DPON, We Hardly Knew Ya

This is going to be one of those items that only long-time readers will care about. 

Dana Pennett O'Neil is (was?) a writer for the Daily News.  Her specialty -- outside women's basketball -- has been keeping alive the idea that the local media sucks by writing completely asinine stories like the one about how Andy Reid's kids are going to die and it will pretty much be his fault because he won't quit his job and the other one about how Penn State's Austin Scott is an angel despite being on trial for rape and isn't it convenient that she interviewed him right before the judge's gag order kicked in so the other side wasn't allowed to say anything in response.  Not even a hint of balance in that one.

All of which, of course, led all rational observers to predict that O'Neil would be on the fast-track to stardom, since you don't make it to the top any more by doing solid, sober reporting.  No, you make a splash, scream a lot, and get your own tv and radio deals. 

I went so far as to predict:

Look, I've never met this person, but we've seen enough of her reporting now to figure out the trend.  Call it the Stephen A. track.  And I will be shocked if she's not a significant national figure on ESPN within four years.   

So of course, I'm clicking around ESPN.com this morning reading about the tournament and guess what I saw.  Yep.  She's right on track.  A quick look at her archives is illuminating.  O'Neil has contributed columns to ESPN in the past, but they were always as a special contributor.  Starting January of this year, she's now just part of ESPN.com.  The timing all matches her staff page on the Daily News website, as well as this item confirming her departure.

(And Dennis from Downingtown, you're an idiot.)