Orlando Channel 6

Do you trust Channel 6's Ping on Dwight Howard report?

Dwight Howard is ready to sign a contract extension with the Orlando Magic and that signing is imminent.

This is what has been stated by WKMG Channel 6 sports anchor David “Ping” Pingalore, who reported earlier this week that a 2-year extension with the Magic has been ”all but signed by Howard.”  Ping also reported that Howard spent the Memorial Day weekend working out the details of signing an extension with the Magic.

The more I check into this story, the more I wonder if this wasn’t Ping jumping the gun — again.

I was brought back to earth on our radio show Tuesday morning as we giddily talked about how it appeared Dwight would soon sign an extension with the Magic. That’s when fellow Sentinel columnist Brian Schmitz came on the air and threw water on our celebration. He reminded us to take a chill pill because the report did come from, um, ”Ping.”

Oh yeah.

Love Ping. Think he’s entertaining. Think he’s funny. Just don’t think he’s very accurate.

Here’s the thing about Ping: You’d think he would tread very carefully on a story of this magnitude (Dwight signing a contract extension is, after all, the biggest news in this town), but I’m not so sure Ping really even cares if his report turns out to be wrong. He just likes people talking about him. I mean, seriously, how else is he going to get any air time on his station with the Casey Anthony trial underway and the beginning of hurricane season around the corner?

Question: Why didn’t Channel 6 lead its newscast with Ping’s report that Howard is going to sign an extension and stay with the Magic for at least four more seasons? Wouldn’t that be a huge national and local scoop for the station? Or do even Ping’s bosses know that his scoops often turn out to be dupes?

Let’s face it, you have to take Ping’s reports not just with a grain of salt but with the entire shaker. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Ping has turned the 11 o’clock news into the 11 o’clock guess.

Don’t forget, it was Ping who also reported last season that the Magic were  on verge of signing Chris Paul. And it was also Ping who reported that  UCF’s admittance into the Big East was imminent and could happen “within a week.” That was a year ago.

Do you trust Channel 6's Ping on Dwight - Orlando Sentinel Blogs

Dwight Howard is ready to sign a contract extension with the Orlando Magic and that signing is imminent.

This is what has been stated by WKMG Channel 6 sports anchor David “Ping” Pingalore, who reported earlier this week that a 2-year extension with the Magic has been ”all but signed by Howard.”  Ping also reported that Howard spent the Memorial Day weekend working out the details of signing an extension with the Magic.

The more I check into this story, the more I wonder if this wasn’t Ping jumping the gun — again.

I was brought back to earth on our radio show Tuesday morning as we giddily talked about how it appeared Dwight would soon sign an extension with the Magic. That’s when fellow Sentinel columnist Brian Schmitz came on the air and threw water on our celebration. He reminded us to take a chill pill because the report did come from, um, ”Ping.”

Oh yeah.

Love Ping. Think he’s entertaining. Think he’s funny. Just don’t think he’s very accurate.

Here’s the thing about Ping: You’d think he would tread very carefully on a story of this magnitude (Dwight signing a contract extension is, after all, the biggest news in this town), but I’m not so sure Ping really even cares if his report turns out to be wrong. He just likes people talking about him. I mean, seriously, how else is he going to get any air time on his station with the Casey Anthony trial underway and the beginning of hurricane season around the corner?

Question: Why didn’t Channel 6 lead its newscast with Ping’s report that Howard is going to sign an extension and stay with the Magic for at least four more seasons? Wouldn’t that be a huge national and local scoop for the station? Or do even Ping’s bosses know that his scoops often turn out to be dupes?

Let’s face it, you have to take Ping’s reports not just with a grain of salt but with the entire shaker. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Ping has turned the 11 o’clock news into the 11 o’clock guess.

Don’t forget, it was Ping who also reported last season that the Magic were  on verge of signing Chris Paul. And it was also Ping who reported that  UCF’s admittance into the Big East was imminent and could happen “within a week.” That was a year ago.

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