Could be Columnists

[Dave Kindred]

I let it sit for a while when you posted that, but I'm not buying it. You said, "So I asked four well-connected friends who know these things to help me make up a list of 20-under-40 at newspapers who could be columnists." If you asked me for my top 3-year-old colts and I gave you a bunch of 5-year-olds and even some mares who'd already been bred, you'd say sorry, Frank, not what I'm looking for, but maybe you have some good picks in the AL East.

You're a Triple Crown winner and some newspaper company should have paid millions to have you stand at stud (hey!), but in this particular Grade III race at National Sports Center Downs, the top three finishers were Mailed It In, I Can't Get No Editing and More Like Bill Simmons Than I Think. Fact-Checker Charlie stumbled out of the gate and broke his bull**** detector, and was humanely destroyed.

That was beautiful. You should be a columnist.

You bet. If Frank can supply me with his name, DOB, references from four well-connected newspaper veterans, and a certified letter from his newspaper's publisher that he is an employee who is not a columnist but would really like to be one if any old fart ever dies and leaves a slot open, I'll get him on the next u-40 list.

 

[imjustagirl]

I let it sit for a while when you posted that, but I'm not buying it. You said, "So I asked four well-connected friends who know these things to help me make up a list of 20-under-40 at newspapers who could be columnists." If you asked me for my top 3-year-old colts and I gave you a bunch of 5-year-olds and even some mares who'd already been bred, you'd say sorry, Frank, not what I'm looking for, but maybe you have some good picks in the AL East.

You're a Triple Crown winner and some newspaper company should have paid millions to have you stand at stud (hey!), but in this particular Grade III race at National Sports Center Downs, the top three finishers were Mailed It In, I Can't Get No Editing and More Like Bill Simmons Than I Think. Fact-Checker Charlie stumbled out of the gate and broke his bull**** detector, and was humanely destroyed.

That was beautiful. You should be a columnist.

You bet. If Frank can supply me with his name, DOB, references from four well-connected newspaper veterans, and a certified letter from his newspaper's publisher that he is an employee who is not a columnist but would really like to be one if any old fart ever dies and leaves a slot open, I'll get him on the next u-40 list.

Yep, snide is definitely the way to go here.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

I let it sit for a while when you posted that, but I'm not buying it. You said, "So I asked four well-connected friends who know these things to help me make up a list of 20-under-40 at newspapers who could be columnists." If you asked me for my top 3-year-old colts and I gave you a bunch of 5-year-olds and even some mares who'd already been bred, you'd say sorry, Frank, not what I'm looking for, but maybe you have some good picks in the AL East.

You're a Triple Crown winner and some newspaper company should have paid millions to have you stand at stud (hey!), but in this particular Grade III race at National Sports Center Downs, the top three finishers were Mailed It In, I Can't Get No Editing and More Like Bill Simmons Than I Think. Fact-Checker Charlie stumbled out of the gate and broke his bull**** detector, and was humanely destroyed.

That was beautiful. You should be a columnist.

You bet. If Frank can supply me with his name, DOB, references from four well-connected newspaper veterans, and a certified letter from his newspaper's publisher that he is an employee who is not a columnist but would really like to be one if any old fart ever dies and leaves a slot open, I'll get him on the next u-40 list.

Yep, snide is definitely the way to go here.

(Supposed) journalism name/luminary/bigwig/award-winner/God/wordsmith/Ruler of the Known Universe comes here, disseminates wisdom, reacts to disagreement with a "How DARE you!!!!!!!" attitude.

From Whitlock to Kindred, an SportsJournalists.com tradition.

 

[Versatile]

So, if you were mentioned on the list, do you, like, put it on your resume? What if you're an under-40 sports writer at a paper where one of your coworkers was on the list? Do you hide in shame and not expect a raise any time soon?

 

[imjustagirl]

If I work with one of the people who is already a columnist and has been for a decade, I give them **** saying "Hey, Dave Kindred thinks you might be good someday! Good luck with that search for a columnist job!!!"

 

[Versatile]

If I worked with one of the many fine under-40 columnists who aren't on the list, I'd never, ever, ever stop giving them **** about it under any circumstance. Chip Scoggins, you must SUCK. Same to you, Jason Reid.

 

[djc3317]

I must be getting soft in my increasing age because my impulse in the past would have been to say something catty about the list, the person who compiled it or the abilities of the people on it.

Now I just see it as someone established trying to say something nice about some younger folks. Maybe it's imperfect, but the intent sure was nice. Had I been included on that list, I'd certainly have been flattered.

 

[Harry Doyle]

I think the truth of Kindred's imperfection lies somewhere between his "may be" and "are" sloppiness and the "this list is bunk" vitriol of some respondents. It's a nice thought from Kindred and it throws some nice attention to some nice and deserving people.

What is wrong with that?

The point is, if the point was, to say that there are people who will still grow and kick ass in this business who work for newspapers. Don't say there's no future for newspaper sports columns, because these FEW he has pointed out are among those who might do it in the future. As I read it, it was never meant to be "the top 45 under 40" as I've heard it characterized today. It's just a sampling of the many, hundreds, of great young (ish) folks who will carry the business into the future.

Mellinger shouldn't feel slighted because Kindred didn't bump him due to his columnist status, JReid shouldn't be pissed that he wasn't "nominated." It's not comprehensive nor is it definitive. It's one dude saying that things aren't as bleak as we always say they are. And isn't that why you come to this site anyway? For encouragement?

Maybe I'm a sap, but I bought it.

 

[Versatile]

My only real problem with Kindred's column is that he's not addressing any of the real issues. Will there be anyone to pay these people to "Be there"? Will sports writing take on a completely new tone that trends toward blogging, micro-blogging and long form? If that were to happen, would it even be a bad thing? Why are sports columnists even valuable in the first place? Why should anyone want to be a general columnist in an era in which expertise and specialization are becoming increasing valuable?

He's saying there is a lot of talent in the journalism world. We all know that. That's an obvious assertion for a readership that might venture to a site such as sportsjournalism.org. His list of names is meaningless and wildly inconsistent. That's fine to a degree, as you say. Kindred's just too good for something so shallow. He didn't address a single valid, intelligible concern about sports journalism's future in a column that purports to elaborate on whether sports journalism and sports columnists are doomed.

 

[SoccerFan]

Odd story.

 

[mediaguy]

Just random name-dropping. "Here are some people who someone said they liked, though I know them so little myself that they may or may not be under 40, or may actually already be columnists for several years, but we're including them anyway. Enjoy and discuss!"

 

[Mizzougrad96]

In related news, Peter Gammons thinks Matt Kemp may wind up being a decent player and Adam Schefter thinks this QB in Green Bay might be worth keeping an eye on.

 

[daemon]

I'm sure Kindred was just trying to do something nice, and I'm guessing he isn't getting paid for these columns. Still...it does seem that Romanesko put more effort into Kindred's column than Kindred did. Romanesko actually took the time to google these guys and gals and link to their Twitter feeds. If Kindred's point is that there is plenty of young talent in newspapers, didn't he kind of strike a blow for the other side of the argument by not even bothering to read any of the people his four well-connected friends suggested?

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I'm sure Kindred was just trying to do something nice, and I'm guessing he isn't getting paid for these columns. Still...it does seem that Romanesko put more effort into Kindred's column than Kindred did. Romanesko actually took the time to google these guys and gals and link to their Twitter feeds. If Kindred's point is that there is plenty of young talent in newspapers, didn't he kind of strike a blow for the other side of the argument by not even bothering to read any of the people his four well-connected friends suggested?

Kindred also made it seem like other than the LA Times, there is almost no young talent west of the Rockies, which we all know is garbage.

I'm surprised Bob Ryan wasn't on the list.

 

[Scoop returns]

Talk about some out of touch, waste of time crap. Dude should really do his research first. Wonder why our business is going to shiznit. Half-ass reporting and shock journalism... LOL!

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

It's one dude saying that things aren't as bleak as we always say they are. And isn't that why you come to this site anyway? For encouragement?

No.

That's not why I come to this site at all.

I come here because the discussion should be expected to be at a high level, and because I seek news produced by sports journalists, and about sports journalism itself.

And if I'm looking for any kind of "encouragement," I prefer it not be disseminated by someone who has proven repeatedly that they have their head in the sand.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I think Kindred is one of the best sportswriters of our generation, which is why I was so stunned to see him publish a list where clearly he put almost no thought into it and listed a bunch of people, most of whom he's probably never read.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

Quite a few on that list are already columnists. There are a few more who have already been columnists before layoffs came down.

There are at least two dozen people on that list whose work I like, A LOT.

There are also at least five I wouldn't read, execpt at gunpoint.

Different strokes . . . though I expect there'd be a pretty hardcore consensus on perhaps five of 'em being on most people's top 15, among that group.

 

[ETN814]

The list is clearly just a collection of young people in high-profile positions. There's no thought involved here. No one sat down and thought about the credentials of the people listed. The sloppiness of the whole process makes it pretty clear.

 

[ETN814]

I'm sure Kindred was just trying to do something nice, and I'm guessing he isn't getting paid for these columns. Still...it does seem that Romanesko put more effort into Kindred's column than Kindred did. Romanesko actually took the time to google these guys and gals and link to their Twitter feeds. If Kindred's point is that there is plenty of young talent in newspapers, didn't he kind of strike a blow for the other side of the argument by not even bothering to read any of the people his four well-connected friends suggested?

It's like Adam Schefter listing four retired players on a list of guys he thinks should be in the Pro Bowl. Oh, but Adam was just trying to be nice to Night Train Lane.