The Simmons Site

And there's currently a Molly Lambert story on the front page of the site.

 

But other than that....

 

Malcolm Gladwell

 

I'd assume the roster would expand as time goes on (more importantly, are they taking freelance pitches? And if so, who's taking them? And what's their email address? I have...a friend who wants to know). At the same time, while we're talking primarily about the big names here, they already have a pretty diverse group, including several people that I am not real familiar with, which I'm guessing is the same for many here.

Lambert, for instance. Hadn't really read her until her preview piece and even with that I'm more than willing to read more of her stuff. There's a piece up by "Carles" of the Hipster Runoff blog, a story I thought was pretty good. Can't say I'd ever read his stuff before seeing him on Grantland.

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/100/the-self-aware-nba

There's Weinreb, who's really good, with a little recap. So while we've sort of focused on the pieces by people we're more familiar with - and have wondered if there are stories that will appeal to anyone besides those who work in media, people who used to work in media or alcoholic folks who worship a long-dead sports daily newspaper - the site's also already put up pieces that I think would have wide appeal.

 

STG, did you say "her"?

 

The oral history of "The National" is outstanding:

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6629257/view/full/the-greatest-paper-ever-died

 

I'm back. I can point out your dickheadedness too, if you like.

 

This is intriguing, this latent flame war bubbling under all the straightforward talk about Grantland.

 

yes. what am i doing?

 

Silly.

I can't claim to know the whole staff, but editor Jay Caspian Kang is Asian, Jonathan Abrams is black and both of the preview articles were written by women.

 

Just finished " The Greatest Paper That Ever Died" . It reads like a Harvard Business School case study in how not to start a business.

It was clear that there was no one at the paper with any real sense of business. Also clear that neither Price nor Deford showed any respect for Azcarraga and his money. They spent like drunken sailors. They did not treat the money like it was their own.

 

True as that may be Boom, Portfolio magazine just came and went in almost exactly the same time frame. Under the stewardship of Conde Nast and Si Newhouse - both presumed to understand the running of magazines, and to respect the value of a dollar - it burned through way more than $100 million and another masthead full of superstars in just under two years, failing spectacularly.

Publishing, like movies or television, is as much about alchemy and timing and luck as it is about planning and strategy and restraint. It's impossible to predict with certainty what an American audience will take up.

If the historic moment's right, it doesn't matter what you spend. Also if the moment's wrong.