Move over Roger Bannister, Muhammad Ali and Arthur Ashe, Dwyane Wade in da house

Here is the link for M & MD interview with Terry

http://www.wfan.com/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=180799

 

Mediaweek recently did a little interview with Terry McDonell....you can draw your own conclusions about whether SI is about marketing or editorial:

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/departments/magazines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003254801

 

It should indeed.

To quote Kenickie and the rest of the T-Birds, "tell me more, tell me more!"

 

That radio link is painful to listen to.

 

He sounds like John Goodman.

 

You just know Francesa is hitting the mute button and sniggering, 'Ten bucks says I make him cry...'

 

Sirs, Madames,

I put in for Federer last year. I'd put Oden ahead of Wade. I'd build a case around Troy Smith, Cannivaro, the Sumo grand champion, Barbaro, Ric Flair, almost anybody but SI's choice.

YHS, etc

 

You know, going back to Moger's original post, I've been thinking... My first instinct was to defend McDonell, probably because I, too, have a pathetic knowledge of sports and, I like to think, still manage to write sports okay.

I mean, every guy in every sports bar in America would beat me in a trivia contest, even if that guy was just lost and looking for directions to the nearest Olive Garden. (I love the Chicken con Broccoli, by the way.)

I've tried to improve my knowledge, have really worked at it, but there are still big, big holes -- college sports, for starters. (Christ, it's like learning a new language.) But in some ways, I think it's helped me, because it means I go into every story pretty fresh. I do a lot of research, get my grounding, and I write a profile of an athlete the way I'd write a profile about anyone else I've never met -- I try to find out something interesting about them, whatever it is that makes them tick, cast them in an important time and place, and away we go.

It also means that I never have to worry about what I think is the cardinal sin of sportswriting, and that's writing above the heads of your readers -- being so embedded in something you lose sight of its real meaning.

So, yeah, I was thinking of Terry the same way. But now I'm thinking herein lies one of the differences between writers and editors, particularly the editor of what is arguably the preeminent sports magazine in America. I really don't think you can do that job unless you care and know about sports. Even if you surround yourself with a tremendous staff, if you lack that basic love of the game, it's going to affect how you do your job, from your cover choices to the back page.

I'm not saying Terry isn't fit for the job, because I'm going solely by Moger's assertion. Moger could be completely off-base. But if he isn't, it makes for an interesting debate.

Sigh. I'm rambling. I just feel like this is the start of something big and I've been thinking out loud about it. My dog just got tired of listening.

 

Jones, I found one thing very disturbing about your post:
You actually eat at the fucking Olive Garden?

As for Moger's post, if McDonnell really is that clueless it proves one thing:
ESPN has lowered the bar and SI is trying to sink to the same level.

 

Well, I prefer the Macaroni Grill -- I like the build-your-own pasta, penne in the garlic cream sauce, with chicken, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes and garlic cloves -- but fuck yeah, I'll push through an Olive Garden till I'm shitting breadsticks.