SB Nation pulls Daniel Holtzclaw longform piece

Funny stuff coming from a guy who has almost assuredly never met a daily deadline in his life.

 

I don't have anything against him and understand why that particular story wasn't what he was looking for (a magazine wound up buying it and I think everyone was happy), but it was just a bit awkward at the time. I was sort of waiting for "you're not without talent, but..." But the but never came.

 

The sad thing is if you read the early BASWs, he comes off as a supportive outsider helping everyone else take on the establishment. I'm not sure when the transition to fully insufferable took place but it's completely ruined the series, now and then, for me.

 

He rejected several of my pitches, too, but he was perfectly polite about it, essentially saying something to the effect that it wasn't a good fit, but good luck placing it elsewhere. Or maybe that was one of the rejection letters I've gotten from The New Yorker and I'm conflating the two.

 

A certain oft-criticized editor round these parts once told a good friend and talented/passionate former co-worker during a job interview, "You're not nearly as good as you think you are." That was many years ago, and I never forgot it. Needless to say, I have not been disappointed to see said editor's missteps over the years. It's not difficult to be a decent human being, but too many people struggle with it.

 

Can't imagine ever saying that in a job interview, but then, I think we've all known editors who could make an ax murderer look compassionate.

On the other hand, I must admit I once said that to a writer, but it was a stringer whose attitude was writing checks his ability couldn't cash, ranting about how an error edited into one of his stories reflected a supposed bias on my part. No, dude, it was because you gave me a steaming turd of a gamer on deadline, and I was trying to take out all the repetitive crap in about a quarter of the time it would have taken to do it properly.

 

Had to be Lynn Hoppes

 

No comment.

 

Stop slamming my work!

But seriously ... why is it so challenging for some to not be an asshole?

 

I think it's different dealing with a stringer who thinks he has more pull than he/she really does. I've been there, and it's maddening, but it's true I would not disparage their work. There are more diplomatic ways to do it.

 

The asshole part wasn't directed at OTH. And stringers often need to get knocked down a peg (I did).

 

Gotcha. But never disparage someone's talent that isn't constructive.