Columnists Worth Reading

Mark Whicker is great as others have already said. By the way, he works for the Orange County Register since no one mentioned that for the person asking the question.

 

Roberts, Simers and Norm Chad

 

I would be remiss if I didn't offer Mike Vaccaro of the NY Post.

I also like Ray Ratto of the SF Chronicle; Bill Plasche of the LA Times; Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe and, of course, Mark Whicker of the Orange County Register.

 

I don't want to name favorites, because I know these folks, every one of 'em. But I will say if the standard is "usually worth reading", then there are more columnists worthy of that designation than I actually have the time to read.

 

Ratto, Whicker, Posnanski, Ryan, Shelton and a few guys who almost never get mentioned: Dave Hyde, Jeff Schultz, Phil Sheridan.

 

Almost forgot -- and Troy Johnson.

 

I think Mike Vaccaro and Lisa (not 21) Olsen are the two best New York columnists. Lupica is the best when he wants to be but that's not very often anymore. I'm a fan of George Vecsey but that's mostly because I think he's a great guy and I usually agree with him. Anderson may be the most overrated columnist of all time. (He must be great if he's No. 2 to Red Smith!) Roberts, although you can see the talent, doesn't work for me at all. Seems like she tries so hard to be clever and turn phrases that the stories themselves get lost.

Whicker and Posnanski are probably my two favorites on a national level.

Now isn't this the point where the Saraceno fanboy usually stops by?

 

Steve Politi of the Newark Star-Ledger deserves entry in the New York columnists discussion. He's the only NY guy I read on a regular basis.

 

Thanks, Steve, I'll have to check out your stuff.

 

Hilarious.

 

Steve,
How many times do you read yourself before filing to the desk?
Because, that way you could say you read yourself multiple times a day.

 

I read Politi and Vaccaro regularly. Politi's solid ... and, no, I'm not related.