"Longform" SB Nation story on Bonds, PEDs

Thought this might be worth discussing here. SB nation's Longform thing is nice and all that, etc., etc. And I agree with and understand many of the points made.

But it occurs to me that this is a story trumpeted as "longform," when the main points could have been made in three or four Tweets. OK, maybe five or six.

http://www.sbnation.com/longform/2013/1/10/3857198/barry-bonds-mlb-hall-of-fame-voting-steroids

This might be a measure of my own media consumption habits, true. I don't read nearly as many longer stories, nor even news stories, as I used to. Too much business-related stuff to read. And I do think that proper takes regarding yesterday's HOF vote could be disseminated just through quick bursts in social media.

But then, I'm not a sports media consumer who doesn't know the parameters of these stories going in. For someone who doesn't follow baseball and this particular issue, I guess it's necessary to create a piece that goes over all the whys and wherefores, with a nice bit of indignation thrown in.

 

I agree. It's a straightforward column masquerading as long form because it's too long.

Grantland often struggles when it tries to handle the day's news, too. It's not what your readers come to you for. It's not what your writers are accustomed to writing. You have ESPN and SB Nation around to handle the immediate reactions. There's no reason to force something unworthy onto the more highfalutin platform.

 

Also worth noting that the column holds up the 1989 A's as a juggernaut with a competitive advantage, but does not note that they got their hates handed to them in 1988 and 1990. Also love the "In 1992 George W. Bush’s Texas Rangers became the second steroid team. They traded for Canseco, the Johnny Appleseed of steroids." notation.

Ooh! Oooh! That dastardly George W. Bush! He liked Steroids!!!!!!!!!!!

 

A lot of repetition, not that it was all that bad. But a good read.

I'll be amused when Mr. Good Guy Thome gets 95% of the vote on his first go-round.

 

The Texas Rangers were the second team in baseball to use steroids, in 1992?

A seemingly professional writer would actually write that with an all-knowing tone?

That is a Hacky McHackHack story in form, content and especially in the lead. If this is the new SB Nation, they're headed nowhere fast.