The Scoop: Is the World Wide Web big enough for football fans?

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The Scoop

A blog about what's new and changing on sacbee.com

September 5, 2008

Is the World Wide Web big enough for football fans?

Can't Raiders and 49ers fans just get along?

That's what I want to know.

On Thursday, I showed Bee Sports Editor Bill Bradley plans for the football section in the upcoming redesign of our Web site. The page would twin coverage of our "local" professional teams, the Raiders and 49ers. Bill would get everything he's been asking for - live scores, schedules, rosters, leader boards, standings, videos and prominent real estate for our popular Raiders and 49ers blogs.

Was he a happy man? No.

He looked at me like I'd just invited Planned Parenthood to Bristol Palin's wedding. "You can't have Raiders and 49ers on the same page!" he hollered.

I did my best Gary Coleman impersonation: "What you talkin' about, Willis?"

"Raiders and 49ers fans hate each other," he said. "They don't want to see anything about the other team."

Now, admittedly, I'm not that much into football. When I go to a game, it's to eat bad food and drink beer. But I do love tennis. If I'm reading about my favorite player, Rafael Nadal, do I cringe at the mere mention of his upstart rival, Novak Djokovic? No, I want to read about him, too. It helps me size up Rafa's upcoming competition.

I'd think football fans would want to read about both their favorite teams and the teams they love to hate.

In any case, sports editor Bradley is taking his case to our boss, Managing Editor Tom Negrete, for a ruling on the best approach to football coverage on the new site.

Like a good tennis player, I'll abide by the ruling from the chair.

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The Scoop is a blog where the managers of sacbee.com talk about new initiatives and our plans for sacbee.com. You can reach us by at the e-mail addresses below or you can comment on our postings or our forum.

Tom Negrete joined The Bee in 1994 and was named managing editor for online in March 2008. E-mail him at tnegrete@sacbee.com.

Blaine Wasylkiw is The Bee's Director of Digital Media, overseeing the interactive efforts of the company. His e-mail is bwasylkiw@sacbee.com.

Ken Chavez has worked at the Sacramento Bee for more than 20 years. He's served as the assistant managing editor for interactive media since October 2005. You can e-mail him at kchavez@sacbee.com.