Over the last six years Marcos Breton has carved out a career as one of the most read columnists in Northern California.
Breton who began his career at the San Jose Mercury news has never been afraid of controversy.
Since becoming a columnist for the Sacramento Bee’s sports section in 2001, Breton’s columns have frequently drawn criticism and praise from readers.
In 2006 the Bee ran a segment entitled “Breton has defenders, detractors.”
In the segment Steve Silva said , “It is good to see more people are writing to the Bee about Breton. His Columns are basic, devoid of thought or real analysis and generally shortsighted, and his opinions border on bitterness mixed with hatred.”
With strident criticism of such ballyhooed stars like Barry Bonds and Terrell Owens, Breton has drawn the ire of many a sports fanatic.
After Bonds retired amid the accusations of steroid use from the BALCO scandal, Breton wrote a column on Sept 14. 2005 where he described the effect on Giant’s fans at PacBell Park…
“Apparently, drinking the Kool-Aid and worshiping a false Messiah is not quite as appetizing as it once was to the masses that made this stadium the home office for sellouts, the headquarters of demand outstripping supply.”
“Apparently, drinking the Kool-Aid and worshiping a false Messiah is not quite as appetizing as it once was to the masses that made this stadium the home office for sellouts, the headquarters of demand outstripping supply.”
Breton’s style is often abrasive and combative which can be attributed to his 15 years of experience as a Metro reporter.
In his column on Oct 18. Breton said, “advocates for the homeless such as Mark Merin are not actually solving the problem of homelessness by creating a “Tent City”
Breton says that many of the homeless “want to be free man.”
The “Tent City” that Breton refers to was organized by Merin an Attorney and Joan Burke of Loves & Fishes to provide a place for homeless people in Sacramento.
Breton says, “I’M Catholic, I’M as compassionate as the next person” but many of the homeless ”don’t want help.”
Breton also drew flack from Professors Stan Oden and Lila Jacobs in 2008 when Breton “commended President Alexander Gonzales on his Stewardship of the University” amid massive budget cuts to the university.
For his work as a reporter and columnist, Breton was given the Community Service Award by the La Raza lawyers association in 2007.
As a life long sports fan Breton likes competition and says that there are many people in the news-business who don’t like competition.
Breton says that part of the problem is that papers such as the Bee publish their employee cuts while other organizations like KCRA do not.
Breton says "this contributes to the perception that Newspapers are dying" ; however as newspapers struggle to adapt to the changing world of media in the new century Breton is optimistic.
“We’re not going away” he says, “There are 14,000 dailies and only 15 folded.”
Breton says "this contributes to the perception that Newspapers are dying" ; however as newspapers struggle to adapt to the changing world of media in the new century Breton is optimistic.
“We’re not going away” he says, “There are 14,000 dailies and only 15 folded.”
While Breton’s style may not appeal to everyone he at least gives his readers something to chew on and occasionally pushes the buttons of the establishment which is the hallmark of a good journalist.
