NY Mag feature on Shams

[Slacker]

Do you think Schefter added the billboard or ESPN?

Good question. But if it were me, I'd ask to have it removed.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

BYH is right, Schefter's rise in a pre-Twitter world was swift. And information guys are nothing new — see McDonough and Mortensen, except guys like Mortensen could actually write.

For some reason I don't view Woj the same way I do Shams. Woj worked his way up. Shams started on second base.

I suppose it's some kind of irony that Woj climbed the ladder b/c he was a helluva writer (unlike Shams, who, as Deadspin notes in one of its very few funny things these days, might not be able to write his way out of a paper bag) who took on untouchable icons, access be damned. Just check out this evisceration of Jerry Tarkanian when Tark retired:

ESPN.com: GEN - Don't cry for Tark or Fresno State

Now he's in bed with the dudes he covers and I couldn't tell you the last good thing he's written (maybe I've missed it, I'm not much of an NBA guy). I guess it's progress and he's certainly set his family up for generations to come. But it's a little disappointing that there's gonna be generations that never knew the guy would write the ship out of anything.

 

[MeanGreenATO]

Woj cashed in on the big bet and Pashan followed. They understood that writing in the current marketplace isn't very profitable, which is very unfortunate but it's impossible to argue. Being an insider very much is.

And I think that's the interesting thing. Scoops don't make people feel anything. But even a well-turned column can outlast the outlet it was published in.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

Woj cashed in on the big bet and Pashan followed. They understood that writing in the current marketplace isn't very profitable, which is very unfortunate but it's impossible to argue. Being an insider very much is.

And I think that's the interesting thing. Scoops don't make people feel anything. But even a well-turned column can outlast the outlet it was published in.

I agree w/all this except people outside the business don't think like we do. Joe Blow doesn't give two ships that Jeff Pashan isn't writing features as great as the one he wrote about Brien Taylor when he was a young forkin' stud (Jeff, not Brien) and that Jeff is now an annoying twerp.

The arm that changed the Major League draft

And people outside the biz just care about the news and the dopamine rush of keeping up with the soap opera. Woj & Pashan are the show runners for their sports.

 

[Dog8Cats]

I suppose it's some kind of irony that Woj climbed the ladder b/c he was a helluva writer (unlike Shams, who, as Deadspin notes in one of its very few funny things these days, might not be able to write his way out of a paper bag) who took on untouchable icons, access be damned. Just check out this evisceration of Jerry Tarkanian when Tark retired:

ESPN.com: GEN - Don't cry for Tark or Fresno State

Now he's in bed with the dudes he covers and I couldn't tell you the last good thing he's written (maybe I've missed it, I'm not much of an NBA guy). I guess it's progress and he's certainly set his family up for generations to come. But it's a little disappointing that there's gonna be generations that never knew the guy would write the ship out of anything.

Now THAT is a helluva column. Thanks for sharing.

 

[DanOregon]

Scoops don't take time to "write" but the relationship building is where you spend your time. Sending birthday presents, e-mails, sharing gossip.

 

[wicked]

Hadn't seen that column on Tark. Woj's blast went about 600 feet. It's a shame our attention spans don't last for more than 10 seconds anymore.

 

[Songbird]

Years later Caleb Williams can buy extra burgers and tacos and "meals" with his $3.2 million.

https://www.firstpointusa.com/blog/2023/02/nilstop-10-most-valuable-athletes-for-2023/

 

[Azrael]

Eh.

"sports" "writing" is mostly now a matter of metrics, betting odds and the transaction wire.

In a TikTok world, the entirety of sports is an agate page.

 

[playthrough]

I don't begrudge any of these guys doing this and cashing in, but Woj is 54 and Schefter is 56. If they're still doing this well into their 60s, with two phones still surgically attached and missing movies, holidays, etc., then they've lost the plot.

 

[justgladtobehere]

Eh.

"sports" "writing" is mostly now a matter of metrics, betting odds and the transaction wire.

In a TikTok world, the entirety of sports is an agate page.

I was driving last night and was listening to a national show. They had Jason La Confora on. I thought he was a good national NFL writer. He was talking about his picks and whom he liked next week. It was kind of jarring to hear him doing gambling picks.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

I don't begrudge any of these guys doing this and cashing in, but Woj is 54 and Schefter is 56. If they're still doing this well into their 60s, with two phones still surgically attached and missing movies, holidays, etc., then they've lost the plot.

I sort of see Woj as Coach K, except his "only retire the numbers of players who graduated" were his great articles. He saw how the industry was changing and went full-bore the other direction in order to stay relevant. You don't have to like it, but you have to respect it. (Actually you don't w/the weasel Coach K ) You really learn to respect guys like Jay Wright, who saw how things were changing and said nah, I'm good and content w/my legacy as is, time to stop missing movies, holidays, etc.

Schefter is like Pitino: He's always been like this and he'll always be like this and he'll be doing this in his 70s, good health and the delayed heat death of the universe permitting.