S.L. Price on Mike Coolbaugh

My library got it in already. I would imagine if you go to a Borders or Barnes and Noble you'll find it. They seem to put books out the weekend before their release date quite often.

 

I feel the same way when I'm in my element - an auto race - and Lenox Rawlings comes in for his two or three racing assignments of the year and just blows me way out in the weeds. Makes me wanna heave my laptop into a wood chipper.

 

excessive humility is unbecoming. it's not nuclear physics. not magic. you could do it if you had the time and resources.

 

So is excessive douchebaggery.

 

Did you just call him a douchebag 1.5 years after his post?

I think this might be my favourite post ever.

 

Um, his post was made 30 minutes ago.

This is hardly the only thread he's been a douchebag on.

 

Ummmmmmmmmmmmm, no. And this isn't directed specifically at nitro. Maybe he can do it for all I know. But in general just saying all someone needs is the time and resources to write as well as S.L. Price is more wrong than peeing in your own mouth.

 

if you don't think you can do as well you're in the wrong business.

SL Price is a good writer. not great.

 

Again, no reason for an individual not to think he can do just as good.

However, in most cases, that individual cannot. S.L. Price isn't great just because.

 

there is absolutely nothing wrong with acknowleding another sportswriter is on a different level than we are, no matter how accomplished we may be. nothing!

it's akin to a very good player acknowledging a hall of famer is on a different level. same deal.

in '94, the jets acquired boomer esiason from the bengals. boomer was the best interview in the nfl at the time -- the year before, the jets writers had boomer on the obligatory conference call the wednesday before a jets-bengals game. he was so good we asked the jets p.r. guy if we could get boomer before every game, no matter the jets opponent.

so soon after the jets acquire boomer, we learn gary smith has been hanging around boomer to do a cover piece on boomer, his dad norman and boomer's son gunnar, who had been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis a year earlier.

those of us on the beat freaked. the world's greatest sportswriter taking on football's best interview? how could we ever compete?

we couldn't, of course. i rationalized that gary couldn't write a 250-word notebook as well as i could.

sorry, i'm not being overly humble to say i could not write pieces like gary smith or s.l. price if i had a year to concentrate on it. i'm good at what i do, sure. but i am nowhere nearly as gifted as they are.

and it is a gift.

 

taste in writing is subjective.

you may not think you're writing as well as smith or price - but a lot of readers might. you could make a case that their 'high literate' style is obsolete - doesn't work in this world of multi-platforms and 24/7 'news' and shrill commentary.

i like price's work - though not smith's - and am looking forward to reading price's new book. it would be nice to have two years and a fat advance to write about a minor league coach killed by a line drive. like shooting fish in a barrel.