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!

Charlie Pierce Leaves Globe For Esquire

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Sammi, Sep 12, 2011.

  1. Azrael

    Azrael Well-Known Member

    Oh my.

    http://www.observer.com/2011/09/globe-columnist-charles-pierce-joins-grantland-too/
     
  2. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    If you want Pierce to be edited, I somehow doubt that Grantland will be the place where that starts... :D
     
  3. Small Town Guy

    Small Town Guy Well-Known Member

    I think it's cool that Simmons and Pierce were able to put their mini-jihad in the past. It sort of feels like Gore Vidal agreeing to write for the National Review.

    Will also be interested to see Tommy Craggs' pieces about Grantland and if he'll write about Pierce specifically - he's said several times he thinks Pierce is the best journalist/writer working. But Deadspin's been one of the most prominent critics of the site.

    Another question: Will Jones read Pierce on Grantland, or avoid him like he did when taking over at Esquire?

    And Dick, I disagree with your overall assessment but even if true, not sure "the pages of Esquire" part would be accurate anyway. It is the magazine, after all, that published the 14,000-word Superman comes to the Supermarket, among other meandering, wandering political pieces. It was 50 years ago, yes, but in many ways the magazine maintains the same editorial spirit it had back in the Hayes era.
     
  4. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    You're probably right about "Esquire" being the right place for it. But I guess we'll agree to disagree about Pierce's political rants. As much as he likes to put on the intellectual hat and drop $100 words, Pierce's world, underneath it all, is very neatly divided into Good Guys and Bad Guys. The rest is just window-dressing.

    I'm not articulating this as well as I'd like. I may have to dig up "Idiot America" or the recent "Esquire" piece at some point and cite to some examples of what bothers me. Mainly, I guess, Pierce is very much a stylist. And I'm not necessarily a huge fan of stylists.
     
  5. Small Town Guy

    Small Town Guy Well-Known Member

    Yeah I understand, Dick. No problem with that viewpoint, even if I do disagree with it. It's a discussion I think we've had on here quite often as well, which sometimes plays out in comparing, say, New Yorker articles to an Esquire feature, the difference in the styles, etc. I love the New Yorker like everyone else, but also really enjoy the "stylish" features of Esquire, GQ, SI, ESPN, etc.

    For instance, just reread Junod's Falling Man piece. I'd argue the reporting in it is as great as it is in the best New Yorker pieces we've discussed here, but I don't think there's any doubt if the story had appeared in the New Yorker, it would have had a much different tone - which some might have thought was better, others wouldn't have enjoyed as much. But with a story like that, I was glad it was Junod and in Esquire, thought they were able to add an extra punch to it. On the other hand, other stories that the New Yorker handles so well would seem awkward in Esquire.
     
  6. Pringle

    Pringle Active Member

    I think you've hit on something here.

    There are "Esquire" people and "New Yorker" people. I read and enjoy both, but I'm definitely a "New Yorker" person.
     
  7. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    Me, too. I like my storytelling delivered straighter than the Pierces of the world frequently deliver it.
     
  8. Versatile

    Versatile Active Member

    He's only written one piece for Grantland, and that was a brief essay about The National, so I don't know exactly what led to that line, unless it was purely in jest.

    Either way, Pierce gives Grantland credibility as a still-improving website. I guess I have a new byline to look for, as I was down to just Weinreb and guest pieces.
     
  9. dooley_womack1

    dooley_womack1 Well-Known Member

    I'm guessing Pierce has socks older than IJAG.
     
  10. Boom_70

    Boom_70 Well-Known Member

    Convince me
     
  11. I was thinking more along the lines of Pierce observing in a piece that Billy Beane getting the A's owners to spring for a front line free-agent required greater oration skills than Pericles getting Athens to agree to build a navy. That type deal.
     
  12. Boom_70

    Boom_70 Well-Known Member

    Funny how times change. 9 months ago Pierce was giving Junior Simmons a good dress down and now he is working for him:

    http://www.boston.com/sports/columnists/pierce/2010/12/blog_fight_blog_fight.html
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page