts of congratulations.

In this new age of clickbait, especially in relation to journalism, I thought this story was a funny, but legitimate, example of how far some journalists can go in order to secure clicks on an article. Even if those clicks sacrifice the relationship between a mentor and a mentee.