One dinner. Four journalists. And you. Whom do you choose?

Mike Royko
Joe Murphy
Jason Whitlock
Red Smith

 

Jim Murray, Rick Bragg, Stephen Brunt, Red Fisher

 

One of these four is not like the others ...

 

David Halberstam
Ben Bradlee
Jim Murray
Dan Jenkins

 

Noah Trister, Steven Pivovar, Jon Gold and since we need a female, we'll invite Christa Turner

 

Pretty tough to argue with that quartet.

 

Anne Tyler, Ann Beattie, Mona Simpson, Ron Luciano

 

love this question....couldn't resist

Dave Sheinin, because he'll not only pick a great restaurant, but he'll sing with his supper, too
Wright Thompson, because no one can fill up a room with passion like he can
Jim Murray, for the memories
Geoff Calkins, because there isn't a better guy

 

Either you would sit there all night and listen to Bragg talk about himself, or he would send a minion to do the work for him. Zing.

 

One change for me:

David Halberstam.
Ben Bradlee.
Jim Murray.
Mike Royko.

And I would call Royko first.

 

David Halberstam, Red Smith, Jim Murray, Howard Cosell.

 

Cosell, that's interesting. I'm not sure the other guests would get to say a lot, though. There was a story -- don't know how true -- that Cosell once asked Red Smith how many great sportscasters there were and Smith said, "One less than you think."