Why is Joe McLaughlin such a sourpuss? I don't recall reading any column by
him that didn't sound like it had been written after someone stepped on his
toe, or some other part of his anatomy.
 
First, all Cronin said (at least as reported by/complained about by
McLaughlin) was that Hannigan had become a friend and that he had kept his
confidences. Honorable people keep confidences; dishonorable people accept
information given in confidence and blurt it out to friends. (They're called
rumormongers or backstabbers.) Honorable reporters keep confidences;
dishonorable reporters accept information given in confidence and put it into
their news stories.
 
Second, Hannigan is not a reporter--at least that's not his primary role in
relation to Cronin and UMaine hockey. Hannigan is a play-by-play announcer
for the radio station that covers the Black Bears. I certainly don't expect
him to adopt an adversarial role in announcing the games, or in interviewing
the coach and players before and after the games. I don't expect him to be a
cheerleader for the coach or even for the team, but I see nothing in Cronin's
comments that indicates that Hannigan didn't do his job as a play-by-play
announcer properly and effectively.