Grantland so far

Bentonville, Arkansas. You're on the air with Bill Simmons

 

As have most people here, I've come across some stuff at Grantland that did not meet the lofty expectations I'd been holding for it. (A piece on the inconsistencies of the MPAA movie-ratings board? Really? How original. Never read that piece before.)

As have most people here, I've come across some stuff there that has been really, really good. (If extremely navel gazing. But still, really, really good.)

And, like most folks here, I'd love to be a part of it. Really. Admit it. It's the new "it" thing in our industry -- no matter how you feel about the site, having a piece there would be a good thing.

So, I have this thing that just might use the word "I" enough times to be a Grantland piece. But how to get it seen by the folks in charge? Who looks at submissions? Hey, I can do my own legwork: I contacted three folks who write for Grantland.

One, I knew through phone and email for years, a good contact. We used to critique each other's stuff, even though he was on his way toward becoming a big name and I am definitely on the smallish side of a medium name (OK, maybe on the medium side of a small name). The past year or two my annual emails have gone unreturned. I don't know if that means anything or we've just drifted on. I'm not too worried about it. But he writes for Grantland, so I checked with him.

Next guy I can't claim to know in any way, but he was nice enough to respond to a similar request for help in the past on something else, so I tried again on this. Reached out to him asking for Grantland contact info.

Third person was the only person who has written something on Grantland for whom I could find an email address, and so I sent a cold email just asking for contact info on submitting stuff.

Not a thing back from any of them. Nothing. Now, it could mean nothing. But anecdotally, I wonder if there isn't some thing there about not giving out the contact info.

I wonder if it's a "Don't even try to come to us. We'll tap you on the shoulder if we think you're cool enough" thing.

Now, it could just be me. (Is it me? It could be me.)

But I wonder if Simmons -- who is still bitter at having been on the outside, years ago, who so identifies with Daniel San it's become a running gag -- has subconsciously morphed into the Cobra Kai.

 

I I just I don't I want I to I read I a I first-person I account I on I every I single I topic I. Have I some I breadth I of I knowledge I. Who I the I hell I is I Jay I Caspian I Kang I, and I why I in I the I WORLD I should I I I care I what I I I he I I I has I I I to I say I about I the I first I time I he I listened I to I Amy I Winehouse I. I Pretentious I crap I.

Read between the lInes.

 

I don't know Jay Caspian Kang from a hole in the ground, either. But there are writers whose opinion and insight I take seriously because of who they are.

 

Personally, I feel that this:

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6790592/instruction-manual

... is first-person writing done right. And on a seemingly obscure, boutique topic, no less.

The seemingly is the key part.

 

Weinreb aslo wrote the Renee Richards feature, which may be my favorite Grantland piece thus far.

 

For a dude who's had some thin skin in the past, Simmons' "write simmonsisafuckingshamelesshomer@aol.com" footnote made me guffaw. If nothing else, I find his writing more natural now that he can work blue.

 

So everyone at Grantland writes their stories on iPads?

 

Kind of fitting since Grantland doesn't seem to know who it wants to be either.

 

I really liked that. My brothers and I wasted tons of hours playing that game as well as the Staits Pro football, boxing, horse racing and auto racing games. Brought back some memories for me.

I really liked the story on the NYT wedding announcements. Had no idea that even existed.

 

I hope people are noticing that some of the stories they offer up as examples of the site's most blatant excess also get mentioned as the favorite stories of others.

 

As one of those people...it just goes to show that everyone looks for something different. Funny how that works, though.