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I have a new hero. Look at this story.

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by JuneBug1, May 4, 2008.

  1. Seahawk

    Seahawk Member

    I also must agree. Writing "emotion" stories is very draining and need to be handled with a certain amount of care. I've seen "emotion" stories get completely butchered.
     
  2. Herbert Anchovy

    Herbert Anchovy Active Member

    I'd rather have undercooked than overdone.
     
  3. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    I like my emotion medium rare.
     
  4. I agree with the "emotion is easy" nonsense. Anyone who says that probably thinks a bunch of sappy language is "emotion."

    "The story wrote itself", however, I happen to agree with. I wrote a 20-inch narrative the other day based on a girl's harrowing description of a tragic incident that happened to her and I was done in like 20 minutes without once having to check my notes for the first draft. It was that good. It didn't need me to come up with a bunch of language to make it better. Had another last night, as a matter of fact.

    On the other hand, I've had lots of newsworthy stories I've stewed over for hours trying to figure out how to make them more accessible to the reader. I prefer the ones that are interesting all by themselves.
     
  5. Italian_Stallion

    Italian_Stallion Active Member

    Great post. I agree with 95 percent of it. I just want to add that I think it does help people deal with dying. Had your mother read his story, it might have helped her on some level. I shouldn't have said anything about the story helping people deal with death. I'm sure it does. But that's probably not the primary goal of the story.

    Your mother, of course, shouldn't be judged for how she dealt with dying. But those stories really should be out there. People need the truth. People need to understand that it's okay that people deal with death in different ways. My guess is that this story, while great journalism, is probably lots of BS. I imagine this kid's family goes through hell at home. I doubt this kid gets up every day and praises the lord for giving him this great opportunity to inspire the world. I imagine he throws up, cries, throws things and shit like that. But I admire him for everything that he portrays in his community and the person he projects to the reporter.

    Frank makes some interesting insights. But I think he should lighten up a bit. The reporter never says people who don't take death well are in any way less significant than this kid. It's just that this kid had something to say. He clearly wanted to tell his story, and I can't find any fault in that no more than I can condemn Jimmy Valvano for the speech he gave.
     
  6. Trey Beamon

    Trey Beamon Active Member

    Another version, per the WWL.

    http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/highschool/news/story?id=3388581
     
  7. This is something on this thread that stuck out to me. No ill will meant ISW, but I think the kid is a hero. I think a hero is anyone who inspires other people.

    I don't have many heroes in my life. My dad, for one, and Pat Tillman is another. But this kid quickly jumped on my list. It's the words he spoke that hit home with me. I think for the first time in my 25+ years, I realized what I've been doing wrong in my life and that I need to change some things in the way I approach my life.

    Hopefully I have a child someday who will be able to understand why my dad is my hero, why I look so highly upon Pat Tillman, and how an 18-year old kid can make sense about something as deep and confusing asnd questionable as life.
     
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