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Tom Friend on William Perry

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Herbert Anchovy, Feb 7, 2011.

  1. Herbert Anchovy

    Herbert Anchovy Active Member

    http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2010/news/story?id=6091766

    A great piece.
     
  2. BYH

    BYH Active Member

    That was a sad and excellent read. I can't imagine the Fridge has too much time left.
     
  3. nmsports

    nmsports Member

    Wow. Not too many stories that length will hold a reader to the end. Riveting.
     
  4. Sad and excellent is a spot-on description. Friend is one of the best.

    The best thing about this story is Friend just tells it without any extras, really. Just phenomenal reporting and detail that makes for a compelling story. He doesn't have to dramatically wonder anything through most of this story -- as we all might be prone to do in this type of piece -- he's too busy showing you every step of the way.
    Makes it all the more powerful.
     
  5. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    It's a sad but old story about the Fridge.
     
  6. Joe Williams

    Joe Williams Well-Known Member

    Really felt the roller-coaster effect of Fridge getting all that love, in an intervention way, and getting pretty healthy again ... only to slip back into old habits and jeopardize his life once more.

    Well-done. Friend stayed out of the way, which is more less than some of our more self-conscious scribblers would have done.
     
  7. Sam Mills 51

    Sam Mills 51 Well-Known Member

    Excellent piece. Thanks for sharing, LJB.
     
  8. Ben_Hecht

    Ben_Hecht Active Member

    "Show me a hero, and I will show you a tragedy."

    -- F. S. F.
     
  9. Herbert Anchovy

    Herbert Anchovy Active Member

    It was the only proper way to write the story. No florid mush, no trying to get inside the guy's head, no artificial sweeteners. A straightaway and unblinking portrayal of self-destructiveness.
     
  10. Ben_Hecht

    Ben_Hecht Active Member

    The guy was so quick on his feet for a lineman, it shocked you. Multiple minus points to Buddy Ryan for initially dismissing him out of hand.
     
  11. shockey

    shockey Active Member

    always the most effective way to tell a story, especially when the people involved let it fly with you.

    most basic advice remains the best: when you have it, tell it. when you don't, write it.

    for the most part, what people remember from a story are the facts/observations the writer put out there. no one has ever quoted a sentence or graf i or anyone else has put together in a piece; but they sure as heck can tell you what was in the piece and why it spoke to them...
     
  12. Excellent points, but the one bolded really stands out for me. So true. It's stories like Friend's that remind you of the difference.
     
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