1. Welcome to SportsJournalists.com, a friendly forum for discussing all things sports and journalism.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register for a free account to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Access to private conversations with other members.
    • Fewer ads.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Jim Dent v. The Bottle

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by FileNotFound, Apr 12, 2015.

  1. FileNotFound

    FileNotFound Well-Known Member

    Saw this in the social media today. Great read from The Dallas Morning News about Jim Dent, who was promoting his Manziel book even as he was hiding from the law in Mexico after his 10th DUI conviction.

    Exclusive: The story behind writer, 10-time DWI convict Jim Dent a hard one to believe

    I was left wondering: Did he approach Dave Smith (or vice versa) about a gig at The News after the Times-Herald closed, or did he just throw himself full-on into writing books at that point?

    Anyway, great story about a writer whose talent is exceeded by his amazing arrogance.
     
  2. Beat me to it.

    He needs to do some jail time.
    This dude will never learn.
     
    Last edited: Apr 13, 2015
  3. Mr. Sunshine

    Mr. Sunshine Well-Known Member

    The only question is whether he kills someone else before he kills himself.
     
  4. RecoveringJournalist

    RecoveringJournalist Well-Known Member

    I was just about to post this...

    Insane story. I can see my bookshelf from my desk and I have Junction Boys and The Undefeated on it.

    Can you imagine this guy and Skip Bayless covering the Cowboys together at the Times Herald?
     
  5. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    It boggles my mind that a functioning, intelligent professional keeps driving drunk. Ten times! How many times has he done it and not gotten caught?
     
  6. Bronco77

    Bronco77 Well-Known Member

    I was there at the time. Their working relationship covering the Cowboys was OK, but I don't think they had much rapport beyond that. Not that Skip had a lot of friends among co-workers, anyway. My recollection is that Skip and Frank Luksa, the Times Herald's other sports columnist and a really good guy, despised each other and didn't speak, not even in the pressbox.
     
    RecoveringJournalist likes this.
  7. RecoveringJournalist

    RecoveringJournalist Well-Known Member

    I have a few former co-workers who were at the Times-Herald and the stories were pretty nuts.
     
  8. goalmouth

    goalmouth Well-Known Member

    You'd think after just a few DUIs he'd have gotten it right, killed himself, and saved the planet from his presence.
     
  9. franticscribe

    franticscribe Well-Known Member

    Addiction is a powerful thing.

    Guy like him is the poster child for ignition interlocks.
     
  10. Riptide

    Riptide Well-Known Member

    Or you could hunt him down and save the planet yourself, seeing as you want him dead.

    Hate the sin, not the sinner. But do send him off to prison to get him off the streets.
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2015
  11. BDC99

    BDC99 Well-Known Member

    Two things:
    This guy is an arrogant fuck. "Be sure mention the book in the story."
    This is a fascinating story, but I didn't think it was very well written. I guess it's tough when the story isn't resolved yet, but it just tailed off at the end.
     
  12. Thomas Gibbons

    Thomas Gibbons New Member

    I quit drinking shortly before Jim Dent was arrested for the first time. So I have been sober for awhile. I was 24 and I would have never seen 30 if I hadn't. I already had two DUI (that was charge then) arrests, though no convictions. When I was 20, I ran a car into a utility pole and damned near killed myself. I quit for awhile, but I went back to it.
    From the outside, the answer seems simple — and it is - quit.
    From the inside, the answer are deceptively complicated. You have to give up the good times.You have to give up some of who you are.You have to face the tough stuff that life throws at you without getting hammered.If you could somehow just manage to control it a bit ...
    Of course, the benefits from quitting totally outweigh the drawbacks. The problem is the person making the decision has trouble seeing it that way.
    Jim has lived a colorful and productive life in some ways. And in other ways, a wasted and horrible life. He has done some dishonorbale things.
    I hope he makes the right decision and finally quits.
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page