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I don't know Paul Newberry ...

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Justin_Rice, Nov 26, 2010.

  1. Justin_Rice

    Justin_Rice Well-Known Member

    ... but this paragraph doesn't belong in an AP game story:

    "Love him or deride him as a tainted star, Newton certainly has no peer on the field. It’s unlikely that anyone in the country could lead a team back from such a daunting deficit in Tuscaloosa, where Alabama had won 20 in a row."
     
  2. cjericho

    cjericho Well-Known Member

    well Newberry most likely typed all that but someone at the desk in NY sent it.
    i would think this goes on journalism board but who knows.

    also the 2nd sentence is good.
     
  3. Maybe I'm missing something, but why doesn't this belong in the story?
     
  4. Justin_Rice

    Justin_Rice Well-Known Member

    It's a game story. ... a game story now with the writer's opinion interjected that Cam Newton has "no peer on the field," and that only Cam Newton could have led a comeback against Alabama today.

    Apparently Paul Newberry has a magic machine which allowed him to simulate the game a hundred times over, substituting every every other quarterback in the country for Cam Newton, and thus proving that only Cam Newton could have won that game.

    You're an AP writer, writing for an audience of more than just Auburn fanbois. Save the opinion for your blog.


    Forgive my rant, and thank God for the cheating allegations that have helped subdue this year's "Cam Newton is the next Tim Tebow" campaign.
     
  5. Bob Cook

    Bob Cook Active Member

    I have met Paul Newberry on several occasions thanks to my wife's former employment at the AP. Love him or deride him, Newberry has few peers in being nice, funny and a very good writer on very tight deadlines.
     
  6. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    Perhaps so. Too much opinion for a gamer.
     
  7. John

    John Well-Known Member

    I like Paul a lot, but I was a little surprised when I read that. I believe it disappeared in the write-thru.
     
  8. bydesign77

    bydesign77 Active Member

    I follow Paul on FB, have met him several times when I was in the biz. He probably made a mistake writing that. He typically has solid judgment and writes tight and well 99 percent of the time.

    Not to mention he's quite the work horse.
     
  9. Justin_Rice

    Justin_Rice Well-Known Member

    I've got nothing negative to say about Paul .... just didn't like this particular paragraph, which of course I'm free to edit out.

    Got it out for AP lately. ... last Sunday's Redskins-Titans gamer was completely taken over by the Vince Young-is-a-crybaby sideshow, which really didn't help us serve our readers here in Redskins country.
     
  10. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    Paul: Very good guy, very good at his job. Which doesn't take away from Justin's point in any way. I just don't happen to agree with Justin on this one.

    I had no problem with it. This ain't the old days. (I also think he is right - Newton has no peer on the field).
     
  11. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    Ditto on the good-guyness. But if that's the gamer, it's out of place, in my opinion.

    But hey, it's good to have something to discuss about the craft.
     
  12. murphyc

    murphyc Well-Known Member

    Justin, glad you brought this up. I read the game and thought there was a bit too much opinion in it, glad I wasn't the only one thinking that.
    That is not to say Paul is a bad writer at all. Never met the guy, but had seen plenty of his stories over the years and not really noticed something like this.
     
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