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The National (kinda, sorta) Resurrected

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by SockPuppet, Dec 18, 2006.

  1. Blushing

    Blushing Member

    editors: Blackie Sherrod, David Meeks
    columnists: Bill Plashke, Scott Ostler, Sally Jenkins
    MLB: Gerry Fraley, Tom Boswell
    NFL: Goose, Charean Williams
    NBA: Marc Stein. Peter May
    NHL: Tony Gallagher, Larry Brooks
    Colleges: Ivan Maisel, Dick Weiss, Chris Dufresne, Dan Wetzel
    Auto: Bob Margolis
    Horse racing: Gary West
    Tennis: Liza Horan
    Golf: Dave Kindred
    Boxing: Tim Smith
    GA: Gary Smith, Frank Deford
    Investigative: Mark Fainaru-Wava, Lance Williams
     
  2. Alma

    Alma Well-Known Member

    The approach I took is one I wish I'd see in a publication. Hence, auto racing would get two or three articles a year about the spectacle of the sport, one of which would chronicle why the sport is a big butter crock of shit. People don't attend races for the result anyhow, so why write about it? The same goes for boxing and horse racing, roles I think the respective, passionate writers could perform quite well.
    4 columnists: J. Posnanski, M. Wilbon, S. Roberts, G. Couch
    Local, national MLB beat writers: B Olney (local), P Gammons (local)
    Local, national NFL beat writers: TJ Simers (local), P. King (national)
    Local, national NBA beat writers who knows (Local) S.A. Smith (national)
    Olympic/alternative/other stuff: S. Jenkins
    Local, major college beat writer: P. Forde
    National college FB writer: D. Jenkins
    National college bkb writer: who knows
    Golf writer: Rick Reilly
    Auto racing writer: T. Wolfe
    Horse racing writer: W. Nack
    Boxing writer: J. Carol Oates
    Feature/takeout writer: T. Junod, D. Foster Wallace, J. MacGregor
    Investigative writer: M. Brenner, J. Krakauer
     
  3. Pringle

    Pringle Active Member

    Alma, I've never been to a race when the people I was weren't discussing the drivers, their owners and teams, their recent performances, the impact on the standings, etc., in minute detail. People care.
     
  4. Chi City 81

    Chi City 81 Guest

    3 columnists: Joe Posnanski, Michael Wilbon, T.J. Simers
    Local, national MLB beat writers: Buster Olney, Peter Gammons
    Local, national NFL beat writers: David Haugh, Peter King
    Local, national NBA beat writers: Marc Stein, Bob Ryan
    Local, national NHL beat writers: E.J. Hradek
    Local major college beat writer: Pat Forde
    Golf writer: Doug Ferguson
    Auto racing writer: Jenna Fryer
    Feature/takeout writer: Red Smith
    Investigative writer: Lester Munson and Don Yeager
    GA/features: Chris Jones
     
  5. fishwrapper

    fishwrapper Active Member

    This is fun. I'll take a stab...

    Editor: Bill Dwyre, Dave Smith, Emilio Garcia-Ruiz
    3 columnists: Rick Reilly, T.J. Simers, Mike Wilbon
    Local, national MLB beat writers: Buster Olney, Tim Brown
    Local, national NFL beat writers: Peter King, Dan LeBatard
    Local, national NBA beat writers: Sam Smith, Tim Kawakami
    Local, national NHL beat writers: Helene Elliott, Larry Brooks
    Local major college beat writer: Ivan Maisel
    National college FB writer: Chris Dufresne
    National college bkb writer: Dan Wetzel
    Golf writer: Thomas Bonk
    Auto racing writer: Ed Hinton
    Horse racing writer: Andrew Beyer
    Feature/takeout writer: Bill Plaschke, Sally Jenkins
    Investigative writer: George Dohrmann, Lance Pugmire,
     
  6. Alma

    Alma Well-Known Member

    Pringle,

    I'm sure they do care. But that's not why they're going to the races. The novelty and culture of auto racing is what makes it special, and it should dealt with on that level, and, the way I figure it, I'd hire Tom Wolfe to do it. There are many, many other publications obsessed with these details, and they can have it.
     
  7. joe king

    joe king Active Member

    Alma, as much as I respect you and your intellect, you're 100 percent wrong on this one. Racing fans are more fanatical than those of any other sport I have encountered, and if a paper covered it the way you suggest, those fans would not only abandon ship as far as reading it but they'd howl like wolves about it. Those people absolutely eat up any copy you can throw at them concerning the sport and its participants. At every paper I've ever worked at, the one thing that will get you more calls than anything is leaving out the results of a NASCAR race. Sometimes even hiding it deep inside a section will get the gearheads riled up. Your way of covering NASCAR would alienate those fans -- and they are legion -- in a heartbeat.
     
  8. silentbob

    silentbob Member

    Executive sports editor (which means he writes:) Frank Deford
    3 columnists: Dan Le Batard, Mike Wilbon, Mitch Albom
    Page 2 columnists: T.J. Simers, Woody Paige
    Local, national MLB beat writers: Hal McCoy (local); Buster Olney (national)
    Local, national NFL beat writers: Bob McGinn (local); Rick Gosselin (national)
    Local, national NBA beat writers: Marc Spears (local); Marc Stein (national)
    Local, national NHL beat writers: Helene Elliott (local and national)
    Local major college beat writer: George Dohrmann
    National college FB writer: Chris Dufrense
    National college bkb writer: Pat Forde
    Golf writer: Ron Green, Jr.
    Auto racing writer: Ed Hinton
    Olympic sports: Linda Robertson
    Feature/takeout writers: S.L Price, Gay Talese, Rick Reily
    Investigative team: Mark Fainaru-Wada, Lance Williams, Michael Leahy
    General assignment: Wright Thompson, Charles Robinson
     
  9. fishwrapper

    fishwrapper Active Member

    silentbob,
    I like your squad. But, need Helene Elliott. She is in the Hall of Fame, after all. Plus, she could show Albom and Paige how to actually get to games.
     
  10. silentbob

    silentbob Member

  11. Alma

    Alma Well-Known Member

    Interesting that you mentioned NASCAR - and only NASCAR. Because I consistently said "auto racing." Why do spose NASCAR is more popular than Indy, or Formula One? Is it because NASCAR drivers are better? Their cars are faster? Because its points system makes more sense? Because the Daytona 500 is the greatest race of all?

    I think it happens to do a lot more with the culture of NASCAR than the substance of NASCAR. Which is what I would cover.

    Personally, I think good journalism either tells people what they didn't know, deepens what they did, or holds up a mirror. NASCAR fans, in particular, seem familiar with the nuances, so why feed them what they already know and get off any nightly TV show? Give them the meaning. Part of that, of course, is that the entire sport is a oxymoronic joke of individual achievement couched in a team environment that only allows certain drivers to succeed.
     
  12. Would be interesting to see more discussion of editors aside from the obvious LAT/Wash Post/NYT.
     
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