No, you CAN'T root in the damn press box

[maumann]

Let me pose a question: Who is serving the reader more: the fanboi writer or the curmudgeon who's been on the beat 25 years, doesn't break any news (because the national people all do), and clearly hates his job and readers (and the contempt he feels for both shows daily in his writing)?

Great question, but I pose a third answer: I want to read or hear someone who is well-versed but also passionate about the event, not necessarily about the specific participants. I don't care if it's the Super Bowl or the PeeWee football game, make me feel like I'm sitting there next to you as you explain what's going on. Make that game come alive in your retelling.

You don't have to resort to cliches or overwrought prose. Nuts and bolts. Connect the dots. Five Ws and the H. But at least write or speak like you care that you were on the scene, even if you weren't.

It's not always easy to do that. But the best in the business do it all the time. Strive to be better than a fanboi or a curmudgeon.

 

[playthrough]

While John Feinstein is a wonderful author, would you consider his ACC or golf books to be objective, particularly in the Coach K-Dean Smith pedestal polishing?

In his Feherty biography's acknowledgements, Feinstein thanks Coach K. I might use a more colorful phrase than "pedestal polishing."

 

[Regan MacNeil]

Great question, but I pose a third answer: I want to read or hear someone who is well-versed but also passionate about the event, not necessarily about the specific participants. I don't care if it's the Super Bowl or the PeeWee football game, make me feel like I'm sitting there next to you as you explain what's going on. Make that game come alive in your retelling.

You don't have to resort to cliches or overwrought prose. Nuts and bolts. Connect the dots. Five Ws and the H. But at least write or speak like you care that you were on the scene, even if you weren't.

It's not always easy to do that. But the best in the business do it all the time. Strive to be better than a fanboi or a curmudgeon.

Of course. Couldn't agree with you more.

Just pointing out the dichotomy of shitting on the fanboi while possibly praising or at least accepting the old veteran, no matter how much he obviously hates most of his meatball readers.

And while the former are exploding on the scene, there are still plenty of the latter in most of the major sports cities.

 

[maumann]

Of course. Couldn't agree with you more.

Just pointing out the dichotomy of shitting on the fanboi while possibly praising or at least accepting the old veteran, no matter how much he obviously hates most of his meatball readers.

And while the former are exploding on the scene, there are still plenty of the latter in most of the major sports cities.

Exactly. The business is always evolving. Evolve with it or become a dinosaur.

 

[justgladtobehere]

There have been few moments in my life more disappointing than realizing Peter Gammons was the clothes-less emperor (symbolically, of course).

And Mike Crudale.

Gammo's ESPN columns were so poorly written you would think a middle schooler wrote them.

 

[jr/shotglass]

Of course. Couldn't agree with you more.

Just pointing out the dichotomy of shitting on the fanboi while possibly praising or at least accepting the old veteran, no matter how much he obviously hates most of his meatball readers.

And while the former are exploding on the scene, there are still plenty of the latter in most of the major sports cities.

And ... I'll suggest that the curmudgeon probably wasn't always a curmudgeon. Can we say the same of the fanboi?

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

And Mike Crudale.

Gammo's ESPN columns were so poorly written you would think a middle schooler wrote them.

That's hilarious. I had to look up that reference but it's perfect.

I guess I was still young and dumb (or younger and dumber), but I never thought the ESPN.com pieces were that bad. But he is unreadable now, both on Twitter and whenever he writes at The Athletic. Just senseless, meandering stream of consciousness nonsense in which the only thread is him dropping names. I'd be fine with the poorly written columns if he wasn't such a phony. A classic limousine liberal in every sense of the phrase. Go ask the Black players from Boston what he didn't do during the '70s and '80s.

 

[MNgremlin]

In this case, people are "concerned" that a graduate of the University of Colorado who lives and works in Denver may be happy that her alma mater defeated TCU.

She's tweeting to people who live in the Denver area and to her friends. And of that group, there is not a single person thinking "OMG, is she HAPPY that her alma mater won?"

This is my perspective, as well. But I don't have her audience. I'm just a Joe Schmoe in my alma mater's town of 15k. My followers count is only around 1k, but I'm not going to shy away from "rooting" for my college alma mater.

 

[MeanGreenATO]

This is my perspective, as well. I don't have her audience. I'm just a Joe Schmoe in my alma mater's town of 15k. My followers count is only around 1k, but I'm not going to shy away from "rooting" for my college alma mater.

I'm going to get heat for this, but it should be said: This kind of mentality is what will keep you in a town of 15k. Writing the quality stuff that moves the needle in other markets requires ruffling a few feathers in town. And that's ultimately what lands people better gigs.

 

[LanceyHoward]

Let me pose a question: Who is serving the reader more: the fanboi writer or the curmudgeon who's been on the beat 25 years, doesn't break any news (because the national people all do), and clearly hates his job and readers (and the contempt he feels for both shows daily in his writing)?

I vote for the curmudgeon. The fanboi is probably never going to break any news the team does not want him it release anyway. And in the age of the internet if I want to read a press release I can just go to the team's website and don't need to pay for a subscription to read the rewrite. [/QUOTE]

 

[MNgremlin]

I'm going to get heat for this, but it should be said: This kind of mentality is what will keep you in a town of 15k. Writing the quality stuff that moves the needle in other markets requires ruffling a few feathers in town. And that's ultimately what lands people better gigs.

I have no desire to move to a bigger town.

 

[MeanGreenATO]

I have no desire to move to a bigger town.

In that case, you might as well go full homer.