Borges suspended for two months

Globe sportswriter Ron Borges was suspended for two months for cribbing a Tacoma News-Tribune story in a column yesterday:

"The Globe does not tolerate plagiarism," (Globe Editor Martin) Baron said in a statement. "Extensive passages written by the Tacoma reporter were used verbatim in the column by Borges, and that is prohibited." ...

Dan Kennedy: I guess the biggest question is whether Borges will accept his punishment or quit the Globe.

David Scott: Borges Gets Off Easy:

It's really pretty simple once you choose to be a professional journalist. You accept the reponsibility of reporting the news or commenting on it and your lone charge from the journalism Gods is that you submit your own, unique, factually correct work. In short, your (written) word, is your bond to your readers.

The Boston Globe's Ron Borges broke his bond and his employers broke theirs as well by letting Borges off with what amounts to a forceful slap on the wrist. ...

Angela: Ron Borges is the MAIN REASON why I don’t read the Boston Globe sports page:

... At work, I also handle copy editing duties. I have to fix/correct/rewrite stuff all the time. Seriously, it's not that difficult to re-word stuff. If a moron like me can do it, I think Borges can take the five minutes to do it as well.

Bruce Allen links to more reactions.