blogs = sports journalism? Or Another sign of the Apocolypse

For this morning's AP...
I suppose given the spectrum the lecture series is covering a blog editor might be OK. But considering it sports journalism? No way.
Notice they have everything but an actual sports journalist giving a lecture.
Deadspin is little more than a raincatch of sports items. Do they post anything breaking?
Thoughts?

 

Ohhhhh. Lindsay Czarniak...Nice.

 

I honestly never understood the fascination with blogs. And this from someone who has written a few, usually because of the need to blow off steam at someone or something.

At best, they are the online version of a column: a time to digest information and spout an opinion. Occasionally, they might actually uncover news, although if I'm looking for breaking news, a blog isn't the first place I am going to go.

The real-time game blogs offer next to nothing: "Oh, Smith is hot now. Scored 7 points this quarter. Podunk U. needs a timeout to reorganize."

"Davis made the goalie look silly on that one."

"Seahawks' playoff chances will take a major hit if they can't rally in the fourth quarter."

Seriously? What kind of insight are we getting here? It's worse than the TV or radio color commentary. It's like a few blowhards sitting around the bar yaking it up while watching a game. Big freakin' deal. Any viewer with half a brain doesn't need some blogger to tell him/her this.

So, are blogs real journalism? I suppose it depends how they are utilized. Any way you slice it, it's a fundamental departure from the old days where a person studied the how tos of journalism, earned a degree and covered an event because, supposedly, they were some sort of expert who knew more than the rest of us Yahoos in the bleachers. The way blogs are today, anyone can do one.

 

Don't know if he's written anything for SI lately, but I still consider Deford one hell of a sports journalist.

 

I don't understand why anything written on the web is considered a BLOG!

When Joe Schmoe writes something on Blogger from his Mom's basement it's an online journal, or web blog.

When a sports writer files an online only story its a narrative or a column I don't get why we call that a blog too. We should make a distinction.

Similarly when a good blogger, and there are some of them, writes, it should be considered a sports web site. Why is everything a blog! This has driven me crazy for years. If I take a shit in a box and write blog on the box does it make it a blog too?

 

I'm with Pseudo: If Frank DeFord's talking, this sports journalist will listen.

There's plenty of journalists on the panel -- everything but a traditional newspaper reporter, which I think is the beef here. Move over, Pulitzer-winning photog, we have to make way for Joe from the local twice-weekly.

 

Deford was... He's hasn't written with any sort of regualrity for how many years?
I agree, he is-was good. I would like to hear that lecture.
But sports journalism has changed so much in the last 10 years ... Why would you not have you know, a real working sports journalist on the lecuture series?

 

Traditional newspaper reporter's are gone. Now its file a running story for the web, file for the print edition (don't forget photos!), blog and twitter during and after the game and get on-line tomorrow at noon to chat with fans.
I'm not saying they need to bring in good old Joe Yocal from the the bi-weekly. But how about Ed Bouchette from nearby Pittsburgh? Or Joe Posnanski?

If anyone is going to consider becoming a sports journalists they ought to at least get an accurate picture.

 

Your answer, I fear, is right in the lede of that story. Newspapers? What newspapers?

For what it's worth, here's the original text from the WVU Web site:

So maybe there are some print people there (see: regional sports writers), just not the headliners? Dunno ...

 

Not to be a scold, ETNIOR, but in addition to his weekly rotation on NPR, Mr. Deford still writes a regular column for SI.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/frank_deford/03/11/bubble/index.html

And there isn't a poster on this board, not one, who could locate - much less lift or carry - Mr. Deford's jock when it comes to sports journalism.

 

I did not know Deford was still a regular for SI.
Not knocking Deford. ... Not at all.
But I doubt he covers much these days or is required to do half the things most sports journalists today are required to do.

 

I hope so.