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Jordan's HS coach bailed out by journalist

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by JackReacher, Aug 15, 2012.

  1. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    Journalist posts bail for Michael Jordan's HS hoops coach, blames Jordan for not doing it himself. Strange.

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/thomas_lake/08/13/letter-to-michael-jordan/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_t13_a0
     
  2. 21

    21 Well-Known Member

    Lovely thing to do. Not sure how I feel about him writing it. Did he do because he wanted to help the guy, or because he saw a good story? Not trying to be cynical, it just felt a little off to me.

    Really interested to know what others think.
     
  3. brandonsneed

    brandonsneed Member

    Lake talked about it with a radio talk show host named Scott Hennessee. Audio is here: http://kxps1010.com/audio/shs-interviews/SHS%20120814%20Thomas%20Lake.mp3

    I transcribed it for my blog, too, if you'd prefer to read: http://brandonsneed.com/home/2012/8/15/helping-pop-herring.html
     
  4. Azrael

    Azrael Well-Known Member

  5. 21

    21 Well-Known Member

  6. Double Down

    Double Down Well-Known Member

    How it comes off, I'll let others debate. I will say, however, that Lake is one of the most genuine, earnest people in the biz. He doesn't do grandstanding. I believe without hesitation, the gesture was genuine.
     
  7. brandonsneed

    brandonsneed Member

    I'll second this.
     
  8. 21

    21 Well-Known Member

    Not questioning that at all, not one bit. Would you have written about it?
     
  9. I think what you think ...

    "Lovely thing to do. Not sure how I feel about him writing it. Did he do because he wanted to help the guy, or because he saw a good story? Not trying to be cynical, it just felt a little off to me. "

    If it were me, I wouldn't have written about it.
     
  10. YankeeFan

    YankeeFan Well-Known Member

    Yeah, I can see bailing him out, but the open letter is a little over the top.
     
  11. 21

    21 Well-Known Member

    Although it does provide the closing bracket to the original story. Would it have been disingenuous to say a friend eventually bailed him out? The story really isn't about the bail, it's that he was in jail, mentally ill, with no way to get out.

    Certainly a more compelling read the way Lake did it.
     
  12. brandonsneed

    brandonsneed Member

    It seems to me that Lake went to Wilmington intending to report on what was new with Pop Herring. Guy you profiled lands in jail, seems like he should be bailed out but hasn't been, you want to investigate. It's natural that your investigation will lead to you writing about it. And then, when Lake gets to Wilmington and learns that all Pop needs is someone to give $100 to get him out of jail, he does it.

    But that's the difference I see—Lake didn't do this so he could write about it. Lake set out to write something new from the moment he got back in the car and drove back up to Wilmington to check on Pop Herring. What happened next, he didn't plan. Like a good journalist, he reported on it as honestly as he knew how.

    The open letter is certainly a big risk. But then, because Lake seems like an earnest guy, what he ended up writing turned out to be what he felt most strongly. And isn't that what we're so often told makes for the most effective writing? To write with passion?

    Others' passion may have led them to frame what they'd written in a different way. Lake was moved to write like this.

    This is just my take, my interpretation of events based off the letter and then the interview Lake gave, so feel free to disagree. You won't hurt my feelings.
     
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